UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-CSR
CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES
Investment Company Act file number: 811-23346
Name of Fund: BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc.
BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund
BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund
BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund
Fund Address: 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19809
Name and address of agent for service: John M. Perlowski, Chief Executive Officer, BlackRock Variable Series
Funds II, Inc., 55 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10055
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (800) 441-7762
Date of fiscal year end: 12/31/2020
Date of reporting period: 06/30/2020
Item 1 – Report to Stockholders
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![LOGO](https://capedge.com/proxy/N-CSRS/0001193125-20-234124/g59680g42l24.jpg) | | JUNE 30, 2020 |
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| | 2020 Semi-Annual Report (Unaudited) |
BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc.
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Not FDIC Insured -May Lose Value -No Bank Guarantee | | |
The Markets in Review
Dear Shareholder,
The last 12 months have been a time of sudden change in global financial markets, as a long period of growth and positive returns was interrupted in early 2020 by the emergence and spread of the coronavirus. For the first part of the reporting period, U.S. equities and bonds both delivered impressive returns, despite fears and doubts about the economy that were ultimately laid to rest with unprecedented monetary stimulus and a sluggish yet resolute performance from the U.S. economy. But as the threat from the coronavirus became more apparent throughout February and March 2020, leading countries around the world took economically disruptive countermeasures, causing equity prices to fall sharply. While markets have since recovered some of these losses as countries around the world begin reopening, there is still significant uncertainty surrounding the course of the pandemic, and an uptick in U.S. infection rates caused concern late in the reporting period.
Returns for most securities were robust for the first part of the reporting period, as investors began to realize that the U.S. economy was maintaining the modest yet steady growth that had characterized this economic cycle. However, once stay-at-home orders and closures of non-essential businesses became widespread, many workers were laid off and unemployment claims spiked. With large portions of the global economy on hold, all types of international equities ended the 12-month reporting period with negative performance, while in the United States large-capitalization stocks, which investors saw as more resilient than smaller companies, delivered solid returns.
The performance of different types of fixed-income securities diverged substantially due to a reduced investor appetite for risk. Treasuries benefited from the risk-off environment, and posted healthy returns, as the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield (which is inversely related to bond prices) fell to an all-time low. Investment-grade corporate bonds also delivered a solid return, while high-yield corporate returns were flat due to credit concerns.
The U.S. Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) reduced interest rates three times in 2019, to support slowing economic growth. After the coronavirus outbreak, the Fed instituted two emergency rate cuts, pushing short-term interest rates close to zero. To stabilize credit markets, the Fed also announced 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 disruption has clearly hindered worldwide economic growth, we believe that the global expansion is likely to continue once the impact of the outbreak subsides. Several risks remain, however, including a potential resurgence of the virus amid loosened restrictions, policy fatigue among governments already deep into deficit spending, and structural damage to the financial system from lengthy economic interruptions.
Overall, we favor a moderately positive stance toward risk, and in particular toward credit given the extraordinary central bank measures taken in recent months. This support extends beyond investment-grade corporates and into high-yield, leading to attractive opportunities throughout the credit market. We believe that both U.S. Treasuries and sustainable investments can help provide portfolio resilience, and the disruption created by the coronavirus appears to be accelerating the shift toward sustainable investments. We remain neutral on equities overall while favoring European stocks, which are poised for a cyclical upside as re-openings continue.
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 blackrock.com for further insight about investing in today’s markets.
Sincerely,
![LOGO](https://capedge.com/proxy/N-CSRS/0001193125-20-234124/g59680sig_01mips.jpg)
Rob Kapito
President, BlackRock Advisors, LLC
![LOGO](https://capedge.com/proxy/N-CSRS/0001193125-20-234124/g59680photo_01mips.jpg)
Rob Kapito
President, BlackRock Advisors, LLC
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Total Returns as of June 30, 2020 |
| | 6-Month | | 12-Month |
U.S. large cap equities (S&P 500® Index) | | (3.08)% | | 7.51% |
U.S. small cap equities (Russell 2000® Index) | | (12.98) | | (6.63) |
International equities (MSCI Europe, Australasia, Far East Index) | | (11.34) | | (5.13) |
Emerging market equities (MSCI Emerging Markets Index) | | (9.78) | | (3.39) |
3-month Treasury bills (ICE BofA 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index) | | 0.60 | | 1.63 |
U.S. Treasury securities (ICE BofA 10-Year U.S. Treasury Index) | | 12.68 | | 14.21 |
U.S. investment grade bonds (Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index) | | 6.14 | | 8.74 |
Tax-exempt municipal bonds (S&P Municipal Bond Index) | | 1.97 | | 4.23 |
U.S. high yield bonds (Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield 2% Issuer Capped Index) | | (3.83) | | 0.00 |
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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Index performance is shown for illustrative purposes only. You cannot invest directly in an index. |
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THIS PAGEISNOT PARTOF YOUR FUND REPORT | | |
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![LOGO](https://capedge.com/proxy/N-CSRS/0001193125-20-234124/g948553g42l24.jpg) | | JUNE 30, 2020 |
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| | 2020 Semi-Annual Report (Unaudited) |
BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc.
· | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund |
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Not FDIC Insured • May Lose Value • No Bank Guarantee |
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Fund Summary as of June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund |
Investment Objective
BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund’s (the “Fund”) investment objective is to seek to maximize total return, consistent with income generation and prudent investment management.
Portfolio Management Commentary
How did the Fund perform?
For the six-month period ended June 30, 2020, the Fund outperformed the benchmark, the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield 2% Issuer Capped Index.
What factors influenced performance?
High yield bonds posted a negative return in the first half of the year. The bulk of the loss occurred in late February and the first three weeks of March, when concerns about the economic impact of coronavirus pandemic led to a sharp sell-off in higher-risk segments of the financial markets. The asset class subsequently recovered in response to the significant stimulus provided by Congress and the Fed, but it was unable to recover the ground it had lost in the earlier downturn.
An underweight in the underperforming oil field services industry contributed positively, as did security selection in technology and retail. The Fund’s overweight in CCC rated issues and position in investment-grade securities added value, as well.
An underweight allocation to the independent energy sector and security selection in the banking and midstream energy sectors detracted from Fund performance. An underweight allocation to BB rated securities hurt results, as did the Fund’s out-of-benchmark allocations to equities and floating rate loan interests (“bank loans”).
Describe recent portfolio activity.
The Fund increased its weightings in the independent energy, midstream and automotive sectors, while reducing its allocations to the electricity, health care and media/ entertainment sectors. The Fund tactically increased its position in investment-grade securities, primarily new issues that came to the market at attractive valuations in the second quarter of 2020.
Describe portfolio positioning at period end.
The Fund remained underweight in BB rated issues. The Fund was overweight in select CCC bonds but underweight in the highest-yielding portion of the market that contains a larger concentration of distressed assets. Major sector positioning themes remained consistent, with the largest overweights in technology, aerospace/defense and banking. The Fund was underweight in energy and the sectors most vulnerable to the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, including retailers, automotive and leisure.
The views expressed reflect the opinions of BlackRock as of the date of this report and are subject to change based on changes in market, economic or other conditions. These views are not intended to be a forecast of future events and are no guarantee of future results.
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2 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
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Fund Summary as of June 30, 2020 (continued) | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund |
Performance Summary for the Period Ended June 30, 2020
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Average Annual Total Returns (a) | |
| | Standardized 30-Day Yields(b) | | | Unsubsidized 30-Day Yields(b) | | | 6-Month Total Returns (a) | | | 1 Year | | | 5 Years | | | 10 Years | |
Class I(c)(d) | | | 5.30 | % | | | 5.20 | % | | | (3.39 | )% | | | 1.32 | % | | | 4.36 | % | | | 6.55 | % |
Class III (c)(d) | | | 5.05 | | | | 4.96 | | | | (3.37 | ) | | | 1.07 | | | | 4.14 | | | | 6.29 | (e) |
Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield 2% Issuer Capped Index(f) | | | — | | | | — | | | | (3.83 | ) | | | 0.00 | | | | 4.79 | | | | 6.67 | |
| (a) | For a portion of the period, the Fund’s investment adviser waived a portion of its fee. Without such waiver, the Fund’s performance would have been lower. | |
| (b) | The standardized 30-day yield includes the effects of any waivers and/or reimbursements. The unsubsidized 30-day yield excludes the effects of any waivers and/or reimbursements. | |
| (c) | Average annual and cumulative total returns are based on changes in net asset value (“NAV”) for the periods shown, and assume reinvestment of all distributions at NAV on the ex-dividend/ payable date. Insurance-related fees and expenses are not reflected in these returns. | |
| (d) | The Fund invests primarily in non-investment grade bonds with maturities of ten years or less. On September 17, 2018, the Fund acquired all of the assets, subject to the liabilities, of BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (the “Predecessor Fund”), a series of BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc., through a tax-free reorganization (the “Reorganization”). The Predecessor Fund is the performance and accounting survivor of the Reorganization. The Fund’s total returns prior to October 1, 2011 are the returns of the Predecessor Fund when it followed different investment objectives and investment strategies under the name “BlackRock High Income V.I. Fund”. | |
| (e) | The returns for Class III Shares prior to February 15, 2012, the recommencement of operations of Class III Shares, are based upon the performance of the Predecessor Fund’s Class I Shares, as adjusted to reflect the distribution (12b-1) fees applicable to Class III Shares. | |
| (f) | An unmanaged index comprised of issues that meet the following criteria: at least $150 million par value outstanding; maximum credit rating of Ba1; at least one year to maturity; and no issuer represents more than 2% of the index. | |
Past performance is not indicative of future results. Performance results do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.
Performance results may include adjustments made for financial reporting purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Portfolio Information
| | | | |
CREDIT QUALITY ALLOCATION | |
Credit Rating (a) | | Percent of Total Investments (b) | |
AA/Aa | | | — | %(c) |
A | | | 2 | |
BBB/Baa | | | 14 | |
BB/Ba | | | 36 | |
B | | | 31 | |
CCC/Caa | | | 13 | |
CC/Ca | | | — | (c) |
D | | | — | (c) |
NR | | | 4 | |
NR | | | — | (c) |
| (a) | For financial reporting purposes, credit quality ratings shown above reflect the highest rating assigned by either S&P Global Ratings or Moody’s Investors Service if ratings differ. These rating agencies are independent, nationally recognized statistical rating organizations and are widely used. Investment grade ratings are credit ratings of BBB/ Baa or higher. Below investment grade ratings are credit ratings of BB/Ba or lower. Investments designated NR are not rated by either rating agency. Unrated investments do not necessarily indicate low credit quality. Credit quality ratings are subject to change. | |
| (b) | Excludes short-term securities. | |
| (c) | Represents less than 1% of the Fund’s total investments. | |
Shareholders of the Fund may incur the following charges: (a) transactional expenses; and (b) operating expenses, including investment advisory fees, service and distribution fees, including 12b-1 fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, and other fund expenses. The expense example shown below (which is based on a hypothetical investment of $1,000 invested on January 1, 2020 and held through June 30, 2020) is intended to assist shareholders both in calculating expenses based on an investment in the Fund and in comparing these expenses with similar costs of investing in other mutual funds.
The expense example provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. In order to estimate the expenses a shareholder paid during the period covered by this report, shareholders can divide their account value by $1,000 and then multiply the result by the number corresponding to their share class under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During the Period.”
The expense example also provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses. In order to assist shareholders in comparing the ongoing expenses of investing in the Fund and other funds, compare the 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in shareholder reports of other funds.
The expenses shown in the expense example are intended to highlight shareholders’ ongoing costs only and do not reflect transactional expenses, such as sales charges, if any. Therefore, the hypothetical example is useful in comparing ongoing expenses only, and will not help shareholders determine the relative total expenses of owning different funds. If these transactional expenses were included, shareholder expenses would have been higher.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Actual | | | | | | Hypothetical (a) | | | | |
| | Beginning Account Value (01/01/20) | | | Ending Account Value (06/30/20) | | | Expenses Paid During the Period (b) | | | | | | Beginning Account Value (01/01/20) | | | Ending Account Value (06/30/20) | | | Expenses Paid During the Period (b)
| | | Annualized Expense Ratio | |
Class I | | $ | 1,000.00 | | | $ | 966.10 | | | $ | 2.88 | | | | | | | $ | 1,000.00 | | | $ | 1,021.93 | | | $ | 2.97 | | | | 0.59 | % |
Class III | | | 1,000.00 | | | | 966.30 | | | | 4.06 | | | | | | | | 1,000.00 | | | | 1,020.74 | | | | 4.17 | | | | 0.83 | |
| (a) | Hypothetical 5% annual return before expenses is calculated by prorating the number of days in the most recent fiscal half year divided by 366. | |
| (b) | For each class of the Fund, expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio for the class, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 182/366 (to reflect the one-half year period shown). | |
Derivative Financial Instruments
The Fund may invest in various derivative financial instruments. These instruments are used to obtain exposure to a security, commodity, index, market, and/or other assets without owning or taking physical custody of securities, commodities and/or other referenced assets or to manage market, equity, credit, interest rate, foreign currency exchange rate, commodity and/or other risks. Derivative financial instruments may give rise to a form of economic leverage and involve risks, including the imperfect correlation between the value of a derivative financial instrument and the underlying asset, possible default of the counterparty to the transaction or illiquidity of the instrument. The Fund’s successful use of a derivative financial instrument depends on the investment adviser’s ability to predict pertinent market movements accurately, which cannot be assured. The use of these instruments may result in losses greater than if they had not been used, may limit the amount of appreciation the Fund can realize on an investment and/or may result in lower distributions paid to shareholders. The Fund’s investments in these instruments, if any, are discussed in detail in the Notes to Financial Statements.
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4 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
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Schedule of Investments (unaudited) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Shares | | | Value | |
|
Common Stocks — 1.2% | |
|
Building Products — 0.0% | |
AZEK Co., Inc. (The)(a) | | | | | | | 346 | | | $ | 11,024 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Chemicals — 0.3% | |
Element Solutions, Inc.(a) | | | | | | | 133,281 | | | | 1,446,100 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Energy Equipment & Services — 0.0%(a) | |
McDermott International, Inc. | | | | | | | 11,895 | | | | 857 | |
Pioneer Energy Services Corp.(b) | | | | | | | 1,058 | | | | 41,085 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 41,942 | |
|
Entertainment — 0.1% | |
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.(a) | | | | | | | 5,404 | | | | 239,559 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) — 0.4% | |
Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. | | | | | | | 24,294 | | | | 840,573 | |
VICI Properties, Inc. | | | | | | | 56,302 | | | | 1,136,737 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,977,310 | |
|
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 0.1% | |
Churchill Downs, Inc. | | | | | | | 828 | | | | 110,248 | |
Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc. | | | | | | | 3,221 | | | | 236,582 | |
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. | | | | | | | 12,365 | | | | 237,532 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 584,362 | |
|
Life Sciences Tools & Services — 0.0% | |
PPD, Inc.(a) | | | | | | | 1,969 | | | | 52,769 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Media — 0.0% | |
Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc.(a) | | | | | | | 146,145 | | | | 151,991 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Metals & Mining — 0.1% | |
Constellium SE, Class A(a) | | | | | | | 80,736 | | | | 620,052 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Pharmaceuticals — 0.2% | |
Bausch Health Cos., Inc.(a) | | | | | | | 41,611 | | | | 761,065 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Total Common Stocks — 1.2% (Cost: $6,946,344) | | | | | | | | | | | 5,886,174 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Par (000) | | | | |
|
Corporate Bonds — 86.0% | |
|
Aerospace & Defense — 4.2% | |
Boeing Co. (The): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.15%, 05/01/30 | | | USD | | | | 1,250 | | | | 1,393,787 | |
5.81%, 05/01/50 | | | | | | | 1,830 | | | | 2,161,204 | |
5.93%, 05/01/60 | | | | | | | 1,830 | | | | 2,170,182 | |
Bombardier, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
8.75%, 12/01/21 | | | | | | | 1,863 | | | | 1,513,688 | |
5.75%, 03/15/22 | | | | | | | 236 | | | | 174,180 | |
6.13%, 01/15/23 | | | | | | | 668 | | | | 459,450 | |
7.50%, 12/01/24 | | | | | | | 148 | | | | 96,940 | |
7.50%, 03/15/25 | | | | | | | 58 | | | | 37,851 | |
7.88%, 04/15/27 | | | | | | | 1,737 | | | | 1,137,735 | |
BWX Technologies, Inc., 4.13%, 06/30/28(c) | | | | | | | 418 | | | | 416,955 | |
F-Brasile SpA, Series XR, 7.38%, 08/15/26(c) | | | | | | | 741 | | | | 568,495 | |
General Dynamics Corp., 4.25%, 04/01/50 | | | | | | | 140 | | | | 181,185 | |
Howmet Aerospace, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.87%, 02/23/22 | | | | | | | 335 | | | | 351,750 | |
5.13%, 10/01/24 | | | | | | | 315 | | | | 326,296 | |
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc., 6.50%, 11/30/25(c) | | | | | | | 516 | | | | 535,350 | |
Leidos, Inc., 4.38%, 05/15/30(c) | | | | | | | 395 | | | | 444,948 | |
Signature Aviation US Holdings, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.38%, 05/01/26 | | | | | | | 165 | | | | 165,115 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Aerospace & Defense (continued) | |
4.00%, 03/01/28 | | | USD | | | | 418 | | | $ | 377,768 | |
SSL Robotics LLC, 9.75%, 12/31/23(c) | | | | | | | 64 | | | | 68,480 | |
TransDigm, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
8.00%, 12/15/25 | | | | | | | 1,131 | | | | 1,188,670 | |
6.25%, 03/15/26 | | | | | | | 7,614 | | | | 7,595,117 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 21,365,146 | |
| | | |
Air Freight & Logistics — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
XPO Logistics, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.75%, 08/15/24 | | | | | | | 198 | | | | 207,425 | |
6.25%, 05/01/25 | | | | | | | 173 | | | | 181,217 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 388,642 | |
| | | |
Airlines — 0.5%(c) | | | | | | | | | |
American Airlines, Inc., 11.75%, 07/15/25 | | | | | | | 273 | | | | 258,583 | |
Delta Air Lines, Inc., 7.00%, 05/01/25 | | | | | | | 630 | | | | 650,329 | |
Mileage Plus Holdings LLC, 6.50%, 06/20/27 . | | | | | | | 1,427 | | | | 1,430,567 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2,339,479 | |
| | | |
Auto Components — 1.5% | | | | | | | | | |
Adient US LLC, 9.00%, 04/15/25(c) | | | | | | | 305 | | | | 328,546 | |
Allison Transmission, Inc., 5.88%, 06/01/29(c) . | | | | | | | 923 | | | | 959,920 | |
Clarios Global LP(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.75%, 05/15/25 | | | | | | | 402 | | | | 418,080 | |
6.25%, 05/15/26 | | | | | | | 2,058 | | | | 2,122,312 | |
8.50%, 05/15/27 | | | | | | | 2,267 | | | | 2,278,222 | |
Dealer Tire LLC, 8.00%, 02/01/28(c) | | | | | | | 472 | | | | 437,190 | |
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (The), 9.50%, 05/31/25 | | | | | | | 332 | | | | 355,240 | |
Icahn Enterprises LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.75%, 02/01/24 | | | | | | | 49 | | | | 49,368 | |
4.75%, 09/15/24 | | | | | | | 162 | | | | 152,312 | |
6.25%, 05/15/26 | | | | | | | 369 | | | | 369,258 | |
5.25%, 05/15/27 | | | | | | | 397 | | | | 383,105 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 7,853,553 | |
| | | |
Automobiles — 0.7% | | | | | | | | | |
Ford Motor Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
8.50%, 04/21/23 | | | | | | | 382 | | | | 403,965 | |
4.35%, 12/08/26 | | | | | | | 82 | | | | 76,490 | |
4.75%, 01/15/43 | | | | | | | 167 | | | | 131,563 | |
5.29%, 12/08/46 | | | | | | | 160 | | | | 131,566 | |
General Motors Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.13%, 10/01/25 | | | | | | | 193 | | | | 216,871 | |
6.80%, 10/01/27 | | | | | | | 866 | | | | 1,009,115 | |
5.00%, 10/01/28 | | | | | | | 101 | | | | 107,436 | |
5.00%, 04/01/35 | | | | | | | 160 | | | | 159,820 | |
6.25%, 10/02/43 | | | | | | | 235 | | | | 249,728 | |
5.20%, 04/01/45 | | | | | | | 206 | | | | 199,527 | |
5.95%, 04/01/49 | | | | | | | 450 | | | | 473,066 | |
Tesla, Inc., 5.30%, 08/15/25(c) | | | | | | | 705 | | | | 705,000 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3,864,147 | |
| | | |
Banks — 0.5% | | | | | | | | | |
Banco Espirito Santo SA(a)(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.63%, 05/08/17 | | | EUR | | | | 100 | | | | 17,976 | |
4.75%, 01/15/18 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 17,976 | |
4.00%, 01/21/19 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 17,976 | |
Barclays plc: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.38%, 09/11/24 | | | USD | | | | 850 | | | | 907,344 | |
5.20%, 05/12/26 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 222,480 | |
BNP Paribas SA, (US Treasury Yield Curve Rate T Note Constant Maturity 5 Year + 2.94%), 4.50%(c)(e)(f) | | | | | | | 325 | | | | 284,781 | |
CIT Group, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 08/15/22 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 30,638 | |
5.00%, 08/01/23 | | | | | | | 396 | | | | 403,880 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 5 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | |
Banks (continued) | | | | | | |
HSBC Holdings plc, (USD Swap Rate 5 Year + 3.75%), 6.00%(e)(f) | | | USD 465 | | | $ | 462,094 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2,365,145 | |
| | |
Building Products — 0.5%(c) | | | | | | |
Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc., 5.00%, 09/30/27 | | | 545 | | | | 549,087 | |
Builders FirstSource, Inc., 6.75%, 06/01/27 | | | 193 | | | | 197,584 | |
Griffon Corp., 5.75%, 03/01/28 | | | 141 | | | | 139,237 | |
James Hardie International Finance DAC, 5.00%, 01/15/28 | | | 200 | | | | 204,000 | |
JELD-WEN, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
6.25%, 05/15/25 | | | 245 | | | | 254,188 | |
4.63%, 12/15/25 | | | 63 | | | | 60,480 | |
4.88%, 12/15/27 | | | 5 | | | | 4,800 | |
Masonite International Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
5.75%, 09/15/26 | | | 45 | | | | 46,350 | |
5.38%, 02/01/28 | | | 117 | | | | 119,633 | |
Standard Industries, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
6.00%, 10/15/25 | | | 161 | | | | 165,712 | |
5.00%, 02/15/27 | | | 221 | | | | 223,762 | |
4.38%, 07/15/30 | | | 785 | | | | 783,038 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2,747,871 | |
| | |
Capital Markets — 1.0% | | | | | | |
Brookfield Finance, Inc., 4.35%, 04/15/30 | | | 265 | | | | 300,512 | |
Credit Suisse Group AG(c)(e)(f): | | | | | | | | |
(USD Swap Semi 5 Year + 4.60%), 7.50% | | | 200 | | | | 207,782 | |
(US Treasury Yield Curve Rate T Note Constant Maturity 5 Year + 4.82%), 6.37% | | | 700 | | | | 710,850 | |
(US Treasury Yield Curve Rate T Note Constant Maturity 5 Year + 3.29%), 5.10% | | | 235 | | | | 222,663 | |
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The), Series R, (US Treasury Yield Curve Rate T Note Constant Maturity 5 Year + 3.22%), 4.95%(e)(f) | | | 921 | | | | 874,950 | |
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc., 3.00%, 06/15/50 | | | 245 | | | | 253,434 | |
MSCI, Inc., 3.88%, 02/15/31(c) | | | 1,149 | | | | 1,171,980 | |
Owl Rock Capital Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 04/15/24 | | | 146 | | | | 152,595 | |
4.00%, 03/30/25 | | | 195 | | | | 192,590 | |
3.75%, 07/22/25 | | | 866 | | | | 845,268 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4,932,624 | |
| | |
Chemicals — 2.2% | | | | | | |
Atotech Alpha 2 BV, 8.75%, (8.75% Cash or 9.50% PIK), 06/01/23(c)(g) | | | 1,010 | | | | 1,007,475 | |
Atotech Alpha 3 BV, 6.25%, 02/01/25(c) | | | 2,554 | | | | 2,528,460 | |
Axalta Coating Systems LLC, 4.75%, 06/15/27(c) | | | 423 | | | | 425,200 | |
Blue Cube Spinco LLC: | | | | | | | | |
9.75%, 10/15/23 | | | 567 | | | | 584,010 | |
10.00%, 10/15/25 | | | 40 | | | | 41,700 | |
Chemours Co. (The), 6.63%, 05/15/23 | | | 646 | | | | 620,160 | |
Element Solutions, Inc., 5.88%, 12/01/25(c) | | | 2,011 | | | | 2,030,482 | |
Gates Global LLC, 6.25%, 01/15/26(c) | | | 510 | | | | 501,075 | |
GCP Applied Technologies, Inc., 5.50%, 04/15/26(c) | | | 306 | | | | 305,235 | |
Illuminate Buyer LLC, 9.00%, 07/01/28(c) | | | 342 | | | | 356,535 | |
Minerals Technologies, Inc., 5.00%, 07/01/28(c) | | | 278 | | | | 282,170 | |
NOVA Chemicals Corp., 4.88%, 06/01/24(c) | | | 81 | | | | 75,532 | |
OCI NV, 5.25%, 11/01/24(c) | | | 277 | | | | 265,920 | |
PQ Corp., 5.75%, 12/15/25(c) | | | 912 | | | | 918,840 | |
Valvoline, Inc., 4.25%, 02/15/30(c) | | | 449 | | | | 442,265 | |
W.R. Grace & Co., 5.63%, 10/01/24(c) | | | 206 | | | | 216,815 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | |
Chemicals (continued) | | | | | | |
WR Grace & Co.-Conn., 4.88%, 06/15/27(c) | | | USD 462 | | | $ | 468,020 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 11,069,894 | |
| | |
Commercial Services & Supplies — 2.6% | | | | | | |
ACCO Brands Corp., 5.25%, 12/15/24(c) | | | 104 | | | | 105,300 | |
ADT Security Corp. (The): | | | | | | | | |
4.13%, 06/15/23 | | | 85 | | | | 85,212 | |
4.88%, 07/15/32(c) | | | 505 | | | | 459,550 | |
Allied Universal Holdco LLC(c): | | | | | | | | |
6.63%, 07/15/26 | | | 2,633 | | | | 2,764,650 | |
9.75%, 07/15/27 | | | 862 | | | | 908,333 | |
APX Group, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
7.88%, 12/01/22 | | | 115 | | | | 114,425 | |
8.50%, 11/01/24 | | | 202 | | | | 196,950 | |
6.75%, 02/15/27(c) | | | 455 | | | | 429,406 | |
Aramark Services, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 04/01/25(c) | | | 53 | | | | 52,205 | |
6.38%, 05/01/25(c) | | | 300 | | | | 309,789 | |
4.75%, 06/01/26 | | | 72 | | | | 69,300 | |
Brink’s Co. (The), 5.50%, 07/15/25(c) | | | 201 | | | | 204,725 | |
Clean Harbors, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
4.88%, 07/15/27 | | | 233 | | | | 239,407 | |
5.13%, 07/15/29 | | | 199 | | | | 206,395 | |
Garda World Security Corp.(c): | | | | | | | | |
4.63%, 02/15/27 | | | 509 | | | | 501,365 | |
9.50%, 11/01/27 | | | 376 | | | | 397,620 | |
GFL Environmental, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
4.25%, 06/01/25 | | | 140 | | | | 141,225 | |
7.00%, 06/01/26 | | | 1,195 | | | | 1,236,825 | |
5.13%, 12/15/26 | | | 851 | | | | 880,785 | |
8.50%, 05/01/27 | | | 632 | | | | 687,300 | |
IAA, Inc., 5.50%, 06/15/27(c) | | | 274 | | | | 282,664 | |
KAR Auction Services, Inc., 5.13%, 06/01/25(c) | | | 262 | | | | 258,070 | |
Mobile Mini, Inc., 5.88%, 07/01/24 | | | 1,268 | | | | 1,305,152 | |
Nielsen Co. Luxembourg SARL (The), 5.00%, 02/01/25(c) | | | 196 | | | | 192,570 | |
Prime Security Services Borrower LLC(c): | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 04/15/24 | | | 135 | | | | 138,038 | |
5.75%, 04/15/26 | | | 42 | | | | 43,554 | |
6.25%, 01/15/28 | | | 276 | | | | 260,130 | |
Waste Pro USA, Inc., 5.50%, 02/15/26(c) | | | 776 | | | | 740,684 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 13,211,629 | |
| | |
Communications Equipment — 0.7% | | | | | | |
CommScope Technologies LLC, 6.00%, 06/15/25(c) | | | 654 | | | | 631,568 | |
CommScope, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 03/01/24 | | | 491 | | | | 495,910 | |
5.50%, 06/15/24 | | | 135 | | | | 137,475 | |
6.00%, 03/01/26 | | | 455 | | | | 466,375 | |
Nokia OYJ: | | | | | | | | |
4.38%, 06/12/27 | | | 187 | | | | 197,588 | |
6.63%, 05/15/39 | | | 107 | | | | 127,094 | |
ViaSat, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
5.63%, 04/15/27 | | | 787 | | | | 805,691 | |
6.50%, 07/15/28 | | | 517 | | | | 517,109 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 3,378,810 | |
| | |
Construction & Engineering — 0.2%(c) | | | | | | |
Brand Industrial Services, Inc., 8.50%, 07/15/25 | | | 930 | | | | 837,000 | |
New Enterprise Stone & Lime Co., Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
10.13%, 04/01/22 | | | 158 | | | | 157,210 | |
6.25%, 03/15/26 | | | 99 | | | | 99,495 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 1,093,705 | |
| | |
6 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Consumer Finance — 1.8% | |
Ally Financial, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
5.80%, 05/01/25 | | | USD 1,255 | | | $ | 1,398,268 | |
8.00%, 11/01/31 | | | 1,237 | | | | 1,596,132 | |
Ford Motor Credit Co. LLC: | | | | | | | | |
5.88%, 08/02/21 | | | 701 | | | | 707,800 | |
2.98%, 08/03/22 | | | 736 | | | | 705,419 | |
3.09%, 01/09/23 | | | 200 | | | | 190,500 | |
4.14%, 02/15/23 | | | 248 | | | | 242,656 | |
3.81%, 01/09/24 | | | 870 | | | | 835,461 | |
4.06%, 11/01/24 | | | 200 | | | | 191,006 | |
5.13%, 06/16/25 | | | 800 | | | | 800,320 | |
4.13%, 08/04/25 | | | 650 | | | | 616,492 | |
4.39%, 01/08/26 | | | 200 | | | | 190,436 | |
General Motors Financial Co., Inc., 5.65%, 01/17/29 | | | 112 | | | | 126,035 | |
Global Aircraft Leasing Co. Ltd., 6.50%, (6.50% Cash or 7.25% PIK), 09/15/24(c)(g) | | | 513 | | | | 364,230 | |
Navient Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 10/26/20 | | | 47 | | | | 46,806 | |
6.13%, 03/25/24 | | | 176 | | | | 167,200 | |
5.88%, 10/25/24 | | | 49 | | | | 46,030 | |
6.75%, 06/25/25 | | | 103 | | | | 98,236 | |
6.75%, 06/15/26 | | | 138 | | | | 127,650 | |
Springleaf Finance Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
6.13%, 05/15/22 | | | 45 | | | | 45,827 | |
6.88%, 03/15/25 | | | 227 | | | | 232,888 | |
8.88%, 06/01/25 | | | 133 | | | | 142,183 | |
7.13%, 03/15/26 | | | 111 | | | | 114,884 | |
6.63%, 01/15/28 | | | 340 | | | | 336,600 | |
5.38%, 11/15/29 | | | 19 | | | | 17,765 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 9,340,824 | |
|
Containers & Packaging — 1.7% | |
ARD Finance SA, 6.50%, 06/30/27(c) | | | 894 | | | | 884,501 | |
Ardagh Packaging Finance plc(c): | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 04/30/25 | | | 342 | | | | 350,546 | |
4.13%, 08/15/26 | | | 754 | | | | 741,823 | |
4.75%, 07/15/27 | | | GBP 100 | | | | 120,193 | |
5.25%, 08/15/27 | | | USD 1,218 | | | | 1,196,539 | |
Ball Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 07/01/25 | | | 26 | | | | 28,437 | |
4.88%, 03/15/26 | | | 284 | | | | 308,850 | |
Berry Global, Inc., 4.88%, 07/15/26(c) | | | 114 | | | | 115,710 | |
Crown Americas LLC: | | | | | | | | |
4.75%, 02/01/26 | | | 220 | | | | 224,187 | |
4.25%, 09/30/26 | | | 302 | | | | 308,795 | |
Crown Cork & Seal Co., Inc., 7.38%, 12/15/26 | | | 78 | | | | 91,260 | |
Graphic Packaging International LLC(c): | | | | | | | | |
4.75%, 07/15/27 | | | 128 | | | | 135,040 | |
3.50%, 03/15/28 | | | 107 | | | | 106,165 | |
Intertape Polymer Group, Inc., 7.00%, 10/15/26(c) | | | 181 | | | | 186,014 | |
LABL Escrow Issuer LLC, 6.75%, 07/15/26(c) | | | 365 | | | | 379,713 | |
Mauser Packaging Solutions Holding Co., 5.50%, 04/15/24(c) | | | 229 | | | | 224,921 | |
Reynolds Group Issuer, Inc., 7.00%, 07/15/24(c) | | | 205 | | | | 205,576 | |
Sealed Air Corp.(c): | | | | | | | | |
5.13%, 12/01/24 | | | 20 | | | | 21,350 | |
6.88%, 07/15/33 | | | 31 | | | | 36,658 | |
Silgan Holdings, Inc., 4.13%, 02/01/28(c) | | | 76 | | | | 75,335 | |
Trivium Packaging Finance BV(c)(h): | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 08/15/26 | | | 1,045 | | | | 1,054,144 | |
8.50%, 08/15/27 | | | 1,767 | | | | 1,888,481 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 8,684,238 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Distributors — 0.5%(c) | |
American Builders & Contractors Supply Co., Inc., 4.00%, 01/15/28 | | | USD 220 | | | $ | 213,789 | |
Core & Main LP, 6.13%, 08/15/25 | | | 2,398 | | | | 2,389,967 | |
Wolverine Escrow LLC: | | | | | | | | |
8.50%, 11/15/24 | | | 114 | | | | 86,640 | |
9.00%, 11/15/26 | | | 131 | | | | 94,320 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2,784,716 | |
|
Diversified Consumer Services — 0.3% | |
frontdoor, Inc., 6.75%, 08/15/26(c) | | | 302 | | | | 320,875 | |
Graham Holdings Co., 5.75%, 06/01/26(c) | | | 158 | | | | 163,393 | |
Laureate Education, Inc., 8.25%, 05/01/25(c) | | | 171 | | | | 177,412 | |
Service Corp. International, 5.13%, 06/01/29 | | | 310 | | | | 333,560 | |
ServiceMaster Co. LLC (The), 5.13%, 11/15/24(c) | | | 234 | | | | 237,218 | |
Sotheby’s, 7.38%, 10/15/27(c) | | | 400 | | | | 378,000 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 1,610,458 | |
|
Diversified Financial Services — 1.5%(c) | |
Fairstone Financial, Inc., 7.88%, 07/15/24 | | | 289 | | | | 283,220 | |
MPH Acquisition Holdings LLC, 7.13%, 06/01/24 | | | 1,711 | | | | 1,591,230 | |
Refinitiv US Holdings, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
4.50%, 05/15/26 | | | EUR 650 | | | | 760,161 | |
6.25%, 05/15/26 | | | USD 275 | | | | 291,500 | |
8.25%, 11/15/26 | | | 1,296 | | | | 1,403,529 | |
Verscend Escrow Corp., 9.75%, 08/15/26 | | | 2,929 | | | | 3,146,771 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 7,476,411 | |
|
Diversified Telecommunication Services — 6.2% | |
Altice France Holding SA, 10.50%, 05/15/27(c) | | | 3,124 | | | | 3,441,242 | |
Altice France SA(c): | | | | | | | | |
7.38%, 05/01/26 | | | 1,756 | | | | 1,831,157 | |
8.13%, 02/01/27 | | | 1,721 | | | | 1,882,344 | |
5.50%, 01/15/28 | | | 1,055 | | | | 1,065,550 | |
CCO Holdings LLC(c): | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 02/01/28 | | | 441 | | | | 455,332 | |
5.38%, 06/01/29 | | | 896 | | | | 945,280 | |
4.75%, 03/01/30 | | | 451 | | | | 461,459 | |
4.50%, 08/15/30 | | | 1,643 | | | | 1,675,860 | |
4.50%, 05/01/32 | | | 1,831 | | | | 1,853,888 | |
CenturyLink, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
Series W, 6.75%, 12/01/23 | | | 128 | | | | 137,573 | |
Series Y, 7.50%, 04/01/24 | | | 219 | | | | 240,642 | |
5.13%, 12/15/26(c) | | | 1,485 | | | | 1,481,287 | |
4.00%, 02/15/27(c) | | | 666 | | | | 646,853 | |
Series P, 7.60%, 09/15/39 | | | 593 | | | | 638,216 | |
Series U, 7.65%, 03/15/42 | | | 815 | | | | 874,087 | |
Cincinnati Bell, Inc., 7.00%, 07/15/24(c) | | | 336 | | | | 342,720 | |
Frontier Communications Corp., 8.00%, 04/01/27(c)(h) | | | 2,333 | | | | 2,365,989 | |
Intelsat Jackson Holdings SA, 8.00%, 02/15/24(c)(h) | | | 106 | | | | 107,503 | |
Level 3 Financing, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 03/15/26 | | | 53 | | | | 54,457 | |
4.25%, 07/01/28(c) | | | 1,341 | | | | 1,339,458 | |
Qualitytech LP, 4.75%, 11/15/25(c) | | | 464 | | | | 473,517 | |
Sable International Finance Ltd., 5.75%, 09/07/27(c) | | | 200 | | | | 203,576 | |
Sprint Capital Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
6.88%, 11/15/28 | | | 776 | | | | 944,780 | |
8.75%, 03/15/32 | | | 1,356 | | | | 1,940,775 | |
Telecom Italia Capital SA: | | | | | | | | |
6.38%, 11/15/33 | | | 261 | | | | 294,277 | |
6.00%, 09/30/34 | | | 707 | | | | 768,509 | |
7.20%, 07/18/36 | | | 159 | | | | 189,210 | |
7.72%, 06/04/38 | | | 287 | | | | 361,115 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 7 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Diversified Telecommunication Services (continued) | |
Telecom Italia SpA, 5.30%, 05/30/24(c) | | | USD | | | | 451 | | | $ | 470,650 | |
Telesat Canada(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.88%, 06/01/27 | | | | | | | 527 | | | | 516,460 | |
6.50%, 10/15/27 | | | | | | | 52 | | | | 50,977 | |
Virgin Media Secured Finance plc(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 05/15/29 | | | | | | | 600 | | | | 627,000 | |
4.50%, 08/15/30 | | | | | | | 565 | | | | 565,706 | |
Zayo Group Holdings, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.00%, 03/01/27 | | | | | | | 825 | | | | 785,037 | |
6.13%, 03/01/28 | | | | | | | 1,834 | | | | 1,783,565 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 31,816,051 | |
|
Electric Utilities — 0.5% | |
NextEra Energy Operating Partners LP(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.25%, 07/15/24 | | | | | | | 67 | | | | 67,754 | |
4.25%, 09/15/24 | | | | | | | 143 | | | | 143,852 | |
4.50%, 09/15/27 | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 22,997 | |
NRG Energy, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.75%, 01/15/28 | | | | | | | 8 | | | | 8,440 | |
4.45%, 06/15/29(c) | | | | | | | 726 | | | | 761,977 | |
5.25%, 06/15/29(c) | | | | | | | 275 | | | | 288,750 | |
PG&E Corp., 5.25%, 07/01/30 | | | | | | | 596 | | | | 599,397 | |
Vistra Operations Co. LLC(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.55%, 07/15/24 | | | | | | | 83 | | | | 85,662 | |
5.00%, 07/31/27 | | | | | | | 106 | | | | 107,193 | |
4.30%, 07/15/29 | | | | | | | 336 | | | | 353,254 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2,439,276 | |
|
Electrical Equipment — 0.1% | |
Sensata Technologies BV(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.63%, 11/01/24 | | | | | | | 187 | | | | 198,220 | |
5.00%, 10/01/25 | | | | | | | 99 | | | | 105,405 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 303,625 | |
|
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components — 0.1% | |
CDW LLC, 4.13%, 05/01/25 | | | | | | | 353 | | | | 353,441 | |
Itron, Inc., 5.00%, 01/15/26(c) | | | | | | | 34 | | | | 33,873 | |
Sensata Technologies, Inc., 4.38%, 02/15/30(c) | | | | | | | 232 | | | | 229,680 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 616,994 | |
|
Energy Equipment & Services — 0.7% | |
Archrock Partners LP(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.88%, 04/01/27 | | | | | | | 208 | | | | 195,936 | |
6.25%, 04/01/28 | | | | | | | 112 | | | | 101,920 | |
ChampionX Corp., 6.38%, 05/01/26 | | | | | | | 370 | | | | 343,830 | |
Nabors Industries Ltd.(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
7.25%, 01/15/26 | | | | | | | 229 | | | | 140,835 | |
7.50%, 01/15/28 | | | | | | | 136 | | | | 83,640 | |
Pioneer Energy Services Corp.(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 9.50%), 11.00%, 05/15/25(f) | | | | | | | 434 | | | | 342,459 | |
5.00%, (5.00% Cash or 5.00% PIK), 11/15/25(g)(i) | | | | | | | 296 | | | | 159,972 | |
Tervita Corp., 7.63%, 12/01/21(c) | | | | | | | 845 | | | | 663,325 | |
Transocean, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.50%, 11/15/20 | | | | | | | 9 | | | | 8,190 | |
8.37%, 12/15/21(h) | | | | | | | 31 | | | | 21,700 | |
8.00%, 02/01/27(c) | | | | | | | 542 | | | | 299,116 | |
USA Compression Partners LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.88%, 04/01/26 | | | | | | | 476 | | | | 459,935 | |
6.88%, 09/01/27 | | | | | | | 631 | | | | 605,760 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3,426,618 | |
| | | |
Entertainment — 1.1% | | | | | | | | | |
Lions Gate Capital Holdings LLC(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.38%, 02/01/24 | | | | | | | 393 | | | | 383,175 | |
5.88%, 11/01/24 | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 143,250 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Entertainment (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.50%, 03/15/23(i) | | | USD | | | | 354 | | | $ | 359,089 | |
6.50%, 05/15/27(c) | | | | | | | 1,524 | | | | 1,569,720 | |
Netflix, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.88%, 04/15/28 | | | | | | | 109 | | | | 116,550 | |
5.88%, 11/15/28 | | | | | | | 1,177 | | | | 1,340,309 | |
5.38%, 11/15/29(c) | | | | | | | 842 | | | | 922,158 | |
4.88%, 06/15/30(c) | | | | | | | 537 | | | | 575,933 | |
WMG Acquisition Corp.(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 04/15/26 | | | | | | | 182 | | | | 188,316 | |
3.88%, 07/15/30 | | | | | | | 326 | | | | 329,276 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 5,927,776 | |
|
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) — 3.3% | |
Brookfield Property REIT, Inc., 5.75%, 05/15/26(c) | | | | | | | 318 | | | | 268,710 | |
Diversified Healthcare Trust, 9.75%, 06/15/25 | | | | | | | 421 | | | | 452,049 | |
GLP Capital LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 06/01/25 | | | | | | | 706 | | | | 767,704 | |
5.38%, 04/15/26 | | | | | | | 172 | | | | 187,925 | |
5.30%, 01/15/29 | | | | | | | 15 | | | | 16,231 | |
4.00%, 01/15/30 | | | | | | | 645 | | | | 639,357 | |
4.00%, 01/15/31 | | | | | | | 295 | | | | 292,861 | |
Iron Mountain, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.88%, 09/15/27 | | | | | | | 165 | | | | 160,741 | |
4.88%, 09/15/29 | | | | | | | 45 | | | | 43,763 | |
5.25%, 07/15/30 | | | | | | | 682 | | | | 671,770 | |
5.63%, 07/15/32 | | | | | | | 830 | | | | 828,257 | |
MGM Growth Properties Operating Partnership LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.63%, 05/01/24 | | | | | | | 79 | | | | 81,767 | |
4.63%, 06/15/25(c) | | | | | | | 705 | | | | 689,405 | |
4.50%, 09/01/26 | | | | | | | 532 | | | | 526,840 | |
5.75%, 02/01/27 | | | | | | | 102 | | | | 104,550 | |
4.50%, 01/15/28 | | | | | | | 1,110 | | | | 1,054,500 | |
MPT Operating Partnership LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 10/15/27 | | | | | | | 976 | | | | 1,002,840 | |
4.63%, 08/01/29 | | | | | | | 764 | | | | 767,820 | |
Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc., 4.75%, 10/15/27(c) | | | | 659 | | | | 586,510 | |
SBA Communications Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.88%, 09/01/24 | | | | | | | 172 | | | | 176,085 | |
3.88%, 02/15/27(c) | | | | | | | 1,948 | | | | 1,940,695 | |
Service Properties Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.50%, 06/15/23 | | | | | | | 70 | | | | 67,020 | |
4.35%, 10/01/24 | | | | | | | 68 | | | | 61,289 | |
7.50%, 09/15/25 | | | | | | | 563 | | | | 593,140 | |
Uniti Group LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.00%, 04/15/23(c) | | | | | | | 507 | | | | 494,325 | |
8.25%, 10/15/23 | | | | | | | 198 | | | | 187,110 | |
7.88%, 02/15/25(c) | | | | | | | 188 | | | | 190,495 | |
VICI Properties LP(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.50%, 02/15/25 | | | | | | | 689 | | | | 647,660 | |
4.25%, 12/01/26 | | | | | | | 961 | | | | 920,157 | |
3.75%, 02/15/27 | | | | | | | 751 | | | | 705,940 | |
4.63%, 12/01/29 | | | | | | | 746 | | | | 727,350 | |
4.13%, 08/15/30 | | | | | | | 1,324 | | | | 1,262,765 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 17,117,631 | |
|
Food & Staples Retailing — 0.5% | |
Albertsons Cos., Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.63%, 01/15/27 | | | | | | | 409 | | | | 409,000 | |
5.88%, 02/15/28 | | | | | | | 668 | | | | 689,223 | |
4.88%, 02/15/30 | | | | | | | 241 | | | | 246,574 | |
Sysco Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.60%, 04/01/40 | | | | | | | 310 | | | | 418,042 | |
| | |
8 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Food & Staples Retailing (continued) | |
6.60%, 04/01/50 | | | USD 310 | | | $ | 429,336 | |
US Foods, Inc., 6.25%, 04/15/25(c) | | | 231 | | | | 235,043 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2,427,218 | |
|
Food Products — 2.5% | |
Chobani LLC, 7.50%, 04/15/25(c) | | | 490 | | | | 472,850 | |
Darling Ingredients, Inc., 5.25%, 04/15/27(c) | | | 136 | | | | 139,778 | |
JBS Investments II GmbH, 7.00%, 01/15/26(c) | | | 200 | | | | 209,900 | |
JBS USA LUX SA(c): | | | | | | | | |
5.75%, 06/15/25 | | | 696 | | | | 702,090 | |
6.75%, 02/15/28 | | | 203 | | | | 214,038 | |
6.50%, 04/15/29 | | | 931 | | | | 988,024 | |
5.50%, 01/15/30 | | | 392 | | | | 401,800 | |
Kraft Heinz Foods Co.: | | | | | | | | |
3.88%, 05/15/27(c) | | | 92 | | | | 96,139 | |
4.25%, 03/01/31(c) | | | 2,141 | | | | 2,270,088 | |
5.00%, 07/15/35 | | | 189 | | | | 207,953 | |
6.88%, 01/26/39 | | | 414 | | | | 511,799 | |
4.63%, 10/01/39(c) | | | 129 | | | | 129,536 | |
6.50%, 02/09/40 | | | 280 | | | | 337,024 | |
5.00%, 06/04/42 | | | 125 | | | | 131,701 | |
5.20%, 07/15/45 | | | 245 | | | | 265,695 | |
4.38%, 06/01/46 | | | 652 | | | | 640,976 | |
4.88%, 10/01/49(c) | | | 1,371 | | | | 1,396,111 | |
5.50%, 06/01/50(c) | | | 2,109 | | | | 2,248,108 | |
Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc., 4.88%, 05/15/28(c) | | | 517 | | | | 547,767 | |
Post Holdings, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
5.75%, 03/01/27 | | | 6 | | | | 6,195 | |
5.63%, 01/15/28 | | | 165 | | | | 170,775 | |
4.63%, 04/15/30 | | | 321 | | | | 314,195 | |
Simmons Foods, Inc., 7.75%, 01/15/24(c) | | | 415 | | | | 432,928 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 12,835,470 | |
|
Gas Utilities — 0.2% | |
Ferrellgas LP, 10.00%, 04/15/25(c) | | | 1,198 | | | | 1,290,845 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
Health Care Equipment & Supplies — 0.9% | |
DENTSPLY SIRONA, Inc., 3.25%, 06/01/30 | | | 340 | | | | 357,448 | |
Hologic, Inc., 4.63%, 02/01/28(c) | | | 502 | | | | 520,825 | |
Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
7.38%, 06/01/25 | | | 982 | | | | 999,185 | |
7.25%, 02/01/28 | | | 1,956 | | | | 1,988,235 | |
Teleflex, Inc., 4.25%, 06/01/28(c) | | | 679 | | | | 695,975 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4,561,668 | |
|
Health Care Providers & Services — 4.3% | |
Acadia Healthcare Co., Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
5.13%, 07/01/22 | | | 283 | | | | 283,085 | |
5.63%, 02/15/23 | | | 93 | | | | 93,033 | |
5.50%, 07/01/28(c) | | | 335 | | | | 335,837 | |
AHP Health Partners, Inc., 9.75%, 07/15/26(c) | | | 443 | | | | 455,182 | |
Centene Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
4.25%, 12/15/27 | | | 1,306 | | | | 1,347,674 | |
4.63%, 12/15/29 | | | 1,873 | | | | 1,976,015 | |
3.38%, 02/15/30 | | | 649 | | | | 655,302 | |
Community Health Systems, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
8.63%, 01/15/24 | | | 1,114 | | | | 1,089,358 | |
6.63%, 02/15/25 | | | 317 | | | | 297,980 | |
8.00%, 03/15/26 | | | 1,743 | | | | 1,647,484 | |
Encompass Health Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
4.50%, 02/01/28 | | | 75 | | | | 71,934 | |
4.75%, 02/01/30 | | | 105 | | | | 100,275 | |
HCA, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
5.38%, 02/01/25 | | | 298 | | | | 319,232 | |
5.63%, 09/01/28 | | | 1,278 | | | | 1,426,568 | |
3.50%, 09/01/30 | | | 1,854 | | | | 1,785,721 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Health Care Providers & Services (continued) | |
LifePoint Health, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
6.75%, 04/15/25 | | | USD 289 | | | $ | 298,392 | |
4.38%, 02/15/27 | | | 127 | | | | 120,015 | |
MEDNAX, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 12/01/23 | | | 343 | | | | 341,285 | |
6.25%, 01/15/27 | | | 142 | | | | 142,000 | |
Molina Healthcare, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
5.38%, 11/15/22(h) | | | 63 | | | | 64,260 | |
4.38%, 06/15/28(c) | | | 429 | | | | 428,464 | |
Polaris Intermediate Corp., 8.50%, (8.50% Cash or 9.25% PIK), 12/01/22(c)(g) | | | 742 | | | | 652,907 | |
Surgery Center Holdings, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
6.75%, 07/01/25 | | | 1,130 | | | | 1,019,825 | |
10.00%, 04/15/27 | | | 786 | | | | 786,000 | |
Tenet Healthcare Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
8.13%, 04/01/22 | | | 1,470 | | | | 1,543,500 | |
4.63%, 09/01/24(c) | | | 406 | | | | 396,865 | |
7.50%, 04/01/25(c) | | | 275 | | | | 292,531 | |
4.88%, 01/01/26(c) | | | 1,272 | | | | 1,238,610 | |
6.25%, 02/01/27(c) | | | 334 | | | | 331,495 | |
5.13%, 11/01/27(c) | | | 1,297 | | | | 1,279,750 | |
4.63%, 06/15/28(c) | | | 229 | | | | 223,092 | |
Vizient, Inc., 6.25%, 05/15/27(c) | | | 439 | | | | 459,853 | |
West Street Merger Sub, Inc., 6.38%, 09/01/25(c) | | | 604 | | | | 584,370 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 22,087,894 | |
|
Health Care Technology — 0.1% | |
IQVIA, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
3.25%, 03/15/25 | | | EUR 224 | | | | 253,412 | |
5.00%, 10/15/26(c) | | | USD 298 | | | | 306,553 | |
5.00%, 05/15/27(c) | | | 226 | | | | 231,579 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 791,544 | |
|
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 4.9% | |
1011778 BC ULC(c): | | | | | | | | |
4.25%, 05/15/24 | | | 22 | | | | 22,039 | |
5.75%, 04/15/25 | | | 490 | | | | 514,500 | |
5.00%, 10/15/25 | | | 1,525 | | | | 1,516,018 | |
3.88%, 01/15/28 | | | 453 | | | | 439,487 | |
4.38%, 01/15/28 | | | 847 | | | | 830,221 | |
Aramark International Finance SARL, 3.13%, 04/01/25 | | | EUR 506 | | | | 537,888 | |
Boyd Gaming Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
8.63%, 06/01/25(c) | | | USD 238 | | | | 248,710 | |
6.38%, 04/01/26 | | | 97 | | | | 92,150 | |
Boyne USA, Inc., 7.25%, 05/01/25(c) | | | 300 | | | | 314,250 | |
Carnival Corp., 11.50%, 04/01/23(c) | | | 691 | | | | 749,735 | |
Cedar Fair LP, 5.50%, 05/01/25(c) | | | 806 | | | | 810,030 | |
Churchill Downs, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 04/01/27 | | | 410 | | | | 401,308 | |
4.75%, 01/15/28 | | | 695 | | | | 670,675 | |
Colt Merger Sub, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
5.75%, 07/01/25 | | | 786 | | | | 790,480 | |
6.25%, 07/01/25 | | | 2,701 | | | | 2,684,119 | |
8.13%, 07/01/27 | | | 1,440 | | | | 1,391,400 | |
Eldorado Resorts, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
6.00%, 04/01/25 | | | 131 | | | | 137,026 | |
6.00%, 09/15/26 | | | 167 | | | | 180,413 | |
Golden Nugget, Inc., 6.75%, 10/15/24(c) | | | 1,603 | | | | 1,152,156 | |
Hilton Domestic Operating Co., Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
5.38%, 05/01/25(c) | | | 284 | | | | 284,000 | |
5.13%, 05/01/26 | | | 378 | | | | 376,348 | |
5.75%, 05/01/28(c) | | | 321 | | | | 324,210 | |
4.88%, 01/15/30 | | | 1,188 | | | | 1,170,180 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 9 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | |
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure (continued) | | | | | | |
International Game Technology plc, 5.25%, 01/15/29(c) | | | USD 320 | | | $ | 312,544 | |
IRB Holding Corp., 7.00%, 06/15/25(c) | | | 288 | | | | 296,842 | |
Las Vegas Sands Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
2.90%, 06/25/25 | | | 83 | | | | 80,618 | |
3.50%, 08/18/26 | | | 75 | | | | 74,787 | |
3.90%, 08/08/29 | | | 68 | | | | 67,082 | |
Marriott International, Inc., Series EE, 5.75%, 05/01/25 | | | 215 | | | | 233,567 | |
Marriott Ownership Resorts, Inc., 6.50%, 09/15/26 | | | 66 | | | | 66,495 | |
MGM Resorts International: | | | | | | | | |
7.75%, 03/15/22 | | | 470 | | | | 479,400 | |
5.75%, 06/15/25 | | | 41 | | | | 40,540 | |
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.(c): | | | | | | | | |
10.88%, 06/01/23 | | | 175 | | | | 179,823 | |
9.13%, 06/15/23 | | | 275 | | | | 272,592 | |
11.50%, 06/01/25 | | | 360 | | | | 375,642 | |
Sabre GLBL, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 11/15/23 | | | 73 | | | | 67,160 | |
9.25%, 04/15/25 | | | 723 | | | | 761,861 | |
Scientific Games International, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
8.63%, 07/01/25(c) | | | 332 | | | | 310,320 | |
5.00%, 10/15/25(c) | | | 395 | | | | 364,688 | |
3.38%, 02/15/26 | | | EUR 500 | | | | 516,810 | |
8.25%, 03/15/26(c) | | | USD 857 | | | | 768,622 | |
7.00%, 05/15/28(c) | | | 382 | | | | 305,600 | |
7.25%, 11/15/29(c) | | | 193 | | | | 154,400 | |
Six Flags Theme Parks, Inc., 7.00%, 07/01/25(c) | | | 1,253 | | | | 1,295,289 | |
Station Casinos LLC, 4.50%, 02/15/28(c) | | | 392 | | | | 331,730 | |
Vail Resorts, Inc., 6.25%, 05/15/25(c) | | | 249 | | | | 260,516 | |
Wynn Las Vegas LLC, 5.25%, 05/15/27(c) | | | 483 | | | | 417,554 | |
Wynn Resorts Finance LLC(c): | | | | | | | | |
7.75%, 04/15/25 | | | 320 | | | | 322,304 | |
5.13%, 10/01/29 | | | 880 | | | | 786,500 | |
Yum! Brands, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
7.75%, 04/01/25(c) | | | 490 | | | | 528,587 | |
4.75%, 01/15/30(c) | | | 120 | | | | 121,800 | |
5.35%, 11/01/43 | | | 10 | | | | 9,600 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 25,440,616 | |
| | |
Household Durables — 1.4% | | | | | | |
Ashton Woods USA LLC, 6.63%, 01/15/28(c) | | | 116 | | | | 113,970 | |
Brookfield Residential Properties, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
6.25%, 09/15/27 | | | 188 | | | | 179,786 | |
4.88%, 02/15/30 | | | 223 | | | | 186,339 | |
CD&R Smokey Buyer, Inc., 6.75%, 07/15/25(c) | | | 383 | | | | 398,205 | |
Installed Building Products, Inc., 5.75%, 02/01/28(c) | | | 205 | | | | 205,000 | |
K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., 7.75%, 02/15/26(c) | | | 521 | | | | 513,185 | |
Lennar Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 06/01/26 | | | 355 | | | | 383,400 | |
4.75%, 11/29/27 | | | 301 | | | | 326,585 | |
Mattamy Group Corp.(c): | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 12/15/27 | | | 246 | | | | 244,770 | |
4.63%, 03/01/30 | | | 299 | | | | 287,040 | |
MDC Holdings, Inc., 6.00%, 01/15/43 | | | 187 | | | | 196,818 | |
Meritage Homes Corp., 5.13%, 06/06/27 | | | 240 | | | | 247,200 | |
Newell Brands, Inc., 4.88%, 06/01/25 | | | 228 | | | | 238,782 | |
Picasso Finance Sub, Inc., 6.13%, 06/15/25(c) | | | 814 | | | | 832,315 | |
PulteGroup, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
7.88%, 06/15/32 | | | 20 | | | | 25,556 | |
6.38%, 05/15/33 | | | 512 | | | | 599,040 | |
6.00%, 02/15/35 | | | 244 | | | | 280,844 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | |
Household Durables (continued) | | | | | | |
Taylor Morrison Communities, Inc., 5.88%, 06/15/27(c) | | | USD 204 | | | $ | 211,291 | |
Tempur Sealy International, Inc., 5.50%, 06/15/26 | | | 14 | | | | 14,140 | |
Toll Brothers Finance Corp., 4.35%, 02/15/28 | | | 22 | | | | 22,825 | |
TRI Pointe Group, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
5.88%, 06/15/24 | | | 123 | | | | 126,322 | |
5.25%, 06/01/27 | | | 385 | | | | 383,075 | |
5.70%, 06/15/28 | | | 91 | | | | 92,365 | |
Williams Scotsman International, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
7.88%, 12/15/22 | | | 208 | | | | 216,191 | |
6.88%, 08/15/23 | | | 629 | | | | 645,643 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 6,970,687 | |
| | |
Household Products — 0.2%(c) | | | | | | |
Energizer Holdings, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
6.38%, 07/15/26 | | | 141 | | | | 145,788 | |
7.75%, 01/15/27 | | | 93 | | | | 99,163 | |
4.75%, 06/15/28 | | | 333 | | | | 326,663 | |
Spectrum Brands, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 10/01/29 | | | 209 | | | | 206,388 | |
5.50%, 07/15/30 | | | 244 | | | | 244,305 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 1,022,307 | |
|
Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers — 0.9% | |
Calpine Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 02/01/24 | | | 72 | | | | 71,820 | |
5.75%, 01/15/25 | | | 494 | | | | 498,836 | |
5.25%, 06/01/26(c) | | | 411 | | | | 414,991 | |
4.50%, 02/15/28(c) | | | 577 | | | | 562,575 | |
5.13%, 03/15/28(c) | | | 2,002 | | | | 1,961,960 | |
Clearway Energy Operating LLC, 4.75%, 03/15/28(c) | | | 520 | | | | 530,369 | |
Pattern Energy Group, Inc., 5.88%, 02/01/24(c) | | | 494 | | | | 496,470 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4,537,021 | |
| | |
Industrial Conglomerates — 0.1% | | | | | | |
General Electric Co.: | | | | | | | | |
3.63%, 05/01/30 | | | 140 | | | | 140,158 | |
4.25%, 05/01/40 | | | 230 | | | | 228,868 | |
4.35%, 05/01/50 | | | 180 | | | | 178,021 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 547,047 | |
| | |
Insurance — 1.2% | | | | | | |
Acrisure LLC, 8.13%, 02/15/24(c) | | | 162 | | | | 168,431 | |
Alliant Holdings Intermediate LLC, 6.75%, 10/15/27(c) | | | 1,967 | | | | 1,960,352 | |
AmWINS Group, Inc., 7.75%, 07/01/26(c) | | | 98 | | | | 102,900 | |
Ardonagh Midco 2 plc, 11.50%, 01/15/27(c) | | | 200 | | | | 201,000 | |
Ardonagh Midco 3 plc, 8.63%, 07/15/23(c) | | | 652 | | | | 681,014 | |
GTCR AP Finance, Inc., 8.00%, 05/15/27(c) | | | 687 | | | | 707,177 | |
HUB International Ltd., 7.00%, 05/01/26(c) | | | 1,651 | | | | 1,647,533 | |
NFP Corp.(c): | | | | | | | | |
7.00%, 05/15/25 | | | 163 | | | | 171,150 | |
8.00%, 07/15/25 | | | 295 | | | | 288,362 | |
Willis North America, Inc., 2.95%, 09/15/29 | | | 30 | | | | 31,757 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 5,959,676 | |
| | |
Interactive Media & Services — 0.2%(c) | | | | | | |
Match Group, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
4.63%, 06/01/28 | | | 297 | | | | 299,599 | |
5.63%, 02/15/29 | | | 164 | | | | 172,877 | |
4.13%, 08/01/30 | | | 156 | | | | 152,733 | |
Rackspace Hosting, Inc., 8.63%, 11/15/24 | | | 317 | | | | 318,585 | |
Twitter, Inc., 3.88%, 12/15/27 | | | 128 | | | | 128,013 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 1,071,807 | |
| | |
10 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Internet & Direct Marketing Retail — 0.8% | |
Booking Holdings, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.50%, 04/13/27 | | | USD | | | | 237 | | | $ | 272,210 | |
4.63%, 04/13/30 | | | | | | | 2,226 | | | | 2,627,392 | |
Expedia Group, Inc., 6.25%, 05/01/25(c) | | | | | | | 940 | | | | 1,001,357 | |
Go Daddy Operating Co. LLC, 5.25%, 12/01/27(c) | | | | | | | 82 | | | | 83,435 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3,984,394 | |
|
IT Services — 0.9%(c) | |
Banff Merger Sub, Inc., 9.75%, 09/01/26 | | | | | | | 2,092 | | | | 2,105,075 | |
Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., 5.13%, 05/01/25 | | | | | | | 420 | | | | 426,300 | |
Gartner, Inc., 4.50%, 07/01/28 | | | | | | | 560 | | | | 566,552 | |
Northwest Fiber LLC, 10.75%, 06/01/28 | | | | | | | 149 | | | | 154,960 | |
Presidio Holdings, Inc., 4.88%, 02/01/27 | | | | | | | 495 | | | | 483,863 | |
Science Applications International Corp., 4.88%, 04/01/28 | | | | | | | 408 | | | | 405,576 | |
Tempo Acquisition LLC, 5.75%, 06/01/25 | | | | | | | 314 | | | | 321,850 | |
WEX, Inc., 4.75%, 02/01/23 | | | | | | | 345 | | | | 342,537 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 4,806,713 | |
|
Leisure Products — 0.2% | |
Mattel, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.75%, 12/31/25(c) | | | | | | | 484 | | | | 502,150 | |
5.88%, 12/15/27(c) | | | | | | | 433 | | | | 445,990 | |
6.20%, 10/01/40 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 34,600 | |
5.45%, 11/01/41 | | | | | | | 186 | | | | 154,320 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,137,060 | |
|
Life Sciences Tools & Services — 0.4%(c) | |
Avantor, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.00%, 10/01/24 | | | | | | | 678 | | | | 708,510 | |
9.00%, 10/01/25 | | | | | | | 528 | | | | 567,600 | |
Charles River Laboratories International, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 04/01/26 | | | | | | | 193 | | | | 200,720 | |
4.25%, 05/01/28 | | | | | | | 505 | | | | 504,742 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,981,572 | |
|
Machinery — 1.3% | |
Amsted Industries, Inc., 5.63%, 07/01/27(c) | | | | | | | 230 | | | | 237,187 | |
Clark Equipment Co., 5.88%, 06/01/25(c) | | | | | | | 419 | | | | 428,427 | |
Colfax Corp., 6.38%, 02/15/26(c) | | | | | | | 478 | | | | 499,510 | |
EnPro Industries, Inc., 5.75%, 10/15/26 | | | | | | | 568 | | | | 568,000 | |
Grinding Media, Inc., 7.38%, 12/15/23(c) | | | | | | | 608 | | | | 604,960 | |
Husky III Holding Ltd., 13.00%, (13.00% Cash or 13.75% PIK), 02/15/25(c)(g) | | | | | | | 367 | | | | 353,238 | |
IDEX Corp., 3.00%, 05/01/30 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 41,740 | |
Mueller Water Products, Inc., 5.50%, 06/15/26(c) | | | | | | | 184 | | | | 190,440 | |
Navistar International Corp.(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
9.50%, 05/01/25 | | | | | | | 118 | | | | 126,443 | |
6.63%, 11/01/25 | | | | | | | 354 | | | | 335,415 | |
RBS Global, Inc., 4.88%, 12/15/25(c) | | | | | | | 281 | | | | 282,405 | |
SPX FLOW, Inc., 5.63%, 08/15/24(c) | | | | | | | 183 | | | | 187,118 | |
Stevens Holding Co., Inc., 6.13%, 10/01/26(c) | | | | | | | 457 | | | | 477,565 | |
Terex Corp., 5.63%, 02/01/25(c) | | | | | | | 198 | | | | 180,180 | |
Titan Acquisition Ltd., 7.75%, 04/15/26(c) | | | | | | | 777 | | | | 735,236 | |
Vertical Holdco GmbH, 7.63%, 07/15/28(c) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 200,000 | |
Vertical U.S. Newco, Inc, 5.25%, 07/15/27(c) | | | | | | | 606 | | | | 606,000 | |
Wabash National Corp., 5.50%, 10/01/25(c) | | | | | | | 674 | | | | 618,395 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 6,672,259 | |
| | | |
Media — 5.3% | | | | | | | | | |
Altice Financing SA(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
7.50%, 05/15/26 | | | | | | | 1,510 | | | | 1,581,725 | |
5.00%, 01/15/28 | | | | | | | 1,031 | | | | 1,024,154 | |
AMC Networks, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 04/01/24 | | | | | | | 69 | | | | 68,310 | |
4.75%, 08/01/25 | | | | | | | 71 | | | | 69,949 | |
Block Communications, Inc., 4.88%, 03/01/28(c) | | | | 231 | | | | 228,180 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Media (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
Clear Channel Worldwide Holdings, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
9.25%, 02/15/24 | | | USD | | | | 830 | | | $ | 769,908 | |
5.13%, 08/15/27(c) | | | | | | | 2,072 | | | | 1,989,120 | |
CSC Holdings LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 06/01/24 | | | | | | | 192 | | | | 202,080 | |
7.75%, 07/15/25(c) | | | | | | | 850 | | | | 884,085 | |
10.88%, 10/15/25(c) | | | | | | | 1,546 | | | | 1,661,950 | |
5.50%, 05/15/26(c) | | | | | | | 398 | | | | 408,495 | |
5.38%, 02/01/28(c) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 209,000 | |
6.50%, 02/01/29(c) | | | | | | | 236 | | | | 258,125 | |
5.75%, 01/15/30(c) | | | | | | | 999 | | | | 1,040,459 | |
4.13%, 12/01/30(c) | | | | | | | 1,161 | | | | 1,150,841 | |
4.63%, 12/01/30(c) | | | | | | | 712 | | | | 691,608 | |
Diamond Sports Group LLC, 5.38%, 08/15/26(c) | | | | | | | 656 | | | | 474,780 | |
DISH DBS Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.75%, 06/01/21 | | | | | | | 614 | | | | 625,513 | |
5.88%, 07/15/22 | | | | | | | 494 | | | | 502,299 | |
5.00%, 03/15/23 | | | | | | | 625 | | | | 623,500 | |
7.75%, 07/01/26 | | | | | | | 1,379 | | | | 1,461,740 | |
DISH Network Corp.(i): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.38%, 03/15/24 | | | | | | | 496 | | | | 443,844 | |
3.38%, 08/15/26 | | | | | | | 705 | | | | 647,623 | |
Dolya Holdco 18 DAC, 5.00%, 07/15/28(c) | | | | | | | 1,233 | | | | 1,217,218 | |
Entercom Media Corp., 6.50%, 05/01/27(c) | | | | | | | 469 | | | | 420,928 | |
GCI LLC, 6.63%, 06/15/24(c) | | | | | | | 735 | | | | 769,148 | |
Lamar Media Corp., 4.88%, 01/15/29(c) | | | | | | | 118 | | | | 118,590 | |
LCPR Senior Secured Financing DAC, 6.75%, 10/15/27(c) | | | | | | | 855 | | | | 872,100 | |
Meredith Corp., 6.88%, 02/01/26 | | | | | | | 308 | | | | 256,105 | |
Midcontinent Communications, 5.38%, 08/15/27(c) | | | | | | | 307 | | | | 311,722 | |
Outfront Media Capital LLC, 5.00%, 08/15/27(c) | | | | | | | 531 | | | | 477,900 | |
Radiate Holdco LLC(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.88%, 02/15/23 | | | | | | | 201 | | | | 203,513 | |
6.63%, 02/15/25 | | | | | | | 188 | | | | 187,099 | |
Sirius XM Radio, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.38%, 07/15/26 | | | | | | | 19 | | | | 19,622 | |
5.00%, 08/01/27 | | | | | | | 239 | | | | 244,274 | |
5.50%, 07/01/29 | | | | | | | 427 | | | | 449,469 | |
4.13%, 07/01/30 | | | | | | | 731 | | | | 722,930 | |
TEGNA, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 09/15/24 | | | | | | | 79 | | | | 79,790 | |
4.63%, 03/15/28 | | | | | | | 54 | | | | 49,680 | |
Telenet Finance Luxembourg Notes SARL, 5.50%, 03/01/28(c) | | | | | | | 400 | | | | 417,000 | |
Terrier Media Buyer, Inc., 8.88%, 12/15/27(c) | | | | | | | 1,144 | | | | 1,096,810 | |
Univision Communications, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.13%, 02/15/25 | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 141,282 | |
6.63%, 06/01/27 | | | | | | | 920 | | | | 878,600 | |
Videotron Ltd., 5.13%, 04/15/27(c) | | | | | | | 229 | | | | 237,617 | |
Ziggo Bond Co. BV(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.00%, 01/15/27 | | | | | | | 296 | | | | 300,440 | |
5.13%, 02/28/30 | | | | | | | 371 | | | | 368,106 | |
Ziggo BV(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 01/15/27 | | | | | | | 378 | | | | 382,748 | |
4.88%, 01/15/30 | | | | | | | 229 | | | | 230,241 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 27,470,220 | |
| | | |
Metals & Mining — 2.6% | | | | | | | | | |
Anglo American Capital plc, 5.63%, 04/01/30(c) | | | | | | | 860 | | | | 1,038,817 | |
Arconic Corp.(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.00%, 05/15/25 | | | | | | | 584 | | | | 603,710 | |
6.13%, 02/15/28 | | | | | | | 335 | | | | 334,916 | |
Big River Steel LLC, 7.25%, 09/01/25(c) | | | | | | | 724 | | | | 691,420 | |
Constellium SE(c): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.75%, 05/15/24 | | | | | | | 352 | | | | 352,000 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 11 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | |
Metals & Mining (continued) | | | | | | |
6.63%, 03/01/25 | | | USD 858 | | | $ | 867,670 | |
5.88%, 02/15/26 | | | 784 | | | | 786,093 | |
5.63%, 06/15/28 | | | 389 | | | | 381,220 | |
Freeport-McMoRan, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
3.88%, 03/15/23 | | | 529 | | | | 529,000 | |
4.25%, 03/01/30 | | | 477 | | | | 462,690 | |
5.45%, 03/15/43 | | | 3,788 | | | | 3,712,240 | |
Kaiser Aluminum Corp.(c): | | | | | | | | |
6.50%, 05/01/25 | | | 175 | | | | 180,906 | |
4.63%, 03/01/28 | | | 278 | | | | 265,857 | |
New Gold, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
6.38%, 05/15/25 | | | 231 | | | | 233,310 | |
7.50%, 07/15/27 | | | 504 | | | | 519,972 | |
Novelis Corp.(c): | | | | | | | | |
5.88%, 09/30/26 | | | 525 | | | | 524,344 | |
4.75%, 01/30/30 | | | 1,346 | | | | 1,285,430 | |
United States Steel Corp., 12.00%, 06/01/25(c) | | | 821 | | | | 841,525 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 13,611,120 | |
|
Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) — 0.0% | |
Starwood Property Trust, Inc., 5.00%, 12/15/21 | | | 255 | | | | 247,350 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Multiline Retail — 0.5%(c) | | | | | | |
Macy’s, Inc., 8.38%, 06/15/25 | | | 1,074 | | | | 1,069,156 | |
Nordstrom, Inc., 8.75%, 05/15/25 | | | 1,215 | | | | 1,307,514 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2,376,670 | |
| | |
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — 10.8% | | | | | | |
Apache Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
3.25%, 04/15/22 | | | 16 | | | | 15,483 | |
5.25%, 02/01/42 | | | 55 | | | | 44,886 | |
4.75%, 04/15/43 | | | 560 | | | | 450,849 | |
4.25%, 01/15/44 | | | 292 | | | | 222,015 | |
5.35%, 07/01/49 | | | 123 | | | | 98,146 | |
Ascent Resources Utica Holdings LLC, 10.00%, 04/01/22(c) | | | 799 | | | | 681,147 | |
Baytex Energy Corp., 8.75%, 04/01/27(c) | | | 497 | | | | 263,410 | |
Buckeye Partners LP: | | | | | | | | |
4.13%, 03/01/25(c) | | | 126 | | | | 120,868 | |
3.95%, 12/01/26 | | | 85 | | | | 80,096 | |
4.50%, 03/01/28(c) | | | 190 | | | | 177,650 | |
5.85%, 11/15/43 | | | 208 | | | | 180,502 | |
5.60%, 10/15/44 | | | 270 | | | | 216,000 | |
Callon Petroleum Co.: | | | | | | | | |
6.25%, 04/15/23 | | | 797 | | | | 301,880 | |
6.13%, 10/01/24 | | | 549 | | | | 206,012 | |
8.25%, 07/15/25 | | | 396 | | | | 138,600 | |
6.38%, 07/01/26 | | | 404 | | | | 133,320 | |
Cenovus Energy, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
3.00%, 08/15/22 | | | 140 | | | | 136,142 | |
3.80%, 09/15/23 | | | 80 | | | | 75,228 | |
5.40%, 06/15/47 | | | 59 | | | | 50,650 | |
Centennial Resource Production LLC, 6.88%, 04/01/27(c) | | | 322 | | | | 170,660 | |
Cheniere Corpus Christi Holdings LLC, 5.13%, 06/30/27 | | | 1,028 | | | | 1,129,639 | |
Cheniere Energy Partners LP: | | | | | | | | |
5.63%, 10/01/26 | | | 429 | | | | 426,855 | |
4.50%, 10/01/29(c) | | | 594 | | | | 575,437 | |
CITGO Petroleum Corp., 7.00%, 06/15/25(c) | | | 453 | | | | 453,566 | |
CNX Resources Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
5.88%, 04/15/22 | | | 710 | | | | 700,663 | |
7.25%, 03/14/27(c) | | | 98 | | | | 90,160 | |
Comstock Resources, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
7.50%, 05/15/25(c) | | | 747 | | | | 676,969 | |
9.75%, 08/15/26 | | | 589 | | | | 549,705 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | |
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels (continued) | | | | | | |
Continental Resources, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 09/15/22 | | | USD 682 | | | $ | 670,065 | |
4.50%, 04/15/23 | | | 225 | | | | 215,370 | |
4.90%, 06/01/44 | | | 427 | | | | 339,999 | |
Crestwood Midstream Partners LP: | | | | | | | | |
6.25%, 04/01/23(h) | | | 266 | | | | 236,740 | |
5.63%, 05/01/27(c) | | | 470 | | | | 391,834 | |
CrownRock LP, 5.63%, 10/15/25(c) | | | 1,754 | | | | 1,572,022 | |
CVR Energy, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 02/15/25 | | | 391 | | | | 359,720 | |
5.75%, 02/15/28 | | | 130 | | | | 113,750 | |
DCP Midstream Operating LP: | | | | | | | | |
5.38%, 07/15/25 | | | 272 | | | | 269,960 | |
5.63%, 07/15/27 | | | 328 | | | | 330,050 | |
5.13%, 05/15/29 | | | 84 | | | | 80,588 | |
6.45%, 11/03/36(c) | | | 269 | | | | 242,100 | |
6.75%, 09/15/37(c) | | | 706 | | | | 633,487 | |
Diamondback Energy, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
4.75%, 05/31/25 | | | 225 | | | | 240,756 | |
3.50%, 12/01/29 | | | 588 | | | | 569,519 | |
Endeavor Energy Resources LP(c): | | | | | | | | |
6.63%, 07/15/25 | | | 331 | | | | 333,588 | |
5.50%, 01/30/26 | | | 1,053 | | | | 1,008,248 | |
5.75%, 01/30/28 | | | 553 | | | | 530,880 | |
Energy Transfer Operating LP: | | | | | | | | |
3.75%, 05/15/30 | | | 125 | | | | 124,157 | |
4.90%, 03/15/35 | | | 50 | | | | 50,248 | |
6.50%, 02/01/42 | | | 450 | | | | 487,456 | |
6.00%, 06/15/48 | | | 216 | | | | 224,030 | |
6.25%, 04/15/49 | | | 40 | | | | 42,405 | |
5.00%, 05/15/50 | | | 934 | | | | 887,079 | |
EnLink Midstream LLC, 5.38%, 06/01/29 | | | 121 | | | | 90,750 | |
EnLink Midstream Partners LP: | | | | | | | | |
4.40%, 04/01/24 | | | 443 | | | | 367,912 | |
4.15%, 06/01/25 | | | 27 | | | | 20,790 | |
4.85%, 07/15/26 | | | 28 | | | | 20,728 | |
5.60%, 04/01/44 | | | 255 | | | | 155,550 | |
5.05%, 04/01/45 | | | 41 | | | | 25,535 | |
EOG Resources, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
4.38%, 04/15/30 | | | 70 | | | | 83,513 | |
4.95%, 04/15/50 | | | 40 | | | | 51,023 | |
EQM Midstream Partners LP: | | | | | | | | |
6.00%, 07/01/25(c) | | | 523 | | | | 529,757 | |
4.13%, 12/01/26 | | | 53 | | | | 48,594 | |
6.50%, 07/01/27(c) | | | 581 | | | | 595,072 | |
EQT Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
3.90%, 10/01/27 | | | 562 | | | | 456,507 | |
7.00%, 02/01/30(h) | | | 316 | | | | 325,489 | |
Extraction Oil & Gas, Inc.(a)(c)(d): | | | | | | | | |
7.38%, 05/15/24 | | | 1,004 | | | | 193,270 | |
5.63%, 02/01/26 | | | 481 | | | | 92,593 | |
Exxon Mobil Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
2.61%, 10/15/30 | | | 303 | | | | 324,374 | |
3.45%, 04/15/51 | | | 180 | | | | 199,337 | |
Genesis Energy LP: | | | | | | | | |
6.00%, 05/15/23 | | | 249 | | | | 224,100 | |
5.63%, 06/15/24 | | | 342 | | | | 297,540 | |
6.50%, 10/01/25 | | | 63 | | | | 53,865 | |
7.75%, 02/01/28 | | | 167 | | | | 148,630 | |
Great Western Petroleum LLC, 9.00%, 09/30/21(c) | | | 708 | | | | 424,800 | |
Hess Corp., 5.80%, 04/01/47 | | | 56 | | | | 60,865 | |
Hess Midstream Operations LP(c): | | | | | | | | |
5.63%, 02/15/26 | | | 302 | | | | 298,826 | |
5.13%, 06/15/28 | | | 144 | | | | 138,588 | |
| | |
12 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | |
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels (continued) | | | | | | |
Holly Energy Partners LP, 5.00%, 02/01/28(c) | | | USD 360 | | | $ | 342,900 | |
Indigo Natural Resources LLC, 6.88%, 02/15/26(c) | | | 882 | | | | 820,260 | |
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP, 4.70%, 11/01/42 | | | 460 | | | | 496,879 | |
Kinder Morgan, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
5.55%, 06/01/45 | | | 160 | | | | 195,312 | |
5.20%, 03/01/48 | | | 75 | | | | 90,338 | |
Matador Resources Co., 5.88%, 09/15/26 | | | 759 | | | | 561,660 | |
MEG Energy Corp.(c): | | | | | | | | |
7.00%, 03/31/24 | | | 594 | | | | 509,355 | |
6.50%, 01/15/25 | | | 666 | | | | 621,458 | |
7.13%, 02/01/27 | | | 351 | | | | 291,769 | |
MPLX LP: | | | | | | | | |
4.70%, 04/15/48 | | | 170 | | | | 171,343 | |
5.50%, 02/15/49 | | | 188 | | | | 208,346 | |
Murphy Oil Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
5.75%, 08/15/25 | | | 198 | | | | 177,210 | |
6.37%, 12/01/42(h) | | | 46 | | | | 35,691 | |
NGPL PipeCo LLC, 7.77%, 12/15/37(c) | | | 307 | | | | 374,693 | |
NuStar Logistics LP, 6.00%, 06/01/26 | | | 311 | | | | 301,670 | |
Occidental Petroleum Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
Series 1, 4.10%, 02/01/21 | | | 713 | | | | 715,852 | |
4.85%, 03/15/21 | | | 102 | | | | 101,235 | |
2.60%, 08/13/21 | | | 998 | | | | 975,335 | |
2.70%, 08/15/22 | | | 618 | | | | 575,327 | |
2.90%, 08/15/24 | | | 445 | | | | 380,244 | |
3.20%, 08/15/26 | | | 75 | | | | 60,937 | |
3.00%, 02/15/27 | | | 36 | | | | 27,907 | |
3.50%, 08/15/29 | | | 110 | | | | 80,476 | |
4.30%, 08/15/39 | | | 852 | | | | 587,633 | |
6.20%, 03/15/40 | | | 1,238 | | | | 1,036,825 | |
4.50%, 07/15/44 | | | 347 | | | | 239,430 | |
4.63%, 06/15/45 | | | 848 | | | | 593,600 | |
6.60%, 03/15/46 | | | 46 | | | | 40,042 | |
4.40%, 04/15/46 | | | 813 | | | | 567,084 | |
4.10%, 02/15/47 | | | 101 | | | | 68,049 | |
4.20%, 03/15/48 | | | 568 | | | | 384,649 | |
4.40%, 08/15/49 | | | 205 | | | | 141,450 | |
Parkland Corp., 5.88%, 07/15/27(c) | | | 418 | | | | 433,675 | |
Parsley Energy LLC(c): | | | | | | | | |
5.38%, 01/15/25 | | | 864 | | | | 840,499 | |
5.25%, 08/15/25 | | | 395 | | | | 379,338 | |
5.63%, 10/15/27 | | | 54 | | | | 53,190 | |
4.13%, 02/15/28 | | | 410 | | | | 371,050 | |
PBF Holding Co. LLC, 9.25%, 05/15/25(c) | | | 1,121 | | | | 1,196,668 | |
PDC Energy, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
1.13%, 09/15/21(i) | | | 321 | | | | 294,030 | |
6.13%, 09/15/24 | | | 163 | | | | 151,590 | |
6.25%, 12/01/25 | | | 10 | | | | 8,425 | |
5.75%, 05/15/26 | | | 382 | | | | 347,620 | |
Plains All American Pipeline LP: | | | | | | | | |
3.55%, 12/15/29 | | | 283 | | | | 275,714 | |
3.80%, 09/15/30 | | | 290 | | | | 284,135 | |
6.65%, 01/15/37 | | | 120 | | | | 130,266 | |
5.15%, 06/01/42 | | | 90 | | | | 87,132 | |
4.30%, 01/31/43 | | | 85 | | | | 73,964 | |
4.90%, 02/15/45 | | | 175 | | | | 162,490 | |
QEP Resources, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
5.38%, 10/01/22 | | | 870 | | | | 661,200 | |
5.25%, 05/01/23 | | | 130 | | | | 85,800 | |
5.63%, 03/01/26 | | | 233 | | | | 147,955 | |
Range Resources Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
5.88%, 07/01/22 | | | 52 | | | | 47,840 | |
5.00%, 08/15/22 | | | 456 | | | | 414,960 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | |
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels (continued) | | | | | | |
5.00%, 03/15/23 | | | USD 503 | | | $ | 432,580 | |
Sabine Pass Liquefaction LLC, 4.50%, 05/15/30(c) | | | 1,122 | | | | 1,245,649 | |
SM Energy Co., 10.00%, 01/15/25(c) | | | 1,208 | | | | 1,146,851 | |
Southwestern Energy Co.: | | | | | | | | |
4.10%, 03/15/22 | | | 462 | | | | 441,025 | |
6.20%, 01/23/25(h) | | | 194 | | | | 166,113 | |
7.50%, 04/01/26 | | | 134 | | | | 117,290 | |
Sunoco Logistics Partners Operations LP: | | | | | | | | |
4.00%, 10/01/27 | | | 380 | | | | 389,283 | |
5.30%, 04/01/44 | | | 185 | | | | 177,184 | |
5.40%, 10/01/47 | | | 179 | | | | 179,092 | |
Sunoco LP: | | | | | | | | |
4.88%, 01/15/23 | | | 279 | | | | 274,815 | |
5.50%, 02/15/26 | | | 6 | | | | 5,820 | |
6.00%, 04/15/27 | | | 42 | | | | 41,580 | |
5.88%, 03/15/28 | | | 185 | | | | 183,642 | |
Tallgrass Energy Partners LP, 5.50%, 09/15/24(c) | | | 568 | | | | 512,944 | |
Targa Resources Partners LP: | | | | | | | | |
5.13%, 02/01/25 | | | 213 | | | | 205,012 | |
5.88%, 04/15/26 | | | 337 | | | | 333,630 | |
5.38%, 02/01/27 | | | 32 | | | | 30,880 | |
6.50%, 07/15/27 | | | 616 | | | | 617,540 | |
5.00%, 01/15/28 | | | 748 | | | | 703,404 | |
6.88%, 01/15/29 | | | 193 | | | | 202,168 | |
5.50%, 03/01/30(c) | | | 584 | | | | 563,922 | |
TerraForm Power Operating LLC(c): | | | | | | | | |
4.25%, 01/31/23 | | | 28 | | | | 28,350 | |
5.00%, 01/31/28 | | | 91 | | | | 94,868 | |
4.75%, 01/15/30 | | | 391 | | | | 396,865 | |
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co. LLC, 3.95%, 05/15/50(c) | | | 65 | | | | 69,258 | |
Viper Energy Partners LP, 5.38%, 11/01/27(c) . | | | 193 | | | | 189,318 | |
Western Midstream Operating LP: | | | | | | | | |
4.00%, 07/01/22 | | | 67 | | | | 66,786 | |
3.10%, 02/01/25(h) | | | 127 | | | | 120,333 | |
3.95%, 06/01/25 | | | 283 | | | | 265,092 | |
4.65%, 07/01/26 | | | 208 | | | | 199,222 | |
4.75%, 08/15/28 | | | 105 | | | | 100,537 | |
4.05%, 02/01/30(h) | | | 237 | | | | 228,134 | |
5.45%, 04/01/44 | | | 499 | | | | 415,567 | |
5.30%, 03/01/48 | | | 639 | | | | 518,389 | |
5.50%, 08/15/48 | | | 105 | | | | 85,050 | |
5.25%, 02/01/50(h) | | | 578 | | | | 500,143 | |
Williams Cos., Inc. (The): | | | | | | | | |
5.80%, 11/15/43 | | | 460 | | | | 527,157 | |
5.10%, 09/15/45 | | | 135 | | | | 148,160 | |
WPX Energy, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
8.25%, 08/01/23 | | | 217 | | | | 240,870 | |
5.25%, 09/15/24 | | | 220 | | | | 216,700 | |
5.75%, 06/01/26 | | | 345 | | | | 334,650 | |
5.25%, 10/15/27 | | | 72 | | | | 67,262 | |
5.88%, 06/15/28 | | | 338 | | | | 324,801 | |
4.50%, 01/15/30 | | | 820 | | | | 721,600 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 55,600,633 | |
| | |
Paper & Forest Products — 0.0% | | | | | | |
Norbord, Inc., 6.25%, 04/15/23(c) | | | 226 | | | | 237,347 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Personal Products — 0.1% | | | | | | |
Edgewell Personal Care Co., 5.50%, 06/01/28(c) | | | 282 | | | | 289,755 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Pharmaceuticals — 1.8% | | | | | | |
Bausch Health Americas, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
9.25%, 04/01/26 | | | 100 | | | | 108,490 | |
8.50%, 01/31/27 | | | 1,239 | | | | 1,314,889 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 13 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | |
Pharmaceuticals (continued) | | | | | | |
Bausch Health Cos., Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 03/01/23(c) | | | USD 162 | | | $ | 162,000 | |
4.50%, 05/15/23 | | | EUR 643 | | | | 714,139 | |
5.88%, 05/15/23(c) | | | USD 21 | | | | 20,947 | |
6.13%, 04/15/25(c) | | | 365 | | | | 370,209 | |
9.00%, 12/15/25(c) | | | 456 | | | | 491,208 | |
5.75%, 08/15/27(c) | | | 369 | | | | 391,140 | |
7.00%, 01/15/28(c) | | | 438 | | | | 451,140 | |
5.00%, 01/30/28(c) | | | 363 | | | | 341,761 | |
6.25%, 02/15/29(c) | | | 870 | | | | 874,350 | |
7.25%, 05/30/29(c) | | | 775 | | | | 813,750 | |
5.25%, 01/30/30(c) | | | 382 | | | | 362,422 | |
Catalent Pharma Solutions, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
4.88%, 01/15/26 | | | 230 | | | | 233,496 | |
5.00%, 07/15/27 | | | 95 | | | | 98,622 | |
Elanco Animal Health, Inc., 5.65%, 08/28/28(h) | | | 14 | | | | 15,523 | |
Endo Dac(c): | | | | | | | | |
9.50%, 07/31/27 | | | 222 | | | | 234,810 | |
6.00%, 06/30/28 | | | 239 | | | | 154,155 | |
Par Pharmaceutical, Inc., 7.50%, 04/01/27(c) | | | 1,972 | | | | 2,023,666 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 9,176,717 | |
| | |
Professional Services — 0.7%(c) | | | | | | |
ASGN, Inc., 4.63%, 05/15/28 | | | 171 | | | | 167,002 | |
Dun & Bradstreet Corp. (The): | | | | | | | | |
6.88%, 08/15/26 | | | 871 | | | | 918,087 | |
10.25%, 02/15/27 | | | 609 | | | | 675,990 | |
Jaguar Holding Co. II/PPD Development LP: | | | | | | | | |
4.63%, 06/15/25 | | | 885 | | | | 900,664 | |
5.00%, 06/15/28 | | | 833 | | | | 852,784 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 3,514,527 | |
|
Real Estate Management & Development — 0.3%(c) | |
Cushman & Wakefield US Borrower LLC, 6.75%, 05/15/28 | | | 694 | | | | 723,495 | |
Five Point Operating Co. LP, 7.88%, 11/15/25 | | | 274 | | | | 258,930 | |
Greystar Real Estate Partners LLC, 5.75%, 12/01/25 | | | 174 | | | | 174,905 | |
Howard Hughes Corp. (The), 5.38%, 03/15/25 | | | 255 | | | | 237,303 | |
Realogy Group LLC, 7.63%, 06/15/25 | | | 212 | | | | 212,042 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 1,606,675 | |
| | |
Road & Rail — 0.5%(c) | | | | | | |
Ashtead Capital, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 08/01/26 | | | 200 | | | | 210,250 | |
4.00%, 05/01/28 | | | 310 | | | | 308,450 | |
Uber Technologies, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
7.50%, 11/01/23 | | | 380 | | | | 383,800 | |
7.50%, 05/15/25 | | | 1,180 | | | | 1,188,850 | |
8.00%, 11/01/26 | | | 100 | | | | 101,750 | |
7.50%, 09/15/27 | | | 366 | | | | 366,915 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2,560,015 | |
|
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment — 1.4%(c) | |
Broadcom, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 04/15/30 | | | 1,695 | | | | 1,948,187 | |
4.15%, 11/15/30 | | | 835 | | | | 907,379 | |
4.30%, 11/15/32 | | | 1,445 | | | | 1,585,423 | |
Entegris, Inc., 4.38%, 04/15/28 | | | 377 | | | | 383,598 | |
Microchip Technology, Inc., 4.25%, 09/01/25 | | | 1,616 | | | | 1,626,283 | |
Qorvo, Inc., 4.38%, 10/15/29 | | | 531 | | | | 543,786 | |
Sensata Technologies UK Financing Co. plc, 6.25%, 02/15/26 | | | 200 | | | | 207,500 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 7,202,156 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | |
Software — 4.3% | | | | | | |
ACI Worldwide, Inc., 5.75%, 08/15/26(c) | | | USD 1,008 | | | $ | 1,050,084 | |
Ascend Learning LLC(c): | | | | | | | | |
6.88%, 08/01/25 | | | 685 | | | | 690,052 | |
6.88%, 08/01/25 | | | 356 | | | | 357,780 | |
Boxer Parent Co., Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
7.13%, 10/02/25 | | | 620 | | | | 650,070 | |
9.13%, 03/01/26 | | | 978 | | | | 1,012,230 | |
Camelot Finance SA, 4.50%, 11/01/26(c) | | | 654 | | | | 654,000 | |
Castle US Holding Corp., 9.50%, 02/15/28(c) | | | 504 | | | | 466,200 | |
CDK Global, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
4.88%, 06/01/27 | | | 151 | | | | 154,918 | |
5.25%, 05/15/29(c) | | | 350 | | | | 363,447 | |
Change Healthcare Holdings LLC, 5.75%, 03/01/25(c) | | | 1,532 | | | | 1,512,850 | |
Fair Isaac Corp., 4.00%, 06/15/28(c) | | | 126 | | | | 126,315 | |
Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc., 10.00%, 11/30/24(c) | | | 1,555 | | | | 1,617,200 | |
Nuance Communications, Inc., 5.63%, 12/15/26 | | | 419 | | | | 435,760 | |
Open Text Corp., 3.88%, 02/15/28(c) | | | 448 | | | | 431,339 | |
Open Text Holdings, Inc., 4.13%, 02/15/30(c) | | | 452 | | | | 444,090 | |
Oracle Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
3.60%, 04/01/50 | | | 2,434 | | | | 2,708,749 | |
3.85%, 04/01/60 | | | 2,565 | | | | 3,002,263 | |
PTC, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
3.63%, 02/15/25 | | | 27 | | | | 26,797 | |
4.00%, 02/15/28 | | | 290 | | | | 287,135 | |
RP Crown Parent LLC, 7.38%, 10/15/24(c) | | | 1,049 | | | | 1,046,378 | |
Solera LLC, 10.50%, 03/01/24(c) | | | 3,213 | | | | 3,269,228 | |
Sophia LP, 9.00%, 09/30/23(c) | | | 193 | | | | 194,930 | |
SS&C Technologies, Inc., 5.50%, 09/30/27(c) . | | | 1,021 | | | | 1,035,947 | |
Veritas US, Inc., 7.50%, 02/01/23(c) | | | 326 | | | | 321,110 | |
VMware, Inc., 4.70%, 05/15/30 | | | 325 | | | | 358,452 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 22,217,324 | |
| | |
Specialty Retail — 1.2% | | | | | | |
Asbury Automotive Group, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
4.50%, 03/01/28 | | | 143 | | | | 138,710 | |
4.75%, 03/01/30 | | | 121 | | | | 117,975 | |
eG Global Finance plc(c): | | | | | | | | |
6.75%, 02/07/25 | | | 267 | | | | 260,659 | |
8.50%, 10/30/25 | | | 399 | | | | 408,975 | |
Gap, Inc. (The), 8.88%, 05/15/27(c) | | | 267 | | | | 285,669 | |
L Brands, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
6.88%, 07/01/25(c) | | | 633 | | | | 653,572 | |
9.38%, 07/01/25(c) | | | 13 | | | | 13,016 | |
6.88%, 11/01/35 | | | 654 | | | | 544,063 | |
6.75%, 07/01/36 | | | 119 | | | | 97,580 | |
Murphy Oil USA, Inc., 4.75%, 09/15/29 | | | 479 | | | | 489,777 | |
Penske Automotive Group, Inc., 5.50%, 05/15/26 | | | 170 | | | | 169,575 | |
PetSmart, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
7.13%, 03/15/23 | | | 579 | | | | 570,824 | |
5.88%, 06/01/25 | | | 522 | | | | 522,979 | |
SRS Distribution, Inc., 8.25%, 07/01/26(c) | | | 988 | | | | 1,002,820 | |
Staples, Inc., 7.50%, 04/15/26(c) | | | 875 | | | | 687,531 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 5,963,725 | |
|
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals — 0.4% | |
NCR Corp.(c): | | | | | | | | |
8.13%, 04/15/25 | | | 155 | | | | 164,300 | |
5.75%, 09/01/27 | | | 250 | | | | 250,000 | |
6.13%, 09/01/29 | | | 215 | | | | 214,463 | |
NetApp, Inc., 2.70%, 06/22/30 | | | 300 | | | | 299,931 | |
Seagate HDD Cayman, 4.13%, 01/15/31(c) | | | 120 | | | | 126,093 | |
Western Digital Corp., 4.75%, 02/15/26 | | | 546 | | | | 564,264 | |
| | |
14 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals (continued) | |
Xerox Corp., 4.80%, 03/01/35 | | | USD 331 | | | $ | 308,588 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 1,927,639 | |
|
Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods — 0.1% | |
Hanesbrands, Inc., 5.38%, 05/15/25(c) | | | 198 | | | | 200,227 | |
Levi Strauss & Co., 5.00%, 05/01/25 | | | 83 | | | | 83,312 | |
William Carter Co. (The), 5.50%, 05/15/25(c) | | | 115 | | | | 118,594 | |
Wolverine World Wide, Inc., 6.38%, 05/15/25(c) | | | 119 | | | | 124,653 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 526,786 | |
|
Thrifts & Mortgage Finance — 0.2%(c) | |
Ladder Capital Finance Holdings LLLP, 4.25%, 02/01/27 | | | 518 | | | | 414,400 | |
Nationstar Mortgage Holdings, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
8.13%, 07/15/23 | | | 242 | | | | 248,340 | |
6.00%, 01/15/27 | | | 448 | | | | 425,600 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 1,088,340 | |
|
Trading Companies & Distributors — 0.9% | |
HD Supply, Inc., 5.38%, 10/15/26(c) | | | 1,170 | | | | 1,194,862 | |
Herc Holdings, Inc., 5.50%, 07/15/27(c) | | | 440 | | | | 440,946 | |
United Rentals North America, Inc.: | | | | | | | | |
4.63%, 10/15/25 | | | 200 | | | | 201,000 | |
5.88%, 09/15/26 | | | 191 | | | | 200,168 | |
6.50%, 12/15/26 | | | 22 | | | | 23,100 | |
5.25%, 01/15/30 | | | 30 | | | | 30,975 | |
4.00%, 07/15/30 | | | 271 | | | | 262,119 | |
WESCO Distribution, Inc.(c): | | | | | | | | |
7.13%, 06/15/25 | | | 1,131 | | | | 1,191,090 | |
7.25%, 06/15/28 | | | 1,025 | | | | 1,083,938 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4,628,198 | |
|
Wireless Telecommunication Services — 1.4% | |
Altice France Holding SA, 6.00%, 02/15/28(c) | | | 481 | | | | 454,247 | |
Connect Finco SARL, 6.75%, 10/01/26(c) | | | 3,570 | | | | 3,382,575 | |
Hughes Satellite Systems Corp., 5.25%, 08/01/26 | | | 35 | | | | 36,197 | |
Sprint Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
7.88%, 09/15/23 | | | 148 | | | | 166,685 | |
7.13%, 06/15/24 | | | 306 | | | | 345,517 | |
7.63%, 02/15/25 | | | 1,110 | | | | 1,280,662 | |
7.63%, 03/01/26 | | | 457 | | | | 539,429 | |
T-Mobile USA, Inc., 4.75%, 02/01/28 | | | 560 | | | | 591,584 | |
VTR Comunicaciones SpA, 5.13%, 01/15/28(c) | | | 337 | | | | 343,909 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 7,140,805 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Corporate Bonds — 86.0% (Cost: $445,385,294) | | | | 441,667,063 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
Floating Rate Loan Interests — 8.3% | |
| | |
Aerospace & Defense — 0.0% | | | | | | |
Sequa Mezzanine Holdings LLC, 1st Lien Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 5.00%), 6.00%, 11/28/21(j) | | | 207 | | | | 188,015 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Airlines — 0.0% | | | | | | |
JetBlue Airways Corp., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 5.25%), 6.25%, 06/12/24(j) | | | 96 | | | | 93,840 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Auto Components — 0.1% | | | | | | |
Panther BF Aggregator 2 LP, Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.50%), 3.68%, 04/30/26(j) | | | 435 | | | | 412,938 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Automobiles — 0.0% | | | | | | |
Dealer Tire LLC, Term Loan B1, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 4.25%), 4.43%, 12/12/25(j) | | | 127 | | | | 121,416 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Building Products — 0.0% | |
CPG Merger Sub LLC, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 3.75%), 4.75%, 05/05/24(j) | | | USD 113 | | | $ | 111,789 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
Capital Markets — 0.1% | |
Jefferies Finance LLC, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.00%), 3.19%, 06/03/26(j) | | | 333 | | | | 314,071 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
Chemicals — 0.5%(j) | |
Alpha 3 BV, Term Loan, 01/31/24(k) | | | 1,410 | | | | 1,354,340 | |
Ascend Performance Materials LLC, Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 5.25%), 6.25%, 08/27/26 | | | 604 | | | | 591,842 | |
Invictus Co., Term Loan B26, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 6.75%), 8.53%, 03/30/26 | | | 74 | | | | 58,188 | |
McDermott International, Inc., Term Loan, 06/16/27(k) | | | 477 | | | | 469,129 | |
Momentive Performance Materials, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.25%), 3.43%, 05/15/24 | | | 126 | | | | 117,747 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2,591,246 | |
|
Commercial Services & Supplies — 0.6%(j) | |
Advanced Disposal Services, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 2.25%), 3.00%, 11/10/23 | | | 70 | | | | 69,450 | |
Brand Energy & Infrastructure Services, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 4.25%), 5.25% - 5.64%, 06/21/24 | | | 2,372 | | | | 2,164,208 | |
Capri Acquisitions Bidco Ltd., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 3.00%), 3.76%, 11/01/24 | | | 23 | | | | 21,518 | |
Diamond (BC) BV, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 3.00%), 3.76%, 09/06/24 | | | 470 | | | | 430,539 | |
GFL Environmental, Inc., Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 3.00%), 4.00%, 05/30/25 | | | 230 | | | | 222,968 | |
Tempo Acquisition LLC, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 2.75%), 2.93%, 05/01/24 | | | 56 | | | | 52,885 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2,961,568 | |
|
Construction & Engineering — 0.1% | |
SRS Distribution, Inc., Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 3.25%), 4.32%, 05/23/25(j) | | | 680 | | | | 641,105 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
Containers & Packaging — 0.1%(j) | |
BWAY Holding Co., Term Loan, 04/03/24(k) | | | 553 | | | | 494,756 | |
Charter NEX US, Inc., 1st Lien Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.25%), 3.43%, 05/16/24 | | | 127 | | | | 121,401 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 616,157 | |
|
Diversified Consumer Services — 0.2%(j) | |
Maverick Purchaser Sub LLC, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 4.00%), 4.18%, 01/29/27 | | | 114 | | | | 111,672 | |
Mileage Plus Holdings LLC, Term Loan, 06/25/27(k) | | | 307 | | | | 304,569 | |
Sotheby’s, Inc., Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 5.50%), 6.50%, 01/15/27 | | | 458 | | | | 426,572 | |
TierPoint LLC, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.75%), 4.75%, 05/06/24 | | | 194 | | | | 183,698 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 1,026,511 | |
|
Diversified Financial Services — 0.1% | |
Connect Finco SARL, Term Loan B, 12/11/26(j)(k) | | | 316 | | | | 296,724 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 15 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Diversified Telecommunication Services — 1.0%(j) | |
Altice France SA, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 4.00%), 4.18%, 08/14/26 | | | USD 289 | | | $ | 277,091 | |
Frontier Communications Corp., Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 3.75%), 5.35% - 6.00%, 06/15/24 | | | 1,574 | | | | 1,530,088 | |
Ligado Networks LLC, 1st Lien Term Loan, (LIBOR USD + 0.00%), 0.00%, 12/07/20(a)(d) | | | 1,666 | | | | 1,455,113 | |
Ligado Networks LLC, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 6 Month + 12.50%), 13.50%, 12/07/20 | | | 763 | | | | 324,077 | |
Northwest Fiber LLC, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 6 Month + 5.50%), 5.67% - 5.67%, 04/30/27(b) | | | 358 | | | | 354,667 | |
Zayo Group LLC, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.00%), 3.18%, 03/09/27 | | | 1,128 | | | | 1,068,289 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 5,009,325 | |
|
Electric Utilities — 0.1% | |
PGE Corp., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 4.50%), 5.50%, 06/23/25(j) | | | 644 | | | | 631,925 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
Energy Equipment & Services — 0.1% | |
Lealand Finance Co. BV, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 5.00%), 3.18%, 06/28/24(j) | | | 479 | | | | 475,060 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
Entertainment — 0.0% | |
Renaissance Learning, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 3.25%), 4.01%, 05/30/25(j) | | | 9 | | | | 8,432 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
Food Products — 0.0% | |
Chobani LLC, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.50%), 4.50%, 10/10/23(j) | | | 281 | | | | 269,649 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
Health Care Equipment & Supplies — 0.5%(j) | |
Immucor, Inc., 1st Lien Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 5.00%), 6.00%, 06/15/21 | | | 1,746 | | | | 1,676,251 | |
Sotera Health Holdings LLC, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 4.50%), 5.50%, 12/11/26 | | | 795 | | | | 774,961 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2,451,212 | |
|
Health Care Providers & Services — 0.5%(j) | |
AHP Health Partners, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 4.50%), 5.50%, 06/30/25 | | | 226 | | | | 217,128 | |
Azalea TopCo, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 3.50%), 4.26%, 07/24/26(b) | | | 259 | | | | 250,879 | |
Envision Healthcare Corp., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.75%), 3.93%, 10/10/25 | | | 1,055 | | | | 688,238 | |
Gentiva Health Services, Inc., Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.25%), 3.44%, 07/02/25 | | | 268 | | | | 259,006 | |
Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc., Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.25%), 3.43%, 06/30/25 | | | 239 | | | | 222,892 | |
Quorum Health Corp., 1st Lien Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 6.75%), 7.75%, 04/29/22 | | | 308 | | | | 274,590 | |
Regionalcare Hospital, Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.75%), 3.93%, 11/16/25 | | | 205 | | | | 191,353 | |
Surgery Center Holdings, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 8.00%), 9.00%, 09/03/24 | | | 28 | | | | 27,930 | |
WCG Purchaser Corp., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 4.00%), 5.24%, 01/08/27 | | | 319 | | | | 309,829 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2,441,845 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 0.1%(j) | |
Golden Nugget Online Gaming, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 6 Month + 12.00%), 13.00%, 10/04/23(b) | | | USD 87 | | | $ | 90,933 | |
Golden Nugget, Inc., 1st Lien Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 2.50%), 3.25%, 10/04/23 | | | 480 | | | | 378,833 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 469,766 | |
|
Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers — 0.0% | |
Calpine Corp., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 2.00%), 2.18%, 08/12/26(j) | | | 26 | | | | 24,965 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
Industrial Conglomerates — 0.1% | |
PSAV Holdings LLC, 2nd Lien Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 7.25%), 8.25%, 09/01/25(j) | | | 504 | | | | 301,172 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
Insurance — 0.4%(j) | |
Asurion LLC, 2nd Lien Term Loan B2, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 6.50%), 6.68%, 08/04/25 | | | 681 | | | | 675,892 | |
Asurion LLC, Term Loan B4, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.00%), 3.18%, 08/04/22 | | | 117 | | | | 113,943 | |
Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc., 1st Lien Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.25%), 3.43%, 12/31/25 | | | 833 | | | | 784,776 | |
Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc., 1st Lien Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 4.00%), 4.18%, 09/03/26 | | | 368 | | | | 352,628 | |
Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 4.25%), 4.43%, 09/03/26 | | | 279 | | | | 270,164 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2,197,403 | |
|
IT Services — 0.7%(j) | |
Airbnb, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 7.50%), 8.50%, 04/17/25(b) | | | 114 | | | | 117,990 | |
Boxer Parent Co., Inc., Term Loan B, 10/02/25(k) | | | 404 | | | | 381,564 | |
CCC Information Services, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.00%), 4.00%, 04/29/24 | | | 165 | | | | 158,968 | |
Mitchell International, Inc., 1st Lien Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.25%), 3.43%, 11/29/24 | | | 216 | | | | 201,263 | |
Mitchell International, Inc., 2nd Lien Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 7.25%), 7.43%, 12/01/25 | | | 123 | | | | 108,560 | |
Peak 10 Holding Corp., 2nd Lien Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 7.25%), 7.59%, 08/01/25 | | | 83 | | | | 35,448 | |
Peak 10 Holding Corp., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 3.50%), 3.81%, 08/01/24 | | | 190 | | | | 150,999 | |
Pug LLC, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.50%), 3.68%, 02/12/27 | | | 294 | | | | 254,342 | |
Rackspace Hosting, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 3.00%), 4.00%, 11/03/23 | | | 179 | | | | 169,940 | |
Sophia LP, 1st Lien Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 3.25%), 4.25%, 09/30/22 | | | 24 | | | | 23,619 | |
Verscend Holding Corp., Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 4.50%), 4.68%, 08/27/25 | | | 1,779 | | | | 1,715,120 | |
Vertafore, Inc., Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.25%), 3.43%, 07/02/25 | | | 71 | | | | 66,991 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 3,384,804 | |
|
Life Sciences Tools & Services — 0.1% | |
Parexel International Corp., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 2.75%), 2.93%, 09/27/24(j) | | | 400 | | | | 378,252 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
16 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | |
Machinery — 0.3%(j) | | | | | | |
MHI Holdings LLC, Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 5.00%), 5.18%, 09/21/26(b) | | | USD 350 | | | $ | 334,479 | |
Titan Acquisition Ltd., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 3.00%), 3.36%, 03/28/25 | | | 1,577 | | | | 1,438,807 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 1,773,286 | |
| | |
Media — 1.1% | | | | | | |
Ascend Learning LLC, Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.00%), 4.00%, 07/12/24(j) | | | 74 | | | | 69,783 | |
Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 3.50%), 4.26%, 08/21/26(j) | | | 1,276 | | | | 1,153,711 | |
Intelsat Jackson Holdings SA, Term Loan: | | | | | | | | |
07/13/21(j)(k) | | | 518 | | | | 525,002 | |
11/27/23(j)(k) | | | 317 | | | | 314,543 | |
6.63%, 01/02/24(l) | | | 2,255 | | | | 2,164,608 | |
01/02/24(j)(k) | | | 416 | | | | 415,200 | |
Learfield Communications LLC, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.25%), 4.25%, 12/01/23(j) | | | 124 | | | | 92,155 | |
Radiate Holdco LLC, 1st Lien Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.00%), 3.75%, 02/01/24(j) | | | 68 | | | | 64,851 | |
Terrier Media Buyer, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 4.25%), 4.43%, 12/17/26(j) | | | 250 | | | | 237,739 | |
Xplornet Communications, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 4.75%), 4.93%, 06/10/27(j) | | | 483 | | | | 460,058 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 5,497,650 | |
| | |
Metals & Mining — 0.0% | | | | | | |
Big River Steel LLC, 1st Lien Term Loan B, 08/23/23(j)(k) | | | 110 | | | | 103,235 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — 0.2%(j) | | | | | | |
Chesapeake Energy Corp., Term Loan, 06/24/24(k) | | | 1,784 | | | | 1,023,390 | |
CNX Resources Corp., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 4.50%), 4.68%, 11/28/22 | | | 217 | | | | 171,621 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 1,195,011 | |
| | |
Pharmaceuticals — 0.2%(j) | | | | | | |
Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 4.25%), 5.00%, 04/29/24 | | | 601 | | | | 566,005 | |
Jaguar Holding Co. I, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 2.50%), 3.50%, 08/18/22 | | | 363 | | | | 358,371 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 924,376 | |
| | |
Professional Services — 0.1% | | | | | | |
Dun & Bradstreet Corp. (The), 1st Lien Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 4.00%), 4.18%, 02/06/26(j) | | | 689 | | | | 670,279 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Software — 0.7% | | | | | | |
Castle US Holding Corp., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 3.75%), 4.06%, 01/29/27(j) | | | 357 | | | | 325,101 | |
Informatica LLC, Term Loan: | | | | | | | | |
7.13%, 02/25/25(l) | | | 707 | | | | 706,116 | |
(LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.25%), 3.43%, 02/25/27(j) | | | 330 | | | | 315,315 | |
Kronos, Inc., 1st Lien Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.00%), 3.18%, 11/01/23(j) | | | 97 | | | | 96,295 | |
Kronos, Inc., 2nd Lien Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 8.25%), 9.25%, 11/01/24(j) | | | 569 | | | | 568,647 | |
Refinitiv US Holdings, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.25%), 3.43%, 10/01/25(j) | | | 310 | | | | 302,874 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | |
Software (continued) | | | | | | |
RP Crown Parent LLC, 1st Lien Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 2.75%), 3.75%, 10/12/23(j) | | | USD 162 | | | $ | 157,239 | |
The Ultimate Software Group, Inc., Term Loan, 05/04/26(j)(k) | | | 323 | | | | 318,611 | |
TIBCO Software, Inc., 1st Lien Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.75%), 3.93%, 06/30/26(b)(j) | | | 453 | | | | 426,618 | |
TIBCO Software, Inc., 2nd Lien Term Loan, 03/03/28(j)(k) | | | 471 | | | | 451,279 | |
Ultimate Software Group, Inc. (The), 1st Lien Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.75%), 3.93%, 05/04/26(j) | | | 169 | | | | 163,380 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 3,831,475 | |
| | |
Specialty Retail — 0.2% | | | | | | |
PetSmart, Inc., Term Loan, 03/11/22(j)(k) | | | 1,012 | | | | 997,139 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
Wireless Telecommunication Services — 0.1% | |
Digicel International Finance Ltd., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 3.25%), 3.80%, 05/27/24(j) | | | 407 | | | | 340,196 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Total Floating Rate Loan Interests — 8.3% (Cost: $45,864,206) | | | | | | | 42,751,837 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Capital Trusts — 1.9% | | | | | | |
| | |
Banks — 1.9%(e)(j) | | | | | | |
Bank of America Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
Series X, 6.25% | | | 808 | | | | 836,337 | |
Series Z, 6.50% | | | 584 | | | | 627,601 | |
Series AA, 6.10% | | | 840 | | | | 886,200 | |
Series DD, 6.30% | | | 98 | | | | 108,753 | |
CIT Group, Inc., Series A, 5.80% | | | 295 | | | | 226,967 | |
Citigroup, Inc., Series V, 4.70% | | | 1,050 | | | | 933,188 | |
JPMorgan Chase & Co.: | | | | | | | | |
Series V, 4.75% | | | 640 | | | | 564,800 | |
Series I, 4.23% | | | 197 | | | | 179,329 | |
Series Q, 5.15% | | | 190 | | | | 184,775 | |
Series S, 6.75% | | | 240 | | | | 258,000 | |
Series U, 6.13% | | | 99 | | | | 101,030 | |
Series FF, 5.00% | | | 1,865 | | | | 1,783,872 | |
Series X, 6.10% | | | 693 | | | | 709,178 | |
Series HH, 4.60% | | | 959 | | | | 855,908 | |
Wells Fargo & Co., Series U, 5.87% | | | 1,071 | | | | 1,113,165 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 9,369,103 | |
| | |
Capital Markets — 0.0% | | | | | | |
Morgan Stanley, Series H, 4.83%(e)(j) | | | 162 | | | | 145,792 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Total Capital Trusts — 1.9% (Cost: $10,043,466) | | | | | | | 9,514,895 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | |
| | Shares | | | | |
| | |
Warrants — 0.0% | | | | | | |
| | |
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — 0.0% | | | | | | |
SM Energy Co. (Issued/exercisable 06/17/20, 1 share for 1 warrant, Expires 06/30/23, Strike Price USD 0.01)(a) | | | 33,915 | | | | 126,842 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Total Warrants — 0.0% | | | | | | | 126,842 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Total Long-Term Investments — 97.4% (Cost: $508,239,310) | | | | | | | 499,946,811 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 17 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Shares | | | Value | |
| | |
Short-Term Securities — 0.5%(m) | | | | | | |
BlackRock Liquidity Funds, T-Fund, Institutional Class, 0.11%* | | | 2,360,952 | | | $ | 2,360,952 | |
JPMorgan U.S. Treasury Plus Money Market Fund, Agency Class, 0.05% | | | 316,929 | | | | 316,929 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Total Short-Term Securities — 0.5% (Cost: $2,677,881) | | | | | | | 2,677,881 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Total Investments — 97.9% (Cost: $510,917,191) | | | | | | | 502,624,692 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Other Assets Less Liabilities — 2.1% | | | | | | | 10,775,812 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Net Assets — 100.0% | | | | | | $ | 513,400,504 | |
| | | | | | | | |
(a) | Non-income producing security. |
(b) | Security is valued using significant unobservable inputs and is classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy. |
(c) | Security exempt from registration pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. These securities may be resold in transactions exempt from registration to qualified institutional investors. |
(d) | Issuer filed for bankruptcy and/or is in default. |
(e) | Perpetual security with no stated maturity date. |
(f) | Variable rate security. Security may be issued at a fixed coupon rate, which converts to a variable rate at a specified date. Rate shown is the rate in effect as of period end. |
(g) | Payment-in-kind security which may pay interest/dividends in additional par/shares and/or in cash. Rates shown are the current rate and possible payment rates. |
(h) | Step-up bond that pays an initial coupon rate for the first period and then a higher coupon rate for the following periods. Rate as of period end. |
(j) | Variable rate security. Rate shown is the rate in effect as of period end. |
(k) | Represents an unsettled loan commitment at period end. Certain details associated with this purchase are not known prior to the settlement date, including coupon rate. |
(m) | Annualized 7-day yield as of period end. |
* | Investments in issuers considered to be an affiliate/affiliates of the Fund during the six months ended June 30, 2020 for purposes of Section 2(a)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, were as follows: |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Affiliated Issuer | | Shares Held at 12/31/19 | | | Shares Purchased | | | Shares Sold | | | Shares Held at 06/30/20 | | | Value at 06/30/20 | | | Income | | | Net Realized Gain (Loss) (a) | | | Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
BlackRock Liquidity Funds, T-Fund, Institutional Class(b) | | | 17,457,639 | | | | — | | | | (15,096,687 | ) | | | 2,360,952 | | | $ | 2,360,952 | | | $ | 50,841 | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(a) | Includes net capital gain distributions, if applicable. | |
(b) | Represents net shares purchased (sold). | |
For Fund compliance purposes, the Fund’s industry classifications refer to one or more of the industry sub-classifications used by one or more widely recognized market indexes or rating group indexes, and/or as defined by the investment adviser. These definitions may not apply for purposes of this report, which may combine such industry sub-classifications for reporting ease.
| | |
18 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund |
Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End
Futures Contracts
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Description | | Number of Contracts | | | Expiration Date | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value/ Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
Short Contracts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
U.S. Treasury 10 Year Note | | | 163 | | | | 09/21/20 | | | $ | 22,685 | | | $ | (79,580 | ) |
U.S. Treasury Long Bond | | | 18 | | | | 09/21/20 | | | | 3,214 | | | | (33,334 | ) |
U.S. Treasury Ultra Bond | | | 56 | | | | 09/21/20 | | | | 12,217 | | | | (135,628 | ) |
U.S. Treasury 5 Year Note | | | 75 | | | | 09/30/20 | | | | 9,431 | | | | (30,429 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | (278,971 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Currency Purchased | | | Currency Sold | | | Counterparty | | Settlement Date | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
CAD | | | 315,000 | | | USD | | | 230,105 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/06/20 | | | $ | 1,925 | |
EUR | | | 2,623,000 | | | USD | | | 2,945,366 | | | State Street Bank and Trust Co. | | | 07/06/20 | | | | 1,815 | |
GBP | | | 88,000 | | | USD | | | 108,248 | | | State Street Bank and Trust Co. | | | 07/06/20 | | | | 795 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4,535 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
USD | | | 228,910 | | | CAD | | | 315,000 | | | BNP Paribas SA | | | 07/06/20 | | | | (3,120 | ) |
USD | | | 2,919,643 | | | EUR | | | 2,623,000 | | �� | UBS AG | | | 07/06/20 | | | | (27,537 | ) |
USD | | | 108,392 | | | GBP | | | 88,000 | | | Standard Chartered Bank | | | 07/06/20 | | | | (651 | ) |
USD | | | 230,126 | | | CAD | | | 315,000 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 08/05/20 | | | | (1,923 | ) |
USD | | | 2,947,286 | | | EUR | | | 2,623,000 | | | State Street Bank and Trust Co. | | | 08/05/20 | | | | (1,960 | ) |
USD | | | 108,267 | | | GBP | | | 88,000 | | | State Street Bank and Trust Co. | | | 08/05/20 | | | | (798 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | (35,989 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Centrally Cleared Credit Default Swaps — Sell Protection
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Reference Obligation/Index | | Financing Rate Received by the Fund | | | Payment Frequency | | Termination Date | | | Credit Rating (a) | | Notional Amount (000) (b) | | | Value | | | Upfront Premium Paid (Received) | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
CDX.NA.HY.34.V6 | | | 5.00 | % | | Quarterly | | | 06/20/25 | | | B+ | | USD | | | 11,533 | | | $ | (65,135 | ) | | $ | (466,225 | ) | | $ | 401,090 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| (a) | Using the rating of the issuer or the underlying securities of the index, as applicable, provided by S&P Global Ratings. | |
| (b) | The maximum potential amount the Fund may pay should a negative credit event take place as defined under the terms of the agreement. | |
OTC Credit Default Swaps — Buy Protection
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Reference Obligation/Index | | Financing Rate Paid by the Fund | | | Payment Frequency | | | Counterparty | | Termination Date | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | | | Upfront Premium Paid (Received) | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
Nordstrom, Inc. | | | 1.00 | % | | | Quarterly | | | Barclays Bank plc | | | 06/20/25 | | | USD | | | 87 | | | $ | 14,592 | | | $ | 20,681 | | | $ | (6,089 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 19 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund |
OTC Credit Default Swaps — Sell Protection
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Reference Obligation/Index | | Financing Rate Received by the Fund | | | Payment Frequency | | | Counterparty | | | Termination Date | | | Credit Rating (a) | | Notional Amount (000) (b) | | | Value | | | Upfront Premium Paid (Received) | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
CenturyLink, Inc. | | | 1.00 | % | | | Quarterly | | | | Barclays Bank plc | | | | 12/20/23 | | | NR | | | USD | | | | 312 | | | $ | (20,499 | ) | | $ | (16,624 | ) | | $ | (3,875 | ) |
CenturyLink, Inc. | | | 1.00 | | | | Quarterly | | | | Barclays Bank plc | | | | 06/20/25 | | | NR | | | USD | | | | 567 | | | | (64,916 | ) | | | (74,829 | ) | | | 9,913 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | (85,415 | ) | | $ | (91,453 | ) | | $ | 6,038 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| (a) | Using the rating of the issuer or the underlying securities of the index, as applicable, provided by S&P Global Ratings. | |
| (b) | The maximum potential amount the Fund may pay should a negative credit event take place as defined under the terms of the agreement. | |
Balances Reported in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities for Centrally Cleared Swaps and OTC Swaps
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Swap Premiums Paid | | | Swap Premiums Received | | | Unrealized Appreciation | | | Unrealized Depreciation | |
Centrally Cleared Swaps(a) | | $ | — | | | $ | (466,225 | ) | | $ | 401,090 | | | $ | — | |
OTC Swaps | | | 20,681 | | | | (91,453 | ) | | | 9,913 | | | | (9,964 | ) |
| (a) | Includes cumulative appreciation (depreciation) on centrally cleared swaps, as reported in the Schedule of Investments. Only current day’s variation margin is reported within the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and is net of any previously paid (received) swap premium amounts. | |
Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure
As of period end, the fair values of derivative financial instruments located in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities were as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Commodity Contracts | | | Credit Contracts | | | Equity Contracts | | | Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts | | | Interest Rate Contracts | | | Other Contracts | | | Total | |
Assets — Derivative Financial Instruments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 4,535 | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 4,535 | |
Swaps — centrally cleared | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized appreciation on centrally cleared swaps(a) | | | — | | | | 401,090 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 401,090 | |
Swaps — OTC | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized appreciation on OTC swaps; Swap premiums paid | | | — | | | | 30,594 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 30,594 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | — | | | $ | 431,684 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 4,535 | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 436,219 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Liabilities — Derivative Financial Instruments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Futures contracts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts(a) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 278,971 | | | | — | | | | 278,971 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 35,989 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 35,989 | |
Swaps — OTC | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized depreciation on OTC swaps; Swap premiums received | | | — | | | | 101,417 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 101,417 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | — | | | $ | 101,417 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 35,989 | | | $ | 278,971 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 416,377 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| (a) | Net cumulative unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on futures contracts and centrally cleared swaps, if any, are reported in the Schedule of Investments. In the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, only current day’s variation margin is reported in receivables or payables and the net cumulative unrealized appreciation (depreciation) is included in accumulated earnings (loss). | |
| | |
20 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund |
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the effect of derivative financial instruments in the Statement of Operations was as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Commodity Contracts | | | Credit Contracts | | | Equity Contracts | | | Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts | | | Interest Rate Contracts | | | Other Contracts | | | Total | |
Net Realized Gain (Loss) from: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Futures contracts | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | (725,851 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | (50,908 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | (776,759 | ) |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 16,609 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 16,609 | |
Swaps | | | — | | | | (1,674,727 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | (1,674,727 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | — | | | $ | (1,674,727 | ) | | $ | (725,851 | ) | | $ | 16,609 | | | $ | (50,908 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | (2,434,877 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Futures contracts | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | (278,971 | ) | | | — | | | | (278,971 | ) |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 33,344 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 33,344 | |
Swaps | | | — | | | | 152,406 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 152,406 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | — | | | $ | 152,406 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 33,344 | | | $ | (278,971 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | (93,221 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Average Quarterly Balances of Outstanding Derivative Financial Instruments
| | | | |
Futures contracts: | | | | |
Average notional value of contracts — short | | $ | 28,888,121 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts: | | | | |
Average amounts purchased — in USD | | | 6,610,378 | |
Average amounts sold — in USD | | | 3,306,041 | |
Credit default swaps: | | | | |
Average notional value — buy protection | | | 43,592 | |
Average notional value — sell protection | | | 12,877,013 | |
For more information about the Fund’s investment risks regarding derivative financial instruments, refer to the Notes to Financial Statements.
Derivative Financial Instruments — Offsetting as of Period End
The Fund’s derivative assets and liabilities (by type) were as follows:
| | | | | | | | |
| | Assets | | | Liabilities | |
Derivative Financial Instruments: | | | | | | | | |
Futures contracts | | $ | 97,058 | | | $ | — | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | 4,535 | | | | 35,989 | |
Swaps — Centrally cleared | | | 95,594 | | | | — | |
Swaps — OTC(a) | | | 30,594 | | | | 101,417 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Total derivative assets and liabilities in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities | | $ | 227,781 | | | $ | 137,406 | |
Derivatives not subject to a Master Netting Agreement or similar agreement (“MNA”) | | | (192,652 | ) | | | — | |
| | | | | | | | |
Total derivative assets and liabilities subject to an MNA | | $ | 35,129 | | | $ | 137,406 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| (a) | Includes unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on OTC swaps and swap premiums paid/received in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. | |
The following tables present the Fund’s derivative assets and liabilities by counterparty net of amounts available for offset under an MNA and net of the related collateral received and pledged by the Fund:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Counterparty | | Derivative Assets Subject to an MNA by Counterparty | | | Derivatives Available for Offset (a) | | | Non-cash Collateral Received | | | Cash Collateral Received | | | Net Amount of Derivative Assets (b) | |
Barclays Bank plc | | $ | 30,594 | | | $ | (30,594 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | |
JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 1,925 | | | | (1,923 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 2 | |
State Street Bank and Trust Co. | | | 2,610 | | | | (2,610 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | 35,129 | | | $ | (35,127 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 2 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 21 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Counterparty | | Derivative Liabilities Subject to an MNA by Counterparty | | | Derivatives Available for Offset (a) | | | Non-cash Collateral Pledged | | | Cash Collateral Pledged (c) | | | Net Amount of Derivative Liabilities (d) | |
Barclays Bank plc | | $ | 101,417 | | | $ | (30,594 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | (70,823 | ) | | $ | — | |
BNP Paribas SA | | | 3,120 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 3,120 | |
JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 1,923 | | | | (1,923 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
Standard Chartered Bank | | | 651 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 651 | |
State Street Bank and Trust Co. | | | 2,758 | | | | (2,610 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 148 | |
UBS AG | | | 27,537 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 27,537 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | 137,406 | | | $ | (35,127 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | (70,823 | ) | | $ | 31,456 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| (a) | The amount of derivatives available for offset is limited to the amount of derivative assets and/or liabilities that are subject to an MNA. | |
| (b) | Net amount represents the net amount receivable from the counterparty in the event of default. | |
| (c) | Excess of collateral pledged to the individual counterparty is not shown for financial reporting purposes. | |
| (d) | Net amount represents the net amount payable due to the counterparty in the event of default. | |
| | |
22 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund |
Fair Value Hierarchy as of Period End
Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of investments and derivative financial instruments. For information about the Fund’s policy regarding valuation of investments and derivative financial instruments, refer to the Notes to Financial Statements.
The following tables summarize the Fund’s investments and derivative financial instruments categorized in the disclosure hierarchy:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Level 1 | | | Level 2 | | | Level 3 | | | Total | |
Assets: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Investments: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Long-Term Investments: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Common Stocks: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Building Products | | $ | 11,024 | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 11,024 | |
Chemicals | | | 1,446,100 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 1,446,100 | |
Energy Equipment & Services | | | 857 | | | | — | | | | 41,085 | | | | 41,942 | |
Entertainment | | | 239,559 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 239,559 | |
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) | | | 1,977,310 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 1,977,310 | |
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure | | | 584,362 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 584,362 | |
Life Sciences Tools & Services | | | 52,769 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 52,769 | |
Media | | | 151,991 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 151,991 | |
Metals & Mining | | | 620,052 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 620,052 | |
Pharmaceuticals | | | 761,065 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 761,065 | |
Corporate Bonds | | | — | | | | 441,667,063 | | | | — | | | | 441,667,063 | |
Floating Rate Loan Interests: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Aerospace & Defense | | | — | | | | 188,015 | | | | — | | | | 188,015 | |
Airlines | | | — | | | | 93,840 | | | | — | | | | 93,840 | |
Auto Components | | | — | | | | 412,938 | | | | — | | | | 412,938 | |
Automobiles | | | — | | | | 121,416 | | | | — | | | | 121,416 | |
Building Products | | | — | | | | 111,789 | | | | — | | | | 111,789 | |
Capital Markets | | | — | | | | 314,071 | | | | — | | | | 314,071 | |
Chemicals | | | — | | | | 2,591,246 | | | | — | | | | 2,591,246 | |
Commercial Services & Supplies | | | — | | | | 2,961,568 | | | | — | | | | 2,961,568 | |
Construction & Engineering | | | — | | | | 641,105 | | | | — | | | | 641,105 | |
Containers & Packaging | | | — | | | | 616,157 | | | | — | | | | 616,157 | |
Diversified Consumer Services | | | — | | | | 1,026,511 | | | | — | | | | 1,026,511 | |
Diversified Financial Services | | | — | | | | 296,724 | | | | — | | | | 296,724 | |
Diversified Telecommunication Services | | | — | | | | 4,654,658 | | | | 354,667 | | | | 5,009,325 | |
Electric Utilities | | | — | | | | 631,925 | | | | — | | | | 631,925 | |
Energy Equipment & Services | | | — | | | | 475,060 | | | | — | | | | 475,060 | |
Entertainment | | | — | | | | 8,432 | | | | — | | | | 8,432 | |
Food Products | | | — | | | | 269,649 | | | | — | | | | 269,649 | |
Health Care Equipment & Supplies | | | — | | | | 2,451,212 | | | | — | | | | 2,451,212 | |
Health Care Providers & Services | | | — | | | | 2,190,966 | | | | 250,879 | | | | 2,441,845 | |
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure | | | — | | | | 378,833 | | | | 90,933 | | | | 469,766 | |
Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers | | | — | | | | 24,965 | | | | — | | | | 24,965 | |
Industrial Conglomerates | | | — | | | | 301,172 | | | | — | | | | 301,172 | |
Insurance | | | — | | | | 2,197,403 | | | | — | | | | 2,197,403 | |
IT Services | | | — | | | | 3,266,814 | | | | 117,990 | | | | 3,384,804 | |
Life Sciences Tools & Services | | | — | | | | 378,252 | | | | — | | | | 378,252 | |
Machinery | | | — | | | | 1,438,807 | | | | 334,479 | | | | 1,773,286 | |
Media | | | — | | | | 5,497,650 | | | | — | | | | 5,497,650 | |
Metals & Mining | | | — | | | | 103,235 | | | | — | | | | 103,235 | |
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels | | | — | | | | 1,195,011 | | | | — | | | | 1,195,011 | |
Pharmaceuticals | | | — | | | | 924,376 | | | | — | | | | 924,376 | |
Professional Services | | | — | | | | 670,279 | | | | — | | | | 670,279 | |
Software | | | — | | | | 3,404,857 | | | | 426,618 | | | | 3,831,475 | |
Specialty Retail | | | — | | | | 997,139 | | | | — | | | | 997,139 | |
Wireless Telecommunication Services | | | — | | | | 340,196 | | | | — | | | | 340,196 | |
Capital Trusts | | | — | | | | 9,514,895 | | | | — | | | | 9,514,895 | |
Warrants | | | — | | | | 126,842 | | | | — | | | | 126,842 | |
Short-Term Securities | | | 2,677,881 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 2,677,881 | |
Unfunded Floating Rate Loan Interests(a) | | | — | | | | 6,702 | | | | — | | | | 6,702 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | 8,522,970 | | | $ | 492,491,773 | | | $ | 1,616,651 | | | $ | 502,631,394 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Derivative Financial Instruments(b) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Assets: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Credit contracts | | $ | — | | | $ | 411,003 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 411,003 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 23 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Level 1 | | | Level 2 | | | Level 3 | | | Total | |
Foreign currency exchange contracts | | $ | — | | | $ | 4,535 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 4,535 | |
Liabilities: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Credit contracts | | | — | | | | (9,964 | ) | | | — | | | | (9,964 | ) |
Foreign currency exchange contracts | | | — | | | | (35,989 | ) | | | — | | | | (35,989 | ) |
Interest rate contracts | | | (278,971 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | (278,971 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | (278,971 | ) | | $ | 369,585 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 90,614 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
The breakdown of the Fund’s investments into major categories is disclosed in the Schedule of Investments above.
| (a) | Unfunded floating rate loan interests are valued at the unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on the commitment. | |
| (b) | Derivative financial instruments are swaps, futures contracts and forward foreign currency exchange contracts. Swaps, futures contracts and forward foreign currency exchange contracts are valued at the unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on the instrument. | |
See notes to financial statements.
| | |
24 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
Statement of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited)
June 30, 2020
| | | | |
| | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund | |
| |
ASSETS | | | | |
Investments at value — unaffiliated (cost — $508,556,239) | | $ | 500,263,740 | |
Investments at value — affiliated (cost — $2,360,952) | | | 2,360,952 | |
Cash | | | 88,135 | |
Cash pledged: | | | | |
Collateral — OTC derivatives | | | 410,000 | |
Futures contracts | | | 1,058,000 | |
Centrally cleared swaps | | | 1,600,000 | |
Foreign currency at value (cost — $1,879) | | | 1,867 | |
Receivables: | | | | |
Investments sold | | | 12,892,270 | |
Capital shares sold | | | 3,222,262 | |
Dividends — affiliated | | | 1,046 | |
Dividends — unaffiliated | | | 16,755 | |
Interest — unaffiliated | | | 7,118,255 | |
Variation margin on futures contracts | | | 97,058 | |
Variation margin on centrally cleared swaps | | | 95,593 | |
Swap premiums paid | | | 20,681 | |
Unrealized appreciation on: | | | | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | 4,535 | |
OTC swaps | | | 9,913 | |
Unfunded floating rate loan interests | | | 6,702 | |
Prepaid expenses | | | 6,276 | |
| | | | |
Total assets | | | 529,274,040 | |
| | | | |
| |
LIABILITIES | | | | |
Payables: | | | | |
Investments purchased | | | 12,150,422 | |
Capital shares redeemed | | | 654,379 | |
Distribution fees | | | 74,475 | |
Income dividend distributions | | | 2,305,918 | |
Investment advisory fees | | | 206,405 | |
Directors’ and Officer’s fees | | | 1,846 | |
Other affiliates | | | 1,393 | |
Other accrued expenses | | | 341,292 | |
Swap premiums received | | | 91,453 | |
Unrealized depreciation on: | | | | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | 35,989 | |
OTC swaps | | | 9,964 | |
| | | | |
Total liabilities | | | 15,873,536 | |
| | | | |
| |
NET ASSETS | | $ | 513,400,504 | |
| | | | |
| |
NET ASSETS CONSIST OF | | | | |
Paid-in capital | | $ | 542,538,630 | |
Accumulated loss | | | (29,138,126 | ) |
| | | | |
NET ASSETS | | $ | 513,400,504 | |
| | | | |
| |
NET ASSET VALUE | | | | |
Class I — Based on net assets of $160,702,080 and 23,014,517 shares outstanding, 200 million shares authorized, $0.10 par value | | $ | 6.98 | |
| | | | |
Class III — Based on net assets of $352,698,424 and 50,539,533 shares outstanding, 100 million shares authorized, $0.10 par value | | $ | 6.98 | |
| | | | |
See notes to financial statements.
Statement of Operations (unaudited)
Six Months Ended June 30, 2020
| | | | |
| | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund | |
| |
INVESTMENT INCOME | | | | |
Dividends — affiliated | | $ | 50,841 | |
Dividends — unaffiliated | | | 57,091 | |
Interest — unaffiliated | | | 15,363,667 | |
Foreign taxes withheld | | | (79 | ) |
| | | | |
Total investment income | | | 15,471,520 | |
| | | | |
| |
EXPENSES | | | | |
Investment advisory | | | 1,201,770 | |
Distribution — class specific | | | 443,387 | |
Transfer agent — class specific | | | 402,036 | |
Accounting services | | | 67,902 | |
Professional | | | 47,037 | |
Printing | | | 29,663 | |
Custodian | | | 18,635 | |
Transfer agent | | | 2,514 | |
Directors and Officer | | | 2,177 | |
Miscellaneous | | | 7,338 | |
| | | | |
Total expenses | | | 2,222,459 | |
Less: | | | | |
Fees waived and/or reimbursed by the Manager | | | (5,318 | ) |
Transfer agent fees waived and/or reimbursed — class specific | | | (264,368 | ) |
| | | | |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed | | | 1,952,773 | |
| | | | |
Net investment income | | | 13,518,747 | |
| | | | |
| |
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) | | | | |
Net realized gain (loss) from: | | | | |
Investments — unaffiliated | | | (4,567,755 | ) |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | 16,609 | |
Foreign currency transactions | | | (949 | ) |
Futures contracts | | | (776,759 | ) |
Swaps | | | (1,674,727 | ) |
| | | | |
| | | (7,003,581 | ) |
| | | | |
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on: | | | | |
Investments — unaffiliated | | | (24,536,889 | ) |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | 33,344 | |
Foreign currency translations | | | (4,111 | ) |
Futures contracts | | | (278,971 | ) |
Swaps | | | 152,406 | |
Unfunded floating rate loan interests | | | (22,545 | ) |
| | | | |
| | | (24,656,766 | ) |
| | | | |
Net realized and unrealized loss | | | (31,660,347 | ) |
| | | | |
NET DECREASE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS | | $ | (18,141,600 | ) |
| | | | |
See notes to financial statements.
| | |
26 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
Statements of Changes in Net Assets
| | | | | | | | |
| | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20 (unaudited) | | | Year Ended 12/31/19 | |
|
| | |
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS | | | | | | | | |
| | |
OPERATIONS | | | | | | | | |
Net investment income | | $ | 13,518,747 | | | $ | 26,346,952 | |
Net realized loss | | | (7,003,581 | ) | | | (2,928,838 | ) |
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) | | | (24,656,766 | ) | | | 45,625,137 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | | | (18,141,600 | ) | | | 69,043,251 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS (a) | | | | | | | | |
Class I | | | (4,564,142 | ) | | | (9,356,058 | ) |
Class III | | | (9,489,169 | ) | | | (17,474,280 | ) |
| | | | | | | | |
Decrease in net assets resulting from distributions to shareholders | | | (14,053,311 | ) | | | (26,830,338 | ) |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS | | | | | | | | |
Net increase (decrease) in net assets derived from capital share transactions | | | (29,800,766 | ) | | | 103,576,572 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
NET ASSETS | | | | | | | | |
Total increase (decrease) in net assets | | | (61,995,677 | ) | | | 145,789,485 | |
Beginning of period | | | 575,396,181 | | | | 429,606,696 | |
| | | | | | | | |
End of period | | $ | 513,400,504 | | | $ | 575,396,181 | |
| | | | | | | | |
(a) | Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations. |
See notes to financial statements.
Financial Highlights
(For a share outstanding throughout each period)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund | |
| |
| | Class I | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20 (unaudited) | | | | | | Year Ended December 31, | |
| | 2019 | | | 2018 | | | 2017 | | | 2016 | | | 2015 | |
| | | | | | | |
Net asset value, beginning of period | | $ | 7.43 | | | | | | | $ | 6.80 | | | $ | 7.39 | | | $ | 7.24 | | | $ | 6.77 | | | $ | 7.44 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net investment income(a) | | | 0.19 | | | | | | | | 0.38 | | | | 0.38 | | | | 0.38 | | | | 0.37 | | | | 0.36 | |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | | | (0.45 | ) | | | | | | | 0.64 | | | | (0.57 | ) | | | 0.15 | | | | 0.48 | | | | (0.61 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations | | | (0.26 | ) | | | | | | | 1.02 | | | | (0.19 | ) | | | 0.53 | | | | 0.85 | | | | (0.25 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Distributions from net investment income(b) | | | (0.19 | ) | | | | | | | (0.39 | ) | | | (0.40 | ) | | | (0.38 | ) | | | (0.38 | ) | | | (0.42 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Net asset value, end of period | | $ | 6.98 | | | | | | | $ | 7.43 | | | $ | 6.80 | | | $ | 7.39 | | | $ | 7.24 | | | $ | 6.77 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Total Return(c) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Based on net asset value | | | (3.39 | )%(d) | | | | | | | 15.29 | % | | | (2.79 | )% | | | 7.48 | % | | | 12.92 | % | | | (3.60 | )% |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Ratios to Average Net Assets(e) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total expenses | | | 0.70 | %(f) | | | | | | | 0.70 | % | | | 0.77 | % | | | 0.78 | % | | | 0.80 | % | | | 0.84 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed | | | 0.59 | %(f) | | | | | | | 0.59 | % | | | 0.63 | % | | | 0.67 | % | | | 0.68 | % | | | 0.70 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net investment income | | | 5.40 | %(f) | | | | | | | 5.28 | % | | | 5.30 | % | | | 5.13 | % | | | 5.29 | % | | | 4.86 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Supplemental Data | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net assets, end of period (000) | | $ | 160,702 | | | | | | | $ | 178,147 | | | $ | 185,736 | | | $ | 201,945 | | | $ | 152,835 | | | $ | 127,742 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Portfolio turnover rate | | | 65 | % | | | | | | | 83 | % | | | 79 | % | | | 75 | % | | | 89 | % | | | 73 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(a) | Based on average shares outstanding. | |
(b) | Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations. |
(c) | Where applicable, excludes insurance-related fees and expenses and assumes the reinvestment of distributions. |
(d) | Aggregate total return. |
(e) | Excludes expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds as follows: |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20 (unaudited) | | | Year Ended December 31, | |
| | 2019 | | | 2018 | | | 2017 | | | 2016 | | | 2015 | |
Investments in underlying funds | | | — | % | | | 0.01 | % | | | 0.01 | % | | | 0.01 | % | | | 0.01 | % | | | 0.01 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
See notes to financial statements.
| | |
28 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
Financial Highlights (continued)
(For a share outstanding throughout each period)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund | |
| |
| | Class III | |
| | | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20 (unaudited) | | | | | | Year Ended December 31, | |
| | | | | 2019 | | | 2018 | | | 2017 | | | 2016 | | | 2015 | |
| | | | | | | |
Net asset value, beginning of period | | $ | 7.42 | | | | | | | $ | 6.80 | | | $ | 7.38 | | | $ | 7.24 | | | $ | 6.76 | | | $ | 7.43 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net investment income(a) | | | 0.18 | | | | | | | | 0.37 | | | | 0.36 | | | | 0.36 | | | | 0.36 | | | | 0.34 | |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | | | (0.43 | ) | | | | | | | 0.62 | | | | (0.56 | ) | | | 0.14 | | | | 0.48 | | | | (0.61 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations | | | (0.25 | ) | | | | | | | 0.99 | | | | (0.20 | ) | | | 0.50 | | | | 0.84 | | | | (0.27 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Distributions from net investment income(b) | | | (0.19 | ) | | | | | | | (0.37 | ) | | | (0.38 | ) | | | (0.36 | ) | | | (0.36 | ) | | | (0.40 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Net asset value, end of period | | $ | 6.98 | | | | | | | $ | 7.42 | | | $ | 6.80 | | | $ | 7.38 | | | $ | 7.24 | | | $ | 6.76 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Total Return(c) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Based on net asset value | | | (3.37 | )%(d) | | | | | | | 14.86 | % | | | (2.89 | )% | | | 7.08 | % | | | 12.82 | % | | | (3.85 | )% |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Ratios to Average Net Assets(e) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total expenses | | | 0.93 | %(f) | | | | | | | 0.94 | % | | | 1.02 | % | | | 1.03 | % | | | 1.00 | % | | | 1.06 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed | | | 0.83 | %(f) | | | | | | | 0.83 | % | | | 0.87 | % | | | 0.92 | % | | | 0.92 | % | | | 0.94 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net investment income | | | 5.14 | %(f) | | | | | | | 5.06 | % | | | 5.05 | % | | | 4.87 | %�� | | | 5.05 | % | | | 4.63 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Supplemental Data | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net assets, end of period (000) | | $ | 352,698 | | | | | | | $ | 397,249 | | | $ | 243,871 | | | $ | 243,479 | | | $ | 190,149 | | | $ | 95,139 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Portfolio turnover rate | | | 65 | % | | | | | | | 83 | % | | | 79 | % | | | 75 | % | | | 89 | % | | | 73 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(a) | Based on average shares outstanding. |
(b) | Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations. |
(c) | Where applicable, excludes insurance-related fees and expenses and assumes the reinvestment of distributions. |
(d) | Aggregate total return. |
(e) | Excludes expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds as follows: |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20 (unaudited) | | | Year Ended December 31, | |
| | 2019 | | | 2018 | | | 2017 | | | 2016 | | | 2015 | |
Investments in underlying funds | | | — | % | | | 0.01 | % | | | 0.01 | % | | | 0.01 | % | | | 0.01 | % | | | 0.01 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
See notes to financial statements.
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited)
BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc. (the “Company”) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. The Company is organized as a Maryland corporation that is comprised of 3 separate funds. The funds offer shares to insurance companies for their separate accounts to fund benefits under certain variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts. The financial statements presented are for BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (the “Fund”). The Fund is classified as diversified. Class I and Class III Shares have equal voting, dividend, liquidation and other rights, except that only shares of the respective classes are entitled to vote on matters concerning only that class. In addition, Class III Shares bear certain expenses related to the distribution of such shares.
The Fund, together with certain other registered investment companies advised by BlackRock Advisors, LLC (the “Manager”) or its affiliates, is included in a complex of non-index fixed-income mutual funds and all BlackRock-advised closed-end funds referred to as the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex.
2. | SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES |
The financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), which may require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities in the financial statements, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operations during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The Fund is considered an investment company under U.S. GAAP and follows the accounting and reporting guidance applicable to investment companies. Below is a summary of significant accounting policies:
Investment Transactions and Income Recognition: For financial reporting purposes, investment transactions are recorded on the dates the transactions are executed. Realized gains and losses on investment transactions are determined on the identified cost basis. Dividend income and non-cash dividend income, if any, are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Dividends from foreign securities where the ex-dividend date may have passed are subsequently recorded when the Fund is informed of the ex-dividend date. Under the applicable foreign tax laws, a withholding tax at various rates may be imposed on capital gains, dividends and interest. Upon notification from issuers, a portion of the dividend income received from a real estate investment trust may be redesignated as a reduction of cost of the related investment and/or realized gain. Interest income, including amortization and accretion of premiums and discounts on debt securities, is recognized on an accrual basis. Income, expenses and realized and unrealized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class based on its relative net assets.
Foreign Currency Translation: The Fund’s books and records are maintained in U.S. dollars. Securities and other assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars using exchange rates determined as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). Purchases and sales of investments are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing on the respective dates of such transactions. Generally, when the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, the investments denominated in that currency will lose value; the opposite effect occurs if the U.S. dollar falls in relative value.
The Fund does not isolate the portion of the results of operations arising as a result of changes in the exchange rates from the changes in the market prices of investments held or sold for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the effects of changes in exchange rates on investments are not segregated in the Statement of Operations from the effects of changes in market prices of those investments, but are included as a component of net realized and unrealized gain (loss) from investments. The Fund reports realized currency gains (losses) on foreign currency related transactions as components of net realized gain (loss) for financial reporting purposes, whereas such components are generally treated as ordinary income for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Segregation and Collateralization: In cases where the Fund enters into certain investments (e.g., futures contracts, forward foreign currency exchange contracts and swaps) that would be treated as “senior securities” for 1940 Act purposes, the Fund may segregate or designate on its books and records cash or liquid assets having a market value at least equal to the amount of its future obligations under such investments. Doing so allows the investment to be excluded from treatment as a “senior security”. Furthermore, if required by an exchange or counterparty agreement, the Fund may be required to deliver/deposit cash and/or securities to/with an exchange, or broker-dealer or custodian as collateral for certain investments or obligations.
Distributions: Distributions from net investment income are declared daily and paid monthly. Distributions of capital gains are recorded on the ex-dividend date and made at least annually. The character and timing of distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.
Deferred Compensation Plan: Under the Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) approved by the Board of Directors of the Fund (the “Board”), the directors who are not “interested persons” of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act (“Independent Directors”), may defer a portion of their annual complex-wide compensation. Deferred amounts earn an approximate return as though equivalent dollar amounts had been invested in common shares of certain funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex selected by the Independent Directors. This has the same economic effect for the Independent Directors as if the Independent Directors had invested the deferred amounts directly in certain funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex.
The Plan is not funded and obligations thereunder represent general unsecured claims against the general assets of the Fund, as applicable. Deferred compensation liabilities are included in the Directors’ and Officer’s fees payable in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and will remain as a liability of the Fund until such amounts are distributed in accordance with the Plan.
Indemnifications: In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations that provide general indemnification. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown because it involves future potential claims against the Fund, which cannot be predicted with any certainty.
Other: Expenses directly related to the Fund or its classes are charged to the Fund or the applicable class. Other operating expenses shared by several funds, including other funds managed by the Manager, are prorated among those funds on the basis of relative net assets or other appropriate methods. Expenses directly related to the Fund and other shared expenses prorated to the Fund are allocated daily to each class based on its relative net assets or other appropriate methods.
| | |
30 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
3. | INVESTMENT VALUATION AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS |
Investment Valuation Policies: The Fund’s investments are valued at fair value (also referred to as “market value” within the financial statements) as of the close of trading on the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time). U.S. GAAP defines fair value as the price the Fund would receive to sell an asset or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Fund determines the fair values of its financial instruments using various independent dealers or pricing services under policies approved by the Board. If a security’s market price is not readily available or does not otherwise accurately represent the fair value of the security, the security will be valued in accordance with a policy approved by the Board as reflecting fair value. The BlackRock Global Valuation Methodologies Committee (the “Global Valuation Committee”) is the committee formed by management to develop global pricing policies and procedures and to oversee the pricing function for all financial instruments.
Fair Value Inputs and Methodologies: The following methods and inputs are used to establish the fair value of the Fund’s assets and liabilities:
| • | | Equity investments traded on a recognized securities exchange are valued at the official closing price each day, if available. For equity investments traded on more than one exchange, the official closing price on the exchange where the stock is primarily traded is used. Equity investments traded on a recognized exchange for which there were no sales on that day may be valued at the last available bid (long positions) or ask (short positions) price. |
| • | | Fixed-income securities for which market quotations are readily available are generally valued using the last available bid prices or current market quotations provided by independent dealers or third party pricing services. Floating rate loan interests are valued at the mean of the bid prices from one or more independent brokers or dealers as obtained from a third party pricing service. Pricing services generally value fixed-income securities assuming orderly transactions of an institutional round lot size, but a fund may hold or transact in such securities in smaller, odd lot sizes. Odd lots may trade at lower prices than institutional round lots. The pricing services may use matrix pricing or valuation models that utilize certain inputs and assumptions to derive values, including transaction data (e.g., recent representative bids and offers), credit quality information, perceived market movements, news, and other relevant information. Certain fixed-income securities, including asset-backed and mortgage related securities may be valued based on valuation models that consider the estimated cash flows of each tranche of the entity, establish a benchmark yield and develop an estimated tranche specific spread to the benchmark yield based on the unique attributes of the tranche. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used with respect to debt obligations with sixty days or less remaining to maturity unless the Manager determines such method does not represent fair value. |
Generally, trading in foreign instruments is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of trading on the NYSE. Occasionally, events affecting the values of such instruments may occur between the foreign market close and the close of trading on the NYSE that may not be reflected in the computation of the Fund’s net assets. Each business day, the Fund uses a pricing service to assist with the valuation of certain foreign exchange-traded equity securities and foreign exchange-traded and over-the-counter (“OTC”) options (the “Systematic Fair Value Price”). Using current market factors, the Systematic Fair Value Price is designed to value such foreign securities and foreign options at fair value as of the close of trading on the NYSE, which follows the close of the local markets.
| • | | Investments in open-end U.S. mutual funds are valued at net asset value (“NAV”) each business day. |
| • | | Futures contract notional values are determined based on that day’s last reported settlement price on the exchange where the contract is traded. |
| • | | Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are valued at the mean between the bid and ask prices and are determined as of the close of trading on the NYSE based on that day’s prevailing forward exchange rate for the underlying currencies. Interpolated values are derived when the settlement date of the contract is an interim date for which quotations are not available. |
| • | | Swap agreements are valued utilizing quotes received daily by the Fund’s pricing service or through brokers, which are derived using daily swap curves and models that incorporate a number of market data factors, such as discounted cash flows, trades and values of the underlying reference instruments. |
If events (e.g., a company announcement, market volatility or a natural disaster) occur that are expected to materially affect the value of such investments, or in the event that the application of these methods of valuation results in a price for an investment that is deemed not to be representative of the market value of such investment, or if a price is not available, the investment will be valued by the Global Valuation Committee, or its delegate, in accordance with a policy approved by the Board as reflecting fair value (“Fair Valued Investments”). The fair valuation approaches that may be used by the Global Valuation Committee will include market approach, income approach and cost approach. Valuation techniques such as discounted cash flow, use of market comparables and matrix pricing are types of valuation approaches and are typically used in determining fair value. When determining the price for Fair Valued Investments, the Global Valuation Committee, or its delegate, seeks to determine the price that the Fund might reasonably expect to receive or pay from the current sale or purchase of that asset or liability in an arm’s-length transaction. Fair value determinations shall be based upon all available factors that the Global Valuation Committee, or its delegate, deems relevant and consistent with the principles of fair value measurement. The pricing of all Fair Valued Investments is subsequently reported to the Board or a committee thereof on a quarterly basis.
| | |
NOTESTO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | | 31 |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
For investments in equity or debt issued by privately held companies or funds (“Private Company” or collectively, the “Private Companies”) and other Fair Valued Investments, the fair valuation approaches that are used by the Global Valuation Committee and third party pricing services utilize one or a combination of, but not limited to, the following inputs.
| | |
| | Standard Inputs Generally Considered By Third Party Pricing Services |
Market approach | | (i) recent market transactions, including subsequent rounds of financing, in the underlying investment or comparable issuers; (ii) recapitalizations and other transactions across the capital structure; and (iii) market multiples of comparable issuers. |
Income approach | | (i) future cash flows discounted to present and adjusted as appropriate for liquidity, credit, and/or market risks; (ii) quoted prices for similar investments or assets in active markets; and (iii) other risk factors, such as interest rates, yield curves, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks, recovery rates, liquidation amounts and/or default rates. |
Cost approach | | (i) audited or unaudited financial statements, investor communications and financial or operational metrics issued by the Private Company; (ii) changes in the valuation of relevant indices or publicly traded companies comparable to the Private Company; (iii) relevant news and other public sources; and (iv) known secondary market transactions in the Private Company’s interests and merger or acquisition activity in companies comparable to the Private Company. |
Investments in series of preferred stock issued by Private Companies are typically valued utilizing market approach in determining the enterprise value of the company. Such investments often contain rights and preferences that differ from other series of preferred and common stock of the same issuer. Valuation techniques such as an option pricing model (“OPM”), a probability weighted expected return model (“PWERM”) or a hybrid of those techniques are used in allocating enterprise value of the company, as deemed appropriate under the circumstances. The use of OPM and PWERM techniques involve a determination of the exit scenarios of the investment in order to appropriately allocate the enterprise value of the company among the various parts of its capital structure.
The Private Companies are not subject to the public company disclosure, timing, and reporting standards as other investments held by the Fund. Typically, the most recently available information by a Private Company is as of a date that is earlier than the date the Fund is calculating its NAV. This factor may result in a difference between the value of the investment and the price the Fund could receive upon the sale of the investment.
Fair Value Hierarchy: Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of investments and derivative financial instruments. These inputs to valuation techniques are categorized into a fair value hierarchy consisting of three broad levels for financial statement purposes as follows:
| • | | Level 1 — Unadjusted price quotations in active markets/exchanges for identical assets or liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access |
| • | | Level 2 — Other observable inputs (including, but not limited to, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in markets that are active, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the assets or liabilities (such as interest rates, yield curves, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks and default rates) or other market–corroborated inputs) |
| • | | Level 3 – Unobservable inputs based on the best information available in the circumstances, to the extent observable inputs are not available (including the Global Valuation Committee’s assumptions used in determining the fair value of investments and derivative financial instruments) |
The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3. The inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the fair value hierarchy classification is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. Investments classified within Level 3 have significant unobservable inputs used by the Global Valuation Committee in determining the price for Fair Valued Investments. Level 3 investments include equity or debt issued by Private Companies. There may not be a secondary market, and/or there are a limited number of investors. The categorization of a value determined for investments and derivative financial instruments is based on the pricing transparency of the investments and derivative financial instruments and is not necessarily an indication of the risks associated with investing in those securities.
4. | SECURITIES AND OTHER INVESTMENTS |
Capital Securities and Trust Preferred Securities: Capital securities, including trust preferred securities, are typically issued by corporations, generally in the form of interest-bearing notes with preferred securities characteristics. In the case of trust preferred securities, an affiliated business trust of a corporation issues these securities, generally in the form of beneficial interests in subordinated debentures or similarly structured securities. The securities can be structured with either a fixed or adjustable coupon that can have either a perpetual or stated maturity date. For trust preferred securities, the issuing bank or corporation pays interest to the trust, which is then distributed to holders of these securities as a dividend. Dividends can be deferred without creating an event of default or acceleration, although maturity cannot take place unless all cumulative payment obligations have been met. The deferral of payments does not affect the purchase or sale of these securities in the open market. These securities generally are rated below that of the issuing company’s senior debt securities and are freely callable at the issuer’s option.
Warrants: Warrants entitle a fund to purchase a specified number of shares of common stock and are non-income producing. The purchase price and number of shares are subject to adjustment under certain conditions until the expiration date of the warrants, if any. If the price of the underlying stock does not rise above the strike price before the warrant expires, the warrant generally expires without any value and a fund will lose any amount it paid for the warrant. Thus, investments in warrants may involve more risk than investments in common stock. Warrants may trade in the same markets as their underlying stock; however, the price of the warrant does not necessarily move with the price of the underlying stock.
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32 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
Floating Rate Loan Interests: Floating rate loan interests are typically issued to companies (the “borrower”) by banks, other financial institutions, or privately and publicly offered corporations (the “lender”). Floating rate loan interests are generally non-investment grade, often involve borrowers whose financial condition is troubled or uncertain and companies that are highly leveraged or in bankruptcy proceedings. In addition, transactions in floating rate loan interests may settle on a delayed basis, which may result in proceeds from the sale not being readily available for a fund to make additional investments or meet its redemption obligations. Floating rate loan interests may include fully funded term loans or revolving lines of credit. Floating rate loan interests are typically senior in the corporate capital structure of the borrower. Floating rate loan interests generally pay interest at rates that are periodically determined by reference to a base lending rate plus a premium. Since the rates reset only periodically, changes in prevailing interest rates (and particularly sudden and significant changes) can be expected to cause some fluctuations in the NAV of a fund to the extent that it invests in floating rate loan interests. The base lending rates are generally the lending rate offered by one or more European banks, such as the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), the prime rate offered by one or more U.S. banks or the certificate of deposit rate. Floating rate loan interests may involve foreign borrowers, and investments may be denominated in foreign currencies. These investments are treated as investments in debt securities for purposes of a fund’s investment policies.
When a fund purchases a floating rate loan interest, it may receive a facility fee and when it sells a floating rate loan interest, it may pay a facility fee. On an ongoing basis, a fund may receive a commitment fee based on the undrawn portion of the underlying line of credit amount of a floating rate loan interest. Facility and commitment fees are typically amortized to income over the term of the loan or term of the commitment, respectively. Consent and amendment fees are recorded to income as earned. Prepayment penalty fees, which may be received by a fund upon the prepayment of a floating rate loan interest by a borrower, are recorded as realized gains. A fund may invest in multiple series or tranches of a loan. A different series or tranche may have varying terms and carry different associated risks.
Floating rate loan interests are usually freely callable at the borrower’s option. A fund may invest in such loans in the form of participations in loans (“Participations”) or assignments (“Assignments”) of all or a portion of loans from third parties. Participations typically will result in a fund having a contractual relationship only with the lender, not with the borrower. A fund has the right to receive payments of principal, interest and any fees to which it is entitled only from the lender selling the Participation and only upon receipt by the lender of the payments from the borrower. In connection with purchasing Participations, a fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement, nor any rights of offset against the borrower. A fund may not benefit directly from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the Participation. As a result, a fund assumes the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender that is selling the Participation. A fund’s investment in loan participation interests involves the risk of insolvency of the financial intermediaries who are parties to the transactions. In the event of the insolvency of the lender selling the Participation, a fund may be treated as a general creditor of the lender and may not benefit from any offset between the lender and the borrower. Assignments typically result in a fund having a direct contractual relationship with the borrower, and a fund may enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement.
In connection with floating rate loan interests, the Fund may also enter into unfunded floating rate loan interests (“commitments”). In connection with these commitments, the fund earns a commitment fee, typically set as a percentage of the commitment amount. Such fee income, which is included in interest income in the Statement of Operations, is recognized ratably over the commitment period. Unfunded floating rate loan interests are marked-to-market daily, and any unrealized appreciation (depreciation) is included in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Statement of Operations. As of period end, the fund had the following unfunded floating rate loan interests:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Borrower | | Par | | | Commitment Amount | | | Value | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
Intelsat Jackson Holdings SA, Term Loan | | $ | 510,406 | | | $ | 510,406 | | | $ | 517,108 | | | $ | 6,702 | |
5. | DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS |
The Fund engages in various portfolio investment strategies using derivative contracts both to increase the returns of the Fund and/or to manage its exposure to certain risks such as credit risk, equity risk, interest rate risk, foreign currency exchange rate risk, commodity price risk or other risks (e.g., inflation risk). Derivative financial instruments categorized by risk exposure are included in the Schedule of Investments. These contracts may be transacted on an exchange or OTC.
Futures Contracts: Futures contracts are purchased or sold to gain exposure to, or manage exposure to, changes in interest rates (interest rate risk) and changes in the value of equity securities (equity risk) or foreign currencies (foreign currency exchange rate risk).
Futures contracts are agreements between the Fund and a counterparty to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying instrument at a specified price and on a specified date. Depending on the terms of a contract, it is settled either through physical delivery of the underlying instrument on the settlement date or by payment of a cash amount on the settlement date. Upon entering into a futures contract, the Fund is required to deposit initial margin with the broker in the form of cash or securities in an amount that varies depending on a contract’s size and risk profile. The initial margin deposit must then be maintained at an established level over the life of the contract. Amounts pledged, which are considered restricted, are included in cash pledged for futures contracts in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Securities deposited as initial margin are designated in the Schedule of Investments and cash deposited, if any, are shown as cash pledged for futures contracts in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Pursuant to the contract, the Fund agrees to receive from or pay to the broker an amount of cash equal to the daily fluctuation in market value of the contract (“variation margin”). Variation margin is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) and, if any, shown as variation margin receivable (or payable) on futures contracts in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. When the contract is closed, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statement of Operations equal to the difference between the notional amount of the contract at the time it was opened and the notional amount at the time it was closed. The use of futures contracts involves the risk of an imperfect correlation in the movements in the price of futures contracts and interest, foreign currency exchange rates or underlying assets.
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts: Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are entered into to gain or reduce exposure to foreign currencies (foreign currency exchange rate risk).
A forward foreign currency exchange contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a currency at a set exchange rate on a specified date. These contracts help to manage the overall exposure to the currencies in which some of the investments held by the Fund are denominated and in some cases, may be used to obtain exposure to a particular market.
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NOTESTO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | | 33 |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
The contract is marked-to-market daily and the change in market value is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. When a contract is closed, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statement of Operations equal to the difference between the value at the time it was opened and the value at the time it was closed. Non-deliverable forward foreign currency exchange contracts are settled with the counterparty in cash without the delivery of foreign currency. The use of forward foreign currency exchange contracts involves the risk that the value of a forward foreign currency exchange contract changes unfavorably due to movements in the value of the referenced foreign currencies, and such value may exceed the amount(s) reflected in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Cash amounts pledged for forward foreign currency exchange contracts are considered restricted and are included in cash pledged as collateral for OTC derivatives in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Swaps: Swap contracts are entered into to manage exposure to issuers, markets and securities. Such contracts are agreements between the Fund and a counterparty to make periodic net payments on a specified notional amount or a net payment upon termination. Swap agreements are privately negotiated in the OTC market and may be entered into as a bilateral contract (“OTC swaps”) or centrally cleared (“centrally cleared swaps”).
For OTC swaps, any upfront premiums paid and any upfront fees received are shown as swap premiums paid and swap premiums received, respectively, in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and amortized over the term of the contract. The daily fluctuation in market value is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on OTC Swaps in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Payments received or paid are recorded in the Statement of Operations as realized gains or losses, respectively. When an OTC swap is terminated, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statement of Operations equal to the difference between the proceeds from (or cost of) the closing transaction and the Fund’s basis in the contract, if any. Generally, the basis of the contract is the premium received or paid.
In a centrally cleared swap, immediately following execution of the swap contract, the swap contract is novated to a central counterparty (the “CCP”) and the Fund’s counterparty on the swap agreement becomes the CCP. The Fund is required to interface with the CCP through the broker. Upon entering into a centrally cleared swap, the Fund is required to deposit initial margin with the broker in the form of cash or securities in an amount that varies depending on the size and risk profile of the particular swap. Securities deposited as initial margin are designated in the Schedule of Investments and cash deposited is shown as cash pledged for centrally cleared swaps in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Amounts pledged, which are considered restricted cash, are included in cash pledged for centrally cleared swaps in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Pursuant to the contract, the Fund agrees to receive from or pay to the broker an amount of cash equal to the daily fluctuation in market value of the contract (“variation margin”). Variation margin is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) and shown as variation margin receivable (or payable) on centrally cleared swaps in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Payments received from (paid to) the counterparty, including at termination, are recorded as realized gains (losses) in the Statement of Operations.
| • | | Credit default swaps — Credit default swaps are entered into to manage exposure to the market or certain sectors of the market, to reduce risk exposure to defaults of corporate and/or sovereign issuers or to create exposure to corporate and/or sovereign issuers to which a fund is not otherwise exposed (credit risk). |
The Fund may either buy or sell (write) credit default swaps on single-name issuers (corporate or sovereign), a combination or basket of single-name issuers or traded indexes. Credit default swaps are agreements in which the protection buyer pays fixed periodic payments to the seller in consideration for a promise from the protection seller to make a specific payment should a negative credit event take place with respect to the referenced entity (e.g., bankruptcy, failure to pay, obligation acceleration, repudiation, moratorium or restructuring). As a buyer, if an underlying credit event occurs, the Fund will either (i) receive from the seller an amount equal to the notional amount of the swap and deliver the referenced security or underlying securities comprising the index, or (ii) receive a net settlement of cash equal to the notional amount of the swap less the recovery value of the security or underlying securities comprising the index. As a seller (writer), if an underlying credit event occurs, the Fund will either pay the buyer an amount equal to the notional amount of the swap and take delivery of the referenced security or underlying securities comprising the index or pay a net settlement of cash equal to the notional amount of the swap less the recovery value of the security or underlying securities comprising the index.
Swap transactions involve, to varying degrees, elements of interest rate, credit and market risk in excess of the amounts recognized in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Such risks involve the possibility that there will be no liquid market for these agreements, that the counterparty to the agreements may default on its obligation to perform or disagree as to the meaning of the contractual terms in the agreements, and that there may be unfavorable changes in interest rates and/or market values associated with these transactions.
Master Netting Arrangements: In order to define its contractual rights and to secure rights that will help it mitigate its counterparty risk, the Fund may enter into an International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. Master Agreement (“ISDA Master Agreement”) or similar agreement with its counterparties. An ISDA Master Agreement is a bilateral agreement between the Fund and a counterparty that governs certain OTC derivatives and typically contains, among other things, collateral posting terms and netting provisions in the event of a default and/or termination event. Under an ISDA Master Agreement, the Fund may, under certain circumstances, offset with the counterparty certain derivative financial instruments’ payables and/or receivables with collateral held and/or posted and create one single net payment. The provisions of the ISDA Master Agreement typically permit a single net payment in the event of default including the bankruptcy or insolvency of the counterparty. Bankruptcy or insolvency laws of a particular jurisdiction may restrict or prohibit the right of offset in bankruptcy, insolvency or other events.
Collateral Requirements: For derivatives traded under an ISDA Master Agreement, the collateral requirements are typically calculated by netting the mark-to-market amount for each transaction under such agreement and comparing that amount to the value of any collateral currently pledged by the Fund and the counterparty.
Cash collateral that has been pledged to cover obligations of the Fund and cash collateral received from the counterparty, if any, is reported separately in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as cash pledged as collateral and cash received as collateral, respectively. Non-cash collateral pledged by the Fund, if any, is noted in the Schedule of Investments. Generally, the amount of collateral due from or to a counterparty is subject to a certain minimum transfer amount threshold before a transfer is required, which is determined at the close of business of the Fund. Any additional required collateral is delivered to/pledged by the Fund on the next business day. Typically, the counterparty is not permitted to sell, re-pledge or use cash and non-cash collateral it receives. The Fund generally agrees not to use non-cash collateral that it receives but may, absent default or certain other circumstances defined in the underlying ISDA Master Agreement, be permitted to use cash collateral received. In such cases, interest may be paid pursuant to the collateral arrangement with the counterparty. To the extent amounts due to the Fund from its counterparties are not fully collateralized, it bears the risk of loss from counterparty non-performance. Likewise, to the extent the Fund has delivered collateral to a counterparty and stands ready to perform under the terms of its agreement with such counterparty, it bears the risk of loss from a counterparty in the amount of the value of the collateral in the event the counterparty fails to return such collateral. Based on the terms of agreements, collateral may not be required for all derivative contracts.
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34 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
For financial reporting purposes, the Fund does not offset derivative assets and derivative liabilities that are subject to netting arrangements, if any, in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
6. | INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES |
Investment Advisory: The Company on behalf of the Fund, entered into an Investment Advisory Agreement with the Manager, the Fund’s investment adviser and an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”), to provide investment advisory and administrative services. The Manager is responsible for the management of the Fund’s portfolio and provides the personnel, facilities, equipment and certain other services necessary to the operations of the Fund.
For such services, the Fund pays the Manager a monthly fee based on a percentage of the aggregate average daily net assets of the Fund and BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund, a series of the Company, at the following annual rates:
| | | | |
Average Daily Net Assets | | Investment Advisory Fees | |
First $250 Million | | | 0.55 | % |
$250 Million — $500 Million | | | 0.50 | |
$500 Million — $750 Million | | | 0.45 | |
Greater than $750 Million | | | 0.40 | |
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the aggregate average daily net assets of the Fund and BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund were approximately $644,248,436.
The Manager entered into a sub-advisory agreement, effective March 2, 2020, with BlackRock International Limited (“BIL”), affiliate of the Manager. The Manager pays BIL for services it provides for that portion of the Fund for which BIL acts as sub-adviser, a monthly fee that is equal to a percentage of the investment advisory fees paid by the Fund to the Manager.
Distribution Fees: The Company, on behalf of the Fund, entered into a Distribution Agreement and a Distribution Plan with BlackRock Investments, LLC (“BRIL”), an affiliate of the Manager. Pursuant to the Distribution Plan and in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, the Fund pays BRIL ongoing distribution fees. The fees are accrued daily and paid monthly at an annual rate of 0.25% based upon the average daily net assets attributable to Class III.
BRIL and broker-dealers, pursuant to sub-agreements with BRIL, provide shareholder distribution services to the Fund. The ongoing distribution fee compensates BRIL and each broker-dealer for providing shareholder servicing and/or distribution related services to shareholders.
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the class specific distribution fees borne directly by Class III were $443,387.
Transfer Agent: On behalf of the Fund, the Manager entered into agreements with insurance companies and other financial intermediaries (“Service Organizations”), some of which may be affiliates. Pursuant to these agreements, the Service Organizations provide the Fund with administrative, networking, recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency and shareholder services to underlying investor accounts. For these services, the Service Organizations receive an annual fee per shareholder account, which will vary depending on share class and/or net assets of Fund shareholders serviced by the Service Organizations which is shown as transfer agent – class specific. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the Fund did not pay any amounts to affiliates in return for these services.
In addition, the Fund pays the transfer agent, which is not an affiliate, a fee for the issuance, transfer and redemption of shares and the opening and maintenance of shareholder accounts, which is included in transfer agent in the Statement of Operations.
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the following table shows the class specific transfer agent fees borne directly by each share class of the Fund:
| | | | |
Class I | | $ | 133,983 | |
Class III | | | 268,053 | |
| | $ | 402,036 | |
Expense Limitations, Waivers and Reimbursements: The Manager contractually agreed to waive its investment advisory fees by the amount of investment advisory fees the Fund pays to the Manager indirectly through its investment in affiliated money market funds (the “affiliated money market fund waiver”) through April 30, 2021. The contractual agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the Independent Directors or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The amount of waivers and/or reimbursements of fees and expenses made pursuant to the expense limitations described below will be reduced by the amount of the affiliated money market fund waiver. Prior to May 1, 2020, this waiver was voluntary. This amount is included in fees waived and/or reimbursed by the Manager in the Statement of Operations. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the amount waived was $5,318.
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its investment advisory fee with respect to any portion of the Fund’s assets invested in affiliated equity and fixed-income mutual funds and affiliated exchange-traded funds that have a contractual management fee through April 30, 2021. The contractual agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the Independent Directors, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, there were no fees waived and/or reimbursed by the Manager pursuant to this arrangement.
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the Fund reimbursed the Manager $3,011 for certain accounting services, which is included in accounting services in the Statement of Operations.
| | |
NOTESTO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | | 35 |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
The Manager has contractually agreed to reimburse certain transfer agent fees in order to limit such expenses to a percentage of average daily net assets as follows:
| | | | |
Class I | | | 0.06 | % |
Class III | | | 0.05 | |
The Manager has agreed not to reduce or discontinue these contractual expense limitations through April 30, 2021, unless approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Directors, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. These amounts waived and/or reimbursed are included in transfer agent fees waived and/or reimbursed — class specific in the Statement of Operations. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, class specific expense waivers and/or reimbursements were as follows:
| | | | |
| | Transfer Agent Fees Waived and/or Reimbursed | |
Class I | | $ | 85,049 | |
Class III | | | 179,319 | |
| | $ | 264,368 | |
The Manager contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit expenses, excluding interest expense, dividend expense, tax expense, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other fund expenses, which constitute extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business (“expense limitation”). The expense limitations as a percentage of average daily net assets are as follows:
| | | | |
Class I | | | 1.25 | % |
Class III | | | 1.50 | |
The Manager has agreed not to reduce or discontinue these contractual expense limitations through April 30, 2021, unless approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Directors, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, there were no fees waived and/ or reimbursed by the Manager.
Interfund Lending: In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the Fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing facility for temporary purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions. The Fund is currently permitted to borrow under the Interfund Lending Program.
A lending BlackRock fund may lend in aggregate up to 15% of its net assets, but may not lend more than 5% of its net assets to any one borrowing fund through the Interfund Lending Program. A borrowing BlackRock fund may not borrow through the Interfund Lending Program or from any other source more than 33 1/3% of its total assets (or any lower threshold provided for by the fund’s investment restrictions). If a borrowing BlackRock fund’s total outstanding borrowings exceed 10% of its total assets, each of its outstanding interfund loans will be subject to collateralization of at least 102% of the outstanding principal value of the loan. All interfund loans are for temporary or emergency purposes and the interest rate to be charged will be the average of the highest current overnight repurchase agreement rate available to a lending fund and the bank loan rate, as calculated according to a formula established by the Board.
During the period ended June 30, 2020, the Fund did not participate in the Interfund Lending Program.
Directors and Officers: Certain directors and/or officers of the Company are directors and/or officers of BlackRock or its affiliates. The Fund reimburses the Manager for a portion of the compensation paid to the Company’s Chief Compliance Officer, which is included in Directors and Officer in the Statement of Operations.
Other Transactions: The Fund may purchase securities from, or sell securities to, an affiliated fund provided the affiliation is due solely to having a common investment adviser, common officers, or common directors. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the purchase and sale transactions and any net realized gains (losses) with an affiliated fund in compliance with Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act were as follows:
| | | | |
Purchases | | $ | 2,329,867 | |
Sales | | | 6,537,545 | |
Net Realized Gain | | | 22,457 | |
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, purchases and sales of investments, including paydowns and excluding short-term securities, were $330,609,622 and $358,286,024, respectively.
It is the Fund’s policy to comply with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, applicable to regulated investment companies, and to distribute substantially all of its taxable income to its shareholders. Therefore, no U.S. federal income tax provision is required.
The Fund files U.S. federal and various state and local tax returns. No income tax returns are currently under examination. The statute of limitations on the Fund’s U.S. federal tax returns generally remains open for each of the four years ended December 31, 2019. The statutes of limitations on the Fund’s state and local tax returns may remain open for an additional year depending upon the jurisdiction.
| | |
36 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
Management has analyzed tax laws and regulations and their application to the Fund as of June 30, 2020, inclusive of the open tax return years, and does not believe that there are any uncertain tax positions that require recognition of a tax liability in the Fund’s financial statements.
As of December 31, 2019, the Fund had non-expiring capital loss carryforward available to offset future realized capital gains of $11,692,295.
As of June 30, 2020, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
| | | | |
Tax cost | | $ | 513,453,801 | |
| | | | |
Gross unrealized appreciation | | $ | 9,826,314 | |
Gross unrealized depreciation | | | (20,564,809 | ) |
| | | | |
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) | | $ | (10,738,495 | ) |
| | | | |
The Company, on behalf of the Fund, along with certain other funds managed by the Manager and its affiliates (“Participating Funds”), is a party to a 364-day, $2.25 billion credit agreement with a group of lenders. Under this agreement, the Fund may borrow to fund shareholder redemptions. Excluding commitments designated for certain individual funds, the Participating Funds, including the Fund, can borrow up to an aggregate commitment amount of $1.75 billion at any time outstanding, subject to asset coverage and other limitations as specified in the agreement. The credit agreement has the following terms: a fee of 0.10% per annum on unused commitment amounts and interest at a rate equal to the higher of (a) one-month LIBOR (but, in any event, not less than 0.00%) on the date the loan is made plus 0.80% per annum or (b) the Fed Funds rate (but, in any event, not less than 0.00%) in effect from time to time plus 0.80% per annum on amounts borrowed. The agreement expires in April 2021 unless extended or renewed. These fees were allocated among such funds based upon portions of the aggregate commitment available to them and relative net assets of Participating Funds. During the six months ended June 30, 2020, the Fund did not borrow under the credit agreement.
In the normal course of business, the Fund invests in securities or other instruments and may enter into certain transactions, and such activities subject the Fund to various risks, including among others, fluctuations in the market (market risk) or failure of an issuer to meet all of its obligations. The value of securities or other instruments may also be affected by various factors, including, without limitation: (i) the general economy; (ii) the overall market as well as local, regional or global political and/or social instability; (iii) regulation, taxation or international tax treaties between various countries; or (iv) currency, interest rate and price fluctuations. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments. The Fund’s prospectus provides details of the risks to which the Fund is subject.
The Fund may be exposed to prepayment risk, which is the risk that borrowers may exercise their option to prepay principal earlier than scheduled during periods of declining interest rates, which would force the Fund to reinvest in lower yielding securities. The Fund may also be exposed to reinvestment risk, which is the risk that income from the Fund’s portfolio will decline if the Fund invests the proceeds from matured, traded or called fixed-income securities at market interest rates that are below the Fund portfolio’s current earnings rate.
Valuation Risk: The market values of equities, such as common stocks and preferred securities or equity related investments, such as futures and options, may decline due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a particular company. They may also decline due to factors which affect a particular industry or industries. The Fund may invest in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. The Fund may experience difficulty in selling illiquid investments in a timely manner at the price that it believes the investments are worth. Prices may fluctuate widely over short or extended periods in response to company, market or economic news. Markets also tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising and falling prices. This volatility may cause the Fund’s NAV to experience significant increases or decreases over short periods of time. If there is a general decline in the securities and other markets, the NAV of the Fund may lose value, regardless of the individual results of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests.
The price the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation technique or a price provided by an independent pricing service. Changes to significant unobservable inputs and assumptions (i.e., publicly traded company multiples, growth rate, time to exit) due to the lack of observable inputs may significantly impact the resulting fair value and therefore the Fund’s results of operations. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third party service providers.
An outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus has developed into a global pandemic and has resulted in closing borders, quarantines, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The impact of this pandemic, and other global health crises that may arise in the future, could affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the market in general in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. This pandemic may result in substantial market volatility and may adversely impact the prices and liquidity of a fund’s investments. The duration of this pandemic and its effects cannot be determined with certainty.
Counterparty Credit Risk: The Fund may be exposed to counterparty credit risk, or the risk that an entity may fail to or be unable to perform on its commitments related to unsettled or open transactions. The Fund manages counterparty credit risk by entering into transactions only with counterparties that the Manager believes have the financial resources to honor their obligations and by monitoring the financial stability of those counterparties. Financial assets, which potentially expose the Fund to market, issuer and counterparty credit risks, consist principally of financial instruments and receivables due from counterparties. The extent of the Fund’s exposure to market, issuer and
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NOTESTO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | | 37 |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
counterparty credit risks with respect to these financial assets is approximately their value recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, less any collateral held by the Fund.
A derivative contract may suffer a mark-to-market loss if the value of the contract decreases due to an unfavorable change in the market rates or values of the underlying instrument. Losses can also occur if the counterparty does not perform under the contract.
The Fund’s risk of loss from counterparty credit risk on OTC derivatives is generally limited to the aggregate unrealized gain less the value of any collateral held by the Fund. With exchange-traded futures and centrally cleared swaps, there is less counterparty credit risk to the Fund since the exchange or clearinghouse, as counterparty to such instruments, guarantees against a possible default. The clearinghouse stands between the buyer and the seller of the contract; therefore, credit risk is limited to failure of the clearinghouse. While offset rights may exist under applicable law, the Fund does not have a contractual right of offset against a clearing broker or clearinghouse in the event of a default (including the bankruptcy or insolvency). Additionally, credit risk exists in exchange-traded futures and centrally cleared swaps with respect to initial and variation margin that is held in a clearing broker’s customer accounts. While clearing brokers are required to segregate customer margin from their own assets, in the event that a clearing broker becomes insolvent or goes into bankruptcy and at that time there is a shortfall in the aggregate amount of margin held by the clearing broker for all its clients, typically the shortfall would be allocated on a pro rata basis across all the clearing broker’s customers, potentially resulting in losses to the Fund.
Concentration Risk: The Fund may invest in securities that are rated below investment grade quality (sometimes called “junk bonds”) or are unrated, which are predominantly speculative, have greater credit risk and generally are less liquid than, and have more volatile prices than, higher quality securities.
The Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in fixed-income securities and/or uses derivatives tied to the fixed-income markets. Changes in market interest rates or economic conditions may affect the value and/or liquidity of such investments. Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to the current period of historically low rates.
11. | CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS |
Transactions in capital shares for each class were as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20 | | | Year Ended 12/31/19 | |
| | Shares | | | Amount | | | Shares | | | Amount | |
Class I | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Shares sold | | | 10,319,333 | | | $ | 74,586,580 | | | | 7,593,809 | | | $ | 55,369,906 | |
Shares issued in reinvestment of distributions | | | 656,073 | | | | 4,590,276 | | | | 1,308,440 | | | | 9,425,674 | |
Shares redeemed | | | (11,942,476 | ) | | | (85,392,038 | ) | | | (12,221,914 | ) | | | (88,379,054 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net decrease | | | (967,070 | ) | | $ | (6,215,182 | ) | | | (3,319,665 | ) | | $ | (23,583,474 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Class III | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Shares sold | | | 23,631,181 | | | $ | 165,648,643 | | | | 42,635,935 | | | $ | 307,644,405 | |
Shares issued in reinvestment of distributions | | | 1,348,006 | | | | 9,439,081 | | | | 2,356,193 | | | | 17,002,418 | |
Shares redeemed | | | (27,950,265 | ) | | | (198,673,308 | ) | | | (27,351,268 | ) | | | (197,486,777 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net increase (decrease) | | | (2,971,078 | ) | | $ | (23,585,584 | ) | | | 17,640,860 | | | $ | 127,160,046 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total Net Increase (Decrease) | | | (3,938,148 | ) | | $ | (29,800,766 | ) | | | 14,321,195 | | | $ | 103,576,572 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Fund through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that there were no subsequent events requiring adjustment or additional disclosure in the financial statements.
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38 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
Glossary of Terms Used in this Report
Currency
| | |
| |
CAD | | Canadian Dollar |
| |
EUR | | Euro |
| |
GBP | | British Pound |
| |
USD | | United States Dollar |
|
Portfolio Abbreviations |
| |
DAC | | Designated Activity Company |
| |
LIBOR | | London Interbank Offered Rate |
| |
MSCI | | Morgan Stanley Capital International |
| |
OTC | | Over-the-counter |
| |
PIK | | Payment-In-Kind |
| |
REIT | | Real Estate Investment Trust |
| | |
GLOSSARYOF TERMS USEDINTHIS REPORT | | 39 |
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![LOGO](https://capedge.com/proxy/N-CSRS/0001193125-20-234124/g949260g42l24.jpg) | | JUNE 30, 2020 |
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| | 2020 Semi-Annual Report (Unaudited) |
BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc.
· | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund |
|
Not FDIC Insured - May Lose Value - No Bank Guarantee |
| | |
Fund Summary as of June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund |
Investment Objective
BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund’s (the “Fund”) investment objective is to maximize total return, consistent with income generation and prudent investment management.
Portfolio Management Commentary
How did the Fund perform?
For the six-month period ended June 30, 2020, the Fund underperformed its benchmark, the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index.
What factors influenced performance?
The Fund’s allocation to securitized assets, namely commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) and non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”), was the biggest constraint on performance relative to the benchmark for the period. Both CMBS and RMBS suffered from illiquidity and concerns that individuals and businesses would have difficulty servicing their mortgage debt in the wake of the economic downturn driven by the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic. An overweight in U.S. municipal bonds also detracted from the Fund’s performance.
An above-benchmark stance with respect to portfolio duration (and corresponding sensitivity to changes in interest rates) was the leading positive contributor to performance as U.S. Treasury yields declined (and prices increased) sharply over the period. The Fund’s overweighting of U.S. investment grade corporate bonds also added to relative performance as the asset class benefited from improved sentiment following the announcement by the Fed of its plans to include corporate bonds in its purchase program. Overweight positioning in agency RMBS and emerging market debt also contributed to the Fund’s performance for the period.
Describe recent portfolio activity.
During the first half of the period, the Fund maintained an overweight in duration versus the benchmark with a focus on the three-to-five-year and 15-year-and-above parts of the yield curve. The Fund’s investment adviser tactically traded agency RMBS, sharply reducing exposure when valuations became, in the investment adviser’s view, expensive in February 2020 and moving back to an overweight position in mid-March when valuations again became attractive. The sector has since benefited from the Fed’s announcement of its RMBS purchase program. Securitized assets came under significant pressure in March due to decreased liquidity, which ultimately led to indiscriminate selling across capital structure of these assets. The Fund’s positioning in securitized assets was focused on higher quality assets with strong levels of protection.
Risk assets performed well in the second quarter of 2020 due to immense policy support and much improved market sentiment. During the second quarter, the Fund reduced its overweight in U.S. duration, ending the quarter with a neutral duration stance relative to the benchmark. The Fund favored the long end of the yield curve as a means to manage risk against a deterioration in economic sentiment until June, when the investment adviser started to trim this overweight position on the view of the outlook for increased U.S. Treasury issuance. Within spread assets, the Fund added slightly to U.S. investment grade corporate credit and certain parts of the high yield corporate market. The Fund also increased its overweight in agency RMBS on the view that rates should remain within a relatively tight range, which the investment adviser believes should bode well for the sector.
The Fund held derivatives primarily through futures contracts for risk management purposes as well as to manage risk exposures. The Fund’s use of derivatives generally added to the Fund’s performance during the period.
At period end, the Fund had a slightly higher-than-average cash balance. The Fund’s cash balance had no material impact on Fund performance.
Describe portfolio positioning at period end.
The Fund ended the period with a neutral duration stance versus the benchmark. The Fund held a small overweight position in select European peripherals, such as Italy, given central bank support. The Fund remained constructive on inflation and real rates. Within spread assets, the Fund remained overweight in agency RMBS and investment grade corporate credit as sources of high-quality income. The Fund maintained an allocation to emerging market debt based on attractive valuations and intermediate-term return potential, while remaining prepared to tactically shift exposure there. Overall, the Fund continued to hold its up-in-quality bias in the portfolio.
The views expressed reflect the opinions of BlackRock as of the date of this report and are subject to change based on changes in market, economic or other conditions. These views are not intended to be a forecast of future events and are no guarantee of future results.
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2 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
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Fund Summary as of June 30, 2020 (continued) | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund |
Performance Summary for the Period Ended June 30, 2020
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Average Annual Total Returns (a) | |
| | Standardized 30-Day Yields (b) | | | Unsubsidized 30-Day Yields (b) | | | 6-Month Total Returns (a) | | | | | | 1 Year | | | | | | 5 Years | | | | | | 10 Years | |
Class I (c)(d) | | | 0.90 | % | | | 0.74 | % | | | 5.74 | % | | | | | | | 8.46 | % | | | | | | | 4.20 | % | | | | | | | 4.31 | % |
Class III (c)(d) | | | 0.59 | | | | 0.50 | | | | 5.64 | | | | | | | | 8.20 | | | | | | | | 3.89 | | | | | | | | 4.01(e | ) |
Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (f) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 6.14 | | | | | | | | 8.74 | | | | | | | | 4.30 | | | | | | | | 3.82 | |
(a) | For a portion of the period, the Fund’s investment adviser waived a portion of its fee. Without such waiver, the Fund’s performance would have been lower. | |
(b) | The standardized 30-day yield includes the effects of any waivers and/or reimbursements. The unsubsidized 30-day yield excludes the effects of any waivers and/or reimbursements. | |
(c) | Average annual and cumulative total returns are based on changes in net asset value for the periods shown, and assume reinvestment of all distributions at net asset value on the ex-dividend/ payable date. Insurance-related fees and expenses are not reflected in these returns. | |
(d) | Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80%, and typically invests 90% or more, of its assets in fixed income securities, such as corporate bonds and notes, mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, convertible securities, preferred securities, government obligations and money market securities. On September 17, 2018, the Fund acquired all of the assets, subject to the liabilities, of BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (the “Predecessor Fund”), a series of BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc., through a tax-free reorganization (the “Reorganization”). The Predecessor Fund is the performance and accounting survivor of the Reorganization. | |
(e) | The returns for Class III Shares prior to August 14, 2012, the recommencement of operations of Class III Shares, are based upon the performance of the Predecessor Fund’s Class I Shares, as adjusted to reflect the distribution (12b-1) fees applicable to Class III Shares. | |
(f) | A widely recognized unmanaged market-weighted index, comprised of investment-grade corporate bonds rated BBB or better, mortgages and U.S. Treasury and U.S. Government agency issues with at least one year to maturity. | |
Past performance is not indicative of future results. Performance results do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.
Performance results may include adjustments made for financial reporting purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Portfolio Information
PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION
| | | | |
Asset Type | | Percent of Total Investments (a) | |
U.S. Government Sponsored Agency Securities | | | 38 | % |
Corporate Bonds | | | 34 | |
U.S. Treasury Obligations | | | 8 | |
Investment Companies | | | 6 | |
Asset-Backed Securities | | | 5 | |
Municipal Bonds | | | 4 | |
Non-Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities | | | 3 | |
Foreign Government Obligations | | | 2 | |
Floating Rate Loan Interests | | | — | (b) |
Foreign Agency Obligations | | | — | (b) |
Capital Trusts | | | — | (b) |
Other Interests | | | — | (b) |
(a) | Excludes short-term securities, options purchased, options written, TBA sale commitments and investments sold short. | |
(b) | Represents less than 1% of the Fund’s total investments. | |
CREDIT QUALITY ALLOCATION
| | | | | | | | |
Credit Rating (a) | | | | | Percent of Total Investments (b) | |
AAA/Aaa (c) | | | | | | | 50 | % |
AA/Aa | | | | | | | 5 | |
A | | | | | | | 21 | |
BBB/Baa | | | | | | | 17 | |
BB/Ba | | | | | | | 3 | |
B | | | | | | | 1 | |
CCC/Caa | | | | | | | — | (d) |
CC/Ca | | | | | | | — | (d) |
C | | | | | | | — | (d) |
NR | | | | | | | 3 | |
(a) | For financial reporting purposes, credit quality ratings shown above reflect the highest rating assigned by either S&P Global Ratings or Moody’s Investors Service if ratings differ. These rating agencies are independent, nationally recognized statistical rating organizations and are widely used. Investment grade ratings are credit ratings of BBB/Baa or higher. Below investment grade ratings are credit ratings of BB/Ba or lower. Investments designated NR are not rated by either rating agency. Unrated investments do not necessarily indicate low credit quality. Credit quality ratings are subject to change. | |
(b) | Excludes short-term securities, options purchased, options written, TBA sale commitments and investments sold short. | |
(c) | The investment adviser evaluates the credit quality of unrated investments based upon certain factors including, but not limited to, credit ratings for similar investments and financial analysis of sectors, individual investments and/or issuers. Using this approach, the investment adviser has deemed unrated U.S. Government Sponsored Agency Securities and U.S. Treasury Obligations to be of similar credit quality as investments rated AAA/Aaa. | |
(d) | Represents less than 1% of the Fund’s total investments. | |
The Benefits and Risks of Leveraging
The Fund may utilize leverage to seek to enhance returns and net asset value (“NAV”). However, there is no guarantee that these objectives can be achieved in all interest rate environments.
The Fund may utilize leverage by entering into reverse repurchase agreements.
In general, the concept of leveraging is based on the premise that the financing cost of leverage, which is based on short-term interest rates, is normally lower than the income earned by the Fund on its longer-term portfolio investments purchased with the proceeds from leverage. To the extent that the total assets of the Fund (including the assets obtained from leverage) are invested in higher-yielding portfolio investments, the Fund’s shareholders benefit from the incremental net income.
The interest earned on securities purchased with the proceeds from leverage is distributed to the Fund’s shareholders, and the value of these portfolio holdings is reflected in the Fund’s per share NAV. However, in order to benefit shareholders, the return on assets purchased with leverage proceeds must exceed the ongoing costs associated with the leverage. If interest and other ongoing costs of leverage exceed the Fund’s return on assets purchased with leverage proceeds, income to shareholders is lower than if the Fund had not used leverage.
Furthermore, the value of the Fund’s portfolio investments generally varies inversely with the direction of long-term interest rates, although other factors can also influence the value of portfolio investments. As a result, changes in interest rates can influence the Fund’s NAV positively or negatively in addition to the impact on the Fund’s performance from leverage. Changes in the direction of interest rates are difficult to predict accurately, and there is no assurance that the Fund’s leveraging strategy will be successful.
The use of leverage also generally causes greater changes in the Fund’s NAV and dividend rates than comparable portfolios without leverage. In a declining market, leverage is likely to cause a greater decline in the NAV of the Fund’s shares than if the Fund were not leveraged. In addition, the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times or at distressed values in order to comply with regulatory requirements applicable to the use of leverage or as required by the terms of the leverage instruments, which may cause the Fund to incur losses. The use of leverage may limit the Fund’s ability to invest in certain types of securities or use certain types of hedging strategies. The Fund incurs expenses in connection with the use of leverage, all of which are borne by the Fund’s shareholders and may reduce income.
Disclosure of Expenses
Shareholders of the Fund may incur the following charges: (a) transactional expenses; and (b) operating expenses, including investment advisory fees, service and distribution fees, including 12b-1 fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, and other fund expenses. The expense example shown below (which is based on a hypothetical investment of $1,000 invested on January 1, 2020 and held through June 30, 2020) is intended to assist shareholders both in calculating expenses based on an investment in the Fund and in comparing these expenses with similar costs of investing in other mutual funds.
The expense example provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. In order to estimate the expenses a shareholder paid during the period covered by this report, shareholders can divide their account value by $1,000 and then multiply the result by the number corresponding to their share class under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During the Period.”
The expense example also provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses. In order to assist shareholders in comparing the ongoing expenses of investing in the Fund and other funds, compare the 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in shareholder reports of other funds.
The expenses shown in the expense example are intended to highlight shareholders’ ongoing costs only and do not reflect transactional expenses, such as sales charges, if any. Therefore, the hypothetical example is useful in comparing ongoing expenses only, and will not help shareholders determine the relative total expenses of owning different funds. If these transactional expenses were included, shareholder expenses would have been higher.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Actual | | | | | | Hypothetical (a) | |
| | | | | | | | Including Interest Expense and Fees | | | Excluding Interest Expense and Fees | | | | | | | | | Including Interest Expense and Fees | | | Excluding Interest Expense and Fees | |
| | Beginning Account Value (01/01/20) | | | Ending Account Value (06/30/20) | | | Expenses Paid During the Period (b) | | | Expenses Paid During the Period (c) | | | | | | Beginning Account Value (01/01/20) | | | Ending Account Value (06/30/20) | | | Expenses Paid During the Period (b) | | | Ending Account Value (06/30/20) | | | Expenses Paid During the Period (c) | |
Class I | | $ | 1,000.00 | | | $ | 1,057.40 | | | $ | 2.66 | | | $ | 2.61 | | | | | | | $ | 1,000.00 | | | $ | 1,022.28 | | | $ | 2.61 | | | $ | 1,022.33 | | | $ | 2.56 | |
Class III | | | 1,000.00 | | | | 1,056.40 | | | | 4.24 | | | | 4.19 | | | | | | | | 1,000.00 | | | | 1,020.74 | | | | 4.17 | | | | 1,020.79 | | | | 4.12 | |
(a) | Hypothetical 5% annual return before expenses is calculated by prorating the number of days in the most recent fiscal half year divided by 366. | |
(b) | For each class of the Fund, expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio for the class (0.52% for Class I and 0.83% for Class III), multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 182/366 (to reflect the one-half year period shown). | |
(c) | For each class of the Fund, expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio for the class (0.51% for Class I and 0.82% for Class III), multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 182/366 (to reflect the one-half year period shown). | |
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4 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
Derivative Financial Instruments
The Fund may invest in various derivative financial instruments. These instruments are used to obtain exposure to a security, commodity, index, market, and/or other assets without owning or taking physical custody of securities, commodities and/or other referenced assets or to manage market, equity, credit, interest rate, foreign currency exchange rate, commodity and/or other risks. Derivative financial instruments may give rise to a form of economic leverage and involve risks, including the imperfect correlation between the value of a derivative financial instrument and the underlying asset, possible default of the counterparty to the transaction or illiquidity of the instrument. The Fund’s successful use of a derivative financial instrument depends on the investment adviser’s ability to predict pertinent market movements accurately, which cannot be assured. The use of these instruments may result in losses greater than if they had not been used, may limit the amount of appreciation the Fund can realize on an investment and/or may result in lower distributions paid to shareholders. The Fund’s investments in these instruments, if any, are discussed in detail in the Notes to Financial Statements.
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DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS | | 5 |
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Schedule of Investments (unaudited) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Asset-Backed Securities — 5.7% | | | | | | | | |
ACE Securities Corp. Home Equity Loan Trust(a): | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2003-OP1, Class A2, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.72%), 0.90%, 12/25/33 | | USD | | | 122 | | | $ | 105,066 | |
Series 2007-HE4, Class A2A, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.13%), 0.31%, 05/25/37 | | | | | 94 | | | | 22,618 | |
Adams Mill CLO Ltd., Series 2014-1A, Class A2R, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.10%), 2.32%, 07/15/26(a)(b) | | | | | 152 | | | | 150,786 | |
Ajax Mortgage Loan Trust(b): | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2017-D, Class A, 3.75%, 12/25/57(c) | | | | | 303 | | | | 303,286 | |
Series 2018-A, Class A, 3.85%, 04/25/58(c) | | | | | 309 | | | | 293,855 | |
Series 2018-A, Class B, 0.00%, 04/25/58 | | | | | 89 | | | | 42,337 | |
Series 2018-B, Class A, 3.75%, 02/26/57(c) | | | | | 186 | | | | 177,082 | |
Series 2018-B, Class B, 0.00%, 02/26/57 | | | | | 92 | | | | 24,972 | |
Series 2018-D, Class A, 3.75%, 08/25/58(c)(d) | | | | | 357 | | | | 339,119 | |
Series 2018-D, Class B, 0.00%, 08/25/58(c)(d) | | | | | 109 | | | | 52,004 | |
Series 2018-E, Class A, 4.38%, 06/25/58(d) | | | | | 200 | | | | 201,876 | |
Series 2018-E, Class B, 5.25%, 06/25/58(c)(d) | | | | | 100 | | | | 100,590 | |
Series 2018-E, Class C, 0.00%, 06/25/58(d) | | | | | 96 | | | | 69,020 | |
Series 2018-F, Class A, 4.38%, 11/25/58(c)(d) | | | | | 628 | | | | 633,404 | |
Series 2018-F, Class B, 5.25%, 11/25/58(c)(d) | | | | | 111 | | | | 110,346 | |
Series 2018-F, Class C, 0.00%, 11/25/58 | | | | | 243 | | | | 137,287 | |
Series 2018-G, Class A, 4.38%, 06/25/57(c)(d) | | | | | 557 | | | | 540,001 | |
Series 2018-G, Class B, 5.25%, 06/25/57(c)(d) | | | | | 103 | | | | 77,250 | |
Series 2018-G, Class C, 5.25%, 06/25/57(c) | | | | | 227 | | | | 221,627 | |
Series 2019-A, Class A, 3.75%, 08/25/57(d) | | | | | 545 | | | | 559,259 | |
Series 2019-A, Class B, 5.25%, 08/25/57(d) | | | | | 100 | | | | 72,513 | |
Series 2019-A, Class C, 0.00%, 08/25/57(c) | | | | | 185 | | | | 152,166 | |
Series 2019-B, Class A, 3.75%, 01/25/59(d) | | | | | 900 | | | | 924,470 | |
Series 2019-B, Class B, 5.25%, 01/25/59(c)(d) | | | | | 117 | | | | 87,750 | |
Series 2019-B, Class C, 0.00%, 01/25/59(c) | | | | | 298 | | | | 254,140 | |
Allegro CLO II-S Ltd., Series 2014-1RA, Class A1, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.08%), 2.19%, 10/21/28(a)(b) | | | | | 500 | | | | 489,472 | |
Allegro CLO V Ltd., Series 2017-1A, Class A, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.24%), 2.42%, 10/16/30(a)(b) | | | | | 250 | | | | 243,598 | |
ALM VII R Ltd., Series 2013-7RA, Class A1R, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.41%), 2.63%, 10/15/28(a)(b) | | | | | 250 | | | | 248,119 | |
ALM XVI Ltd., Series 2015-16A, Class A2R2, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.50%), 2.72%, 07/15/27(a)(b) | | | | | 255 | | | | 247,788 | |
American Homes 4 Rent Trust, Series 2014- SFR3, Class A, 3.68%, 12/17/36(b) | | | | | 180 | | | | 192,601 | |
Anchorage Capital CLO 1-R Ltd., Series 2018- 1RA, Class A1, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.99%), 2.30%, 04/13/31(a)(b) | | | | | 310 | | | | 298,590 | |
Anchorage Capital CLO 4-R Ltd.(a)(b): | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2014-4RA, Class A, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.05%), 1.94%, 01/28/31 | | | | | 250 | | | | 243,109 | |
Series 2014-4RA, Class C, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.85%), 2.74%, 01/28/31 | | | | | 250 | | | | 237,005 | |
Anchorage Capital CLO 5-R Ltd.(a)(b): | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2014-5RA, Class B, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.45%), 2.67%, 01/15/30 | | | | | 500 | | | | 481,760 | |
Series 2014-5RA, Class C, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.85%), 3.07%, 01/15/30 | | | | | 250 | | | | 234,413 | |
Anchorage Capital CLO 6 Ltd., Series 2015-6A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.27%), 2.49%, 07/15/30(a)(b) | | | | | 250 | | | | 244,564 | |
Anchorage Capital CLO Ltd., Series 2013-1A, Class A1R, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.25%), 2.56%, 10/13/30(a)(b) | | | | | 250 | | | | 245,754 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Asset-Backed Securities (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
Apidos CLO XII, Series 2013-12A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.08%), 2.30%, 04/15/31(a)(b) | | | USD | | | | 500 | | | $ | 487,829 | |
Apidos CLO XV, Series 2013-15A, Class A1RR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.01%), 2.15%, 04/20/31(a)(b) | | | | | | | 500 | | | | 485,912 | |
Arbor Realty CLO Ltd., Series 2017-FL3, Class A, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.99%), 1.17%, 12/15/27(a)(b) | | | | | | | 130 | | | | 127,685 | |
Ares XXXVII CLO Ltd., Series 2015-4A, Class A1R, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.17%), 2.39%, 10/15/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 245,185 | |
Argent Mortgage Loan Trust, Series 2005-W1, Class A2, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.48%), 0.66%, 05/25/35(a) | | | | | | | 48 | | | | 42,045 | |
Avery Point V CLO Ltd., Series 2014-5A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.98%), 2.11%, 07/17/26(a)(b) | | | | | | | 99 | | | | 98,814 | |
Avery Point VI CLO Ltd., Series 2015-6A, Class BR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.50%), 2.04%, 08/05/27(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 241,666 | |
B2R Mortgage Trust, Series 2015-2, Class A, 3.34%, 11/15/48(b) | | | | | | | 10 | | | | 10,073 | |
Babson CLO Ltd., Series 2015-2A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.19%), 2.33%, 10/20/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 260 | | | | 254,006 | |
BankAmerica Manufactured Housing Contract Trust, Series 1998-2, Class B1, 7.50%, 12/10/25(d) | | | | | | | 300 | | | | 148,126 | |
Battalion CLO X Ltd., Series 2016-10A, Class A1R, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.25%), 2.27%, 01/24/29(a)(b) | | | | | | | 940 | | | | 926,800 | |
Bayview Financial Revolving Asset Trust(a)(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2004-B, Class A1, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 1.00%), 1.18%, 05/28/39 | | | | | | | 110 | | | | 89,818 | |
Series 2005-A, Class A1, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 1.00%), 1.18%, 02/28/40 | | | | | | | 145 | | | | 132,513 | |
Series 2005-E, Class A1, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 1.00%), 1.18%, 12/28/40 | | | | | | | 56 | | | | 48,832 | |
BCMSC Trust(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2000-A, Class A2, 7.58%, 06/15/30 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 11,565 | |
Series 2000-A, Class A3, 7.83%, 06/15/30 | | | | | | | 37 | | | | 11,100 | |
Series 2000-A, Class A4, 8.29%, 06/15/30 | | | | | | | 27 | | | | 8,504 | |
BDS Ltd., Series 2019-FL3, Class A, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 1.40%), 1.59%, 12/15/35(a)(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 196,033 | |
Bear Stearns Asset-Backed Securities I Trust(a): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2007-FS1, Class 1A3, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.17%), 0.35%, 05/25/35 | | | | | | | 66 | | | | 70,337 | |
Series 2007-HE2, Class 23A, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.14%), 0.32%, 03/25/37 | | | | | | | 44 | | | | 45,378 | |
Series 2007-HE3, Class 1A4, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.35%), 0.53%, 04/25/37 | | | | | | | 195 | | | | 158,435 | |
Bear Stearns Asset-Backed Securities Trust, | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2005-4, Class M2, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 1.20%), 1.38%, 01/25/36(a) | | | | | | | 2 | | | | 2,281 | |
Benefit Street Partners CLO VI Ltd., Series 2015-VIA, Class A1R, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.24%), 2.38%, 10/18/29(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 246,088 | |
BlueMountain CLO Ltd.(a)(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2013-1A, Class A1R2, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.23%), 2.37%, 01/20/29 | | | | | | | 307 | | | | 301,583 | |
Series 2013-2A, Class A1R, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.18%), 2.28%, 10/22/30 | | | | | | | 498 | | | | 484,418 | |
California Street CLO XII Ltd., Series 2013-12A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.03%), 2.25%, 10/15/25(a)(b) | | | | | | | 125 | | | | 124,299 | |
| | |
6 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Asset-Backed Securities (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
Carrington Mortgage Loan Trust, Series 2006- NC4, Class A3, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.16%), 0.34%, 10/25/36(a) | | | USD | | | | 68 | | | $ | 63,717 | |
CBAM Ltd., Series 2017-1A, Class A1, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.25%), 2.39%, 07/20/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 247,580 | |
C-BASS Trust, Series 2006-CB7, Class A4, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.16%), 0.34%, 10/25/36(a) | | | | | | | 55 | | | | 41,911 | |
Cedar Funding II CLO Ltd.(a)(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2013-1A, Class A1R, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.23%), 1.54%, 06/09/30 | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 245,475 | |
Series 2013-1A, Class BR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.75%), 2.06%, 06/09/30 | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 243,482 | |
Cedar Funding VI CLO Ltd., Series 2016-6A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.09%), 2.23%, 10/20/28(a)(b) | | | | | | | 430 | | | | 421,806 | |
Cedar Funding VIII CLO Ltd., Series 2017-8A, Class A1, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.25%), 2.38%, 10/17/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 510 | | | | 501,716 | |
CIFC Funding Ltd.(a)(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2013-2A, Class A1LR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.21%), 2.35%, 10/18/30 | | | | | | | 230 | | | | 225,611 | |
Series 2014-4RA, Class A1A, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.13%), 2.26%, 10/17/30 | | | | | | | 540 | | | | 530,366 | |
Citigroup Mortgage Loan Trust(a): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2007-AHL2, Class A3B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.20%), 0.38%, 05/25/37 | | | | | | | 225 | | | | 171,189 | |
Series 2007-AHL2, Class A3C, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.27%), 0.45%, 05/25/37 | | | | | | | 102 | | | | 78,306 | |
Conseco Finance Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 1997-3, Class M1, 7.53%, 03/15/28(d) | | | | | | | 41 | | | | 41,811 | |
Series 1997-6, Class M1, 7.21%, 01/15/29(d) | | | | | | | 27 | | | | 27,675 | |
Series 1998-8, Class M1, 6.98%, 09/01/30(d) | | | | | | | 106 | | | | 96,291 | |
Series 1999-5, Class A5, 7.86%, 03/01/30(d) | | | | | | | 29 | | | | 17,208 | |
Series 1999-5, Class A6, 7.50%, 03/01/30(d) | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 17,571 | |
Series 2001-D, Class B1, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 2.50%), 2.68%, 11/15/32(a) | | | | | | | 73 | | | | 67,317 | |
Conseco Finance Securitizations Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2000-1, Class A5, 8.06%, 09/01/29(d) | | | | | | | 56 | | | | 20,538 | |
Series 2000-4, Class A6, 8.31%, 05/01/32(d) | | | | | | | 151 | | | | 53,236 | |
Series 2000-5, Class A7, 8.20%, 05/01/31 | | | | | | | 142 | | | | 72,979 | |
Countrywide Asset-Backed Certificates(a): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2006-S10, Class A3, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.32%), 0.50%, 10/25/36 | | | | | | | 26 | | | | 23,470 | |
Series 2006-SPS1, Class A, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.22%), 0.40%, 12/25/25 | | | | | | | 1 | | | | 1,677 | |
Credit-Based Asset Servicing & Securitization LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2006-CB2, Class AF4, 3.26%, 12/25/36(e) | | | | | | | 13 | | | | 12,580 | |
Series 2006-MH1, Class B1, 6.25%, 10/25/36(b)(e) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 103,832 | |
Series 2006-SL1, Class A2, 6.06%, 09/25/36(b)(e) | | | | | | | 83 | | | | 9,901 | |
Series 2007-CB6, Class A4, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.34%), 0.52%, 07/25/37(a)(b) | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 38,765 | |
CWABS Asset-Backed Certificates Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2005-16, Class 1AF, 4.63%, 04/25/36(d) | | | | | | | 121 | | | | 116,057 | |
Series 2006-11, Class 3AV2, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.16%), 0.34%, 09/25/46(a) | | | | | | | 7 | | | | 6,746 | |
CWABS Revolving Home Equity Loan Trust, Series 2004-U, Class 2A, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.27%), 0.45%, 03/15/34(a) | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 18,912 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Asset-Backed Securities (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
CWABS, Inc. Asset-Backed Certificates Trust, Series 2004-5, Class A, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.90%), 1.08%, 10/25/34(a) | | | USD | | | | 102 | | | $ | 98,472 | |
CWHEQ Home Equity Loan Trust, Series 2006- S5, Class A5, 6.16%, 06/25/35 | | | | | | | 9 | | | | 10,251 | |
CWHEQ Revolving Home Equity Loan Resuritization Trust(a)(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2006-RES, Class 4Q1B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.30%), 0.48%, 12/15/33 | | | | | | | 15 | | | | 14,207 | |
Series 2006-RES, Class 5B1B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.19%), 0.37%, 05/15/35(c) | | | | | | | 7 | | | | 6,523 | |
CWHEQ Revolving Home Equity Loan Trust(a): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2005-B, Class 2A, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.18%), 0.36%, 05/15/35 | | | | | | | 12 | | | | 11,915 | |
Series 2006-C, Class 2A, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.18%), 0.36%, 05/15/36 | | | | | | | 82 | | | | 78,234 | |
Series 2006-H, Class 1A, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.15%), 0.33%, 11/15/36 | | | | | | | 54 | | | | 43,334 | |
Dorchester Park CLO DAC, Series 2015-1A, Class BR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.45%), 2.59%, 04/20/28(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 241,469 | |
Dryden 53 CLO Ltd., Series 2017-53A, Class A, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.12%), 2.34%, 01/15/31(a)(b) | | | | | | | 800 | | | | 782,279 | |
Dryden XXV Senior Loan Fund, Series 2012- 25A, Class ARR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.90%), 2.12%, 10/15/27(a)(b) | | | | | | | 243 | | | | 237,520 | |
First Franklin Mortgage Loan Trust(a): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2004-FFH3, Class M3, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 1.05%), 1.23%, 10/25/34 | | | | | | | 33 | | | | 28,662 | |
Series 2006-FF16, Class 2A3, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.14%), 0.32%, 12/25/36 | | | | | | | 687 | | | | 390,849 | |
Series 2006-FF17, Class A5, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.15%), 0.33%, 12/25/36 | | | | | | | 551 | | | | 484,958 | |
Series 2006-FFH1, Class M2, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.40%), 0.58%, 01/25/36 | | | | | | | 91 | | | | 54,221 | |
Flatiron CLO Ltd., Series 2015-1A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.89%), 2.11%, 04/15/27(a)(b) | | | | | | | 163 | | | | 162,121 | |
Fremont Home Loan Trust, Series 2006-3, Class 1A1, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.14%), 0.32%, 02/25/37(a) | | | | | | | 102 | | | | 78,088 | |
GE-WMC Asset-Backed Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2005-2, Class A2C, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.50%), 0.68%, 12/25/35(a) | | | | | | | 14 | | | | 13,690 | |
GSAA Home Equity Trust, Series 2007-2, Class AF3, 5.92%, 03/25/37(d) | | | | | | | 27 | | | | 7,921 | |
GSAMP Trust(a): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2007-H1, Class A1B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.20%), 0.38%, 01/25/47 | | | | | | | 27 | | | | 16,043 | |
Series 2007-HS1, Class M6, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 2.25%), 2.43%, 02/25/47 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 39,132 | |
Halcyon Loan Advisors Funding Ltd., Series 2015-2A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.08%), 2.07%, 07/25/27(a)(b) | | | | | | | 264 | | | | 260,964 | |
Highbridge Loan Management Ltd., Series 6A-2015, Class A1R, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.00%), 1.54%, 02/05/31(a)(b) | | | | | | | 248 | | | | 241,680 | |
Home Equity Asset Trust, Series 2007-1, Class 2A3, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.15%), 0.33%, 05/25/37(a) | | | | | | | 90 | | | | 73,882 | |
Home Equity Mortgage Loan Asset-Backed Trust(a): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2004-A, Class M2, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 2.03%), 2.21%, 07/25/34 | | | | | | | 23 | | | | 22,814 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 7 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Asset-Backed Securities (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2007-A, Class 2A2, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.19%), 0.37%, 04/25/37 | | | USD | | | | 65 | | | $ | 46,184 | |
Home Equity Mortgage Trust, Series 2006-2, Class 1A1, 5.87%, 07/25/36(e) | | | | | | | 65 | | | | 17,692 | |
Home Loan Mortgage Loan Trust, Series 2005- 1, Class A3, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.72%), 0.90%, 04/15/36(a) | | | | | | | 21 | | | | 19,049 | |
ICG US CLO Ltd., Series 2015-1A, Class A1R, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.14%), 2.28%, 10/19/28(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 246,226 | |
Invitation Homes Trust, Series 2018-SFR3, Class A, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 1.00%), 1.19%, 07/17/37(a)(b) | | | | | | | 121 | | | | 119,828 | |
Irwin Home Equity Loan Trust, Series 2006-3, Class 2A3, 6.53%, 09/25/37(b)(e) | | | | | | | 32 | | | | 31,220 | |
JPMorgan Mortgage Acquisition Trust, Series 2006-CW1, Class M1, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.27%), 0.45%, 05/25/36(a) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 92,733 | |
LCM 26 Ltd., Series 26A, Class A1, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.07%), 2.21%, 01/20/31(a)(b) | | | | | | | 280 | | | | 273,616 | |
LCM XX LP, Series 20A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.04%), 2.18%, 10/20/27(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 246,931 | |
LCM XXIV Ltd., Series 24A, Class A, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.31%), 2.45%, 03/20/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 244,925 | |
Legacy Mortgage Asset Trust, Series 2019-SL1, Class A, 4.00%, 12/28/54(b)(d) | | | | | | | 184 | | | | 184,944 | |
Lehman ABS Manufactured Housing Contract Trust, Series 2001-B, Class M1, 6.63%, 04/15/40(d) | | | | | | | 72 | | | | 75,732 | |
Litigation Fee Residual Funding LLC, Series 2015-1, Class A, 4.00%, 10/30/27(c) | | | | | | | 45 | | | | 44,865 | |
Long Beach Mortgage Loan Trust(a): Series 2006-9, Class 2A2, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.11%), 0.29%, 10/25/36 | | | | | | | 52 | | | | 23,000 | |
Series 2006-9, Class 2A4, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.23%), 0.41%, 10/25/36 | | | | | | | 118 | | | | 54,215 | |
Madison Avenue Manufactured Housing Contract Trust, Series 2002-A, Class B2, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.25%), 3.43%, 03/25/32(a) | | | | | | | 29 | | | | 29,195 | |
Madison Park Funding XI Ltd., Series 2013- 11A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.16%), 2.20%, 07/23/29(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 246,060 | |
Madison Park Funding XIII Ltd., Series 2014- 13A, Class AR2, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.95%), 2.09%, 04/19/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 580 | | | | 564,924 | |
Madison Park Funding XVIII Ltd., Series 2015- 18A, Class A1R, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.19%), 2.30%, 10/21/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 510 | | | | 500,760 | |
Madison Park Funding XXVI Ltd., Series 2017- 26A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.20%), 2.04%, 07/29/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 270 | | | | 264,416 | |
Marble Point CLO XI Ltd., Series 2017-2A, Class A, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.18%), 2.32%, 12/18/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 243,554 | |
Mariner CLO 5 Ltd., Series 2018-5A, Class A, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.11%), 2.10%, 04/25/31(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 244,377 | |
Mariner CLO Ltd., Series 2017-4A, Class A, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.21%), 2.20%, 10/26/29(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 246,039 | |
MASTR Specialized Loan Trust, Series 2006-3, Class A, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.26%), 0.44%, 06/25/46(a)(b) | | | | | | | 16 | | | | 14,605 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Asset-Backed Securities (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
Merrill Lynch Mortgage Investors Trust(a): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2006-OPT1, Class M1, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.26%), 0.44%, 08/25/37 | | | USD | | | | 34 | | | $ | 16,181 | |
Series 2006-RM3, Class A2B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.09%), 0.27%, 06/25/37 | | | | | | | 27 | | | | 7,268 | |
Morgan Stanley ABS Capital I, Inc. Trust(a): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2005-HE1, Class A2MZ, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.60%), 0.78%, 12/25/34 | | | | | | | 155 | | | | 140,298 | |
Series 2005-HE5, Class M4, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.87%), 1.05%, 09/25/35 | | | | | | | 127 | | | | 65,036 | |
MP CLO III Ltd., Series 2013-1A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.25%), 2.39%, 10/20/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 240,768 | |
MP CLO VIII Ltd., Series 2015-2A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.91%), 1.80%, 10/28/27(a)(b) | | | | | | | 254 | | | | 248,624 | |
Navient Private Education Loan Trust, Series 2014-AA, Class A2B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 1.25%), 1.43%, 02/15/29(a)(b) | | | | | | | 215 | | | | 214,777 | |
Neuberger Berman Loan Advisers CLO 26 Ltd., Series 2017-26A, Class A, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.17%), 2.31%, 10/18/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 245,257 | |
Oakwood Mortgage Investors, Inc.(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2001-D, Class A2, 5.26%, 01/15/19 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 13,634 | |
Series 2001-D, Class A4, 6.93%, 09/15/31 | | | | | | | 11 | | | | 8,932 | |
Series 2002-B, Class M1, 7.62%, 06/15/32 | | | | | | | 79 | | | | 63,192 | |
OCP CLO Ltd.(a)(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2016-12A, Class A1R, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.12%), 2.26%, 10/18/28 | | | | | | | 216 | | | | 212,860 | |
Series 2017-13A, Class A1A, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.26%), 2.48%, 07/15/30 | | | | | | | 300 | | | | 297,040 | |
Series 2017-14A, Class B, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.95%), 2.33%, 11/20/30 | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 237,949 | |
Octagon Investment Partners XIX Ltd., Series 2014-1A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.10%), 2.32%, 04/15/26(a)(b) | | | | | | | 5 | | | | 5,043 | |
Octagon Investment Partners XVI Ltd., Series 2013-1A, Class A1R, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.02%), 2.15%, 07/17/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 243,609 | |
Octagon Investment Partners XVII Ltd., Series 2013-1A, Class A1R2, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.00%), 1.99%, 01/25/31(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 243,208 | |
OFSI Fund VI Ltd., Series 2014-6A, Class A2R, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.13%), 2.35%, 03/20/25(a)(b) | | | | | | | 7 | | | | 6,749 | |
OFSI Fund VII Ltd., Series 2014-7A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.90%), 2.04%, 10/18/26(a)(b) | | | | | | | 24 | | | | 24,279 | |
OHA Loan Funding Ltd., Series 2013-2A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.04%), 1.40%, 05/23/31(a)(b) | | | | | | | 225 | | | | 219,007 | |
Option One Mortgage Acceptance Corp. Asset- Backed Certificates, Series 2003-4, Class A2, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.64%), 0.82%, 07/25/33(a) | | | | | | | 162 | | | | 149,012 | |
Option One Mortgage Loan Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2007-CP1, Class 2A3, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.21%), 0.39%, 03/25/37(a) | | | | | | | 90 | | | | 56,195 | |
Series 2007-FXD1, Class 1A1, 5.87%, 01/25/37(e) | | | | | | | 89 | | | | 83,649 | |
Series 2007-FXD1, Class 2A1, 5.87%, 01/25/37(e) | | | | | | | 236 | | | | 221,636 | |
Series 2007-FXD2, Class 1A1, 5.82%, 03/25/37(e) | | | | | | | 125 | | | | 128,960 | |
| | |
8 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Asset-Backed Securities (continued) | |
Origen Manufactured Housing Contract Trust, Series 2007-B, Class A1, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 1.20%), 1.38%, 10/15/37(a)(b)(c) | | | USD | | | | 65 | | | $ | 61,584 | |
Ownit Mortgage Loan Trust, Series 2006-2, Class A2C, 6.00%, 01/25/37(e) | | | | | | | 70 | | | | 66,623 | |
OZLM Funding IV Ltd., Series 2013-4A, Class A1R, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.25%), 2.35%, 10/22/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 387 | | | | 375,355 | |
OZLM XIV Ltd., Series 2015-14A, Class A2AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.70%), 2.92%, 01/15/29(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 242,943 | |
Palmer Square CLO Ltd.(a)(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2014-1A, Class A1R2, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.13%), 2.26%, 01/17/31 | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 244,736 | |
Series 2018-1A, Class A1, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.03%), 2.17%, 04/18/31 | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 245,018 | |
Series 2018-2A, Class A1A, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.10%), 2.28%, 07/16/31 | | | | | | | 420 | | | | 409,464 | |
Park Avenue Institutional Advisers CLO Ltd.(a)(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2017-1A, Class A1, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.22%), 1.64%, 11/14/29 | | | | | | | 280 | | | | 275,473 | |
Series 2017-1A, Class A2, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.70%), 2.12%, 11/14/29 | | | | | | | 300 | | | | 291,935 | |
Progress Residential Trust(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2017-SFR1, Class A, 2.77%, 08/17/34 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 101,120 | |
Series 2018-SFR1, Class F, 4.78%, 03/17/35 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 96,960 | |
Race Point IX CLO Ltd., Series 2015-9A, Class A1AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.21%), 2.43%, 10/15/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 500 | | | | 487,657 | |
Race Point X CLO Ltd., Series 2016-10A, Class A1R, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.10%), 2.09%, 07/25/31(a)(b) | | | | | | | 248 | | | | 238,910 | |
Regatta VI Funding Ltd., Series 2016-1A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.08%), 2.22%, 07/20/28(a)(b) | | | | | | | 330 | | | | 324,686 | |
Rockford Tower CLO Ltd., Series 2017-3A, Class A, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.19%), 2.33%, 10/20/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 245,265 | |
Romark WM-R Ltd., Series 2018-1A, Class A1, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.03%), 2.17%, 04/20/31(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 242,932 | |
RR 3 Ltd., Series 2018-3A, Class A1R2, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.09%), 2.31%, 01/15/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 1,250 | | | | 1,220,015 | |
SG Mortgage Securities Trust, Series 2006- OPT2, Class A3D, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.21%), 0.39%, 10/25/36(a) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 72,140 | |
Silver Creek CLO Ltd., Series 2014-1A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.24%), 2.38%, 07/20/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 245,944 | |
SLM Private Credit Student Loan Trust, Series 2004-B, Class A3, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.33%), 0.64%, 03/15/24(a) | | | | | | | 156 | | | | 153,731 | |
SMB Private Education Loan Trust, Series 2015-B, Class B, 3.50%, 12/17/40(b) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 101,159 | |
Sound Point CLO XXIII Ltd., Series 2019-2A, Class A1, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.40%), 2.62%, 04/15/32(a)(b) | | | | | | | 800 | | | | 780,922 | |
Soundview Home Loan Trust, Series 2004- WMC1, Class M2, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.80%), 0.98%, 01/25/35(a) | | | | | | | 2 | | | | 1,482 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Asset-Backed Securities (continued) | |
Structured Asset Securities Corp. Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2004-23XS, Class 2A1, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.30%), 0.48%, 01/25/35(a) | | | USD | | | | 52 | | | $ | 51,088 | |
TCI-Flatiron CLO Ltd., Series 2017-1A, Class A, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.20%), 1.59%, 11/18/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 245,275 | |
Towd Point Mortgage Trust, Series 2019-SJ2, Class M1, 4.50%, 11/25/58(b)(d) | | | | | | | 340 | | | | 342,947 | |
Tricon American Homes Trust, Series 2018- SFR1, Class E, 4.56%, 05/17/37(b) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 102,145 | |
Venture 35 CLO Ltd., Series 2018-35A, Class AS, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.15%), 2.25%, 10/22/31(a)(b) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 99,456 | |
Venture XVIII CLO Ltd., Series 2014-18A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.22%), 2.44%, 10/15/29(a)(b) | | | | | | | 315 | | | | 303,914 | |
Voya CLO Ltd., Series 2017-4A, Class A1, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.13%), 2.35%, 10/15/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 244,974 | |
Wachovia Asset Securitization Issuance II LLC Trust, Series 2007-HE2A, Class A, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.13%), 0.62%, 07/25/37(a)(b) | | | | | | | 70 | | | | 62,452 | |
Washington Mutual Asset-Backed CertificatesTrust(a): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2006-HE4, Class 2A2, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.18%), 0.36%, 09/25/36 | | | | | | | 153 | | | | 66,165 | |
Series 2006-HE5, Class 1A, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.16%), 0.34%, 10/25/36 | | | | | | | 160 | | | | 124,476 | |
Yale Mortgage Loan Trust, Series 2007-1, Class A, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.40%), 0.58%, 06/25/37(a)(b) | | | | | | | 90 | | | | 36,012 | |
York CLO-2 Ltd., Series 2015-1A, Class AR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.15%), 2.25%, 01/22/31(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 244,023 | |
| | | | | |
| |
Total Asset-Backed Securities — 5.7% (Cost: $37,846,887) | | | | 36,893,110 | |
| | | | | |
|
Corporate Bonds — 37.4% | |
|
Aerospace & Defense — 1.9% | |
BAE Systems Holdings, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.80%, 10/07/24 | | | | | | | 48 | | | | 52,711 | |
3.85%, 12/15/25 | | | | | | | 265 | | | | 293,432 | |
4.75%, 10/07/44 | | | | | | | 8 | | | | 9,783 | |
BAE Systems plc, 3.40%, 04/15/30(b) | | | | | | | 237 | | | | 258,133 | |
Boeing Co. (The): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.51%, 05/01/23 | | | | | | | 70 | | | | 73,950 | |
4.88%, 05/01/25 | | | | | | | 300 | | | | 326,941 | |
3.83%, 03/01/59 | | | | | | | 33 | | | | 27,969 | |
5.93%, 05/01/60 | | | | | | | 170 | | | | 201,602 | |
Embraer Netherlands Finance BV, 5.40%, 02/01/27 | | | | | | | 53 | | | | 46,905 | |
Embraer Overseas Ltd., 5.70%, 09/16/23 | | | | | | | 119 | | | | 113,385 | |
General Dynamics Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.50%, 05/15/25 | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 95,049 | |
3.75%, 05/15/28 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 23,323 | |
3.63%, 04/01/30 | | | | | | | 224 | | | | 262,062 | |
4.25%, 04/01/50 | | | | | | | 92 | | | | 119,065 | |
Howmet Aerospace, Inc., 6.88%, 05/01/25 | | | | | | | 145 | | | | 157,305 | |
Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.84%, 05/01/25 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 217,165 | |
4.20%, 05/01/30 | | | | | | | 339 | | | | 377,743 | |
L3Harris Technologies, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.85%, 06/15/23 | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 92,486 | |
3.85%, 12/15/26 | | | | | | | 435 | | | | 497,898 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 9 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Aerospace & Defense (continued) | |
4.40%, 06/15/28 | | | USD | | | | 680 | | | $ | 804,368 | |
Leidos, Inc., 4.38%, 05/15/30(b) | | | | | | | 385 | | | | 433,683 | |
Lockheed Martin Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.55%, 01/15/26 | | | | | | | 445 | | | | 511,591 | |
1.85%, 06/15/30 | | | | | | | 36 | | | | 37,004 | |
3.60%, 03/01/35 | | | | | | | 452 | | | | 542,355 | |
3.80%, 03/01/45 | | | | | | | 116 | | | | 140,856 | |
4.70%, 05/15/46 | | | | | | | 56 | | | | 76,410 | |
2.80%, 06/15/50 | | | | | | | 286 | | | | 300,969 | |
Northrop Grumman Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.93%, 01/15/25 | | | | | | | 234 | | | | 253,094 | |
3.25%, 01/15/28 | | | | | | | 568 | | | | 635,213 | |
4.03%, 10/15/47 | | | | | | | 165 | | | | 200,008 | |
5.25%, 05/01/50 | | | | | | | 121 | | | | 173,570 | |
Raytheon Technologies Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.65%, 08/16/23 | | | | | | | 26 | | | | 28,157 | |
3.20%, 03/15/24(b) | | | | | | | 307 | | | | 330,793 | |
3.15%, 12/15/24(b) | | | | | | | 155 | | | | 167,427 | |
3.95%, 08/16/25 | | | | | | | 267 | | | | 303,803 | |
7.20%, 08/15/27(b) | | | | | | | 45 | | | | 60,459 | |
7.00%, 11/01/28(b) | | | | | | | 360 | | | | 495,200 | |
4.13%, 11/16/28 | | | | | | | 762 | | | | 897,547 | |
2.25%, 07/01/30 | | | | | | | 565 | | | | 588,448 | |
5.40%, 05/01/35 | | | | | | | 95 | | | | 128,573 | |
4.20%, 12/15/44(b) | | | | | | | 62 | | | | 70,866 | |
4.15%, 05/15/45 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | 11,987 | |
Textron, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.88%, 03/01/25 | | | | | | | 185 | | | | 196,848 | |
3.65%, 03/15/27 | | | | | | | 130 | | | | 134,660 | |
3.90%, 09/17/29 | | | | | | | 235 | | | | 248,963 | |
TransDigm, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
8.00%, 12/15/25 | | | | | | | 370 | | | | 388,866 | |
6.25%, 03/15/26 | | | | | | | 892 | | | | 889,788 | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 12,298,413 | |
|
Air Freight & Logistics — 0.4% | |
FedEx Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.80%, 05/15/25 | | | | | | | 895 | | | | 994,892 | |
3.88%, 08/01/42 | | | | | | | 231 | | | | 231,435 | |
5.10%, 01/15/44 | | | | | | | 15 | | | | 17,501 | |
4.05%, 02/15/48 | | | | | | | 75 | | | | 77,079 | |
United Parcel Service, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.40%, 03/15/29 | | | | | | | 168 | | | | 194,280 | |
4.45%, 04/01/30 | | | | | | | 465 | | | | 580,597 | |
5.20%, 04/01/40 | | | | | | | 253 | | | | 349,305 | |
XPO Logistics, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.13%, 09/01/23 | | | | | | | 45 | | | | 45,562 | |
6.75%, 08/15/24 | | | | | | | 110 | | | | 115,236 | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2,605,887 | |
|
Airlines — 0.4% | |
Air Canada Pass-Through Trust(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2015-2, Class B, 5.00%, 12/15/23 | | | | | | | 56 | | | | 47,168 | |
Series 2013-1, Class A, 4.13%, 05/15/25 | | | | | | | 135 | | | | 123,877 | |
Series 2017-1, Class B, 3.70%, 01/15/26 | | | | | | | 1 | | | | 740 | |
Series 2017-1, Class AA, 3.30%, 01/15/30 | | | | | | | 89 | | | | 80,356 | |
Alaska Airlines Pass-Through Trust, Series | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2020-1, Class A, 4.80%, 08/15/27(b) | | | | | | | 330 | | | | 334,125 | |
American Airlines Pass-Through Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2015-2, Class B, 4.40%, 09/22/23 | | | | | | | 241 | | | | 171,149 | |
Series 2016-1, Class B, 5.25%, 01/15/24 | | | | | | | 190 | | | | 125,836 | |
Series 2017-1, Class B, 4.95%, 02/15/25 | | | | | | | 54 | | | | 40,933 | |
Series 2017-2, Class B, 3.70%, 10/15/25 | | | | | | | 64 | | | | 44,331 | |
Series 2016-3, Class B, 3.75%, 10/15/25 | | | | | | | 3 | | | | 2,205 | |
Series 2015-2, Class AA, 3.60%, 09/22/27 | | | | | | | 41 | | | | 38,213 | |
Series 2016-1, Class AA, 3.58%, 01/15/28 | | | | | | | 108 | | | | 104,789 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Airlines (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2019-1, Class B, 3.85%, 02/15/28 | | | USD | | | | 229 | | | $ | 160,157 | |
Series 2016-2, Class AA, 3.20%, 06/15/28 | | | | | | | 73 | | | | 68,958 | |
Series 2016-3, Class AA, 3.00%, 10/15/28 | | | | | | | 187 | | | | 171,640 | |
Series 2017-1, Class AA, 3.65%, 02/15/29 | | | | | | | 59 | | | | 56,327 | |
Series 2019-1, Class AA, 3.15%, 02/15/32 | | | | | | | 212 | | | | 194,784 | |
Delta Air Lines Pass-Through Trust, Series 2019-1, Class AA, 3.20%, 04/25/24 | | | | | | | 405 | | | | 405,460 | |
Gol Finance SA, 7.00%, 01/31/25(b) | | | | | | | 55 | | | | 30,938 | |
Transportes Aereos Portugueses SA, 5.63%, 12/02/24(b) | | | EUR | | | | 100 | | | | 74,706 | |
Turkish Airlines Pass-Through Trust, Series 2015-1, Class A, 4.20%, 03/15/27(b) | | | USD | | | | 30 | | | | 22,065 | |
United Airlines Pass-Through Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2014-1, Class B, 4.75%, 04/11/22 | | | | | | | 13 | | | | 11,617 | |
Series 2014-2, Class B, 4.63%, 09/03/22 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 17,921 | |
Series 2016-2, Class B, 3.65%, 10/07/25 | | | | | | | 12 | | | | 8,630 | |
Series 2016-1, Class B, 3.65%, 01/07/26 | | | | | | | 18 | | | | 13,338 | |
Series 2018-1, Class B, 4.60%, 03/01/26 | | | | | | | 70 | | | | 52,213 | |
Series 2015-1, Class AA, 3.45%, 12/01/27 | | | | | | | 37 | | | | 36,172 | |
Series 2019-2, Class B, 3.50%, 05/01/28 | | | | | | | 158 | | | | 118,804 | |
Series 2016-1, Class AA, 3.10%, 07/07/28 | | | | | | | 12 | | | | 11,316 | |
Series 2016-2, Class AA, 2.88%, 10/07/28 | | | | | | | 77 | | | | 72,129 | |
Series 2018-1, Class AA, 3.50%, 03/01/30 | | | | | | | 37 | | | | 34,909 | |
Series 2019-2, Class AA, 2.70%, 05/01/32 | | | | | | | 130 | | | | 117,388 | |
US Airways Pass-Through Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2012-2, Class B, 6.75%, 06/03/21 | | | | | | | 7 | | | | 5,250 | |
Series 2013-1, Class B, 5.38%, 11/15/21 | | | | | | | 24 | | | | 19,784 | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2,818,228 | |
|
Auto Components — 0.0% | |
American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., 6.25%, 04/01/25 | | | | | | | 74 | | | | 72,705 | |
Aptiv plc, 5.40%, 03/15/49 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 31,357 | |
Magna International, Inc., 2.45%, 06/15/30 | | | | | | | 75 | | | | 76,701 | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 180,763 | |
|
Automobiles — 0.3% | |
BMW US Capital LLC(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.90%, 04/09/25 | | | | | | | 15 | | | | 16,646 | |
2.80%, 04/11/26 | | | | | | | 84 | | | | 88,946 | |
Daimler Finance North America LLC(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.30%, 02/12/21 | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 151,039 | |
3.35%, 05/04/21 | | | | | | | 430 | | | | 437,944 | |
3.75%, 11/05/21 | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 155,068 | |
General Motors Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.60%, 04/01/36 | | | | | | | 91 | | | | 98,372 | |
5.20%, 04/01/45 | | | | | | | 87 | | | | 84,266 | |
6.75%, 04/01/46 | | | | | | | 92 | | | | 100,212 | |
5.40%, 04/01/48 | | | | | | | 56 | | | | 54,916 | |
Hyundai Capital America(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.95%, 02/01/22 | | | | | | | 305 | | | | 313,864 | |
2.38%, 02/10/23 | | | | | | | 601 | | | | 601,853 | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2,103,126 | |
|
Banks — 6.2% | |
Banco de Credito del Peru, (US Treasury Yield Curve Rate T Note Constant Maturity 5 Year + 3.00%), 1.00%, 07/01/30(a)(b) | | | | | | | 114 | | | | 112,176 | |
Banco Internacional del Peru SAA Interbank, 3.25%, 10/04/26(b) | | | | | | | 325 | | | | 328,148 | |
Banco Santander Mexico SA Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santand, 5.38%, 04/17/25(b) | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 164,160 | |
Banco Santander SA: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.71%, 06/27/24 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 210,213 | |
3.31%, 06/27/29 | | | | | | | 400 | | | | 431,740 | |
Bancolombia SA, 3.00%, 01/29/25 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 195,000 | |
| | |
10 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| |
Banks (continued) | | | | |
Bangkok Bank PCL, (US Treasury Yield Curve Rate T Note Constant Maturity 5 Year + 1.90%), 3.73%, 09/25/34(a) | | | USD | | | | 200 | | | $ | 192,000 | |
Bank of America Corp.: | | | | | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.66%), 2.37%, 07/21/21(a) | | | | | | | 612 | | | | 612,565 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.63%), 2.33%, 10/01/21(a) | | | | | | | 1,835 | | | | 1,842,467 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.63%), 3.50%, 05/17/22(a) | | | | | | | 285 | | | | 291,934 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.02%), 2.88%, 04/24/23(a) | | | | | | | 127 | | | | 131,646 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.93%), 2.82%, 07/21/23(a) | | | | | | | 219 | | | | 227,473 | |
4.20%, 08/26/24 | | | | | | | 114 | | | | 126,563 | |
4.00%, 01/22/25 | | | | | | | 167 | | | | 184,427 | |
Series L, 3.95%, 04/21/25 | | | | | | | 265 | | | | 293,437 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.87%), 2.46%, 10/22/25(a) | | | | | | | 415 | | | | 435,982 | |
4.45%, 03/03/26 | | | | | | | 345 | | | | 397,179 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.06%), 3.56%, 04/23/27(a) | | | | | | | 121 | | | | 135,046 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.58%), 3.82%, 01/20/28(a) | | | | | | | 297 | | | | 337,098 | |
Series FF, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 2.93%), 5.87%(a)(f) | | | | | | | 290 | | | | 296,248 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.51%), 3.71%, 04/24/28(a) | | | | | | | 108 | | | | 122,079 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.37%), 3.59%, 07/21/28(a) | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 95,271 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.04%), 3.42%, 12/20/28(a) | | | | | | | 1,634 | | | | 1,820,034 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.31%), 4.27%, 07/23/29(a) | | | | | | | 334 | | | | 393,942 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.18%), 3.19%, 07/23/30(a) | | | | | | | 370 | | | | 408,446 | |
(SOFR + 1.93%), 2.68%, 06/19/41(a) | | | | | | | 865 | | | | 888,349 | |
Bank of East Asia Ltd. (The), (US Treasury Yield Curve Rate T Note Constant Maturity 5 Year + 4.26%), 5.87%(a)(f) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 241,050 | |
Bank of Montreal, Series E, 3.30%, 02/05/24 | | | | | | | 138 | | | | 149,884 | |
Barclays plc: | | | | | |
4.38%, 01/12/26 | | | | | | | 220 | | | | 247,724 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.90%), 4.97%, 05/16/29(a) | | | | | | | 219 | | | | 256,590 | |
BBVA Bancomer SA, (US Treasury Yield Curve Rate T Note Constant Maturity 5 Year + 4.31%), 5.87%, 09/13/34(a)(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 195,063 | |
BNP Paribas SA(b): 3.50%, 03/01/23 | | | | | | | 400 | | | | 423,389 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.11%), 2.82%, 11/19/25(a) | | | | | | | 403 | | | | 422,037 | |
(SOFR + 2.07%), 2.22%, 06/09/26(a) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 204,803 | |
(SOFR + 1.51%), 3.05%, 01/13/31(a) | | | | | | | 212 | | | | 223,298 | |
Citigroup, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.40%, 06/10/25 | | | | | | | 232 | | | | 259,795 | |
(SOFR + 2.75%), 3.11%, 04/08/26(a) | | | | | | | 4 | | | | 4,302 | |
4.45%, 09/29/27 | | | | | | | 76 | | | | 86,767 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.56%), 3.89%, 01/10/28(a) | | | | | | | 487 | | | | 548,948 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.39%), 3.67%, 07/24/28(a) | | | | | | | 1,077 | | | | 1,200,784 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.19%), 4.07%, 04/23/29(a) | | | | | | | 151 | | | | 172,272 | |
(SOFR + 1.42%), 2.98%, 11/05/30(a) | | | | | | | 55 | | | | 58,531 | |
(SOFR + 2.11%), 2.57%, 06/03/31(a) | | | | | | | 113 | | | | 116,871 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| |
Banks (continued) | | | | |
Credit Suisse Group Funding Guernsey Ltd., | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.80%, 09/15/22 | | | USD | | | | 594 | | | $ | 631,105 | |
Danske Bank A/S(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 01/12/22 | | | | | | | 400 | | | | 420,244 | |
3.88%, 09/12/23 | | | | | | | 210 | | | | 222,600 | |
5.38%, 01/12/24 | | | | | | | 300 | | | | 333,847 | |
Discover Bank, 4.65%, 09/13/28 | | | | | | | 495 | | | | 568,503 | |
Emirates NBD Bank PJSC, (USD Swap Semi 6 Year + 3.66%), 6.13%(a)(f) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 199,063 | |
Fifth Third Bancorp, 3.65%, 01/25/24 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 109,131 | |
HSBC Holdings plc(a): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.55%), 4.04%, 03/13/28 | | | | | | | 460 | | | | 508,410 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.61%), 3.97%, 05/22/30 | | | | | | | 335 | | | | 371,882 | |
ING Groep NV: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.10%, 10/02/23 | | | | | | | 710 | | | | 777,945 | |
4.63%, 01/06/26(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 234,327 | |
(US Treasury Yield Curve Rate T Note Constant Maturity 1 Year + 1.10%), 1.00%, 07/01/26(a)(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 200,467 | |
Itau Unibanco Holding SA(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.90%, 01/24/23 | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 246,563 | |
3.25%, 01/24/25 | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 246,317 | |
JPMorgan Chase & Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.55%, 03/01/21 | | | | | | | 344 | | | | 348,296 | |
2.30%, 08/15/21 | | | | | | | 415 | | | | 415,867 | |
4.35%, 08/15/21 | | | | | | | 32 | | | | 33,395 | |
2.97%, 01/15/23 | | | | | | | 194 | | | | 200,881 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.70%), 3.21%, 04/01/23(a) | | | | | | | 459 | | | | 477,891 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.94%), 2.78%, 04/25/23(a) | | | | | | | 73 | | | | 75,577 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.73%), 3.56%, 04/23/24(a) | | | | | | | 117 | | | | 125,250 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.89%), 3.80%, 07/23/24(a) | | | | | | | 288 | | | | 312,416 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.00%), 4.02%, 12/05/24(a) | | | | | | | 1,450 | | | | 1,597,745 | |
3.90%, 07/15/25 | | | | | | | 590 | | | | 667,348 | |
(SOFR + 1.16%), 2.30%, 10/15/25(a) | | | | | | | 335 | | | | 350,905 | |
(SOFR + 1.59%), 2.00%, 03/13/26(a) | | | | | | | 399 | | | | 412,943 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.25%), 3.96%, 01/29/27(a) | | | | | | | 713 | | | | 812,141 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.34%), 3.78%, 02/01/28(a) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 226,186 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.38%), 3.54%, 05/01/28(a) | | | | | | | 1,436 | | | | 1,602,705 | |
(SOFR + 1.89%), 2.18%, 06/01/28(a) | | | | | | | 196 | | | | 202,882 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.12%), 4.01%, 04/23/29(a) | | | | | | | 267 | | | | 308,094 | |
(SOFR + 3.79%), 4.49%, 03/24/31(a) | | | | | | | 120 | | | | 146,289 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.36%), 3.88%, 07/24/38(a) | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 99,820 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.38%), 3.96%, 11/15/48(a) | | | | | | | 145 | | | | 177,332 | |
(SOFR + 2.44%), 3.11%, 04/22/51(a) | | | | | | | 844 | | | | 908,764 | |
Kasikornbank PCL, (US Treasury Yield Curve Rate T Note Constant Maturity 5 Year + 1.70%), 3.34%, 10/02/31(a) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 191,813 | |
KeyBank NA, 2.30%, 09/14/22 | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 259,708 | |
KeyCorp: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.15%, 10/29/25 | | | | | | | 8 | | | | 9,172 | |
4.10%, 04/30/28 | | | | | | | 84 | | | | 97,483 | |
2.55%, 10/01/29 | | | | | | | 81 | | | | 83,845 | |
Lloyds Banking Group plc, 3.75%, 01/11/27 | | | | | | | 212 | | | | 234,681 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 11 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Banks (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.54%, 07/26/21 | | | USD | | | | 35 | | | $ | 36,114 | |
3.00%, 02/22/22 | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 88,071 | |
2.67%, 07/25/22 | | | | | | | 211 | | | | 219,322 | |
3.46%, 03/02/23 | | | | | | | 450 | | | | 481,052 | |
3.76%, 07/26/23 | | | | | | | 859 | | | | 931,896 | |
Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.27%, 09/13/21 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 204,002 | |
2.95%, 02/28/22 | | | | | | | 1,383 | | | | 1,434,245 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.10%), 2.55%, 09/13/25(a) | | | | | | | 719 | | | | 749,101 | |
3.66%, 02/28/27 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 220,686 | |
Santander UK Group Holdings plc, 2.88%, 08/05/21 | | | | | | | 370 | | | | 378,085 | |
Shinhan Financial Group Co. Ltd., (US Treasury Yield Curve Rate T Note Constant Maturity 5 Year + 1.50%), 3.34%, 02/05/30(a) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 209,187 | |
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.70%, 07/16/24 | | | | | | | 395 | | | | 418,451 | |
2.35%, 01/15/25 | | | | | | | 501 | | | | 523,601 | |
US Bancorp: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.10%, 04/27/26 | | | | | | | 17 | | | | 18,861 | |
3.00%, 07/30/29 | | | | | | | 132 | | | | 143,494 | |
Washington Mutual Escrow Bonds(c)(g)(h): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
0.00%, 11/06/09 | | | | | | | 300 | | | | — | |
0.00%, 09/19/17 | | | | | | | 250 | | | | — | |
0.00%, 09/29/17 | | | | | | | 500 | | | | — | |
Wells Fargo & Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.50%, 03/08/22 | | | | | | | 256 | | | | 268,137 | |
2.63%, 07/22/22 | | | | | | | 206 | | | | 214,613 | |
3.75%, 01/24/24 | | | | | | | 544 | | | | 594,401 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.83%), 2.41%, 10/30/25(a) | | | | | | | 188 | | | | 195,708 | |
3.00%, 10/23/26 | | | | | | | 391 | | | | 426,099 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.31%), 3.58%, 05/22/28(a) | | | | | | | 260 | | | | 288,567 | |
(SOFR + 2.10%), 2.39%, 06/02/28(a) | | | | | | | 84 | | | | 86,790 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.17%), 2.88%, 10/30/30(a) | | | | | | | 181 | | | | 193,632 | |
(SOFR + 2.53%), 3.07%, 04/30/41(a) | | | | | | | 670 | | | | 698,868 | |
Wells Fargo Bank NA, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.49%), 3.33%, 07/23/21(a) | | | | | | | 540 | | | | 540,879 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 40,499,426 | |
|
Beverages — 0.8% | |
Anheuser-Busch Cos. LLC, 4.70%, 02/01/36 | | | | 1,165 | | | | 1,372,456 | |
Anheuser-Busch InBev Worldwide, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.50%, 01/12/24 | | | | | | | 220 | | | | 239,710 | |
4.75%, 01/23/29 | | | | | | | 1,222 | | | | 1,476,535 | |
3.50%, 06/01/30 | | | | | | | 454 | | | | 510,492 | |
4.90%, 01/23/31 | | | | | | | 83 | | | | 104,002 | |
4.38%, 04/15/38 | | | | | | | 70 | | | | 79,489 | |
Embotelladora Andina SA, 3.95%, 01/21/50(b) | | | | 150 | | | | 150,825 | |
Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV, 3.50%, 01/16/50 | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 154,494 | |
Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.06%, 05/25/23 | | | | | | | 195 | | | | 212,513 | |
3.40%, 11/15/25 | | | | | | | 320 | | | | 356,425 | |
Molson Coors Beverage Co., 5.00%, 05/01/42 | | | | 130 | | | | 137,720 | |
PepsiCo, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.45%, 04/14/46 | | | | | | | 4 | | | | 5,348 | |
4.00%, 05/02/47 | | | | | | | 91 | | | | 114,507 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 4,914,516 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Biotechnology — 0.7% | | | | | | | | | |
AbbVie, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.30%, 11/21/22(b) | | | USD | | | | 197 | | | $ | 203,773 | |
3.85%, 06/15/24(b) | | | | | | | 14 | | | | 15,338 | |
2.60%, 11/21/24(b) | | | | | | | 925 | | | | 981,991 | |
3.80%, 03/15/25(b) | | | | | | | 487 | | | | 540,334 | |
4.55%, 03/15/35(b) | | | | | | | 269 | | | | 326,217 | |
4.50%, 05/14/35 | | | | | | | 332 | | | | 399,931 | |
4.70%, 05/14/45 | | | | | | | 454 | | | | 570,681 | |
4.88%, 11/14/48 | | | | | | | 80 | | | | 105,059 | |
Amgen, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.45%, 02/21/30 | | | | | | | 111 | | | | 117,364 | |
4.40%, 05/01/45 | | | | | | | 461 | | | | 573,561 | |
4.66%, 06/15/51 | | | | | | | 101 | | | | 134,649 | |
Biogen, Inc., 2.25%, 05/01/30 | | | | | | | 191 | | | | 192,559 | |
Gilead Sciences, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.60%, 09/01/35 | | | | | | | 41 | | | | 53,801 | |
4.80%, 04/01/44 | | | | | | | 143 | | | | 193,386 | |
4.50%, 02/01/45 | | | | | | | 104 | | | | 135,234 | |
4.75%, 03/01/46 | | | | | | | 15 | | | | 20,273 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 4,564,151 | |
|
Building Products — 0.3% | |
Carrier Global Corp.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
1.92%, 02/15/23 | | | | | | | 458 | | | | 466,865 | |
2.24%, 02/15/25 | | | | | | | 915 | | | | 935,513 | |
Johnson Controls International plc: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.63%, 07/02/44(e) | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 56,520 | |
5.13%, 09/14/45 | | | | | | | 5 | | | | 6,023 | |
Masonite International Corp., 5.38%, 02/01/28(b) | | | | 54 | | | | 55,215 | |
Owens Corning, 3.95%, 08/15/29 | | | | | | | 41 | | | | 44,667 | |
Standard Industries, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.00%, 10/15/25 | | | | | | | 25 | | | | 25,732 | |
5.00%, 02/15/27 | | | | | | | 53 | | | | 53,662 | |
4.75%, 01/15/28 | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 22,303 | |
Summit Materials LLC, 6.13%, 07/15/23 | | | | | | | 53 | | | | 52,764 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,719,264 | |
|
Capital Markets — 2.1% | |
Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (The)(a): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series E, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 3.42%), 3.73%(f) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 189,740 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.07%), 3.44%, 02/07/28 | | | | | | | 293 | | | | 332,387 | |
Charles Schwab Corp. (The), 3.20%, 01/25/28 | | | | 166 | | | | 185,603 | |
Credit Suisse AG, 2.95%, 04/09/25 | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 271,441 | |
Credit Suisse Group AG, (SOFR + 2.04%), 2.19%, 06/05/26(a)(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 253,200 | |
Deutsche Bank AG: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.70%, 07/13/20 | | | | | | | 422 | | | | 422,089 | |
2.95%, 08/20/20 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 100,083 | |
4.25%, 02/04/21 | | | | | | | 155 | | | | 156,749 | |
E*TRADE Financial Corp., 3.80%, 08/24/27 | | | | 30 | | | | 33,273 | |
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.75%, 01/24/22 | | | | | | | 43 | | | | 46,390 | |
3.63%, 02/20/24 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | 10,874 | |
3.50%, 01/23/25 | | | | | | | 266 | | | | 289,583 | |
3.50%, 04/01/25 | | | | | | | 997 | | | | 1,093,218 | |
3.75%, 02/25/26 | | | | | | | 248 | | | | 276,594 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.17%), 1.56%, 05/15/26(a) | | | | | | | 230 | | | | 228,320 | |
3.85%, 01/26/27 | | | | | | | 75 | | | | 84,601 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.51%), 3.69%, 06/05/28(a) | | | | | | | 878 | | | | 983,545 | |
Huarong Finance Co. Ltd.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.25%, 11/13/24 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 201,538 | |
3.88%, 11/13/29 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 204,312 | |
| | |
12 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Capital Markets (continued) | |
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.35%, 09/15/22 | | | USD | | | | 2 | | | $ | 2,075 | |
3.10%, 09/15/27 | | | | | | | 17 | | | | 18,921 | |
3.75%, 09/21/28 | | | | | | | 121 | | | | 141,369 | |
2.10%, 06/15/30 | | | | | | | 61 | | | | 61,982 | |
Joy Treasure Assets Holdings, Inc., 3.50%, 09/24/29 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 212,937 | |
Moody’s Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.88%, 02/15/24 | | | | | | | 59 | | | | 66,672 | |
3.75%, 03/24/25 | | | | | | | 170 | | | | 192,663 | |
3.25%, 01/15/28 | | | | | | | 103 | | | | 114,306 | |
Morgan Stanley: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.40%), 2.42%, 10/24/23(a) | | | | | | | 157 | | | | 158,901 | |
Series F, 3.88%, 04/29/24 | | | | | | | 891 | | | | 985,247 | |
3.70%, 10/23/24 | | | | | | | 159 | | | | 176,313 | |
(SOFR + 1.15%), 2.72%, 07/22/25(a) | | | | | | | 443 | | | | 470,010 | |
4.00%, 07/23/25 | | | | | | | 76 | | | | 86,172 | |
(SOFR + 1.99%), 2.19%, 04/28/26(a) | | | | | | | 502 | | | | 522,687 | |
3.63%, 01/20/27 | | | | | | | 1,376 | | | | 1,553,561 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.34%), 3.59%, 07/22/28(a) | | | | | | | 77 | | | | 86,585 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.63%), 4.43%, 01/23/30(a) | | | | | | | 474 | | | | 564,737 | |
(SOFR + 1.14%), 2.70%, 01/22/31(a) | | | | | | | 134 | | | | 141,944 | |
(SOFR + 3.12%), 3.62%, 04/01/31(a) | | | | | | | 340 | | | | 388,407 | |
Northern Trust Corp., 3.15%, 05/03/29 | | | | | | | 107 | | | | 121,815 | |
State Street Corp., 2.65%, 05/19/26 | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 164,574 | |
UBS Group AG(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.95%, 09/24/20 | | | | | | | 205 | | | | 206,151 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 0.95%), 2.86%, 08/15/23(a) | | | | | | | 510 | | | | 528,237 | |
(USD Swap Semi 5 Year + 4.34%), 7.00%(a)(f) | | | | | | | 490 | | | | 508,988 | |
4.13%, 09/24/25 | | | | | | | 470 | | | | 532,723 | |
4.13%, 04/15/26 | | | | | | | 232 | | | | 264,017 | |
USAA Capital Corp., 2.13%, 05/01/30(b) | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 154,473 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 13,790,007 | |
|
Chemicals — 0.4% | |
CNAC HK Finbridge Co. Ltd., 4.63%, 03/14/23 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 212,313 | |
Dow Chemical Co. (The): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
9.00%, 04/01/21 | | | | | | | 135 | | | | 141,054 | |
4.55%, 11/30/25 | | | | | | | 89 | | | | 101,437 | |
3.63%, 05/15/26 | | | | | | | 96 | | | | 105,712 | |
1.88%, 03/15/40 | | | EUR | | | | 370 | | | | 383,181 | |
5.25%, 11/15/41 | | | USD | | | | 6 | | | | 7,243 | |
DuPont de Nemours, Inc., 4.49%, 11/15/25 | | | | | | | 604 | | | | 694,723 | |
LYB International Finance BV, 4.88%, 03/15/44 | | | | | | | 115 | | | | 135,697 | |
MEGlobal Canada ULC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 05/18/25 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 214,187 | |
5.00%, 05/18/25(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 214,188 | |
RPM International, Inc., 5.25%, 06/01/45 | | | | | | | 62 | | | | 69,898 | |
Sherwin-Williams Co. (The): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.20%, 01/15/22 | | | | | | | 260 | | | | 270,395 | |
2.95%, 08/15/29 | | | | | | | 203 | | | | 218,233 | |
4.00%, 12/15/42 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 21,399 | |
4.50%, 06/01/47 | | | | | | | 25 | | | | 30,434 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2,820,094 | |
|
Commercial Services & Supplies — 0.4% | |
Aramark Services, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.75%, 06/01/26 | | | | | | | 52 | | | | 50,050 | |
5.00%, 02/01/28(b) | | | | | | | 125 | | | | 118,750 | |
Clean Harbors, Inc., 4.88%, 07/15/27(b) | | | | | | | 57 | | | | 58,567 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Commercial Services & Supplies (continued) | |
Conservation Fund A Nonprofit Corp. (The), Series 2019, 3.47%, 12/15/29 | | | USD | | | | 40 | | | $ | 42,930 | |
Ford Foundation (The), Series 2020, 2.42%, 06/01/50 | | | | | | | 95 | | | | 97,363 | |
KAR Auction Services, Inc., 5.13%, 06/01/25(b) | | | | 106 | | | | 104,410 | |
Nielsen Co. Luxembourg SARL (The), 5.00%, 02/01/25(b) | | | | | | | 53 | | | | 52,073 | |
RELX Capital, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.50%, 03/16/23 | | | | | | | 355 | | | | 378,565 | |
4.00%, 03/18/29 | | | | | | | 239 | | | | 277,561 | |
3.00%, 05/22/30 | | | | | | | 298 | | | | 321,185 | |
Republic Services, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.55%, 06/01/22 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | 10,505 | |
4.75%, 05/15/23 | | | | | | | 305 | | | | 338,028 | |
2.50%, 08/15/24 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 212,743 | |
2.90%, 07/01/26 | | | | | | | 131 | | | | 143,121 | |
3.38%, 11/15/27 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 44,863 | |
3.95%, 05/15/28 | | | | | | | 381 | | | | 444,928 | |
Waste Management, Inc., 3.13%, 03/01/25 | | | | 40 | | | | 43,654 | |
Waste Pro USA, Inc., 5.50%, 02/15/26(b) | | | | | | | 55 | | | | 52,497 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2,791,793 | |
|
Communications Equipment — 0.1% | |
Motorola Solutions, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.60%, 05/23/29 | | | | | | | 416 | | | | 480,062 | |
5.50%, 09/01/44 | | | | | | | 235 | | | | 263,940 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 744,002 | |
|
Construction & Engineering — 0.0% | |
Stoneway Capital Corp.(g)(h): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
10.00%, 03/01/27(b) | | | | | | | 133 | | | | 45,331 | |
10.00%, 03/01/27 | | | | | | | 133 | | | | 45,331 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 90,662 | |
|
Construction Materials — 0.0% | |
US Concrete, Inc., 6.38%, 06/01/24 | | | | | | | 51 | | | | 50,363 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
Consumer Finance — 0.8% | |
American Express Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.50%, 07/30/24 | | | | | | | 454 | | | | 480,528 | |
4.20%, 11/06/25 | | | | | | | 62 | | | | 72,052 | |
3.13%, 05/20/26 | | | | | | | 438 | | | | 485,443 | |
American Express Credit Corp., Series F, 2.60%, 09/14/20 | | | | | | | 2 | | | | 2,005 | |
Capital One Financial Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.45%, 04/30/21 | | | | | | | 2 | | | | 2,042 | |
3.50%, 06/15/23 | | | | | | | 39 | | | | 41,737 | |
3.90%, 01/29/24 | | | | | | | 165 | | | | 179,435 | |
3.75%, 04/24/24 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | 10,836 | |
Discover Financial Services: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.50%, 01/30/26 | | | | | | | 149 | | | | 166,963 | |
4.10%, 02/09/27 | | | | | | | 44 | | | | 48,092 | |
Ford Motor Credit Co. LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.20%, 01/15/21 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 197,000 | |
5.75%, 02/01/21 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 200,760 | |
General Motors Financial Co., Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.20%, 03/20/23 | | | | | | | 819 | | | | 875,279 | |
5.10%, 01/17/24 | | | | | | | 167 | | | | 178,505 | |
3.50%, 11/07/24 | | | | | | | 161 | | | | 163,152 | |
4.00%, 01/15/25 | | | | | | | 170 | | | | 177,711 | |
4.35%, 04/09/25 | | | | | | | 257 | | | | 270,799 | |
2.75%, 06/20/25 | | | | | | | 584 | | | | 576,820 | |
Hyundai Capital Services, Inc., 3.00%, 08/29/22(b) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 255,547 | |
Navient Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.88%, 03/25/21 | | | | | | | 62 | | | | 60,915 | |
6.63%, 07/26/21 | | | | | | | 74 | | | | 72,520 | |
6.50%, 06/15/22 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 98,250 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 13 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Consumer Finance (continued) | |
7.25%, 09/25/23 | | | USD | | | | 58 | | | $ | 56,688 | |
5.88%, 10/25/24 | | | | | | | 55 | | | | 51,666 | |
6.75%, 06/25/25 | | | | | | | 57 | | | | 54,364 | |
6.75%, 06/15/26 | | | | | | | 55 | | | | 50,875 | |
Synchrony Financial: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.38%, 03/19/24 | | | | | | | 140 | | | | 146,539 | |
4.25%, 08/15/24 | | | | | | | 11 | | | | 11,552 | |
Toyota Motor Credit Corp., 3.38%, 04/01/30 | | | | | | | 244 | | | | 281,054 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 5,269,129 | |
|
Containers & Packaging — 0.1% | |
Ball Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 07/01/25 | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 24,062 | |
4.88%, 03/15/26 | | | | | | | 17 | | | | 18,488 | |
International Paper Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 09/15/35 | | | | | | | 47 | | | | 57,316 | |
6.00%, 11/15/41 | | | | | | | 97 | | | | 127,859 | |
4.80%, 06/15/44 | | | | | | | 13 | | | | 15,505 | |
Owens-Brockway Glass Container, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 01/15/22 | | | | | | | 9 | | | | 9,011 | |
5.88%, 08/15/23 | | | | | | | 78 | | | | 80,340 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 332,581 | |
|
Distributors — 0.0%(b) | |
American Builders & Contractors Supply Co., Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.88%, 05/15/26 | | | | | | | 67 | | | | 66,330 | |
4.00%, 01/15/28 | | | | | | | 90 | | | | 87,459 | |
Performance Food Group, Inc., 5.50%, 10/15/27 | | | | | | | 118 | | | | 113,870 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 267,659 | |
|
Diversified Consumer Services — 0.2% | |
American University (The), 3.67%, 04/01/49 | | | | | | | 178 | | | | 195,889 | |
Claremont Mckenna College, Series 2019, 3.38%, 01/01/50 | | | | | | | 112 | | | | 122,464 | |
George Washington University (The), Series 2018, 4.13%, 09/15/48 | | | | | | | 81 | | | | 98,962 | |
Northeastern University, Series 2020, 2.89%, 10/01/50 | | | | | | | 65 | | | | 65,875 | |
President & Fellows of Harvard College, 5.63%, 10/01/38 | | | | | | | 229 | | | | 355,631 | |
University of Southern California, 3.03%, 10/01/39 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 54,465 | |
Wesleyan University, 4.78%, 07/01/2116 | | | | | | | 45 | | | | 52,935 | |
Yale University, Series 2020, 1.48%, 04/15/30 | | | | | | | 194 | | | | 196,087 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,142,308 | |
|
Diversified Financial Services — 0.5% | |
Banco Votorantim SA, 4.00%, 09/24/22(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 201,375 | |
Coastal Emerald Ltd., (US Treasury Yield Curve Rate T Note Constant Maturity 5 Year + 7.45%), 4.30%(a)(f) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 201,000 | |
Equitable Holdings, Inc., 3.90%, 04/20/23 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 32,112 | |
GE Capital International Funding Co. Unlimited Co., 4.42%, 11/15/35 | | | | | | | 400 | | | | 406,701 | |
MDGH – GMTN BV: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.50%, 11/07/24(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 206,000 | |
2.88%, 11/07/29(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 209,625 | |
3.70%, 11/07/49 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 211,563 | |
ORIX Corp., 2.90%, 07/18/22 | | | | | | | 155 | | | | 160,454 | |
Petronas Capital Ltd., 3.50%, 04/21/30(b) | | | | | | | 300 | | | | 332,441 | |
Shell International Finance BV: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.88%, 11/13/28 | | | | | | | 128 | | | | 148,840 | |
2.38%, 11/07/29 | | | | | | | 501 | | | | 528,659 | |
3.63%, 08/21/42 | | | | | | | 12 | | | | 13,119 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Diversified Financial Services (continued) | |
4.38%, 05/11/45 | | | USD | | | | 288 | | | $ | 354,335 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3,006,224 | |
|
Diversified Telecommunication Services — 1.5% | |
Altice France SA, 7.38%, 05/01/26(b) | | | | | | | 516 | | | | 538,085 | |
AT&T, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
0.00%, 11/27/22(b)(i) | | | | | | | 1,000 | | | | 978,546 | |
3.90%, 03/11/24 | | | | | | | 185 | | | | 204,249 | |
3.55%, 06/01/24 | | | | | | | 45 | | | | 49,237 | |
3.80%, 02/15/27 | | | | | | | 9 | | | | 10,136 | |
4.50%, 05/15/35 | | | | | | | 844 | | | | 1,001,574 | |
2.60%, 05/19/38 | | | EUR | | | | 395 | | | | 468,655 | |
5.15%, 03/15/42 | | | USD | | | | 150 | | | | 187,231 | |
4.80%, 06/15/44 | | | | | | | 337 | | | | 399,089 | |
4.85%, 07/15/45 | | | | | | | 156 | | | | 185,374 | |
4.75%, 05/15/46 | | | | | | | 130 | | | | 155,849 | |
5.15%, 11/15/46 | | | | | | | 67 | | | | 82,989 | |
CCO Holdings LLC(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.75%, 02/15/26 | | | | | | | 226 | | | | 233,761 | |
5.50%, 05/01/26 | | | | | | | 134 | | | | 138,732 | |
5.13%, 05/01/27 | | | | | | | 288 | | | | 297,965 | |
5.88%, 05/01/27 | | | | | | | 71 | | | | 74,085 | |
5.00%, 02/01/28 | | | | | | | 305 | | | | 314,912 | |
5.38%, 06/01/29 | | | | | | | 138 | | | | 145,590 | |
4.75%, 03/01/30 | | | | | | | 159 | | | | 162,687 | |
Deutsche Telekom International Finance BV, 3.60%, 01/19/27(b) | | | | | | | 225 | | | | 251,844 | |
Level 3 Financing, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.13%, 05/01/23 | | | | | | | 58 | | | | 58,000 | |
5.25%, 03/15/26 | | | | | | | 82 | | | | 84,255 | |
4.63%, 09/15/27(b) | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 22,165 | |
Verizon Communications, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.13%, 03/16/27 | | | | | | | 871 | | | | 1,027,367 | |
4.33%, 09/21/28 | | | | | | | 294 | | | | 353,836 | |
3.88%, 02/08/29 | | | | | | | 453 | | | | 535,400 | |
4.27%, 01/15/36 | | | | | | | 756 | | | | 934,937 | |
2.88%, 01/15/38 | | | EUR | | | | 200 | | | | 270,229 | |
1.85%, 05/18/40 | | | | | | | 160 | | | | 183,677 | |
4.52%, 09/15/48 | | | USD | | | | 51 | | | | 67,463 | |
5.01%, 04/15/49 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 278,938 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 9,696,857 | |
|
Electric Utilities — 2.7% | |
Adani Transmission Ltd., 4.25%, 05/21/36 | | | | | | | 199 | | | | 191,289 | |
AEP Texas, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.95%, 06/01/28 | | | | | | | 310 | | | | 352,582 | |
Series H, 3.45%, 01/15/50 | | | | | | | 91 | | | | 98,076 | |
AEP Transmission Co. LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.75%, 12/01/47 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 45,893 | |
4.25%, 09/15/48 | | | | | | | 76 | | | | 94,266 | |
3.80%, 06/15/49 | | | | | | | 155 | | | | 182,736 | |
3.15%, 09/15/49 | | | | | | | 115 | | | | 123,806 | |
Series M, 3.65%, 04/01/50 | | | | | | | 143 | | | | 165,333 | |
Alabama Power Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 13-A, 3.55%, 12/01/23 | | | | | | | 35 | | | | 38,138 | |
4.15%, 08/15/44 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 35,873 | |
3.75%, 03/01/45 | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 170,162 | |
Series A, 4.30%, 07/15/48 | | | | | | | 147 | | | | 181,101 | |
3.45%, 10/01/49 | | | | | | | 88 | | | | 96,050 | |
Baltimore Gas & Electric Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.80%, 08/15/22 | | | | | | | 327 | | | | 340,220 | |
3.50%, 08/15/46 | | | | | | | 86 | | | | 96,113 | |
3.75%, 08/15/47 | | | | | | | 45 | | | | 52,064 | |
4.25%, 09/15/48 | | | | | | | 105 | | | | 130,787 | |
3.20%, 09/15/49 | | | | | | | 125 | | | | 133,041 | |
| | |
14 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Electric Utilities (continued) | |
Baltimore Gas and Electric Co., 2.90%, 06/15/50 | | | USD | | | | 5 | | | $ | 5,113 | |
CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric LLC, 3.95%, 03/01/48 | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 103,071 | |
China Huaneng Group Hong Kong Treasury | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Management Holding Ltd., 3.00%, 12/10/29 | | | | 200 | | | | 208,875 | |
Dayton Power & Light Co. (The), 3.95%, 06/15/49 | | | | | | | 178 | | | | 191,218 | |
DTE Electric Co., Series A, 4.05%, 05/15/48 | | | | 265 | | | | 325,506 | |
Duke Energy Carolinas LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.95%, 11/15/28 | | | | | | | 72 | | | | 85,609 | |
2.45%, 08/15/29 | | | | | | | 230 | | | | 247,012 | |
2.45%, 02/01/30 | | | | | | | 247 | | | | 265,263 | |
3.75%, 06/01/45 | | | | | | | 56 | | | | 65,315 | |
3.88%, 03/15/46 | | | | | | | 32 | | | | 38,161 | |
3.70%, 12/01/47 | | | | | | | 115 | | | | 135,455 | |
3.95%, 03/15/48 | | | | | | | 52 | | | | 64,041 | |
3.20%, 08/15/49 | | | | | | | 189 | | | | 210,695 | |
Duke Energy Florida LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.80%, 07/15/28 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 116,750 | |
2.50%, 12/01/29 | | | | | | | 550 | | | | 594,463 | |
1.75%, 06/15/30 | | | | | | | 333 | | | | 337,550 | |
3.40%, 10/01/46 | | | | | | | 90 | | | | 100,178 | |
4.20%, 07/15/48 | | | | | | | 34 | | | | 42,843 | |
Duke Energy Ohio, Inc., 3.65%, 02/01/29 | | | | | | | 425 | | | | 491,142 | |
Duke Energy Progress LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.00%, 09/15/21 | | | | | | | 75 | | | | 76,626 | |
3.70%, 09/01/28 | | | | | | | 400 | | | | 464,611 | |
3.45%, 03/15/29 | | | | | | | 253 | | | | 290,425 | |
4.10%, 03/15/43 | | | | | | | 105 | | | | 126,411 | |
4.20%, 08/15/45 | | | | | | | 62 | | | | 76,647 | |
Edison International: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.40%, 09/15/22 | | | | | | | 42 | | | | 42,532 | |
3.55%, 11/15/24 | | | | | | | 48 | | | | 50,588 | |
Entergy Corp., 2.95%, 09/01/26 | | | | | | | 5 | | | | 5,523 | |
Entergy Louisiana LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.40%, 11/01/24 | | | | | | | 65 | | | | 77,005 | |
4.20%, 09/01/48 | | | | | | | 201 | | | | 257,085 | |
2.90%, 03/15/51 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 30,658 | |
Exelon Corp., 5.63%, 06/15/35 | | | | | | | 34 | | | | 44,670 | |
FirstEnergy Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.05%, 03/01/25 | | | | | | | 52 | | | | 53,644 | |
2.65%, 03/01/30 | | | | | | | 88 | | | | 91,852 | |
Series C, 3.40%, 03/01/50 | | | | | | | 193 | | | | 203,792 | |
FirstEnergy Transmission LLC(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.35%, 01/15/25 | | | | | | | 555 | | | | 627,687 | |
5.45%, 07/15/44 | | | | | | | 42 | | | | 54,272 | |
4.55%, 04/01/49 | | | | | | | 180 | | | | 218,713 | |
Florida Power & Light Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.25%, 06/01/24 | | | | | | | 2 | | | | 2,167 | |
3.70%, 12/01/47 | | | | | | | 52 | | | | 62,431 | |
3.95%, 03/01/48 | | | | | | | 289 | | | | 363,394 | |
3.15%, 10/01/49 | | | | | | | 264 | | | | 300,143 | |
Genneia SA, 8.75%, 01/20/22(b) | | | | | | | 3 | | | | 2,404 | |
ITC Holdings Corp., 2.70%, 11/15/22 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | 10,425 | |
MidAmerican Energy Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.10%, 05/01/27 | | | | | | | 35 | | | | 39,316 | |
3.65%, 04/15/29 | | | | | | | 460 | | | | 549,001 | |
4.25%, 07/15/49 | | | | | | | 131 | | | | 168,985 | |
3.15%, 04/15/50 | | | | | | | 120 | | | | 136,182 | |
Mong Duong Finance Holdings BV, 5.13%, 05/07/29 | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 248,984 | |
Northern States Power Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.15%, 08/15/22 | | | | | | | 370 | | | | 380,208 | |
3.40%, 08/15/42 | | | | | | | 110 | | | | 124,644 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Electric Utilities (continued) | |
4.00%, 08/15/45 | | | USD | | | | 59 | | | $ | 71,653 | |
3.60%, 05/15/46 | | | | | | | 27 | | | | 31,500 | |
2.90%, 03/01/50 | | | | | | | 88 | | | | 95,470 | |
NRG Energy, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
7.25%, 05/15/26 | | | | | | | 110 | | | | 116,050 | |
6.63%, 01/15/27 | | | | | | | 133 | | | | 138,819 | |
5.75%, 01/15/28 | | | | | | | 88 | | | | 92,840 | |
5.25%, 06/15/29(b) | | | | | | | 80 | | | | 84,000 | |
NSTAR Electric Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.20%, 05/15/27 | | | | | | | 76 | | | | 85,382 | |
3.25%, 05/15/29 | | | | | | | 35 | | | | 39,711 | |
3.95%, 04/01/30 | | | | | | | 59 | | | | 71,248 | |
Ohio Power Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series G, 6.60%, 02/15/33 | | | | | | | 140 | | | | 194,977 | |
4.00%, 06/01/49 | | | | | | | 125 | | | | 151,541 | |
Oncor Electric Delivery Co. LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.70%, 11/15/28 | | | | | | | 267 | | | | 313,227 | |
3.80%, 09/30/47 | | | | | | | 101 | | | | 123,036 | |
3.80%, 06/01/49 | | | | | | | 11 | | | | 13,317 | |
3.10%, 09/15/49 | | | | | | | 151 | | | | 166,472 | |
Public Service Electric & Gas Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.00%, 05/15/25 | | | | | | | 16 | | | | 17,486 | |
3.65%, 09/01/28 | | | | | | | 210 | | | | 241,289 | |
3.20%, 05/15/29 | | | | | | | 102 | | | | 114,968 | |
Southern California Edison Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series A, 2.90%, 03/01/21 | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 86,470 | |
1.85%, 02/01/22 | | | | | | | 84 | | | | 84,356 | |
Series E, 3.70%, 08/01/25 | | | | | | | 380 | | | | 419,766 | |
Series A, 4.20%, 03/01/29 | | | | | | | 57 | | | | 66,498 | |
2.25%, 06/01/30 | | | | | | | 300 | | | | 302,909 | |
Series C, 3.60%, 02/01/45 | | | | | | | 6 | | | | 6,403 | |
4.00%, 04/01/47 | | | | | | | 230 | | | | 262,095 | |
Tampa Electric Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.30%, 06/15/48 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 37,889 | |
4.45%, 06/15/49 | | | | | | | 175 | | | | 223,487 | |
Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Co., 3.85%, 06/01/25(b) | | | | | | | 581 | | | | 652,182 | |
Virginia Electric & Power Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series C, 2.75%, 03/15/23 | | | | | | | 210 | | | | 220,860 | |
Series A, 3.50%, 03/15/27 | | | | | | | 205 | | | | 232,469 | |
4.00%, 01/15/43 | | | | | | | 170 | | | | 202,260 | |
Series B, 4.20%, 05/15/45 | | | | | | | 43 | | | | 52,323 | |
Series C, 4.00%, 11/15/46 | | | | | | | 57 | | | | 67,550 | |
4.60%, 12/01/48 | | | | | | | 4 | | | | 5,268 | |
3.30%, 12/01/49 | | | | | | | 4 | | | | 4,433 | |
Vistra Operations Co. LLC(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.55%, 07/15/24 | | | | | | | 14 | | | | 14,449 | |
5.50%, 09/01/26 | | | | | | | 108 | | | | 110,208 | |
5.63%, 02/15/27 | | | | | | | 140 | | | | 143,689 | |
5.00%, 07/31/27 | | | | | | | 140 | | | | 141,575 | |
4.30%, 07/15/29 | | | | | | | 381 | | | | 400,565 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 17,237,505 | |
|
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components — 0.0% | |
Corning, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.70%, 11/15/23 | | | | | | | 35 | | | | 37,142 | |
4.38%, 11/15/57 | | | | | | | 75 | | | | 86,189 | |
Tyco Electronics Group SA, 3.13%, 08/15/27 . | | | | | | | 65 | | | | 70,858 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 194,189 | |
| |
Energy Equipment & Services — 0.0% | | | | |
Hilong Holding Ltd., 8.25%, 09/26/22 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 75,000 | |
Odebrecht Drilling Norbe VIII/IX Ltd., 6.35%, 12/01/21(b) | | | | | | | 17 | | | | 13,985 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 15 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| |
Energy Equipment & Services (continued) | | | | |
Odebrecht Offshore Drilling Finance Ltd., 6.72%, 12/01/22(b) | | | USD | | | | 20 | | | $ | 16,420 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 105,405 | |
|
Entertainment — 0.2% | |
NBCUniversal Media LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.95%, 04/01/41 | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 32,651 | |
4.45%, 01/15/43 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 62,853 | |
Netflix, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.88%, 02/15/25 | | | | | | | 18 | | | | 19,890 | |
4.38%, 11/15/26 | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 22,884 | |
4.88%, 04/15/28 | | | | | | | 36 | | | | 38,494 | |
5.88%, 11/15/28 | | | | | | | 43 | | | | 48,966 | |
6.38%, 05/15/29 | | | | | | | 18 | | | | 20,880 | |
5.38%, 11/15/29(b) | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 21,904 | |
4.88%, 06/15/30(b) | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 23,595 | |
Walt Disney Co. (The): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.35%, 03/24/25 | | | | | | | 510 | | | | 565,354 | |
5.40%, 10/01/43 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 40,736 | |
4.75%, 09/15/44 | | | | | | | 75 | | | | 95,986 | |
4.70%, 03/23/50 | | | | | | | 239 | | | | 308,110 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,302,303 | |
|
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) — 1.0% | |
American Tower Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.00%, 06/15/23 | | | | | | | 132 | | | | 140,747 | |
3.38%, 05/15/24 | | | | | | | 130 | | | | 141,141 | |
2.40%, 03/15/25 | | | | | | | 325 | | | | 343,108 | |
1.30%, 09/15/25 | | | | | | | 15 | | | | 15,048 | |
3.95%, 03/15/29 | | | | | | | 143 | | | | 162,763 | |
3.80%, 08/15/29 | | | | | | | 305 | | | | 345,191 | |
ARI FCP Investments LP, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 2.90%), 3.08%, 01/06/25(a)(c) | | | | | | | 761 | | | | 723,011 | |
Boston Properties LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.85%, 02/01/23 | | | | | | | 67 | | | | 71,541 | |
3.13%, 09/01/23 | | | | | | | 133 | | | | 140,676 | |
CC Holdings GS V LLC, 3.85%, 04/15/23 | | | | | | | 80 | | | | 86,402 | |
Crown Castle International Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.40%, 02/15/21 | | | | | | | 3 | | | | 3,047 | |
4.88%, 04/15/22 | | | | | | | 16 | | | | 17,093 | |
3.20%, 09/01/24 | | | | | | | 451 | | | | 489,394 | |
1.35%, 07/15/25 | | | | | | | 300 | | | | 302,138 | |
4.45%, 02/15/26 | | | | | | | 32 | | | | 36,681 | |
3.70%, 06/15/26 | | | | | | | 261 | | | | 292,041 | |
3.80%, 02/15/28 | | | | | | | 83 | | | | 93,292 | |
4.30%, 02/15/29 | | | | | | | 196 | | | | 227,282 | |
3.10%, 11/15/29 | | | | | | | 479 | | | | 513,482 | |
4.15%, 07/01/50 | | | | | | | 54 | | | | 63,283 | |
Equinix, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.63%, 11/18/24 | | | | | | | 296 | | | | 315,127 | |
1.25%, 07/15/25 | | | | | | | 385 | | | | 384,904 | |
ESH Hospitality, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 05/01/25 | | | | | | | 136 | | | | 130,560 | |
4.63%, 10/01/27 | | | | | | | 17 | | | | 15,916 | |
MGM Growth Properties Operating Partnership LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.63%, 05/01/24 | | | | | | | 239 | | | | 247,370 | |
4.50%, 09/01/26 | | | | | | | 66 | | | | 65,360 | |
5.75%, 02/01/27 | | | | | | | 107 | | | | 109,675 | |
MPT Operating Partnership LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 08/01/26 | | | | | | | 11 | | | | 11,413 | |
5.00%, 10/15/27 | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 154,125 | |
4.63%, 08/01/29 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 20,100 | |
National Retail Properties, Inc., 2.50%, 04/15/30 | | | | | | | 159 | | | | 151,850 | |
Prologis Euro Finance LLC, 1.50%, 09/10/49 | | | EUR | | | | 100 | | | | 106,963 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) (continued) | |
Realty Income Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.13%, 10/15/26 | | | USD | | | | 112 | | | $ | 128,097 | |
3.00%, 01/15/27 | | | | | | | 35 | | | | 37,050 | |
3.25%, 01/15/31 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 43,276 | |
Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc., 4.75%, 10/15/27(b) | | | | | | | 92 | | | | 81,880 | |
Service Properties Trust, 4.35%, 10/01/24 | | | | | | | 56 | | | | 50,473 | |
VICI Properties LP(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.50%, 02/15/25 | | | | | | | 81 | | | | 76,140 | |
4.25%, 12/01/26 | | | | | | | 28 | | | | 26,810 | |
3.75%, 02/15/27 | | | | | | | 17 | | | | 15,980 | |
4.63%, 12/01/29 | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 21,450 | |
4.13%, 08/15/30 | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 20,983 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 6,422,863 | |
|
Food & Staples Retailing — 0.2% | |
Albertsons Cos., Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.50%, 02/15/23(b) | | | | | | | 83 | | | | 84,037 | |
6.63%, 06/15/24 | | | | | | | 105 | | | | 107,625 | |
5.75%, 03/15/25 | | | | | | | 269 | | | | 274,886 | |
7.50%, 03/15/26(b) | | | | | | | 138 | | | | 149,040 | |
4.63%, 01/15/27(b) | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 30,000 | |
5.88%, 02/15/28(b) | | | | | | | 102 | | | | 105,241 | |
4.88%, 02/15/30(b) | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 22,509 | |
Alimentation Couche-Tard, Inc., 3.55%, 07/26/27(b) | | | | | | | 382 | | | | 410,182 | |
Walmart, Inc., 3.70%, 06/26/28 | | | | | | | 332 | | | | 393,140 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,576,660 | |
|
Food Products — 0.2% | |
BRF GmbH, 4.35%, 09/29/26(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 193,000 | |
Campbell Soup Co., 8.88%, 05/01/21 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 105,625 | |
Darling Ingredients, Inc., 5.25%, 04/15/27(b) | | | | | | | 54 | | | | 55,500 | |
JBS USA LUX SA(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.75%, 06/15/25 | | | | | | | 88 | | | | 88,770 | |
6.75%, 02/15/28 | | | | | | | 102 | | | | 107,546 | |
6.50%, 04/15/29 | | | | | | | 159 | | | | 168,739 | |
5.50%, 01/15/30 | | | | | | | 28 | | | | 28,700 | |
Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.63%, 11/01/24 | | | | | | | 89 | | | | 92,337 | |
4.88%, 11/01/26 | | | | | | | 89 | | | | 92,115 | |
Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., 5.88%, 09/30/27(b) | | | | | | | 190 | | | | 190,038 | |
Post Holdings, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.75%, 03/01/27 | | | | | | | 147 | | | | 151,778 | |
5.63%, 01/15/28 | | | | | | | 108 | | | | 111,780 | |
5.50%, 12/15/29 | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 87,900 | |
Simmons Foods, Inc., 5.75%, 11/01/24(b) | | | | | | | 57 | | | | 54,150 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,527,978 | |
|
Gas Utilities — 0.0% | |
Atmos Energy Corp., 3.38%, 09/15/49 | | | | | | | 95 | | | | 106,754 | |
Dominion Energy Gas Holdings LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.80%, 11/01/43 | | | | | | | 45 | | | | 53,027 | |
4.60%, 12/15/44 | | | | | | | 46 | | | | 51,972 | |
Piedmont Natural Gas Co., Inc., 3.64%, 11/01/46 | | | | | | | 25 | | | | 27,110 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 238,863 | |
|
Health Care Equipment & Supplies — 0.2% | |
Becton Dickinson and Co., 3.30%, 03/01/23 | | | | | | | 170 | | | | 177,897 | |
Boston Scientific Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.45%, 03/01/24 | | | | | | | 448 | | | | 485,282 | |
1.90%, 06/01/25 | | | | | | | 160 | | | | 165,818 | |
DH Europe Finance II SARL: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
1.35%, 09/18/39 | | | EUR | | | | 170 | | | | 181,613 | |
1.80%, 09/18/49 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 107,510 | |
Edwards Lifesciences Corp., 4.30%, 06/15/28 | | | USD | | | | 17 | | | | 20,267 | |
| | |
16 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| |
Health Care Equipment & Supplies (continued) | | | | |
Medtronic Global Holdings SCA, 1.75%, 07/02/49 | | | EUR | | | | 100 | | | $ | 109,372 | |
Teleflex, Inc., 4.63%, 11/15/27 | | | USD | | | | 52 | | | | 54,975 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,302,734 | |
| | | |
Health Care Providers & Services — 1.8% | | | | | | | | | |
Aetna, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.50%, 05/15/42 | | | | | | | 79 | | | | 93,974 | |
4.13%, 11/15/42 | | | | | | | 4 | | | | 4,498 | |
4.75%, 03/15/44 | | | | | | | 65 | | | | 78,220 | |
Anthem, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.38%, 01/15/25 | | | | | | | 62 | | | | 65,803 | |
4.10%, 03/01/28 | | | | | | | 266 | | | | 311,728 | |
Centene Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 04/01/25(b) | | | | | | | 94 | | | | 96,789 | |
5.38%, 06/01/26(b) | | | | | | | 194 | | | | 201,112 | |
5.38%, 08/15/26(b) | | | | | | | 81 | | | | 84,257 | |
4.25%, 12/15/27 | | | | | | | 266 | | | | 274,488 | |
4.63%, 12/15/29 | | | | | | | 79 | | | | 83,345 | |
CHRISTUS Health, Series C, 4.34%, 07/01/28 | | | | | | | 113 | | | | 127,641 | |
Cigna Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.90%, 02/15/22(b) | | | | | | | 65 | | | | 68,309 | |
3.00%, 07/15/23(b) | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 63,782 | |
3.75%, 07/15/23 | | | | | | | 7 | | | | 7,599 | |
3.50%, 06/15/24(b) | | | | | | | 56 | | | | 61,168 | |
3.25%, 04/15/25(b) | | | | | | | 192 | | | | 209,577 | |
4.13%, 11/15/25 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 57,476 | |
3.40%, 03/01/27(b) | | | | | | | 59 | | | | 64,991 | |
4.38%, 10/15/28 | | | | | | | 655 | | | | 775,185 | |
Cottage Health Obligated Group, Series 2020, 3.30%, 11/01/49 | | | | | | | 61 | | | | 66,838 | |
CVS Health Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.10%, 03/25/25 | | | | | | | 632 | | | | 714,756 | |
3.88%, 07/20/25 | | | | | | | 12 | | | | 13,486 | |
3.75%, 04/01/30 | | | | | | | 657 | | | | 756,934 | |
5.13%, 07/20/45 | | | | | | | 433 | | | | 557,920 | |
DaVita, Inc., 5.00%, 05/01/25 | | | | | | | 157 | | | | 160,532 | |
Encompass Health Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.50%, 02/01/28 | | | | | | | 53 | | | | 50,833 | |
4.75%, 02/01/30 | | | | | | | 55 | | | | 52,525 | |
HCA, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.75%, 05/01/23 | | | | | | | 481 | | | | 521,889 | |
5.00%, 03/15/24 | | | | | | | 708 | | | | 786,943 | |
5.38%, 02/01/25 | | | | | | | 58 | | | | 62,132 | |
5.25%, 04/15/25 | | | | | | | 618 | | | | 708,761 | |
5.88%, 02/15/26 | | | | | | | 34 | | | | 37,272 | |
5.25%, 06/15/26 | | | | | | | 41 | | | | 47,368 | |
5.38%, 09/01/26 | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 23,953 | |
5.63%, 09/01/28 | | | | | | | 34 | | | | 37,953 | |
5.88%, 02/01/29 | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 24,895 | |
Humana, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.50%, 04/01/25 | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 170,780 | |
4.88%, 04/01/30 | | | | | | | 61 | | | | 75,322 | |
Molina Healthcare, Inc., 5.38%, 11/15/22(e) | | | | | | | 76 | | | | 77,520 | |
Ochsner Clinic Foundation, 5.90%, 05/15/45 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 25,738 | |
PeaceHealth Obligated Group, Series 2018, 4.79%, 11/15/48 | | | | | | | 16 | | | | 21,203 | |
RWJ Barnabas Health, Inc., 3.48%, 07/01/49 | | | | | | | 56 | | | | 59,025 | |
Select Medical Corp., 6.25%, 08/15/26(b) | | | | | | | 62 | | | | 62,679 | |
Sutter Health, Series 2018, 3.70%, 08/15/28 | | | | | | | 83 | | | | 92,858 | |
Tenet Healthcare Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.63%, 07/15/24 | | | | | | | 154 | | | | 150,888 | |
4.63%, 09/01/24(b) | | | | | | | 64 | | | | 62,560 | |
5.13%, 05/01/25 | | | | | | | 301 | | | | 290,528 | |
4.88%, 01/01/26(b) | | | | | | | 222 | | | | 216,173 | |
6.25%, 02/01/27(b) | | | | | | | 331 | | | | 328,517 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Health Care Providers & Services (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
5.13%, 11/01/27(b) | | | USD | | | | 34 | | | $ | 33,548 | |
UnitedHealth Group, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.75%, 07/15/25 | | | | | | | 958 | | | | 1,091,475 | |
3.70%, 12/15/25 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 34,384 | |
3.10%, 03/15/26 | | | | | | | 122 | | | | 136,150 | |
2.95%, 10/15/27 | | | | | | | 324 | | | | 361,460 | |
5.80%, 03/15/36 | | | | | | | 46 | | | | 65,037 | |
6.50%, 06/15/37 | | | | | | | 11 | | | | 16,750 | |
2.75%, 05/15/40 | | | | | | | 369 | | | | 395,027 | |
4.63%, 11/15/41 | | | | | | | 17 | | | | 22,302 | |
4.20%, 01/15/47 | | | | | | | 241 | | | | 305,719 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 11,450,575 | |
| | | |
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 0.6% | | | | | | | | | |
1011778 BC ULC(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 10/15/25 | | | | | | | 304 | | | | 302,209 | |
3.88%, 01/15/28 | | | | | | | 17 | | | | 16,493 | |
Boyd Gaming Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.38%, 04/01/26 | | | | | | | 74 | | | | 70,300 | |
6.00%, 08/15/26 | | | | | | | 68 | | | | 63,560 | |
Caesars Resort Collection LLC, 5.25%, 10/15/25(b) | | | | | | | 182 | | | | 158,340 | |
Cedar Fair LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 05/01/25(b) | | | | | | | 70 | | | | 70,350 | |
5.38%, 04/15/27 | | | | | | | 109 | | | | 97,555 | |
5.25%, 07/15/29(b) | | | | | | | 110 | | | | 99,550 | |
Churchill Downs, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 04/01/27 | | | | | | | 132 | | | | 129,202 | |
4.75%, 01/15/28 | | | | | | | 66 | | | | 63,690 | |
Eldorado Resorts, Inc., 6.00%, 09/15/26 | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 64,819 | |
Hilton Domestic Operating Co., Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.13%, 05/01/26 | | | | | | | 127 | | | | 126,445 | |
4.88%, 01/15/30 | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 21,670 | |
Hilton Worldwide Finance LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.63%, 04/01/25 | | | | | | | 96 | | | | 93,860 | |
4.88%, 04/01/27 | | | | | | | 64 | | | | 62,480 | |
Hyatt Hotels Corp., 5.38%, 04/23/25 | | | | | | | 57 | | | | 60,401 | |
Marriott Ownership Resorts, Inc., 6.50%, 09/15/26 | | | | | | | 83 | | | | 83,622 | |
McDonald’s Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.63%, 05/01/43 | | | | | | | 62 | | | | 68,032 | |
4.88%, 12/09/45 | | | | | | | 34 | | | | 43,509 | |
4.45%, 09/01/48 | | | | | | | 213 | | | | 263,154 | |
3.63%, 09/01/49 | | | | | | | 397 | | | | 435,602 | |
MGM Resorts International: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.75%, 06/15/25 | | | | | | | 15 | | | | 14,832 | |
4.63%, 09/01/26 | | | | | | | 9 | | | | 8,190 | |
5.50%, 04/15/27 | | | | | | | 15 | | | | 14,437 | |
NCL Corp. Ltd., 3.63%, 12/15/24(b) | | | | | | | 13 | | | | 7,946 | |
Scientific Games International, Inc., 5.00%, 10/15/25(b) | | | | | | | 118 | | | | 108,945 | |
Starbucks Corp., 2.55%, 11/15/30 | | | | | | | 335 | | | | 351,398 | |
Station Casinos LLC, 5.00%, 10/01/25(b) | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 52,800 | |
Sunny Express Enterprises Corp., 3.13%, 04/23/30 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 209,565 | |
Viking Cruises Ltd., 5.88%, 09/15/27(b) | | | | | | | 92 | | | | 54,774 | |
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc., 5.38%, 04/15/26(b) | | | | | | | 53 | | | | 51,012 | |
Wynn Las Vegas LLC(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 03/01/25 | | | | | | | 243 | | | | 222,345 | |
5.25%, 05/15/27 | | | | | | | 121 | | | | 104,604 | |
Wynn Resorts Finance LLC, 5.13%, 10/01/29(b) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 89,375 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3,685,066 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 17 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Household Durables — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
Brookfield Residential Properties, Inc., 6.25%, 09/15/27(b) | | | USD | | | | 131 | | | $ | 125,277 | |
Century Communities, Inc., 6.75%, 06/01/27 | | | | | | | 58 | | | | 58,290 | |
DR Horton, Inc., 2.60%, 10/15/25 | | | | | | | 300 | | | | 315,330 | |
Lennar Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.75%, 04/01/21 | | | | | | | 41 | | | | 41,495 | |
4.13%, 01/15/22 | | | | | | | 49 | | | | 49,612 | |
4.50%, 04/30/24 | | | | | | | 57 | | | | 59,268 | |
4.75%, 05/30/25 | | | | | | | 11 | | | | 11,743 | |
4.75%, 11/29/27 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 21,700 | |
Mattamy Group Corp., 5.25%, 12/15/27(b) | | | | | | | 11 | | | | 10,945 | |
PulteGroup, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 03/01/26 | | | | | | | 16 | | | | 17,450 | |
5.00%, 01/15/27 | | | | | | | 13 | | | | 13,910 | |
Taylor Morrison Communities, Inc., 5.88%, 06/15/27(b) | | | | | | | 11 | | | | 11,393 | |
Tempur Sealy International, Inc., 5.50%, 06/15/26 | | | | | | | 131 | | | | 132,310 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 868,723 | |
| | | |
Household Products — 0.0% | | | | | | | | | |
Clorox Co. (The), 3.10%, 10/01/27 | | | | | | | 31 | | | | 33,917 | |
Spectrum Brands, Inc., 5.75%, 07/15/25 | | | | | | | 96 | | | | 98,522 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 132,439 | |
|
Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers — 0.0% | |
Calpine Corp., 5.50%, 02/01/24 | | | | | | | 56 | | | | 55,860 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Industrial Conglomerates — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
3M Co., 3.38%, 03/01/29 | | | | | | | 26 | | | | 29,990 | |
General Electric Co., 5.88%, 01/14/38 | | | | | | | 416 | | | | 469,535 | |
Honeywell International, Inc., 0.75%, 03/10/32 | | | EUR | | | | 270 | | | | 296,629 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 796,154 | |
| | | |
Insurance — 0.4% | | | | | | | | | |
Ambac Assurance Corp., 5.10%(b)(f) | | | USD | | | | 15 | | | | 19,893 | |
Ambac LSNI LLC, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 5.00%), 6.00%, 02/12/23(a)(b) | | | | | | | 86 | | | | 84,716 | |
Aon Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.50%, 12/15/28 | | | | | | | 264 | | | | 314,106 | |
3.75%, 05/02/29 | | | | | | | 647 | | | | 740,794 | |
Aon plc, 4.25%, 12/12/42 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 33,055 | |
Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (The), 4.30%, 04/15/43 | | | | | | | 35 | | | | 40,263 | |
Marsh & McLennan Cos., Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.50%, 12/29/20 | | | | | | | 108 | | | | 109,609 | |
4.05%, 10/15/23 | | | | | | | 105 | | | | 115,219 | |
3.88%, 03/15/24 | | | | | | | 116 | | | | 128,320 | |
3.50%, 06/03/24 | | | | | | | 316 | | | | 346,298 | |
3.50%, 03/10/25 | | | | | | | 135 | | | | 149,388 | |
1.35%, 09/21/26 | | | EUR | | | | 160 | | | | 187,614 | |
1.98%, 03/21/30 | | | | | | | 145 | | | | 178,828 | |
2.25%, 11/15/30 | | | USD | | | | 98 | | | | 101,700 | |
MetLife, Inc., 4.72%, 12/15/44(e) | | | | | | | 17 | | | | 21,409 | |
Principal Financial Group, Inc., 3.70%, 05/15/29 | | | | | | | 33 | | | | 37,545 | |
Travelers Cos., Inc. (The): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.75%, 06/20/36 | | | | | | | 5 | | | | 7,536 | |
6.25%, 06/15/37 | | | | | | | 2 | | | | 2,967 | |
Trinity Acquisition plc, 4.40%, 03/15/26 | | | | | | | 80 | | | | 91,134 | |
Willis North America, Inc., 3.60%, 05/15/24 | | | | | | | 36 | | | | 38,962 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2,749,356 | |
| | | |
Interactive Media & Services — 0.0% | | | | | | | | | |
Tencent Holdings Ltd., 3.24%, 06/03/50(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 201,858 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Internet & Direct Marketing Retail — 0.3% | | | | | | | | | |
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., 3.60%, 11/28/24 | | | | | | | 220 | | | | 239,270 | |
Amazon.com, Inc., 3.88%, 08/22/37 | | | | | | | 245 | | | | 303,360 | |
Booking Holdings, Inc., 4.10%, 04/13/25 | | | | | | | 726 | | | | 814,847 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Internet & Direct Marketing Retail (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
Expedia Group, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.25%, 05/01/25(b) | | | USD | | | | 188 | | | $ | 200,271 | |
3.80%, 02/15/28 | | | | | | | 103 | | | | 98,656 | |
3.25%, 02/15/30 | | | | | | | 175 | | | | 163,161 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,819,565 | |
| | | |
IT Services — 1.0% | | | | | | | | | |
DXC Technology Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.00%, 04/15/23 | | | | | | | 235 | | | | 246,637 | |
4.13%, 04/15/25 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 42,651 | |
Fidelity National Information Services, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
1.00%, 12/03/28 | | | EUR | | | | 300 | | | | 332,961 | |
3.75%, 05/21/29 | | | USD | | | | 34 | | | | 39,839 | |
2.95%, 05/21/39 | | | EUR | | | | 200 | | | | 256,988 | |
Fiserv, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.20%, 07/01/26 | | | USD | | | | 735 | | | | 813,505 | |
3.50%, 07/01/29 | | | | | | | 639 | | | | 718,313 | |
Global Payments, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.75%, 06/01/23 | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 91,559 | |
4.00%, 06/01/23 | | | | | | | 12 | | | | 13,009 | |
4.80%, 04/01/26 | | | | | | | 149 | | | | 174,390 | |
2.90%, 05/15/30 | | | | | | | 178 | | | | 186,785 | |
International Business Machines Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.30%, 05/15/26 | | | | | | | 805 | | | | 904,556 | |
3.50%, 05/15/29 | | | | | | | 207 | | | | 238,761 | |
1.95%, 05/15/30 | | | | | | | 589 | | | | 602,455 | |
2.85%, 05/15/40 | | | | | | | 365 | | | | 380,073 | |
Mastercard, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.95%, 06/01/29 | | | | | | | 445 | | | | 500,300 | |
3.35%, 03/26/30 | | | | | | | 355 | | | | 410,378 | |
PayPal Holdings, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
1.65%, 06/01/25 | | | | | | | 162 | | | | 167,467 | |
2.65%, 10/01/26 | | | | | | | 61 | | | | 66,291 | |
Visa, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
1.90%, 04/15/27 | | | | | | | 294 | | | | 307,295 | |
4.15%, 12/14/35 | | | | | | | 209 | | | | 267,349 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 6,761,562 | |
| | | |
Leisure Products — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
Hasbro, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.60%, 11/19/22 | | | | | | | 451 | | | | 466,755 | |
3.90%, 11/19/29 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 52,067 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 518,822 | |
| | | |
Life Sciences Tools & Services — 0.2% | | | | | | | | | |
Agilent Technologies, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.88%, 07/15/23 | | | | | | | 34 | | | | 36,734 | |
3.05%, 09/22/26 | | | | | | | 366 | | | | 401,015 | |
2.75%, 09/15/29 | | | | | | | 171 | | | | 185,860 | |
Avantor, Inc., 6.00%, 10/01/24(b) | | | | | | | 44 | | | | 45,980 | |
Charles River Laboratories International, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 04/01/26 | | | | | | | 43 | | | | 44,720 | |
4.25%, 05/01/28 | | | | | | | 11 | | | | 10,994 | |
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.13%, 03/25/25 | | | | | | | 47 | | | | 53,588 | |
4.50%, 03/25/30 | | | | | | | 34 | | | | 42,141 | |
1.88%, 10/01/49 | | | EUR | | | | 300 | | | | 321,420 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,142,452 | |
| | | |
Machinery — 0.2% | | | | | | | | | |
CNH Industrial Capital LLC, 4.38%, 11/06/20 . | | | USD | | | | 480 | | | | 484,252 | |
Colfax Corp., 6.00%, 02/15/24(b) | | | | | | | 65 | | | | 67,031 | |
Otis Worldwide Corp.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.06%, 04/05/25 | | | | | | | 350 | | | | 367,182 | |
2.29%, 04/05/27 | | | | | | | 35 | | | | 36,550 | |
Parker-Hannifin Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.70%, 06/14/24 | | | | | | | 305 | | | | 324,676 | |
| | |
18 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Machinery (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
3.25%, 06/14/29 | | | USD | | | | 90 | | | $ | 99,443 | |
Terex Corp., 5.63%, 02/01/25(b) | | | | | | | 128 | | | | 116,480 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,495,614 | |
| | | |
Media — 1.5% | | | | | | | | | |
AMC Networks, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 04/01/24 | | | | | | | 104 | | | | 102,960 | |
4.75%, 08/01/25 | | | | | | | 84 | | | | 82,757 | |
Charter Communications Operating LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.50%, 02/01/24 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 33,192 | |
6.38%, 10/23/35 | | | | | | | 21 | | | | 27,751 | |
6.48%, 10/23/45 | | | | | | | 656 | | | | 867,394 | |
5.75%, 04/01/48 | | | | | | | 450 | | | | 560,182 | |
4.80%, 03/01/50 | | | | | | | 163 | | | | 180,412 | |
Clear Channel Worldwide Holdings, Inc., | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.13%, 08/15/27(b) | | | | | | | 138 | | | | 132,480 | |
Comcast Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.15%, 10/15/28 | | | | | | | 201 | | | | 240,954 | |
2.65%, 02/01/30 | | | | | | | 271 | | | | 294,728 | |
3.40%, 04/01/30 | | | | | | | 1,320 | | | | 1,507,447 | |
1.95%, 01/15/31 | | | | | | | 495 | | | | 500,619 | |
4.25%, 01/15/33 | | | | | | | 109 | | | | 133,724 | |
4.40%, 08/15/35 | | | | | | | 66 | | | | 81,727 | |
1.25%, 02/20/40 | | | EUR | | | | 200 | | | | 216,991 | |
4.60%, 08/15/45 | | | USD | | | | 38 | | | | 48,852 | |
3.40%, 07/15/46 | | | | | | | 285 | | | | 316,616 | |
3.97%, 11/01/47 | | | | | | | 70 | | | | 82,997 | |
4.70%, 10/15/48 | | | | | | | 67 | | | | 90,110 | |
4.00%, 11/01/49 | | | | | | | 304 | | | | 367,122 | |
4.05%, 11/01/52 | | | | | | | 51 | | | | 62,575 | |
4.95%, 10/15/58 | | | | | | | 5 | | | | 7,111 | |
Cox Communications, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.25%, 12/15/22 | | | | | | | 110 | | | | 115,921 | |
3.15%, 08/15/24 | | | | | | | 557 | | | | 599,313 | |
3.35%, 09/15/26 | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 24,328 | |
3.50%, 08/15/27 | | | | | | | 9 | | | | 9,936 | |
Diamond Sports Group LLC(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.38%, 08/15/26 | | | | | | | 68 | | | | 49,215 | |
6.63%, 08/15/27 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 106,500 | |
Discovery Communications LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.80%, 03/13/24 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 53,584 | |
5.00%, 09/20/37 | | | | | | | 190 | | | | 224,880 | |
4.88%, 04/01/43 | | | | | | | 47 | | | | 53,614 | |
5.20%, 09/20/47 | | | | | | | 128 | | | | 148,918 | |
5.30%, 05/15/49 | | | | | | | 41 | | | | 49,071 | |
Gray Television, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.88%, 07/15/26 | | | | | | | 78 | | | | 77,639 | |
7.00%, 05/15/27 | | | | | | | 89 | | | | 91,225 | |
iHeartCommunications, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.38%, 05/01/26 | | | | | | | 90 | | | | 89,100 | |
5.25%, 08/15/27(b) | | | | | | | 81 | | | | 77,557 | |
4.75%, 01/15/28(b) | | | | | | | 11 | | | | 10,148 | |
Lamar Media Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.75%, 02/01/26 | | | | | | | 72 | | | | 74,277 | |
3.75%, 02/15/28(b) | | | | | | | 13 | | | | 12,256 | |
Meredith Corp., 6.88%, 02/01/26 | | | | | | | 140 | | | | 116,411 | |
Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc., 5.63%, 07/15/27(b) | | | | | | | 127 | | | | 126,055 | |
Omnicom Group, Inc., 3.65%, 11/01/24 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 33,015 | |
Outfront Media Capital LLC(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 08/15/27 | | | | | | | 146 | | | | 131,400 | |
4.63%, 03/15/30 | | | | | | | 11 | | | | 9,955 | |
Sirius XM Radio, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.63%, 07/15/24 | | | | | | | 159 | | | | 162,975 | |
5.38%, 04/15/25 | | | | | | | 83 | | | | 85,241 | |
5.38%, 07/15/26 | | | | | | | 86 | | | | 88,816 | |
5.00%, 08/01/27 | | | | | | | 163 | | | | 166,597 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Media (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 07/01/29 | | | USD | | | | 135 | | | $ | 142,104 | |
TEGNA, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.63%, 03/15/28 | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 20,240 | |
5.00%, 09/15/29 | | | | | | | 25 | | | | 23,404 | |
Time Warner Cable LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.00%, 09/01/21 | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 22,586 | |
6.55%, 05/01/37 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 65,777 | |
5.50%, 09/01/41 | | | | | | | 52 | | | | 62,720 | |
ViacomCBS, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.88%, 04/30/36 | | | | | | | 122 | | | | 165,333 | |
4.38%, 03/15/43 | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 156,856 | |
5.85%, 09/01/43 | | | | | | | 71 | | | | 83,548 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 9,469,216 | |
| | | |
Metals & Mining — 0.2% | | | | | | | | | |
Chinalco Capital Holdings Ltd., 4.25%, 04/21/22 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 202,125 | |
FMG Resources August 2006 Pty. Ltd.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.75%, 05/15/22 | | | | | | | 80 | | | | 81,542 | |
5.13%, 03/15/23 | | | | | | | 53 | | | | 54,457 | |
5.13%, 05/15/24 | | | | | | | 81 | | | | 83,430 | |
FMG Resources Pty. Ltd., 4.50%, 09/15/27(b) | | | | | | | 13 | | | | 13,005 | |
Freeport-McMoRan, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 09/01/27 | | | | | | | 13 | | | | 13,061 | |
5.25%, 09/01/29 | | | | | | | 13 | | | | 13,325 | |
Industrias Penoles SAB de CV, 4.15%, 09/12/29(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 208,312 | |
Minera Mexico SA de CV, 4.50%, 01/26/50(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 198,813 | |
Newmont Corp., 2.80%, 10/01/29 | | | | | | | 176 | | | | 185,613 | |
Nucor Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.00%, 06/01/25 | | | | | | | 16 | | | | 16,569 | |
3.95%, 05/01/28 | | | | | | | 56 | | | | 64,281 | |
Steel Dynamics, Inc., 2.80%, 12/15/24 | | | | | | | 135 | | | | 140,496 | |
Teck Resources Ltd., 6.13%, 10/01/35 | | | | | | | 81 | | | | 91,935 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,366,964 | |
| | | |
Multiline Retail — 0.0% | | | | | | | | | |
Dollar General Corp., 4.13%, 04/03/50 | | | | | | | 83 | | | | 99,319 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Multi-Utilities — 0.2% | | | | | | | | | |
Ameren Illinois Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.80%, 05/15/28 | | | | | | | 120 | | | | 138,479 | |
3.25%, 03/15/50 | | | | | | | 159 | | | | 175,533 | |
Consumers Energy Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.38%, 08/15/23 | | | | | | | 2 | | | | 2,152 | |
4.05%, 05/15/48 | | | | | | | 45 | | | | 56,601 | |
3.75%, 02/15/50 | | | | | | | 300 | | | | 365,870 | |
3.10%, 08/15/50 | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 94,575 | |
3.50%, 08/01/51 | | | | | | | 120 | | | | 142,233 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 975,443 | |
| | | |
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — 2.5% | | | | | | | | | |
Boardwalk Pipelines LP, 4.80%, 05/03/29 | | | | | | | 53 | | | | 56,438 | |
BP Capital Markets America, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.79%, 02/06/24 | | | | | | | 308 | | | | 336,354 | |
3.80%, 09/21/25 | | | | | | | 219 | | | | 247,306 | |
3.41%, 02/11/26 | | | | | | | 24 | | | | 26,544 | |
3.12%, 05/04/26 | | | | | | | 136 | | | | 148,646 | |
BP Capital Markets plc, 3.81%, 02/10/24 | | | | | | | 177 | | | | 194,474 | |
Buckeye Partners LP, 3.95%, 12/01/26 | | | | | | | 13 | | | | 12,250 | |
Cameron LNG LLC(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.30%, 01/15/35 | | | | | | | 105 | | | | 115,766 | |
3.40%, 01/15/38 | | | | | | | 401 | | | | 430,739 | |
Cheniere Corpus Christi Holdings LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.88%, 03/31/25 | | | | | | | 552 | | | | 618,666 | |
5.13%, 06/30/27 | | | | | | | 501 | | | | 550,535 | |
Cheniere Energy Partners LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.25%, 10/01/25 | | | | | | | 74 | | | | 73,756 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 19 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
5.63%, 10/01/26 | | | USD | | | | 55 | | | $ | 54,725 | |
4.50%, 10/01/29(b) | | | | | | | 34 | | | | 32,937 | |
Citgo Holding, Inc., 9.25%, 08/01/24(b) | | | | | | | 75 | | | | 74,625 | |
Concho Resources, Inc., 3.75%, 10/01/27 | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 63,919 | |
CrownRock LP, 5.63%, 10/15/25(b) | | | | | | | 58 | | | | 51,982 | |
DCP Midstream Operating LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.38%, 07/15/25 | | | | | | | 19 | | | | 18,857 | |
5.13%, 05/15/29 | | | | | | | 13 | | | | 12,472 | |
Diamondback Energy, Inc., 3.50%, 12/01/29 | | | | | | | 411 | | | | 398,082 | |
Enbridge Energy Partners LP, 7.38%, 10/15/45 | | | | | | | 36 | | | | 51,581 | |
Enbridge, Inc., 2.90%, 07/15/22 | | | | | | | 55 | | | | 57,058 | |
Energy Transfer Operating LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.60%, 02/01/23 | | | | | | | 95 | | | | 98,280 | |
4.25%, 03/15/23 | | | | | | | 135 | | | | 142,612 | |
4.20%, 09/15/23 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 53,125 | |
2.90%, 05/15/25 | | | | | | | 871 | | | | 889,844 | |
6.63%, 10/15/36 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 32,584 | |
5.80%, 06/15/38 | | | | | | | 64 | | | | 65,222 | |
6.50%, 02/01/42 | | | | | | | 101 | | | | 109,407 | |
Energy Transfer Partners LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.88%, 03/01/22 | | | | | | | 410 | | | | 432,621 | |
5.00%, 10/01/22 | | | | | | | 430 | | | | 457,771 | |
Enterprise Products Operating LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.13%, 07/31/29 | | | | | | | 4 | | | | 4,282 | |
Series D, 6.88%, 03/01/33 | | | | | | | 41 | | | | 54,239 | |
4.45%, 02/15/43 | | | | | | | 176 | | | | 194,983 | |
4.85%, 03/15/44 | | | | | | | 54 | | | | 62,557 | |
5.10%, 02/15/45 | | | | | | | 272 | | | | 324,061 | |
EOG Resources, Inc., 4.15%, 01/15/26 | | | | | | | 34 | | | | 39,134 | |
Exxon Mobil Corp., 1.41%, 06/26/39 | | | EUR | | | | 320 | | | | 355,185 | |
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.50%, 02/01/37 | | | USD | | | | 266 | | | | 333,178 | |
6.38%, 03/01/41 | | | | | | | 43 | | | | 52,841 | |
Lukoil Securities BV, 3.88%, 05/06/30(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 207,955 | |
Marathon Petroleum Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.75%, 12/15/23 | | | | | | | 76 | | | | 83,401 | |
5.85%, 12/15/45 | | | | | | | 65 | | | | 68,279 | |
4.50%, 04/01/48 | | | | | | | 86 | | | | 87,815 | |
Matador Resources Co., 5.88%, 09/15/26 | | | | | | | 24 | | | | 17,760 | |
MPLX LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.38%, 03/15/23 | | | | | | | 70 | | | | 72,998 | |
4.88%, 12/01/24 | | | | | | | 191 | | | | 212,137 | |
4.25%, 12/01/27 | | | | | | | 90 | | | | 97,575 | |
NGPL PipeCo LLC(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.38%, 08/15/22 | | | | | | | 207 | | | | 213,496 | |
4.88%, 08/15/27 | | | | | | | 242 | | | | 265,939 | |
7.77%, 12/15/37 | | | | | | | 52 | | | | 63,466 | |
Northwest Pipeline LLC, 4.00%, 04/01/27 | | | | | | | 365 | | | | 399,649 | |
Occidental Petroleum Corp., 0.00%, 10/10/36(i) | | | | | | | 1,520 | | | | 638,400 | |
Petrobras Global Finance BV: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.75%, 02/01/29 | | | | | | | 103 | | | | 105,543 | |
5.09%, 01/15/30 | | | | | | | 103 | | | | 102,588 | |
6.75%, 06/03/50 | | | | | | | 152 | | | | 156,332 | |
ReNew Power Synthetic, 6.67%, 03/12/24 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 201,312 | |
Sabine Pass Liquefaction LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.63%, 04/15/23(e) | | | | | | | 184 | | | | 201,235 | |
5.75%, 05/15/24 | | | | | | | 165 | | | | 185,815 | |
5.63%, 03/01/25 | | | | | | | 1,610 | | | | 1,840,116 | |
5.88%, 06/30/26 | | | | | | | 189 | | | | 222,075 | |
5.00%, 03/15/27 | | | | | | | 157 | | | | 175,666 | |
4.20%, 03/15/28 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 107,345 | |
Sinopec Group Overseas Development 2018 Ltd., 2.15%, 05/13/25(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 205,714 | |
SM Energy Co., 10.00%, 01/15/25(b) | | | | | | | 18 | | | | 17,101 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
Suncor Energy, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.80%, 05/15/38 | | | USD | | | | 69 | | | $ | 89,117 | |
6.50%, 06/15/38 | | | | | | | 44 | | | | 55,516 | |
Sunoco Logistics Partners Operations LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.25%, 04/01/24 | | | | | | | 405 | | | | 433,338 | |
5.95%, 12/01/25 | | | | | | | 105 | | | | 119,505 | |
Sunoco LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.88%, 01/15/23 | | | | | | | 48 | | | | 47,280 | |
5.50%, 02/15/26 | | | | | | | 39 | | | | 37,830 | |
6.00%, 04/15/27 | | | | | | | 29 | | | | 28,710 | |
Targa Resources Partners LP: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.75%, 03/15/24 | | | | | | | 49 | | | | 48,877 | |
5.13%, 02/01/25 | | | | | | | 52 | | | | 50,050 | |
5.88%, 04/15/26 | | | | | | | 108 | | | | 106,920 | |
5.38%, 02/01/27 | | | | | | | 54 | | | | 52,110 | |
6.50%, 07/15/27 | | | | | | | 87 | | | | 87,218 | |
5.00%, 01/15/28 | | | | | | | 17 | | | | 15,986 | |
6.88%, 01/15/29 | | | | | | | 87 | | | | 91,133 | |
5.50%, 03/01/30(b) | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 21,244 | |
Texas Eastern Transmission LP(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.50%, 01/15/28 | | | | | | | 455 | | | | 484,180 | |
4.15%, 01/15/48 | | | | | | | 46 | | | | 50,103 | |
Total Capital International SA: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.75%, 06/19/21 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | 10,228 | |
2.88%, 02/17/22 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 20,759 | |
3.70%, 01/15/24 | | | | | | | 102 | | | | 112,546 | |
2.43%, 01/10/25 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 212,526 | |
TransCanada PipeLines Ltd., 5.85%, 03/15/36 | | | | | | | 33 | | | | 43,204 | |
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co. LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
7.85%, 02/01/26 | | | | | | | 234 | | | | 304,587 | |
4.00%, 03/15/28 | | | | | | | 246 | | | | 275,409 | |
4.60%, 03/15/48 | | | | | | | 89 | | | | 101,204 | |
3.95%, 05/15/50(b) | | | | | | | 173 | | | | 184,333 | |
Williams Cos., Inc. (The), Series A, 7.50%, 01/15/31 | | | | | | | 15 | | | | 19,208 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 16,382,471 | |
| | | |
Paper & Forest Products — 0.2% | | | | | | | | | |
Georgia-Pacific LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.40%, 11/01/20(b) | | | | | | | 177 | | | | 179,820 | |
3.73%, 07/15/23(b) | | | | | | | 184 | | | | 198,819 | |
1.75%, 09/30/25(b) | | | | | | | 309 | | | | 318,774 | |
7.38%, 12/01/25 | | | | | | | 97 | | | | 123,964 | |
2.10%, 04/30/27(b) | | | | | | | 98 | | | | 101,772 | |
7.75%, 11/15/29 | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 89,557 | |
2.30%, 04/30/30(b) | | | | | | | 2 | | | | 2,083 | |
8.88%, 05/15/31 | | | | | | | 13 | | | | 20,823 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,035,612 | |
| | | |
Pharmaceuticals — 0.8% | | | | | | | | | |
Allergan Funding SCS, 3.45%, 03/15/22 | | | | | | | 510 | | | | 521,527 | |
Bausch Health Americas, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
9.25%, 04/01/26 | | | | | | | 154 | | | | 167,075 | |
8.50%, 01/31/27 | | | | | | | 180 | | | | 191,025 | |
Bausch Health Cos., Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 11/01/25 | | | | | | | 154 | | | | 157,850 | |
9.00%, 12/15/25 | | | | | | | 157 | | | | 169,122 | |
5.75%, 08/15/27 | | | | | | | 46 | | | | 48,760 | |
7.00%, 01/15/28 | | | | | | | 74 | | | | 76,220 | |
7.25%, 05/30/29 | | | | | | | 76 | | | | 79,800 | |
Bayer US Finance II LLC, 4.38%, 12/15/28(b) | | | | | | | 346 | | | | 404,357 | |
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.90%, 02/20/28 | | | | | | | 83 | | | | 97,636 | |
4.55%, 02/20/48 | | | | | | | 76 | | | | 103,164 | |
Elanco Animal Health, Inc.(e): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.02%, 08/28/23 | | | | | | | 81 | | | | 85,050 | |
| | |
20 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Pharmaceuticals (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
5.65%, 08/28/28 | | | USD | | | | 16 | | | $ | 17,741 | |
Eli Lilly & Co., 1.70%, 11/01/49 | | | EUR | | | | 100 | | | | 116,617 | |
GlaxoSmithKline Capital, Inc., 3.88%, 05/15/28 | | | USD | | | | 465 | | | | 547,454 | |
Johnson & Johnson, 2.95%, 03/03/27 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 33,473 | |
Merck & Co., Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.40%, 03/07/29 | | | | | | | 209 | | | | 241,152 | |
1.45%, 06/24/30 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 99,886 | |
2.45%, 06/24/50 | | | | | | | 123 | | | | 123,627 | |
Pfizer, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.45%, 03/15/29 | | | | | | | 310 | | | | 362,232 | |
2.63%, 04/01/30 | | | | | | | 222 | | | | 244,560 | |
1.70%, 05/28/30 | | | | | | | 104 | | | | 105,719 | |
Shire Acquisitions Investments Ireland DAC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.88%, 09/23/23 | | | | | | | 9 | | | | 9,539 | |
3.20%, 09/23/26 | | | | | | | 346 | | | | 383,916 | |
Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.00%, 11/26/28 | | | | | | | 375 | | | | 464,567 | |
2.00%, 07/09/40 | | | EUR | | | | 380 | | | | 423,941 | |
Wyeth LLC, 5.95%, 04/01/37 | | | USD | | | | 131 | | | | 191,255 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 5,467,265 | |
|
Real Estate Management & Development — 0.5% | |
Celulosa Arauco y Constitucion SA, 4.25%, 04/30/29(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 206,000 | |
Central China Real Estate Ltd.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.50%, 03/05/21 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 199,598 | |
6.75%, 11/08/21 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 198,682 | |
China Aoyuan Group Ltd., 7.95%, 02/19/23 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 207,542 | |
China Resources Land Ltd., (US Treasury Yield Curve Rate T Note Constant Maturity 5 Year + 5.14%), 3.75%(a)(f) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 202,374 | |
CIFI Holdings Group Co. Ltd., 5.50%, 01/23/22 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 200,303 | |
Easy Tactic Ltd., 8.13%, 07/11/24 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 174,750 | |
Howard Hughes Corp. (The), 5.38%, 03/15/25(b) | | | | | | | 106 | | | | 98,644 | |
Kaisa Group Holdings Ltd., 11.95%, 10/22/22 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 208,438 | |
Powerlong Real Estate Holdings Ltd., 7.13%, 11/08/22 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 202,042 | |
Ronshine China Holdings Ltd., 8.95%, 01/22/23 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 208,875 | |
Scenery Journey Ltd., 11.00%, 11/06/20 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 201,562 | |
Vanke Real Estate Hong Kong Co. Ltd., 3.15%, 05/12/25 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 205,000 | |
Yuzhou Properties Co. Ltd.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.00%, 10/25/23 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 193,125 | |
8.50%, 02/26/24 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 204,250 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2,911,185 | |
| | | |
Road & Rail — 0.7% | | | | | | | | | |
Burlington Northern Santa Fe LLC: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.15%, 05/01/37 | | | | | | | 11 | | | | 16,069 | |
5.05%, 03/01/41 | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 112,341 | |
4.95%, 09/15/41 | | | | | | | 25 | | | | 32,696 | |
4.40%, 03/15/42 | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 106,120 | |
Canadian Pacific Railway Co., 2.05%, 03/05/30 | | | | | | | 34 | | | | 34,798 | |
CSX Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.25%, 03/15/29 | | | | | | | 233 | | | | 276,891 | |
6.15%, 05/01/37 | | | | | | | 15 | | | | 20,779 | |
4.30%, 03/01/48 | | | | | | | 317 | | | | 395,560 | |
4.75%, 11/15/48 | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 112,850 | |
4.50%, 03/15/49 | | | | | | | 44 | | | | 56,455 | |
Norfolk Southern Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.85%, 01/15/24 | | | | | | | 33 | | | | 36,527 | |
3.65%, 08/01/25 | | | | | | | 86 | | | | 97,081 | |
2.90%, 06/15/26 | | | | | | | 173 | | | | 191,141 | |
2.55%, 11/01/29 | | | | | | | 6 | | | | 6,379 | |
4.84%, 10/01/41 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 38,930 | |
4.45%, 06/15/45 | | | | | | | 5 | | | | 6,230 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Road & Rail (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
3.40%, 11/01/49 | | | USD | | | | 161 | | | $ | 175,366 | |
4.05%, 08/15/52 | | | | | | | 87 | | | | 104,033 | |
Penske Truck Leasing Co. LP(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.25%, 01/17/23 | | | | | | | 120 | | | | 127,646 | |
2.70%, 03/14/23 | | | | | | | 160 | | | | 163,753 | |
2.70%, 11/01/24 | | | | | | | 65 | | | | 66,873 | |
3.95%, 03/10/25 | | | | | | | 90 | | | | 97,555 | |
4.00%, 07/15/25 | | | | | | | 225 | | | | 246,095 | |
3.35%, 11/01/29 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 20,386 | |
Rumo Luxembourg SARL, 5.88%, 01/18/25(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 211,000 | |
Ryder System, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.65%, 03/18/24 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 53,415 | |
2.50%, 09/01/24 | | | | | | | 130 | | | | 134,086 | |
4.63%, 06/01/25 | | | | | | | 260 | | | | 289,865 | |
Union Pacific Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.25%, 08/15/25 | | | | | | | 113 | | | | 124,940 | |
2.75%, 03/01/26 | | | | | | | 175 | | | | 190,422 | |
3.38%, 02/01/35 | | | | | | | 66 | | | | 74,278 | |
3.60%, 09/15/37 | | | | | | | 111 | | | | 123,424 | |
4.50%, 09/10/48 | | | | | | | 5 | | | | 6,441 | |
3.84%, 03/20/60 | | | | | | | 137 | | | | 158,321 | |
3.75%, 02/05/70 | | | | | | | 180 | | | | 200,503 | |
Union Pacific Railroad Co. Pass-Through Trust, Series 2014-1, 3.23%, 05/14/26 | | | | | | | 90 | | | | 99,563 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 4,208,812 | |
|
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment — 1.4% | |
Analog Devices, Inc., 2.95%, 04/01/25 | | | | | | | 268 | | | | 290,331 | |
Applied Materials, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.10%, 10/01/35 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 41,809 | |
4.35%, 04/01/47 | | | | | | | 43 | | | | 55,246 | |
2.75%, 06/01/50 | | | | | | | 187 | | | | 190,983 | |
Broadcom Corp., 3.88%, 01/15/27 | | | | | | | 1,028 | | | | 1,110,874 | |
Broadcom, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.25%, 11/15/23 | | | | | | | 474 | | | | 489,742 | |
3.63%, 10/15/24 | | | | | | | 58 | | | | 62,998 | |
4.70%, 04/15/25 | | | | | | | 852 | | | | 960,012 | |
4.25%, 04/15/26 | | | | | | | 281 | | | | 312,726 | |
4.11%, 09/15/28 | | | | | | | 261 | | | | 284,366 | |
Intel Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.10%, 05/19/46 | | | | | | | 65 | | | | 81,122 | |
4.75%, 03/25/50 | | | | | | | 222 | | | | 312,967 | |
KLA Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.10%, 03/15/29 | | | | | | | 282 | | | | 332,799 | |
5.00%, 03/15/49 | | | | | | | 53 | | | | 69,152 | |
3.30%, 03/01/50 | | | | | | | 366 | | | | 378,035 | |
Lam Research Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.75%, 03/15/26 | | | | | | | 280 | | | | 320,079 | |
1.90%, 06/15/30 | | | | | | | 97 | | | | 99,149 | |
4.88%, 03/15/49 | | | | | | | 88 | | | | 122,026 | |
2.88%, 06/15/50 | | | | | | | 132 | | | | 135,986 | |
NVIDIA Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.20%, 09/16/26 | | | | | | | 423 | | | | 479,140 | |
2.85%, 04/01/30 | | | | | | | 404 | | | | 449,445 | |
3.50%, 04/01/50 | | | | | | | 273 | | | | 311,918 | |
NXP BV(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.13%, 06/01/21 | | | | | | | 450 | | | | 463,426 | |
3.88%, 09/01/22 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 211,427 | |
4.63%, 06/01/23 | | | | | | | 300 | | | | 329,032 | |
3.15%, 05/01/27 | | | | | | | 42 | | | | 44,523 | |
5.55%, 12/01/28 | | | | | | | 53 | | | | 64,393 | |
4.30%, 06/18/29 | | | | | | | 261 | | | | 296,144 | |
QUALCOMM, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.80%, 05/20/45 | | | | | | | 71 | | | | 92,839 | |
4.30%, 05/20/47 | | | | | | | 232 | | | | 289,378 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 21 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment (continued) | |
Texas Instruments, Inc., 1.75%, 05/04/30 | | | USD | | | | 83 | | | $ | 84,229 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 8,766,296 | |
| | | |
Software — 0.6% | | | | | | | | | |
Autodesk, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.38%, 06/15/25 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 34,226 | |
3.50%, 06/15/27 | | | | | | | 468 | | | | 527,959 | |
Microsoft Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.20%, 11/03/35 | | | | | | | 91 | | | | 118,439 | |
3.45%, 08/08/36 | | | | | | | 70 | | | | 84,592 | |
3.75%, 02/12/45 | | | | | | | 325 | | | | 406,785 | |
3.70%, 08/08/46 | | | | | | | 189 | | | | 235,359 | |
2.53%, 06/01/50 | | | | | | | 58 | | | | 60,495 | |
Oracle Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.50%, 04/01/25 | | | | | | | 300 | | | | 321,307 | |
3.90%, 05/15/35 | | | | | | | 501 | | | | 604,308 | |
3.85%, 07/15/36 | | | | | | | 103 | | | | 120,195 | |
3.80%, 11/15/37 | | | | | | | 84 | | | | 96,926 | |
3.60%, 04/01/40 | | | | | | | 213 | | | | 241,774 | |
4.00%, 11/15/47 | | | | | | | 98 | | | | 114,333 | |
3.60%, 04/01/50 | | | | | | | 843 | | | | 938,158 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3,904,856 | |
| | | |
Specialty Retail — 0.2% | | | | | | | | | |
Home Depot, Inc. (The), 2.95%, 06/15/29 | | | | | | | 544 | | | | 611,778 | |
Lowe’s Cos., Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.00%, 04/15/25 | | | | | | | 470 | | | | 535,603 | |
4.05%, 05/03/47 | | | | | | | 55 | | | | 64,829 | |
4.55%, 04/05/49 | | | | | | | 157 | | | | 197,584 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,409,794 | |
|
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals — 0.5% | |
Apple, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.85%, 05/04/43 | | | | | | | 309 | | | | 382,509 | |
4.45%, 05/06/44 | | | | | | | 84 | | | | 112,298 | |
3.45%, 02/09/45 | | | | | | | 122 | | | | 142,384 | |
4.25%, 02/09/47 | | | | | | | 33 | | | | 43,543 | |
3.75%, 11/13/47 | | | | | | | 134 | | | | 163,215 | |
Dell International LLC(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.02%, 06/15/26 | | | | | | | 12 | | | | 13,758 | |
4.90%, 10/01/26 | | | | | | | 203 | | | | 223,990 | |
8.10%, 07/15/36 | | | | | | | 190 | | | | 250,560 | |
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.60%, 10/15/20(e) | | | | | | | 2 | | | | 2,012 | |
4.40%, 10/15/22(e) | | | | | | | 820 | | | | 877,835 | |
4.45%, 10/02/23 | | | | | | | 355 | | | | 387,326 | |
4.65%, 10/01/24 | | | | | | | 525 | | | | 589,525 | |
HP, Inc., 6.00%, 09/15/41 | | | | | | | 15 | | | | 17,587 | |
Seagate HDD Cayman, 4.09%, 06/01/29(b) | | | | | | | 109 | | | | 114,261 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3,320,803 | |
| | | |
Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
Hanesbrands, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.63%, 05/15/24 | | | | | | | 96 | | | | 95,520 | |
4.88%, 05/15/26 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 20,150 | |
NIKE, Inc., 2.75%, 03/27/27 | | | | | | | 375 | | | | 413,086 | |
Under Armour, Inc., 3.25%, 06/15/26 | | | | | | | 13 | | | | 11,475 | |
William Carter Co. (The), 5.63%, 03/15/27(b) | | | | | | | 54 | | | | 55,620 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 595,851 | |
| | | |
Thrifts & Mortgage Finance — 0.2%(b) | | | | | | | | | |
BPCE SA, 2.70%, 10/01/29 | | | | | | | 491 | | | | 524,092 | |
Nationstar Mortgage Holdings, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
8.13%, 07/15/23 | | | | | | | 108 | | | | 110,830 | |
9.13%, 07/15/26 | | | | | | | 88 | | | | 93,004 | |
Quicken Loans, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.75%, 05/01/25 | | | | | | | 105 | | | | 107,341 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Thrifts & Mortgage Finance (continued) | |
5.25%, 01/15/28 | | | USD | | | | 107 | | | $ | 110,411 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 945,678 | |
| | | |
Tobacco — 0.6% | | | | | | | | | |
Altria Group, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.00%, 01/31/24 | | | | | | | 215 | | | | 236,732 | |
4.40%, 02/14/26 | | | | | | | 349 | | | | 401,857 | |
4.80%, 02/14/29 | | | | | | | 154 | | | | 179,801 | |
3.13%, 06/15/31 | | | EUR | | | | 300 | | | | 366,691 | |
5.80%, 02/14/39 | | | USD | | | | 471 | | | | 582,470 | |
BAT Capital Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.22%, 08/15/24 | | | | | | | 180 | | | | 192,778 | |
3.22%, 09/06/26 | | | | | | | 82 | | | | 87,915 | |
4.70%, 04/02/27 | | | | | | | 81 | | | | 92,578 | |
4.54%, 08/15/47 | | | | | | | 136 | | | | 147,666 | |
5.28%, 04/02/50 | | | | | | | 63 | | | | 76,257 | |
Philip Morris International, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.88%, 05/01/24 | | | | | | | 46 | | | | 49,411 | |
3.25%, 11/10/24 | | | | | | | 132 | | | | 146,127 | |
1.45%, 08/01/39 | | | EUR | | | | 395 | | | | 412,670 | |
Reynolds American, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.85%, 09/15/23 | | | USD | | | | 50 | | | | 55,695 | |
4.45%, 06/12/25 | | | | | | | 272 | | | | 306,474 | |
5.85%, 08/15/45 | | | | | | | 411 | | | | 505,183 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3,840,305 | |
| | | |
Trading Companies & Distributors — 0.2% | | | | | | | | | |
Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc., 4.88%, 11/01/25(b) | | | | | | | 134 | | | | 119,595 | |
BOC Aviation Ltd.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.25%, 04/29/25(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 204,354 | |
3.00%, 09/11/29 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 197,750 | |
H&E Equipment Services, Inc., 5.63%, 09/01/25 | | | | | | | 209 | | | | 211,046 | |
HD Supply, Inc., 5.38%, 10/15/26(b) | | | | | | | 64 | | | | 65,360 | |
Herc Holdings, Inc., 5.50%, 07/15/27(b) | | | | | | | 134 | | | | 134,288 | |
United Rentals North America, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.63%, 10/15/25 | | | | | | | 80 | | | | 80,400 | |
5.88%, 09/15/26 | | | | | | | 110 | | | | 115,280 | |
6.50%, 12/15/26 | | | | | | | 123 | | | | 129,150 | |
5.50%, 05/15/27 | | | | | | | 110 | | | | 113,300 | |
3.88%, 11/15/27 | | | | | | | 17 | | | | 16,958 | |
4.88%, 01/15/28 | | | | | | | 177 | | | | 181,425 | |
5.25%, 01/15/30 | | | | | | | 17 | | | | 17,552 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,586,458 | |
|
Wireless Telecommunication Services — 0.6% | |
America Movil SAB de CV, 2.88%, 05/07/30 | | | | | | | 205 | | | | 216,388 | |
Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones SA, 4.75%, 08/01/26(b) | | | | | | | 240 | | | | 255,075 | |
Millicom International Cellular SA, 6.63%, 10/15/26(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 212,346 | |
Sprint Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
7.63%, 02/15/25 | | | | | | | 176 | | | | 203,060 | |
7.63%, 03/01/26 | | | | | | | 177 | | | | 208,925 | |
Sprint Spectrum Co. LLC, 3.36%, 09/20/21(b)(e) | | | | | | | 247 | | | | 250,198 | |
T-Mobile USA, Inc.(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.50%, 04/15/25 | | | | | | | 541 | | | | 588,819 | |
3.75%, 04/15/27 | | | | | | | 790 | | | | 875,454 | |
2.55%, 02/15/31 | | | | | | | 372 | | | | 373,310 | |
Vodafone Group plc: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.13%, 05/30/25 | | | | | | | 118 | | | | 133,783 | |
4.38%, 02/19/43 | | | | | | | 157 | | | | 182,720 | |
5.25%, 05/30/48 | | | | | | | 302 | | | | 394,394 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3,894,472 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Total Corporate Bonds — 37.4% (Cost: $233,551,351) | | | | | | | | | | | 243,472,799 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | |
22 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Floating Rate Loan Interests — 0.5% | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Air Freight & Logistics — 0.0% | | | | | | | | | |
XPO Logistics, Inc., Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 2.00%), 2.18%, 02/24/25(j) | | | USD | | | | 269 | | | $ | 262,114 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Building Products — 0.0%(j) | | | | | | | | | |
Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 2.25%), 2.44%, 07/31/26 | | | | | | | 44 | | | | 43,057 | |
Jeld-Wen, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 2.00%), 2.18%, 12/14/24 | | | | | | | 117 | | | | 109,612 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 152,669 | |
| | | |
Construction Materials — 0.0% | | | | | | | | | |
Foundation Building Materials, Inc., 1st Lien Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.00%), 3.18%, 08/13/25(j) | | | | | | | 133 | | | | 127,822 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Consumer Finance — 0.0% | | | | | | | | | |
Credito Realsab de CV., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 6 Month + 3.75%), 5.45%, 11/06/21(c)(j) | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 26,700 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Diversified Financial Services — 0.0% | | | | | | | | | |
Connect Finco SARL, Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 4.50%), 5.50%, 12/11/26(j) | | | | | | | 271 | | | | 254,576 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Health Care Providers & Services — 0.1%(j) | | | | | | | | | |
Acadia Healthcare Co., Term Loan B2, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 2.50%), 2.68%, 02/16/23 | | | | | | | 302 | | | | 295,026 | |
Select Medical Corp., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 2.50%), 2.68%, 03/01/21 | | | | | | | 45 | | | | 42,388 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 337,414 | |
| | | |
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 0.1%(j) | | | | | | | | | |
Aimbridge Acquisition, Inc., Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 3.75%), 3.93%, 02/02/26 | | | | | | | 155 | | | | 134,466 | |
Golden Nugget, Inc., 1st Lien Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 2.50%), 3.25%, 10/04/23 | | | | | | | 185 | | | | 145,783 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 280,249 | |
| | | |
Media — 0.0%(j) | | | | | | | | | |
CSC Holdings LLC, Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 2.50%), 2.68%, 04/15/27 | | | | | | | 181 | | | | 170,905 | |
Lamar Media Corp., 1st Lien Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 1.50%), 1.67%, 02/05/27 | | | | | | | 19 | | | | 18,819 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 189,724 | |
| | | |
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
Buckeye Partners LP, Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 2.75%), 2.92%, 11/01/26(j) | | | | | | | 466 | | | | 445,569 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Pharmaceuticals — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
Grifols Worldwide Operations Ltd., Term Loan B, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 2.00%), 2.11%, 11/15/27(j) | | | | | | | 286 | | | | 274,805 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Road & Rail — 0.0% | | | | | | | | | |
Genesee & Wyoming, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 2.00%), 2.31%, 12/30/26(j) | | | | | | | 169 | | | | 161,926 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Thrifts & Mortgage Finance — 0.1%(c)(j) | | | | | | | | | |
Caliber Home Loans, Inc., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 6 Month + 3.00%), 4.69%, 04/24/21 | | | USD | | | | 410 | | | $ | 408,312 | |
Roundpoint Mortgage Servicing Corp., Term Loan, (LIBOR USD 6 Month + 2.49%), 5.87%, 08/08/20 | | | | | | | 445 | | | | 445,275 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 853,587 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Total Floating Rate Loan Interests — 0.5% (Cost: $3,523,834) | | | | | | | | | | | 3,367,155 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Foreign Agency Obligations — 0.3% | |
| | | |
Colombia — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
Ecopetrol SA: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.38%, 06/26/26 | | | | | | | 395 | | | | 415,263 | |
6.88%, 04/29/30 | | | | | | | 78 | | | | 89,408 | |
Empresas Publicas de Medellin ESP, 4.25%, 07/18/29(b) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 199,812 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 704,483 | |
| | | |
India — 0.0% | | | | | | | | | |
Power Finance Corp. Ltd., 4.50%, 06/18/29 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 198,188 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Indonesia — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
Perusahaan Penerbit SBSN Indonesia III, 2.80%, 06/23/30(b) | | | | | | | 320 | | | | 319,200 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Mexico — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
Petroleos Mexicanos: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.50%, 01/21/21 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 20,006 | |
(LIBOR USD 3 Month + 3.65%), 3.96%, 03/11/22(a) | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 81,940 | |
4.25%, 01/15/25 | | | | | | | 126 | | | | 114,471 | |
4.50%, 01/23/26 | | | | | | | 254 | | | | 221,615 | |
5.95%, 01/28/31(b) | | | | | | | 12 | | | | 9,859 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 447,891 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Total Foreign Agency Obligations — 0.3% (Cost: $1,602,831) | | | | | | | | | | | 1,669,762 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Foreign Government Obligations — 2.5% | |
| | | |
Brazil — 0.0% | | | | | | | | | |
Federative Republic of Brazil, 2.88%, 06/06/25 | | | | | | | 379 | | | | 373,694 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
China — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
People’s Republic of China, 3.29%, 05/23/29 | | | CNY | | | | 5,480 | | | | 792,408 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Colombia — 0.3% | | | | | | | | | |
Republic of Colombia: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.25%, 11/26/25 | | | COP | | | | 440,100 | | | | 126,370 | |
3.88%, 04/25/27 | | | USD | | | | 528 | | | | 559,515 | |
4.50%, 03/15/29 | | | | | | | 370 | | | | 404,919 | |
3.13%, 04/15/31 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 198,600 | |
7.25%, 10/18/34 | | | COP | | | | 1,230,200 | | | | 338,213 | |
5.20%, 05/15/49 | | | USD | | | | 250 | | | | 292,750 | |
4.13%, 05/15/51 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 201,250 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2,121,617 | |
| | | |
Egypt — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
Arab Republic of Egypt: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
5.63%, 04/16/30 | | | EUR | | | | 117 | | | | 118,387 | |
6.38%, 04/11/31(b) | | | | | | | 132 | | | | 137,179 | |
8.88%, 05/29/50(b) | | | USD | | | | 205 | | | | 202,438 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 458,004 | |
| | | |
Hungary — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
Hungary Government Bond, 5.38%, 03/25/24 | | | | | | | 414 | | | | 469,890 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 23 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Indonesia — 0.4% | | | | | | | | | |
Pertamina Persero PT, 4.18%, 01/21/50 | | | USD | | | | 200 | | | $ | 200,628 | |
Republic of Indonesia: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.50%, 06/15/25 | | | IDR | | | | 3,991,000 | | | | 278,686 | |
7.00%, 05/15/27 | | | | | | | 3,185,000 | | | | 223,296 | |
4.10%, 04/24/28 | | | USD | | | | 470 | | | | 521,259 | |
2.85%, 02/14/30 | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 254,687 | |
7.00%, 09/15/30 | | | IDR | | | | 1,409,000 | | | | 96,810 | |
6.63%, 05/15/33 | | | | | | | 1,064,000 | | | | 68,078 | |
7.50%, 06/15/35 | | | | | | | 6,138,000 | | | | 425,331 | |
8.38%, 04/15/39 | | | | | | | 7,876,000 | | | | 578,915 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2,647,690 | |
| | | |
Mexico — 0.3% | | | | | | | | | |
United Mexican States: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.15%, 03/28/27 | | | USD | | | | 933 | | | | 1,001,109 | |
4.75%, 04/27/32 | | | | | | | 400 | | | | 440,600 | |
4.50%, 01/31/50 | | | | | | | 530 | | | | 546,430 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,988,139 | |
| | | |
Panama — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
Republic of Panama, 3.88%, 03/17/28 | | | | | | | 826 | | | | 928,217 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Peru — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
Republic of Peru, 4.13%, 08/25/27 | | | | | | | 548 | | | | 629,172 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Philippines — 0.2% | | | | | | | | | |
Republic of Philippines, 3.00%, 02/01/28 | | | | | | | 1,010 | | | | 1,089,305 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Qatar — 0.0% | | | | | | | | | |
State of Qatar, 3.75%, 04/16/30(b) | | | | | | | 231 | | | | 263,557 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Russia — 0.3% | | | | | | | | | |
Russian Federation: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
8.15%, 02/03/27 | | | RUB | | | | 20,185 | | | | 326,786 | |
6.00%, 10/06/27 | | | | | | | 11,275 | | | | 163,017 | |
6.90%, 05/23/29 | | | | | | | 46,648 | | | | 709,334 | |
8.50%, 09/17/31 | | | | | | | 45,715 | | | | 776,250 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,975,387 | |
| | | |
Saudi Arabia — 0.2% | | | | | | | | | |
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.90%, 10/22/25(b) | | | USD | | | | 856 | | | | 907,360 | |
3.25%, 10/22/30 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 214,650 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,122,010 | |
| | | |
Sri Lanka — 0.0% | | | | | | | | | |
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, 7.55%, 03/28/30 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 128,500 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Ukraine — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
Ukraine Government Bond: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
6.75%, 06/20/26 | | | EUR | | | | 100 | | | | 114,281 | |
9.75%, 11/01/28 | | | USD | | | | 391 | | | | 446,717 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 560,998 | |
| | | |
United Arab Emirates — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
United Arab Emirates Government Bond: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.50%, 04/16/25(b) | | | | | | | 269 | | | | 279,424 | |
3.13%, 09/30/49 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 208,250 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 487,674 | |
| | | |
Uruguay — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
Oriental Republic of Uruguay: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.38%, 10/27/27 | | | | | | | 333 | | | | 381,036 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Uruguay (continued) | | | | | | | | | |
5.10%, 06/18/50 | | | USD | | | | 120 | | | $ | 154,725 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 535,761 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Foreign Government Obligations — 2.5% (Cost: $16,210,568) | | | | 16,572,023 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
| | | | | Shares | | | | |
| | | |
Investment Companies — 6.3% | | | | | | | | | |
BlackRock Allocation Target Shares- BATS Series A* | | | | | | | 4,216,604 | | | | 41,027,557 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Total Investment Companies — 6.3% (Cost: $42,310,000) | | | | | | | | | | | 41,027,557 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Par (000) | | | | |
| | | |
Municipal Bonds — 4.3% | | | | | | | | | |
American Municipal Power, Inc.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2010B, RB, 7.83%, 02/15/41 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 80,950 | |
Series 2010B, RB, 8.08%, 02/15/50 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 181,856 | |
Arizona Health Facilities Authority, Series 2007B, RB, VRDN, 1.77%, 07/01/20(k) | | | | | | | 35 | | | | 32,919 | |
Bay Area Toll Authority: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2019F-1, RB, 2.43%, 04/01/26 | | | | | | | 285 | | | | 303,300 | |
Series 2010S-1, RB, 6.92%, 04/01/40 | | | | | | | 90 | | | | 143,428 | |
Series 2010S-1, RB, 7.04%, 04/01/50 | | | | | | | 410 | | | | 737,688 | |
California Health Facilities Financing Authority, Series 2016A, RB, 5.00%, 08/15/33 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 48,646 | |
California State Public Works Board, Series 2009G, Sub-Series G-2, RB, 8.36%, 10/01/34 | | | | | | | 35 | | | | 58,076 | |
California State University, Series 2020B, RB, 2.98%, 11/01/51 | | | | | | | 380 | | | | 402,283 | |
Canaveral Port Authority: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2018A, RB, 5.00%, 06/01/45 | | | | | | | 80 | | | | 87,178 | |
Series 2018B, RB, 5.00%, 06/01/48 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 43,810 | |
Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority, Series 2015S-1, RB, 5.00%, 11/01/50 | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 68,537 | |
Chesapeake Bay Bridge & Tunnel District, Series 2016, RB, 5.00%, 07/01/51 | | | | | | | 25 | | | | 26,949 | |
City of Atlanta, Series 2015, RB, 5.00%, 11/01/40 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 35,376 | |
City of New York: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2019D, Sub-Series D-2, GO, 3.76%, 12/01/27 | | | | | | | 115 | | | | 131,262 | |
Series 2019A, Sub-Series A-3, GO, 2.85%, 08/01/31 | | | | | | | 220 | | | | 233,596 | |
Series 2019A, Sub-Series A-3, GO, 2.90%, 08/01/32 | | | | | | | 370 | | | | 392,833 | |
Series 2018F, Sub-Series F-1, GO, 5.00%, 04/01/43 | | | | | | | 375 | | | | 452,302 | |
City of Riverside, Series 2010A, RB, 7.61%, 10/01/40 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 80,924 | |
City of San Antonio Electric & Gas Systems: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2010A, RB, 5.72%, 02/01/41 | | | | | | | 120 | | | | 172,645 | |
Series 2010A, RB, 5.81%, 02/01/41 | | | | | | | 160 | | | | 238,632 | |
Colorado Health Facilities Authority, Series 2019A-2, RB, 5.00%, 08/01/44 | | | | | | | 120 | | | | 140,894 | |
Commonwealth Financing Authority: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2018A, RB, 3.86%, 06/01/38 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 46,693 | |
Series 2016A, RB, 4.14%, 06/01/38 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 24,035 | |
Series 2019A, RB, 3.81%, 06/01/41 | | | | | | | 660 | | | | 766,220 | |
| | |
24 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Municipal Bonds (continued) | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Commonwealth of Massachusetts: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2009E, GO, 5.46%, 12/01/39 | | | USD | | | | 15 | | | $ | 21,651 | |
Series 2019H, GO, 2.90%, 09/01/49 | | | | | | | 80 | | | | 85,998 | |
Connecticut State Health & Educational | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Facilities Authority: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2015F, RB, 5.00%, 07/01/45 | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 66,430 | |
Series 2015L, RB, 5.00%, 07/01/45 | | | | | | | 90 | | | | 96,838 | |
Contra Costa Community College District, Series 2010B, GO, 6.50%, 08/01/34 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | 14,476 | |
County of Broward Airport System: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2019C, RB, 2.81%, 10/01/31 | | | | | | | 65 | | | | 64,126 | |
Series 2019C, RB, 2.91%, 10/01/32 | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 59,441 | |
County of Miami-Dade: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2017D, RB, 3.35%, 10/01/29 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 20,537 | |
Series 2019E, RB, 2.53%, 10/01/30 | | | | | | | 235 | | | | 226,606 | |
Series 2017D, RB, 3.45%, 10/01/30 | | | | | | | 35 | | | | 36,048 | |
Series 2017D, RB, 3.50%, 10/01/31 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 30,903 | |
Series 2018C, RB, 4.06%, 10/01/31 | | | | | | | 55 | | | | 59,119 | |
Series 2015A, RB, 5.00%, 10/01/38 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | 11,299 | |
Series 2017B, RB, 5.00%, 10/01/40 | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 69,918 | |
Dallas Area Rapid Transit: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2016A, RB, 5.00%, 12/01/41 | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 70,473 | |
Series 2016A, RB, 5.00%, 12/01/46 | | | | | | | 90 | | | | 104,438 | |
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Series 2019A-2, RB, 3.14%, 11/01/45 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 102,298 | |
DuBois Hospital Authority, Series 2018, RB, 5.00%, 07/15/43 | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 69,369 | |
Dutchess County Local Development Corp., Series 2016B, RB, 5.00%, 07/01/46 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 108,897 | |
Grant County Public Utility District No. 2, Series 2015M, RB, 4.58%, 01/01/40 | | | | | | | 15 | | | | 18,490 | |
Great Lakes Water Authority Sewage Disposal System, Series 2020A, RB, 3.06%, 07/01/39 | | | | | | | 75 | | | | 79,839 | |
Great Lakes Water Authority Water Supply System, Series 2016C, RB, 5.25%, 07/01/33 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 23,817 | |
Health & Educational Facilities Authority: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2016, RB, 5.00%, 11/15/29 | | | | | | | 25 | | | | 29,900 | |
Series 2020A, RB, 3.23%, 05/15/50 | | | | | | | 45 | | | | 52,717 | |
Idaho Health Facilities Authority, Series 2017A, RB, 5.00%, 12/01/47 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 58,715 | |
Indiana Finance Authority: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2015A, RB, 5.00%, 10/01/45 | | | | | | | 130 | | | | 149,027 | |
Series 2016A, RB, 5.00%, 10/01/46 | | | | | | | 420 | | | | 492,782 | |
Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority, Series 2018A, RB, 3.80%, 07/01/38 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 33,039 | |
JobsOhio Beverage System: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2013B, RB, 3.99%, 01/01/29 | | | | | | | 340 | | | | 386,383 | |
Series 2020A, RB, 2.83%, 01/01/38 | | | | | | | 55 | | | | 56,352 | |
Lexington County Health Services District, Inc., Series 2016, RB, 5.00%, 11/01/41 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 34,598 | |
Los Angeles Community College District, Series 2010E, GO, 6.60%, 08/01/42 | | | | | | | 110 | | | | 182,707 | |
Los Angeles Unified School District, Series 2010I, GO, 6.76%, 07/01/34 | | | | | | | 375 | | | | 553,470 | |
Louisiana Public Facilities Authority, Series 2018E, RB, 5.00%, 07/01/48 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 58,866 | |
Maryland Health & Higher Educational Facilities Authority, Series 2015, RB, 5.00%, 08/15/27 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 58,124 | |
Massachusetts Development Finance Agency: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2018J-2, RB, 5.00%, 07/01/43 | | | | | | | 80 | | | | 93,114 | |
Series 2017L, RB, 5.00%, 07/01/44 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 109,725 | |
Series 2016Q, RB, 5.00%, 07/01/47 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 56,950 | |
Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2014B, RB, 4.50%, 12/01/39 | | | | | | | 25 | | | | 26,309 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | | |
Municipal Bonds (continued) | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2014B, RB, 4.60%, 12/01/44 | | | USD | | | | 40 | | | $ | 43,054 | |
Series 2015A, RB, 4.50%, 12/01/48 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 42,682 | |
Massachusetts School Building Authority: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2019B, RB, 2.87%, 10/15/31 | | | | | | | 275 | | | | 290,007 | |
Series 2019B, RB, 2.97%, 10/15/32 | | | | | | | 170 | | | | 179,670 | |
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, Series 2016C, RB, 5.00%, 08/01/40 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 36,235 | |
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, Series 2015A, RB, 5.00%, 07/01/41 | | | | | | | 110 | | | | 129,865 | |
Metropolitan Government Nashville & Davidson County Health & Educational Facilities Board, Series 2016A, RB, 5.00%, 07/01/46 | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 66,907 | |
Metropolitan Transportation Authority: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2010A, RB, 6.67%, 11/15/39 | | | | | | | 55 | | | | 71,428 | |
Series 2009C, RB, 7.34%, 11/15/39 | | | | | | | 120 | | | | 194,327 | |
Series 2019C, RB, 5.00%, 11/15/41 | | | | | | | 80 | | | | 96,554 | |
Michigan Finance Authority: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2016, RB, 5.00%, 11/15/28 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 60,171 | |
Series 2016, RB, 5.00%, 11/15/41 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 34,567 | |
Michigan State Housing Development Authority: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2018B, RB, 3.55%, 10/01/33 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 33,023 | |
Series 2018A, RB, 4.00%, 10/01/43 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 32,965 | |
Series 2018A, RB, 4.05%, 10/01/48 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 21,984 | |
Series 2018A, RB, 4.15%, 10/01/53 | | | | | | | 80 | | | | 86,604 | |
Mississippi Hospital Equipment & Facilities Authority, Series 2016A, RB, 5.00%, 09/01/46 | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 65,668 | |
Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2010A, RB, 6.64%, 04/01/57 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 58,140 | |
Series 2010A, RB, 6.66%, 04/01/57 | | | | | | | 44 | | | | 65,728 | |
New Hope Cultural Education Facilities Finance Corp., Series 2017A, RB, 5.00%, 08/15/47 | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 70,711 | |
New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority, Series 2010C, RB, 5.75%, 12/15/28 | | | | | | | 70 | | | | 81,091 | |
New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Series 2009F, RB, 7.41%, 01/01/40 | | | | | | | 565 | | | | 960,037 | |
New Orleans Aviation Board, Series 2015B, RB, 5.00%, 01/01/40 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 55,703 | |
New York City Housing Development Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2018C-1-A, RB, 3.70%, 11/01/38 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 42,556 | |
Series 2018C-1-B, RB, 3.85%, 11/01/43 | | | | | | | 110 | | | | 117,245 | |
Series 2018C-1-A, RB, 4.00%, 11/01/53 | | | | | | | 120 | | | | 126,961 | |
New York City Transitional Finance Authority Future Tax Secured: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2018, Sub-Series C-4, RB, 3.55%, 05/01/25 | | | | | | | 170 | | | | 190,230 | |
Series 2014A, Sub-Series A-2, RB, 3.75%, 11/01/25 | | | | | | | 165 | | | | 180,398 | |
Series 2017F, Sub-Series F-2, RB, 3.05%, 05/01/27 | | | | | | | 160 | | | | 176,082 | |
Series 2019C, Sub-Series C-3, RB, 3.35%, 11/01/30 | | | | | | | 255 | | | | 283,718 | |
Series 2019B, Sub-Series B-3, RB, 3.90%, 08/01/31 | | | | | | | 210 | | | | 240,358 | |
New York City Water & Sewer System: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2010AA, RB, 5.75%, 06/15/41 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | 15,410 | |
Series 2010EE, RB, 6.01%, 06/15/42 | | | | | | | 25 | | | | 39,926 | |
Series 2020AA, RB, 5.38%, 06/15/43(l) | | | | | | | 135 | | | | 138,132 | |
Series 2020AA, RB, 5.38%, 06/15/43 | | | | | | | 65 | | | | 66,327 | |
Series 2011AA, RB, 5.44%, 06/15/43 | | | | | | | 120 | | | | 185,507 | |
Series 2011EE, RB, 5.50%, 06/15/43(l) | | | | | | | 240 | | | | 245,707 | |
Series 2011CC, RB, 5.88%, 06/15/44 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 64,304 | |
New York Convention Center Development Corp., Series 2015, RB, 5.00%, 11/15/40 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 32,537 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 25 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Municipal Bonds (continued) | |
New York State Dormitory Authority: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2010H, RB, 5.39%, 03/15/40 | | | USD | | | | 60 | | | $ | 83,532 | |
Series 2020F, RB, 3.19%, 02/15/43 | | | | | | | 160 | | | | 180,918 | |
Series 2019B, RB, 3.14%, 07/01/43 | | | | | | | 120 | | | | 120,664 | |
New York State Urban Development Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2019B, RB, 3.25%, 03/15/25 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 109,673 | |
Series 2019B, RB, 3.35%, 03/15/26 | | | | | | | 395 | | | | 436,550 | |
Series 2019B, RB, 2.35%, 03/15/27 | | | | | | | 230 | | | | 241,624 | |
Series 2017D-2, RB, 3.32%, 03/15/29 | | | | | | | 140 | | | | 153,381 | |
New York Transportation Development Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2016A, RB, 5.00%, 07/01/46 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 32,196 | |
Series 2016A, RB, 5.25%, 01/01/50 | | | | | | | 340 | | | | 367,639 | |
Orange County Local Transportation Authority, Series 2010A, RB, 6.91%, 02/15/41 | | | | | | | 75 | | | | 111,476 | |
Oregon School Boards Association: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2005A, GO, 4.76%, 06/30/28 | | | | | | | 220 | | | | 243,320 | |
Series 2002B, GO, 5.55%, 06/30/28 | | | | | | | 290 | | | | 347,983 | |
Series 2003B, GO, 5.68%, 06/30/28 | | | | | | | 210 | | | | 257,586 | |
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, Series 2018B, RB, 5.00%, 12/01/48 | | | | | | | 90 | | | | 104,838 | |
Port Authority of New York & New Jersey: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2010-165, RB, 5.65%, 11/01/40 | | | | | | | 95 | | | | 132,389 | |
Series 2014-181, RB, 4.96%, 08/01/46 | | | | | | | 170 | | | | 230,561 | |
Series 2012-174, RB, 4.46%, 10/01/62 | | | | | | | 95 | | | | 126,287 | |
Port of Seattle, Series 2018A, RB, 5.00%, 05/01/43 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 34,481 | |
Regents of the University of California Medical Center Pooled, Series 2009F, RB, 6.58%, 05/15/49 | | | | | | | 55 | | | | 87,532 | |
Royal Oak Hospital Finance Authority, Series 2014D, RB, 5.00%, 09/01/39 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 44,821 | |
Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, Series 2019R, RB, 3.27%, 05/01/43 | | | | | | | 175 | | | | 180,294 | |
Sacramento County Sanitation Districts Financing Authority, Series 2007B, RB, VRDN, 0.76%, 09/01/20(k) | | | | | | | 330 | | | | 285,949 | |
Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Series 2010W, RB, 6.16%, 05/15/36 | | | | | | | 1,045 | | | | 1,412,098 | |
Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement & Power District, Series 2015A, RB, 5.00%, 12/01/45 | | | | | | | 120 | | | | 141,010 | |
San Antonio Water System, Series 2015B, RB, 5.00%, 05/15/39 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 35,447 | |
San Diego Public Facilities Financing Authority, Series 2016A, RB, 5.00%, 05/15/39 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 60,988 | |
San Jose Redevelopment Agency Successor Agency, Series 2017A-T, 3.18%, 08/01/26 | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 93,772 | |
South Carolina Public Service Authority: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2016D, RB, 2.39%, 12/01/23 | | | | | | | 257 | | | | 263,217 | |
Series 2012E, RB, 3.72%, 12/01/23 | | | | | | | 65 | | | | 69,422 | |
Series 2010C, RB, 6.45%, 01/01/50 | | | | | | | 136 | | | | 213,236 | |
State of California: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2019, GO, 2.65%, 04/01/26 | | | | | | | 425 | | | | 461,945 | |
Series 2009, GO, 7.50%, 04/01/34 | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 97,447 | |
Series 2018, GO, 4.60%, 04/01/38 | | | | | | | 815 | | | | 953,142 | |
Series 2009, GO, 7.55%, 04/01/39 | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 150,710 | |
Series 2009, GO, 7.30%, 10/01/39 | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 141,029 | |
Series 2009, GO, 7.35%, 11/01/39 | | | | | | | 340 | | | | 566,688 | |
State of Colorado, Series 2018N, COP, 5.00%, 03/15/38 | | | | | | | 1,030 | | | | 1,258,310 | |
State of Connecticut: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2017A, GO, 3.31%, 01/15/26 | | | | | | | 125 | | | | 136,474 | |
Series 2020A, GO, 2.55%, 07/01/28 | | | | | | | 35 | | | | 36,836 | |
Series 2008A, GO, 5.85%, 03/15/32 | | | | | | | 180 | | | | 244,453 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Municipal Bonds (continued) | |
State of Illinois, Series 2003, GO, 5.10%, 06/01/33 | | | USD | | | | 580 | | | $ | 588,555 | |
State of Minnesota, Series 2018A, GO, 5.00%, 08/01/36 | | | | | | | 170 | | | | 217,347 | |
State of New York, Series 2019B, GO, 2.80%, 02/15/32 | | | | | | | 205 | | | | 219,916 | |
State of Oregon, Series 2003, GO, 5.89%, 06/01/27 | | | | | | | 335 | | | | 423,524 | |
State of Texas, Series 2009A, GO, 5.52%, 04/01/39 | | | | | | | 405 | | | | 600,084 | |
State of Washington: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2016A-1, GO, 5.00%, 08/01/40 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 119,081 | |
Series 2018B, GO, 5.00%, 08/01/40 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 49,441 | |
Sumter Landing Community Development District, Series 2016, RB, 4.17%, 10/01/47 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 112,260 | |
Tennessee Housing Development Agency: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2018-3, RB, 3.75%, 07/01/38 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 32,566 | |
Series 2018-3, RB, 3.85%, 07/01/43 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 21,622 | |
Series 2018-3, RB, 3.95%, 01/01/49 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | 10,773 | |
Texas A&M University, Series 2017B, RB, 2.84%, 05/15/27 | | | | | | | 75 | | | | 82,511 | |
Texas Municipal Gas Acquisition & Supply Corp. I, Series 2008D, RB, 6.25%, 12/15/26 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 34,717 | |
Texas Transportation Commission, Series 2020, GO, 5.00%, 04/01/32(m) | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 202,757 | |
Tobacco Settlement Finance Authority, Series 2007A, RB, 7.47%, 06/01/47 | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 85,531 | |
University of California: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2019BD, RB, 3.35%, 07/01/29 | | | | | | | 470 | | | | 538,728 | |
Series 2013AJ, RB, 4.60%, 05/15/31 | | | | | | | 185 | | | | 228,312 | |
Series 2009R, RB, 5.77%, 05/15/43 | | | | | | | 125 | | | | 187,656 | |
Series 2012AD, RB, 4.86%, 05/15/2112 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 28,032 | |
Virginia Small Business Financing Authority, Series 2017, RB, 5.00%, 12/31/52 | | | | | | | 90 | | | | 99,079 | |
West Virginia Hospital Finance Authority: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2016A, RB, 5.00%, 06/01/21 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 31,101 | |
Series 2016A, RB, 5.00%, 06/01/22 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 32,267 | |
Series 2016A, RB, 5.00%, 06/01/23 | | | | | | | 25 | | | | 27,822 | |
Series 2016A, RB, 5.00%, 06/01/24 | | | | | | | 25 | | | | 28,645 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Municipal Bonds — 4.3% (Cost: $25,851,101) | | | | 27,979,585 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Non-Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities — 2.8% | |
|
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations — 0.9% | |
Alternative Loan Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2005-22T1, Class A1, 0.53%, 06/25/35(d) | | | | | | | 135 | | | | 104,167 | |
Series 2005-72, Class A3, 0.78%, 01/25/36(d) | | | | | | | 67 | | | | 59,029 | |
Series 2005-76, Class 2A1, 2.50%, 02/25/36(d) | | | | | | | 23 | | | | 20,481 | |
Series 2006-11CB, Class 3A1, 6.50%, 05/25/36 | | | | | | | 58 | | | | 43,270 | |
Series 2006-15CB, Class A1, 6.50%, 06/25/36 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | 7,218 | |
Series 2006-OA14, Class 1A1, 3.23%, 11/25/46(d) | | | | | | | 82 | | | | 65,830 | |
Series 2006-OA16, Class A4C, 0.52%, 10/25/46(d) | | | | | | | 142 | | | | 95,933 | |
Series 2006-OA8, Class 1A1, 0.37%, 07/25/46(d) | | | | | | | 12 | | | | 10,450 | |
Series 2006-OC10, Class 2A3, 0.41%, 11/25/36(d) | | | | | | | 55 | | | | 41,551 | |
Series 2006-OC7, Class 2A3, 0.43%, 07/25/46(d) | | | | | | | 79 | | | | 66,830 | |
| | |
26 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (continued) | |
Series 2007-3T1, Class 1A1, 6.00%, 04/25/37 | | | USD | | | | 12 | | | $ | 7,709 | |
Series 2007-OA3, Class 1A1, 0.32%, 04/25/47(d) | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 19,610 | |
American Home Mortgage Assets Trust(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2006-3, Class 2A11, 2.44%, 10/25/46 | | | | | | | 61 | | | | 48,739 | |
Series 2006-4, Class 1A12, 0.39%, 10/25/46 | | | | | | | 72 | | | | 45,496 | |
Series 2006-5, Class A1, 2.42%, 11/25/46 | | | | | | | 122 | | | | 51,921 | |
Series 2007-1, Class A1, 2.20%, 02/25/47 | | | | | | | 63 | | | | 33,843 | |
APS Resecuritization Trust(b)(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2016-1, Class 1MZ, 4.23%, 07/31/57 | | | | | | | 252 | | | | 87,459 | |
Series 2016-3, Class 3A, 3.03%, 09/27/46 | | | | | | | 172 | | | | 169,771 | |
Series 2016-3, Class 4A, 2.78%, 04/27/47 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 29,725 | |
Banc of America Funding Trust, Series 2016- R2, Class 1A1, 4.70%, 05/01/33(b)(d) | | | | | | | 82 | | | | 77,417 | |
Bear Stearns Mortgage Funding Trust(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2006-SL1, Class A1, 0.46%, 08/25/36 | | | | | | | 45 | | | | 44,056 | |
Series 2007-AR2, Class A1, 0.35%, 03/25/37 | | | | | | | 117 | | | | 101,584 | |
Series 2007-AR3, Class 1A1, 0.32%, 03/25/37 | | | | | | | 16 | | | | 14,709 | |
Series 2007-AR4, Class 1A1, 0.38%, 09/25/47 | | | | | | | 53 | | | | 47,973 | |
Series 2007-AR4, Class 2A1, 0.39%, 06/25/37 | | | | | | | 17 | | | | 15,563 | |
Chase Mortgage Finance Trust, Series 2007- S6, Class 1A1, 6.00%, 12/25/37 | | | | | | | 841 | | | | 573,776 | |
CHL Mortgage Pass-Through Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2006-OA4, Class A1, 2.46%, 04/25/46(d) | | | | | | | 149 | | | | 63,425 | |
Series 2006-OA5, Class 3A1, 0.38%, 04/25/46(d) | | | | | | | 24 | | | | 21,586 | |
Series 2007-15, Class 2A2, 6.50%, 09/25/37 | | | | | | | 217 | | | | 136,084 | |
Citicorp Mortgage Securities Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2007-9, Class 1A1, 6.25%, 12/25/37 | | | | | | | 61 | | | | 53,875 | |
Series 2008-2, Class 1A1, 6.50%, 06/25/38 | | | | | | | 87 | | | | 75,474 | |
Credit Suisse Mortgage Capital Certificates, Series 2009-12R, Class 3A1, 6.50%, 10/27/37(b) | | | | | | | 281 | | | | 153,612 | |
CSFB Mortgage-Backed Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2005-10, Class 10A1, 1.53%, 11/25/35(d) | | | | | | | 45 | | | | 9,187 | |
CSMC Trust(b)(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2009-5R, Class 4A4, 3.21%, 06/25/36 | | | | | | | 65 | | | | 53,846 | |
Series 2014-11R, Class 16A1, 3.83%, 09/27/47 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 29,859 | |
Series 2019-JR1, Class A1, 4.10%, 09/27/66 | | | | | | | 1,303 | | | | 1,307,273 | |
Deutsche Alt-A Securities Mortgage Loan Trust, Series 2007-OA4, Class A2A, 0.35%, 08/25/47(d) | | | | | | | 137 | | | | 90,217 | |
Deutsche Alt-B Securities Mortgage Loan Trust, Series 2006-AB3, Class A8, 6.36%, 07/25/36(d) | | | | | | | 11 | | | | 10,114 | |
GreenPoint Mortgage Funding Trust, Series 2006-AR2, Class 4A1, 3.50%, 03/25/36(d) | | | | | | | 25 | | | | 23,591 | |
GSMPS Mortgage Loan Trust(b)(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2005-RP1, Class 1AF, 0.53%, 01/25/35 | | | | | | | 45 | | | | 39,781 | |
Series 2005-RP2, Class 1AF, 0.53%, 03/25/35 | | | | | | | 53 | | | | 47,394 | |
Series 2006-RP1, Class 1AF1, 0.53%, 01/25/36 | | | | | | | 41 | | | | 32,886 | |
GSR Mortgage Loan Trust, Series 2007-1F, Class 2A4, 5.50%, 01/25/37 | | | | | | | 9 | | | | 10,450 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (continued) | |
HarborView Mortgage Loan Trust, Series 2007- 4, Class 2A2, 0.44%, 07/19/47(d) | | | USD | | | | 153 | | | $ | 126,635 | |
IndyMac INDX Mortgage Loan Trust(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2007-AR19, Class 3A1, 3.54%, 09/25/37 | | | | | | | 79 | | | | 52,591 | |
Series 2007-FLX5, Class 2A2, 0.42%, 08/25/37 | | | | | | | 141 | | | | 116,181 | |
Lehman XS Trust, Series 2007-20N, Class A1, 1.33%, 12/25/37(d) | | | | | | | 28 | | | | 25,185 | |
LSTAR Securities Investment Trust, Series 2019-1, Class A1, 1.87%, 03/01/24(b)(d) | | | | | | | 125 | | | | 125,834 | |
MASTR Resecuritization Trust, Series 2008-3, Class A1, 0.58%, 08/25/37(b)(d) | | | | | | | 24 | | | | 12,326 | |
MCM Trust(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2018-NPL1, Class A, 4.00%, 05/28/58 | | | | | | | 42 | | | | 42,101 | |
Series 2018-NPL2, Class A, 4.00%, 10/25/28(c)(e) | | | | | | | 324 | | | | 291,608 | |
Series 2018-NPL2, Class B, 0.00%, 10/25/28 | | | | | | | 746 | | | | 222,551 | |
Merrill Lynch Alternative Note Asset Trust, Series 2007-OAR2, Class A2, 0.39%, 04/25/37(d) | | | | | | | 194 | | | | 169,636 | |
Mortgage Loan Resecuritization Trust, Series 2009-RS1, Class A85, 0.51%, 04/16/36(b)(d) | | | | | | | 375 | | | | 323,640 | |
New Residential Mortgage Loan Trust, Series 2019-2A, Class A1, 4.25%, 12/25/57(b)(d) | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 90,543 | |
Nomura Asset Acceptance Corp. Alternative Loan Trust, Series 2007-2, Class A4, 0.60%, 06/25/37(d) | | | | | | | 15 | | | | 12,046 | |
RALI Trust, Series 2007-QH9, Class A1, 2.85%, 11/25/37(d) | | | | | | | 34 | | | | 29,707 | |
Reperforming Loan REMIC Trust, Series 2005-R3, Class AF, 0.58%, 09/25/35(b)(d) | | | | | | | 5 | | | | 4,659 | |
Seasoned Credit Risk Transfer Trust, Series 2018-1, Class BX, 1.59%, 05/25/57(d) | | | | | | | 19 | | | | 8,711 | |
Structured Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loan Trust, Series 2006-3, Class 4A, 3.69%, 04/25/36(d) | | | | | | | 64 | | | | 48,438 | |
Structured Asset Mortgage Investments II Trust(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2006-AR4, Class 3A1, 0.37%, 06/25/36 | | | | | | | 77 | | | | 66,791 | |
Series 2006-AR5, Class 2A1, 0.39%, 05/25/46 | | | | | | | 56 | | | | 46,818 | |
Washington Mutual Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates WMALT Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2006-4, Class 1A1, 6.00%, 04/25/36 | | | | | | | 84 | | | | 82,636 | |
Series 2006-4, Class 3A1, 6.50%, 05/25/36(e) | | | | | | | 39 | | | | 36,186 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 5,977,587 | |
|
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities — 1.7% | |
245 Park Avenue Trust, Series 2017-245P, Class E, 3.78%, 06/05/37(b)(d) | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 187,329 | |
280 Park Avenue Mortgage Trust(b)(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2017-280P, Class D, 1.72%, 09/15/34 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 96,546 | |
Series 2017-280P, Class E, 2.30%, 09/15/34 | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 141,771 | |
AOA Mortgage Trust, Series 2015-1177, Class C, 3.11%, 12/13/29(b)(d) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 100,240 | |
Ashford Hospitality Trust, Series 2018-ASHF, Class D, 2.28%, 04/15/35(b)(d) | | | | | | | 19 | | | | 16,572 | |
BAMLL Commercial Mortgage Securities Trust(b)(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2015-200P, Class F, 3.72%, 04/14/33 | | | | | | | 300 | | | | 289,079 | |
Series 2016-ISQ, Class E, 3.73%, 08/14/34 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 173,162 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 27 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (continued) | |
Series 2017-SCH, Class CL, 1.68%, 11/15/32 | | | USD | | | | 100 | | | $ | 85,140 | |
Series 2017-SCH, Class DL, 2.18%, 11/15/32 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 81,271 | |
Series 2018-DSNY, Class D, 1.88%, 09/15/34 | | | | | | | 650 | | | | 574,857 | |
Bancorp Commercial Mortgage Trust (The), Series 2018-CR3, Class A, 1.03%, 01/15/33(b)(d) | | | | | | | 8 | | | | 8,016 | |
Bayview Commercial Asset Trust(b)(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2005-4A, Class A1, 0.48%, 01/25/36 | | | | | | | 43 | | | | 39,981 | |
Series 2005-4A, Class M1, 0.63%, 01/25/36 | | | | | | | 31 | | | | 28,652 | |
Series 2006-1A, Class A2, 0.54%, 04/25/36 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | 9,084 | |
Series 2006-3A, Class A1, 0.43%, 10/25/36 | | | | | | | 18 | | | | 16,000 | |
Series 2006-3A, Class A2, 0.48%, 10/25/36 | | | | | | | 15 | | | | 13,167 | |
Series 2007-2A, Class A1, 0.45%, 07/25/37 | | | | | | | 29 | | | | 25,978 | |
Series 2007-4A, Class A1, 0.63%, 09/25/37 | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 134,252 | |
BBCMS Mortgage Trust, Series 2018-TALL, Class A, 0.91%, 03/15/37(b)(d) | | | | | | | 35 | | | | 33,275 | |
BBCMS Trust, Series 2015-SRCH, Class A1, 3.31%, 08/10/35(b) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 104,658 | |
Bear Stearns Commercial Mortgage Securities Trust, Series 2007-T26, Class AM, 5.51%, 01/12/45(d) | | | | | | | 29 | | | | 26,407 | |
Benchmark Mortgage Trust, Series 2019-B10, Class 3CCA, 4.03%, 03/15/62(b)(d) | | | | | | | 148 | | | | 148,638 | |
BHMS, Series 2018-ATLS, Class A, 1.43%, 07/15/35(b)(d) | | | | | | | 140 | | | | 132,640 | |
BWAY Mortgage Trust(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2013-1515, Class A2, 3.45%, 03/10/33 | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 160,685 | |
Series 2013-1515, Class C, 3.45%, 03/10/33 | | | | | | | 105 | | | | 105,920 | |
BX Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2018- IND, Class H, 3.18%, 11/15/35(b)(d) | | | | | | | 371 | | | | 359,923 | |
BXP Trust(b)(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2017-CC, Class D, 3.67%, 08/13/37 | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 56,839 | |
Series 2017-CC, Class E, 3.67%, 08/13/37 | | | | | | | 110 | | | | 81,230 | |
Series 2017-GM, Class D, 3.54%, 06/13/39 | | | | | | | 200 | | | | 207,109 | |
Series 2017-GM, Class E, 3.54%, 06/13/39 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 46,419 | |
CAMB Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2019-LIFE, Class D, 1.93%, 12/15/37(b)(d) | | | | | | | 218 | | | | 210,355 | |
CD Mortgage Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2006-CD3, Class AM, 5.65%, 10/15/48 | | | | | | | 18 | | | | 18,743 | |
Series 2017-CD3, Class A4, 3.63%, 02/10/50 | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 33,416 | |
CFCRE Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2016-C3, Class A3, 3.87%, 01/10/48 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | 11,153 | |
CFK Trust, Series 2019-FAX, Class D, 4.64%, 01/15/39(b)(d) | | | | | | | 126 | | | | 129,389 | |
CGDBB Commercial Mortgage Trust(b)(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2017-BIOC, Class D, 1.78%, 07/15/32 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 99,073 | |
Series 2017-BIOC, Class E, 2.33%, 07/15/32 | | | | | | | 247 | | | | 240,710 | |
Citigroup Commercial Mortgage Trust(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2016-GC37, Class C, 5.08%, 04/10/49 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 18,592 | |
Series 2016-P3, Class C, 5.05%, 04/15/49 | | | | | | | 10 | | | | 9,239 | |
Commercial Mortgage Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2005-C6, Class F, 5.92%, 06/10/44(b)(d) | | | | | | | 71 | | | | 70,794 | |
Series 2014-CR14, Class A4, 4.24%, 02/10/47(d) | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 32,563 | |
Series 2014-CR19, Class A5, 3.80%, 08/10/47 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 54,448 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (continued) | |
Series 2014-LC15, Class A4, 4.01%, 04/10/47 | | | USD | | | | 50 | | | $ | 54,255 | |
Series 2014-UBS4, Class C, 4.80%, 08/10/47(d) | | | | | | | 30 | | | | 28,091 | |
Series 2015-CR25, Class A4, 3.76%, 08/10/48 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 109,693 | |
Series 2015-LC21, Class C, 4.48%, 07/10/48(d) | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 136,655 | |
Series 2016-667M, Class D, 3.28%, 10/10/36(b)(d) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 93,842 | |
CSAIL Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2015-C2, Class A4, 3.50%, 06/15/57 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 54,047 | |
CSMC Trust(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2017-PFHP, Class A, 1.13%, 12/15/30(d) | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 56,708 | |
Series 2017-TIME, Class A, 3.65%, 11/13/39 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 96,381 | |
DBGS Mortgage Trust, Series 2019-1735, Class F, 4.33%, 04/10/37(b)(d) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 71,791 | |
DBUBS Mortgage Trust(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2017-BRBK, Class A, 3.45%, 10/10/34 | | | | | | | 140 | | | | 150,129 | |
Series 2017-BRBK, Class E, 3.65%, 10/10/34(d) | | | | | | | 310 | | | | 304,650 | |
Series 2017-BRBK, Class F, 3.65%, 10/10/34(d) | | | | | | | 80 | | | | 77,106 | |
Eleven Madison Trust Mortgage Trust, Series 2015-11MD, Class A, 3.67%, 09/10/35(b)(d) . | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 108,200 | |
Exantas Capital Corp. Ltd.(b)(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2018-RSO6, Class A, 1.02%, 06/15/35 | | | | | | | 9 | | | | 9,214 | |
Series 2019-RSO7, Class AS, 1.69%, 04/15/36 | | | | | | | 160 | | | | 154,546 | |
GPMT Ltd., Series 2018-FL1, Class A, 1.09%, 11/21/35(b)(d) | | | | | | | 26 | | | | 25,823 | |
GRACE Mortgage Trust, Series 2014-GRCE, Class F, 3.71%, 06/10/28(b)(d) | | | | | | | 330 | | | | 318,055 | |
GS Mortgage Securities Corp. II, Series 2005- ROCK, Class A, 5.37%, 05/03/32(b) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 113,645 | |
GS Mortgage Securities Corp. Trust(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2017-500K, Class D, 1.55%, 07/15/32(d) | | | | | | | 10 | | | | 9,775 | |
Series 2017-500K, Class E, 1.75%, 07/15/32(d) | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 19,424 | |
Series 2017-500K, Class F, 2.15%, 07/15/32(d) | | | | | | | 110 | | | | 106,420 | |
Series 2017-GPTX, Class A, 2.86%, 05/10/34 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 98,484 | |
GS Mortgage Securities Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2015-GC32, Class C, 4.57%, 07/10/48(d) | | | | | | | 10 | | | | 9,122 | |
Series 2017-GS7, Class D, 3.00%, 08/10/50(b) | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 14,485 | |
HMH Trust, Series 2017-NSS, Class A, 3.06%, 07/05/31(b) | | | | | | | 110 | | | | 105,661 | |
IMT Trust(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2017-APTS, Class AFX, 3.48%, 06/15/34 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 105,844 | |
Series 2017-APTS, Class EFX, 3.61%, 06/15/34(d) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 87,576 | |
JPMBB Commercial Mortgage Securities Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2014-C21, Class A5, 3.77%, 08/15/47 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 54,212 | |
Series 2015-C33, Class D1, 4.27%, 12/15/48(b)(d) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 75,108 | |
JPMCC Commercial Mortgage Securities Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2017-JP5, Class D, 4.78%, 03/15/50(b)(c)(d) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 69,290 | |
| | |
28 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (continued) | |
Series 2017-JP7, Class B, 4.05%, 09/15/50 | | | USD | | | | 10 | | | $ | 10,105 | |
JPMorgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2012-CBX, Class A4FL, 1.49%, 06/15/45(b)(d) | | | | | | | 94 | | | | 94,097 | |
Series 2014-C20, Class A5, 3.80%, 07/15/47 | | | | | | | 70 | | | | 75,578 | |
Series 2015-JP1, Class D, 4.39%, 01/15/49(d) | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 37,642 | |
Series 2015-UES, Class D, 3.74%, 09/05/32(b)(d) | | | | | | | 130 | | | | 128,679 | |
Series 2015-UES, Class E, 3.74%, 09/05/32(b)(d) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 98,477 | |
Lehman Brothers Small Balance Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2007-1A, Class 1A, 0.43%, 03/25/37(b)(d) | | | | | | | 29 | | | | 26,843 | |
LSTAR Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2015-3, Class AS, 3.36%, 04/20/48(b)(d) | | | | | | | 69 | | | | 69,756 | |
Morgan Stanley Bank of America Merrill Lynch Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2014-C16, Class A5, 3.89%, 06/15/47 | | | | | | | 140 | | | | 150,763 | |
Series 2015-C26, Class D, 3.06%, 10/15/48(b)(c) | | | | | | | 26 | | | | 19,313 | |
Morgan Stanley Capital I Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2007-T27, Class AJ, 6.21%, 06/11/42(d) | | | | | | | 62 | | | | 62,464 | |
Series 2015-MS1, Class D, 4.17%, 05/15/48(b)(d) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 76,316 | |
Series 2017-CLS, Class F, 2.78%, 11/15/34(b)(d) | | | | | | | 211 | | | | 204,411 | |
Series 2017-H1, Class D, 2.55%, 06/15/50(b) | | | | | | | 140 | | | | 90,867 | |
Series 2019-AGLN, Class D, 1.93%, 03/15/34(b)(d) | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 129,167 | |
Series 2019-AGLN, Class F, 2.78%, 03/15/34(b)(d) | | | | | | | 150 | | | | 118,059 | |
Natixis Commercial Mortgage Securities Trust, Series 2018-FL1, Class MCR1, 2.53%, 06/15/35(b)(d) | | | | | | | 85 | | | | 79,316 | |
Olympic Tower Mortgage Trust, Series 2017- OT, Class E, 4.08%, 05/10/39(b)(d) | | | | | | | 190 | | | | 162,902 | |
PFP Ltd.(b)(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2019-5, Class A, 1.17%, 04/14/36 | | | | | | | 63 | | | | 60,783 | |
Series 2019-5, Class AS, 1.62%, 04/14/36 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | 38,520 | |
Prima Capital CRE Securitization Ltd., Series 2015-4A, Class C, 4.00%, 08/24/49(b)(c) | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 102,360 | |
USDC, Series 2018-USDC, Class E, 4.64%, 05/13/38(b)(d) | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 41,718 | |
Velocity Commercial Capital Loan Trust(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2016-2, Class M4, 7.23%, 10/25/46 | | | | | | | 100 | | | | 101,070 | |
Series 2017-2, Class M3, 4.24%, 11/25/47(b) | | | | | | | 135 | | | | 121,888 | |
Series 2017-2, Class M4, 5.00%, 11/25/47(b) | | | | | | | 68 | | | | 56,959 | |
Wells Fargo Commercial Mortgage Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2015-C27, Class C, 3.89%, 02/15/48 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 17,765 | |
Series 2015-C31, Class A4, 3.70%, 11/15/48 | | | | | | | 50 | | | | 54,221 | |
Series 2015-NXS2, Class A5, 3.77%, 07/15/58(d) | | | | | | | 110 | | | | 118,891 | |
Series 2015-NXS4, Class A4, 3.72%, 12/15/48 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 22,131 | |
Series 2015-P2, Class A4, 3.81%, 12/15/48 | | | | | | | 70 | | | | 78,004 | |
Series 2015-P2, Class D, 3.24%, 12/15/48(b) | | | | | | | 78 | | | | 55,315 | |
Series 2017-C39, Class D, 4.50%, 09/15/50(b)(d) | | | | | | | 83 | | | | 58,344 | |
Series 2017-C41, Class D, 2.60%, 11/15/50(b)(d) | | | | | | | 60 | | | | 38,460 | |
Series 2017-HSDB, Class A, 1.03%, 12/13/31(b)(d) | | | | | | | 151 | | | | 143,037 | |
Series 2018-C44, Class A5, 4.21%, 05/15/51 | | | | | | | 770 | | | | 898,431 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (continued) | |
WFRBS Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2014-C21, Class A5, 3.68%, 08/15/47 | | | USD | | | | 60 | | | $ | 64,754 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 10,838,953 | |
|
Interest Only Collateralized Mortgage Obligations — 0.0% | |
Banc of America Funding Trust, Series 2014- R2, Class 1C, 0.00%, 11/26/36(b)(d) | | | | | | | 141 | | | | 30,790 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Interest Only Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities — 0.2%(d) | |
BAMLL Commercial Mortgage Securities Trust, Series 2016-SS1, Class XA, 0.70%, 12/15/35(b) | | | | | | | 15,000 | | | | 431,550 | |
Banc of America Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2017-BNK3, Class XB, 0.78%, 02/15/50 | | | | | | | 1,000 | | | | 36,960 | |
BBCMS Trust, Series 2015-SRCH, Class XA, 1.12%, 08/10/35(b) | | | | | | | 1,030 | | | | 54,075 | |
BB-UBS Trust, Series 2012-SHOW, Class XA, 0.73%, 11/05/36(b) | | | | | | | 3,475 | | | | 85,658 | |
Benchmark Mortgage Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2018-B8, Class XA, 0.83%, 01/15/52 | | | | | | | 4,986 | | | | 224,779 | |
Series 2019-B9, Class XA, 1.21%, 03/15/52 | | | | | | | 1,046 | | | | 73,323 | |
CFCRE Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2016-C4, Class XB, 0.89%, 05/10/58 | | | | | | | 170 | | | | 6,696 | |
Commercial Mortgage Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2015-3BP, Class XA, 0.17%, 02/10/35(b) | | | | | | | 1,916 | | | | 8,335 | |
Series 2015-CR25, Class XA, 0.99%, 08/10/48 | | | | | | | 196 | | | | 6,678 | |
CSAIL Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2017-CX10, Class XB, 0.22%, 11/15/50 | | | | | | | 1,430 | | | | 20,789 | |
JPMBB Commercial Mortgage Securities Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2014-C22, Class XA, 0.99%, 09/15/47 | | | | | | | 1,149 | | | | 32,721 | |
Series 2014-C23, Class XA, 0.78%, 09/15/47 | | | | | | | 1,190 | | | | 25,077 | |
JPMDB Commercial Mortgage Securities Trust, Series 2016-C4, Class XC, 0.75%, 12/15/49(b) | | | | | | | 1,800 | | | | 70,760 | |
JPMorgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Trust, Series 2016-JP3, Class XC, 0.75%, 08/15/49(b) | | | | | | | 900 | | | | 34,710 | |
Morgan Stanley Bank of America Merrill Lynch Trust(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2014-C19, Class XF, 1.35%, 12/15/47 | | | | | | | 130 | | | | 6,027 | |
Series 2015-C26, Class XD, 1.49%, 10/15/48 | | | | | | | 120 | | | | 7,749 | |
Morgan Stanley Capital I Trust: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2016-UBS9, Class XD, 1.76%, 03/15/49(b) | | | | | | | 1,000 | | | | 81,480 | |
Series 2017-H1, Class XD, 2.36%, 06/15/50(b) | | | | | | | 110 | | | | 13,443 | |
Series 2019-L2, Class XA, 1.19%, 03/15/52 | | | | | | | 385 | | | | 27,068 | |
One Market Plaza Trust(b): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2017-1MKT, Class XCP, 0.22%, 02/10/32 | | | | | | | 1,880 | | | | 4,531 | |
Series 2017-1MKT, Class XNCP, 0.00%, 02/10/32(c) | | | | | | | 376 | | | | 4 | |
Wells Fargo Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2016-BNK1, Class XD, 1.40%, 08/15/49(b) | | | | | | | 1,000 | | | | 63,990 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1,316,403 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 29 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
| | |
Principal Only Collateralized Mortgage Obligations — 0.0% | | | | | | | |
Seasoned Credit Risk Transfer Trust, Series 2017-3, Class B, 0.00%, 07/25/56(b)(i) | | | USD | | | | 116 | | | $ | 12,195 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | |
Total Non-Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities — 2.8% (Cost: $18,864,464) | | | | | | | | 18,175,928 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | |
| | Beneficial Interest (000) | | | | |
| | | |
Other Interests — 0.0%(n) | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Capital Markets — 0.0%(c)(g)(h) | | | | | | | | | |
Lehman Brothers Holdings Capital Trust VII | | | | | | | 185 | | | | — | |
Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc. | | | | | | | 1,025 | | | | — | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Total Other Interests — 0.0% | | | | | | | | | | | — | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
| | | | | Par (000) | | | | |
| | | |
Capital Trusts — 0.2% | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Capital Markets — 0.1%(f)(j) | | | | | | | | | |
Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (The), Series F, 4.62% | | | | | | | 310 | | | | 305,164 | |
State Street Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series F, 5.25% | | | | | | | 205 | | | | 195,683 | |
Series H, 5.63% | | | | | | | 335 | | | | 324,112 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 824,959 | |
| | | |
Entertainment — 0.1% | | | | | | | | | |
NBCUniversal Enterprise, Inc., 5.25%(b)(f) | | | | | | | 620 | | | | 621,550 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | |
Total Capital Trusts — 0.2% (Cost: $1,475,154) | | | | | | | | 1,446,509 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
U.S. Government Sponsored Agency Securities — 42.5% | |
| | |
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations — 0.0% | | | | | | | |
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. Structured Agency Credit Risk Debt Notes Variable Rate Notes, Series 2017-DNA3, Class B1, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 4.45%), 4.63%, 03/25/30(a) | | | | | | | 250 | | | | 247,679 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities — 0.1% | |
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. Multifamily Structured Pass-Through Certificates Variable Rate Notes, Series KL4F, Class A2AS, 3.68%, 10/25/25(d) | | | | | | | 71 | | | | 81,107 | |
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. Variable Rate Notes(d): | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2017-K64, Class B, 4.12%, 05/25/50(b)(c) | | | | | | | 20 | | | | 21,848 | |
Series 2018-K732, Class B, 4.19%, 05/25/25(b) | | | | | | | 80 | | | | 86,539 | |
Series 2018-SB52, Class A10F, 3.48%, 06/25/28 | | | | | | | 75 | | | | 80,215 | |
Series 2018-SB53, Class A10F, 3.66%, 06/25/28 | | | | | | | 45 | | | | 49,687 | |
Government National Mortgage Association: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2015-97, Class VA, 2.25%, 12/16/38 | | | | | | | 31 | | | | 32,233 | |
Series 2016-158, Class VA, 2.00%, 03/16/35 | | | | | | | 83 | | | | 84,660 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 436,289 | |
|
Interest Only Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities — 0.0% | |
Government National Mortgage Association Variable Rate Notes: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series 2013-63, 0.80%, 09/16/51(d) | | | | | | | 533 | | | | 22,359 | |
Series 2013-191, 0.72%, 11/16/53(d) | | | | | | | 94 | | | | 2,510 | |
Series 2015-48, 0.66%, 02/16/50(d) | | | | | | | 180 | | | | 6,713 | |
Series 2015-173, 0.82%, 09/16/55(d) | | | | | | | 187 | | | | 9,516 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Interest Only Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (continued) | |
Series 2016-26, 0.90%, 02/16/58(d) | | | USD | | | | 528 | | | $ | 28,279 | |
Series 2016-67, 1.06%, 07/16/57(d) | | | | | | | 101 | | | | 6,163 | |
Series 2016-110, 0.99%, 05/16/58(d) | | | | | | | 171 | | | | 10,602 | |
Series 2016-113, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.00%), 1.15%, 02/16/58(a) | | | | | | | 230 | | | | 17,416 | |
Series 2016-125, 0.99%, 12/16/57(d) | | | | | | | 247 | | | | 15,295 | |
Series 2016-128, 0.95%, 09/16/56(d) | | | | | | | 143 | | | | 9,402 | |
Series 2016-152, 0.87%, 08/15/58(d) | | | | | | | 482 | | | | 29,591 | |
Series 2016-162, 0.97%, 09/16/58(d) | | | | | | | 117 | | | | 8,151 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 165,997 | |
|
Mortgage-Backed Securities — 42.4% | |
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.50%, 01/01/29 - 04/01/31 | | | | | | | 533 | | | | 566,630 | |
3.00%, 09/01/27 - 12/01/46 | | | | | | | 2,763 | | | | 2,986,346 | |
3.50%, 09/01/30 - 01/01/48 | | | | | | | 3,920 | | | | 4,266,138 | |
4.00%, 08/01/40 - 02/01/47 | | | | | | | 973 | | | | 1,067,421 | |
4.50%, 02/01/39 - 04/01/49 | | | | | | | 5,793 | | | | 6,449,581 | |
5.00%, 10/01/41 - 11/01/41 | | | | | | | 141 | | | | 160,688 | |
5.50%, 02/01/35 - 06/01/41 | | | | | | | 169 | | | | 194,235 | |
Federal National Mortgage Association: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.00%, 01/01/41 | | | | | | | 22 | | | | 23,544 | |
6.00%, 07/01/39 | | | | | | | 136 | | | | 156,761 | |
Government National Mortgage Association: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.50%, 07/15/50(o) | | | | | | | 2,619 | | | | 2,756,907 | |
3.00%, 02/15/45 - 12/20/46 | | | | | | | 7,108 | | | | 7,565,122 | |
3.00%, 07/15/50(o) | | | | | | | 8,488 | | | | 8,992,440 | |
3.50%, 01/15/42 - 11/20/46 | | | | | | | 11,817 | | | | 12,668,249 | |
3.50%, 07/15/50 - 08/15/50(o) | | | | | | | 4,177 | | | | 4,406,972 | |
4.00%, 04/20/39 - 12/20/47 | | | | | | | 1,787 | | | | 1,935,220 | |
4.00%, 07/15/50(o) | | | | | | | 7,473 | | | | 7,922,164 | |
4.50%, 12/20/39 - 04/20/50 | | | | | | | 4,565 | | | | 4,908,410 | |
4.50%, 07/15/50(o) | | | | | | | 3 | | | | 3,204 | |
5.00%, 12/15/38 - 07/20/44 | | | | | | | 153 | | | | 173,973 | |
5.00%, 07/15/50(o) | | | | | | | 1,436 | | | | 1,559,631 | |
Uniform Mortgage-Backed Securities: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.00%, 10/01/31 - 03/01/32 | | | | | | | 511 | | | | 531,321 | |
2.00%, 09/25/35 - 08/25/50(o) | | | | | | | 7,686 | | | | 7,871,068 | |
2.50%, 09/01/27 - 02/01/33 | | | | | | | 2,724 | | | | 2,890,534 | |
2.50%, 07/25/35 - 08/25/50(o) | | | | | | | 71,688 | | | | 74,683,622 | |
3.00%, 04/01/28 - 05/01/50 | | | | | | | 11,289 | | | | 12,110,912 | |
3.00%, 07/25/35 - 08/25/50(o) | | | | | | | 27,197 | | | | 28,615,647 | |
3.50%, 03/01/29 - 04/01/50 | | | | | | | 10,806 | | | | 11,785,514 | |
3.50%, 07/25/35(o) | | | | | | | 673 | | | | 707,097 | |
4.00%, 08/01/31 - 03/01/50 | | | | | | | 8,510 | | | | 9,361,337 | |
4.00%, 07/25/50(o) | | | | | | | 11,480 | | | | 12,165,437 | |
4.50%, 02/01/25 - 05/01/49 | | | | | | | 19,232 | | | | 21,389,977 | |
4.50%, 07/25/50(o) | | | | | | | 18,697 | | | | 20,089,049 | |
5.00%, 02/01/35 - 06/01/45 | | | | | | | 964 | | | | 1,104,194 | |
5.00%, 07/25/50(o) | | | | | | | 1,077 | | | | 1,176,959 | |
5.50%, 02/01/35 - 03/01/40 | | | | | | | 497 | | | | 567,532 | |
5.50%, 07/25/50(o) | | | | | | | 987 | | | | 1,086,025 | |
6.00%, 04/01/35 - 06/01/41 | | | | | | | 278 | | | | 323,905 | |
6.00%, 07/25/50(o) | | | | | | | 172 | | | | 191,460 | |
6.50%, 05/01/40 | | | | | | | 112 | | | | 129,274 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 275,544,500 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
Total U.S. Government Sponsored Agency Securities — 42.5% (Cost: $271,079,787) | | | | 276,394,465 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
U.S. Treasury Obligations — 8.9% | |
U.S. Treasury Bonds: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
4.25%, 05/15/39 | | | | | | | 97 | | | | 149,869 | |
4.50%, 08/15/39 | | | | | | | 146 | | | | 232,534 | |
4.38%, 11/15/39 | | | | | | | 146 | | | | 229,574 | |
3.13%, 02/15/43 | | | | | | | 528 | | | | 715,894 | |
| | |
30 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
U.S. Treasury Obligations (continued) | |
2.88%, 05/15/43 - 05/15/49 | | | USD | | | | 1,138 | | | $ | 1,503,386 | |
3.63%, 08/15/43 | | | | | | | 528 | | | | 771,210 | |
3.75%, 11/15/43 | | | | | | | 528 | | | | 785,792 | |
3.00%, 02/15/48 | | | | | | | 423 | | | | 579,064 | |
2.25%, 08/15/49 | | | | | | | 1,937 | | | | 2,329,469 | |
2.38%, 11/15/49 | | | | | | | 2,431 | | | | 3,002,665 | |
2.00%, 02/15/50 | | | | | | | 73 | | | | 83,602 | |
U.S. Treasury Inflation Linked Notes: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
0.50%, 04/15/24 | | | | | | | 9,990 | | | | 10,498,956 | |
0.13%, 10/15/24 - 04/15/25 | | | | | | | 10,632 | | | | 11,136,120 | |
0.25%, 01/15/25 | | | | | | | 2,104 | | | | 2,213,711 | |
U.S. Treasury Notes: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2.00%, 07/31/20 - 02/15/25 | | | | | | | 3,324 | | | | 3,429,414 | |
2.50%, 12/31/20 | | | | | | | 1,535 | | | | 1,552,509 | |
1.13%, 07/31/21 | | | | | | | 2,304 | | | | 2,327,760 | |
1.75%, 07/31/21 - 07/31/24 | | | | | | | 5,176 | | | | 5,376,629 | |
1.50%, 01/31/22 - 08/15/26 | | | | | | | 3,520 | | | | 3,659,380 | |
2.13%, 12/31/22 - 05/15/25 | | | | | | | 3,182 | | | | 3,411,199 | |
2.75%, 05/31/23 | | | | | | | 1,029 | | | | 1,105,853 | |
2.25%, 08/15/27 | | | | | | | 1,029 | | | | 1,155,736 | |
2.88%, 08/15/28 | | | | | | | 309 | | | | 365,948 | |
3.13%, 11/15/28 | | | | | | | 309 | | | | 373,588 | |
1.63%, 08/15/29 | | | | | | | 775 | | | | 845,628 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
Total U.S. Treasury Obligations — 8.9% (Cost: $54,023,138) | | | | 57,835,490 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Long-Term Investments — 111.4% (Cost: $706,339,127) | | | | 724,834,383 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Security | | | | | Shares | | | Value | |
|
Short-Term Securities — 12.4%(p) | |
BlackRock Liquidity Funds, T-Fund, Institutional Class, 0.11%* | | | | | | | 80,730,410 | | | $ | 80,730,410 | |
JPMorgan U.S. Treasury Plus Money Market Fund, Agency Class, 0.05% | | | | | | | 12,832 | | | | 12,832 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Short-Term Securities — 12.4% (Cost: $80,743,242) | | | | 80,743,242 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Options Purchased — 0.0% (Cost: $213,938) | | | | 246,560 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Investments Before Options Written and TBA Sale Commitments — 123.8% (Cost: $787,296,307) | | | | 805,824,185 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Options Written — (0.0)% (Premium Received — $71,063) | | | | (113,879 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
| | | | | Par (000) | | | | |
|
TBA Sale Commitments — (9.3)%(o) | |
|
Mortgage-Backed Securities — (9.3)% | |
Government National Mortgage Association: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.50%, 07/15/50 | | | | | | | 1,772 | | | | (1,870,229 | ) |
4.50%, 07/15/50 | | | | | | | 240 | | | | (259,027 | ) |
Uniform Mortgage-Backed Securities: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
3.00%, 07/25/35 - 07/25/50 | | | | | | | 6,708 | | | | (7,064,690 | ) |
3.50%, 07/25/35 - 08/25/50 | | | | | | | 17,474 | | | | (18,375,830 | ) |
4.00%, 07/25/35 | | | | | | | 336 | | | | (355,406 | ) |
2.50%, 08/25/35 - 08/25/50 | | | | | | | 28,551 | | | | (29,767,261 | ) |
2.00%, 07/25/50 | | | | | | | 3,105 | | | | (3,177,531 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
Total TBA Sale Commitments — (9.3)% (Proceeds: $60,737,854) | | | | (60,869,974 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Investments Net of Options Written and TBA Sale Commitments — 114.5% (Cost: $726,487,390) | | | | 744,840,332 | |
| |
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (14.5)% | | | | (94,206,874 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
Net Assets — 100.0% | | | $ | 650,633,458 | |
| | | | | |
(a) | Variable rate security. Security may be issued at a fixed coupon rate, which converts to a variable rate at a specified date. Rate shown is the rate in effect as of period end. |
(b) | Security exempt from registration pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. These securities may be resold in transactions exempt from registration to qualified institutional investors. |
(c) | Security is valued using significant unobservable inputs and is classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy. |
(d) | Variable or floating rate security, which interest rate adjusts periodically based on changes in current interest rates and prepayments on the underlying pool of assets. Rate shown is the rate in effect as of period end. |
(e) | Step-up bond that pays an initial coupon rate for the first period and then a higher coupon rate for the following periods. Rate as of period end. |
(f) | Perpetual security with no stated maturity date. |
(g) | Issuer filed for bankruptcy and/or is in default. |
(h) | Non-income producing security. |
(j) | Variable rate security. Rate shown is the rate in effect as of period end. |
(k) | Variable rate security. Rate as of period end and maturity is the date the principal owed can be recovered through demand. |
(l) | U.S. Government securities, held in escrow, are used to pay interest on this security, as well as to retire the bond in full at the date indicated, typically at a premium to par. |
(m) | When-issued security. |
(n) | Other interests represent beneficial interests in liquidation trusts and other reorganization or private entities. |
(o) | Represents or includes a TBA transaction. |
(p) | Annualized 7-day yield as of period end. |
* | Investments in issuers considered to be an affiliate/affiliates of the Fund during the six months ended June 30, 2020 for purposes of Section 2(a)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, were as follows: |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 31 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Affiliated Issuer | | Shares Held at 12/31/19 | | | Shares Purchased | | | Shares Sold | | | Shares Held at 06/30/20 | | | Value at 06/30/20 | | | Income | | | Net Realized Gain (Loss) (a) | | | Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
BlackRock Liquidity Funds, T-Fund, Institutional Class(b) | | | 4,269,478 | | | | 76,460,932 | | | | — | | | | 80,730,410 | | | $ | 80,730,410 | | | $ | 103,748 | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | |
BlackRock Allocation Target Shares-BATS Series A | | | 2,726,552 | | | | 1,490,052 | | | | — | | | | 4,216,604 | | | | 41,027,557 | | | | 647,426 | | | | — | | | | (1,184,294 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | 121,757,967 | | | $ | 751,174 | | | $ | — | | | $ | (1,184,294 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(a) | | Includes net capital gain distributions, if applicable. |
(b) | | Represents net shares purchased (sold). |
For Fund compliance purposes, the Fund’s industry classifications refer to one or more of the industry sub-classifications used by one or more widely recognized market indexes or rating group indexes, and/or as defined by the investment adviser. These definitions may not apply for purposes of this report, which may combine such industry sub-classifications for reporting ease.
| | |
32 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund |
Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End
Futures Contracts
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Description | | Number of Contracts | | | Expiration Date | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value/ Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
Long Contracts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Euro-BTP | | | 49 | | | | 09/08/20 | | | $ | 7,921 | | | $ | 128,484 | |
U.S. Treasury 10 Year Ultra Note | | | 10 | | | | 09/21/20 | | | | 1,575 | | | | 12,028 | |
U.S. Treasury Long Bond | | | 49 | | | | 09/21/20 | | | | 8,750 | | | | 69,690 | |
U.S. Treasury Ultra Bond | | | 155 | | | | 09/21/20 | | | | 33,814 | | | | 194,800 | |
U.S. Treasury 2 Year Note | | | 199 | | | | 09/30/20 | | | | 43,945 | | | | 9,151 | |
U.S. Treasury 5 Year Note | | | 161 | | | | 09/30/20 | | | | 20,244 | | | | 21,136 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 435,289 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Short Contracts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Euro-Bund | | | 35 | | | | 09/08/20 | | | | 6,941 | | | | (85,037 | ) |
Euro-Buxl | | | 15 | | | | 09/08/20 | | | | 3,707 | | | | (109,850 | ) |
Canada 10 Year Bond | | | 35 | | | | 09/21/20 | | | | 3,966 | | | | 2,006 | |
U.S. Treasury 10 Year Note | | | 129 | | | | 09/21/20 | | | | 17,953 | | | | (48,381 | ) |
Long Gilt | | | 20 | | | | 09/28/20 | | | | 3,411 | | | | (18,048 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | (259,310 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | 175,979 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Currency Purchased | | | Currency Sold | | | Counterparty | | Settlement Date | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
KRW | | | 195,335,400 | | | USD | | | 158,000 | | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 07/02/20 | | | $ | 4,394 | |
USD | | | 215,000 | | | BRL | | | 1,142,639 | | | Bank of America NA | | | 07/02/20 | | | | 4,883 | |
USD | | | 126,000 | | | BRL | | | 675,280 | | | BNP Paribas SA | | | 07/02/20 | | | | 1,824 | |
USD | | | 413,700 | | | BRL | | | 2,058,291 | | | Citibank NA | | | 07/02/20 | | | | 35,205 | |
USD | | | 159,000 | | | BRL | | | 791,820 | | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 07/02/20 | | | | 13,394 | |
USD | | | 80,000 | | | BRL | | | 425,022 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/02/20 | | | | 1,844 | |
AUD | | | 140,000 | | | USD | | | 96,243 | | | Standard Chartered Bank | | | 07/06/20 | | | | 373 | |
EUR | | | 4,345,000 | | | USD | | | 4,878,955 | | | State Street Bank and Trust Co. | | | 07/06/20 | | | | 3,050 | |
USD | | | 200,806 | | | EUR | | | 178,000 | | | Bank of America NA | | | 07/06/20 | | | | 807 | |
USD | | | 119,707 | | | EUR | | | 105,000 | | | BNP Paribas SA | | | 07/06/20 | | | | 1,730 | |
USD | | | 483,739 | | | MXN | | | 10,973,000 | | | Citibank NA | | | 07/06/20 | | | | 6,571 | |
AUD | | | 268,000 | | | USD | | | 184,237 | | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 07/15/20 | | | | 725 | |
USD | | | 126,000 | | | CLP | | | 100,044,000 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | 4,164 | |
USD | | | 194,000 | | | COP | | | 724,493,000 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | 1,436 | |
USD | | | 125,798 | | | IDR | | | 1,814,000,000 | | | Goldman Sachs International | | | 07/15/20 | | | | 1,083 | |
USD | | | 129,000 | | | MXN | | | 2,956,391 | | | HSBC Bank plc | | | 07/15/20 | | | | 602 | |
USD | | | 345,000 | | | RUB | | | 24,116,535 | | | BNP Paribas SA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | 6,710 | |
USD | | | 33,000 | | | RUB | | | 2,305,380 | | | Citibank NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | 662 | |
USD | | | 462,000 | | | ZAR | | | 7,987,612 | | | Bank of America NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | 2,375 | |
USD | | | 2,254,335 | | | ZAR | | | 38,757,204 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | 24,160 | |
CLP | | | 108,537,000 | | | USD | | | 132,000 | | | Bank of America NA | | | 07/20/20 | | | | 190 | |
USD | | | 152,235 | | | COP | | | 570,043,000 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/27/20 | | | | 884 | |
USD | | | 159,000 | | | BRL | | | 863,307 | | | Citibank NA | | | 08/04/20 | | | | 523 | |
USD | | | 270,000 | | | COP | | | 976,714,800 | | | Citibank NA | | | 08/10/20 | | | | 10,994 | |
USD | | | 261,203 | | | COP | | | 957,921,925 | | | Barclays Bank plc | | | 09/16/20 | | | | 7,936 | |
USD | | | 414,871 | | | EUR | | | 366,148 | | | Natwest Markets plc | | | 09/16/20 | | | | 2,797 | |
USD | | | 476,876 | | | IDR | | | 6,819,321,551 | | | Barclays Bank plc | | | 09/16/20 | | | | 14,294 | |
USD | | | 63,519 | | | RUB | | | 4,518,000 | | | Barclays Bank plc | | | 09/16/20 | | | | 594 | |
USD | | | 67,047 | | | RUB | | | 4,752,295 | | | Credit Suisse International | | | 09/16/20 | | | | 859 | |
USD | | | 100,084 | | | RUB | | | 7,118,291 | | | HSBC Bank plc | | | 09/16/20 | | | | 943 | |
USD | | | 1,807,860 | | | RUB | | | 125,962,877 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 09/16/20 | | | | 53,499 | |
USD | | | 70,044 | | | RUB | | | 4,974,670 | | | Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc | | | 09/16/20 | | | | 758 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 33 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund |
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts (continued)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Currency Purchased | | | Currency Sold | | | Counterparty | | Settlement Date | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
USD | | | 171,852 | | | MXN | | | 3,767,485 | | | Barclays Bank plc | | | 09/23/20 | | | $ | 9,752 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 220,015 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
BRL | | | 416,422 | | | USD | | | 77,700 | | | BNP Paribas SA | | | 07/02/20 | | | | (1,125 | ) |
BRL | | | 1,875,316 | | | USD | | | 348,000 | | | Citibank NA | | | 07/02/20 | | | | (3,153 | ) |
BRL | | | 1,312,233 | | | USD | | | 252,000 | | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 07/02/20 | | | | (10,697 | ) |
BRL | | | 1,680,553 | | | USD | | | 316,000 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/02/20 | | | | (6,967 | ) |
USD | | | 158,000 | | | KRW | | | 192,159,600 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/02/20 | | | | (1,754 | ) |
USD | | | 92,885 | | | AUD | | | 140,000 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/06/20 | | | | (3,731 | ) |
USD | | | 536,588 | | | CAD | | | 732,000 | | | Citibank NA | | | 07/06/20 | | | | (2,606 | ) |
USD | | | 168,770 | | | EUR | | | 153,000 | | | ANZ Banking Group Ltd. | | | 07/06/20 | | | | (3,140 | ) |
USD | | | 1,130,275 | | | EUR | | | 1,007,000 | | | HSBC Bank plc | | | 07/06/20 | | | | (1,182 | ) |
USD | | | 49,864 | | | EUR | | | 44,528 | | | Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc | | | 07/06/20 | | | | (168 | ) |
USD | | | 41,220 | | | EUR | | | 37,000 | | | State Street Bank and Trust Co. | | | 07/06/20 | | | | (353 | ) |
USD | | | 410,408 | | | EUR | | | 370,000 | | | Toronto Dominion Bank | | | 07/06/20 | | | | (5,320 | ) |
USD | | | 2,727,078 | | | EUR | | | 2,450,000 | | | UBS AG | | | 07/06/20 | | | | (25,721 | ) |
USD | | | 194,000 | | | KRW | | | 233,548,840 | | | BNP Paribas SA | | | 07/06/20 | | | | (446 | ) |
CLP | | | 145,152,000 | | | USD | | | 189,000 | | | Citibank NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | (12,230 | ) |
CLP | | | 209,818,500 | | | USD | | | 258,000 | | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 07/15/20 | | | | (2,478 | ) |
COP | | | 482,460,000 | | | USD | | | 129,000 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | (766 | ) |
EUR | | | 456,000 | | | USD | | | 514,110 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | (1,646 | ) |
JPY | | | 30,575,286 | | | AUD | | | 415,000 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | (3,200 | ) |
JPY | | | 17,052,180 | | | USD | | | 159,000 | | | Citibank NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | (1,048 | ) |
MXN | | | 749,084 | | | USD | | | 33,000 | | | Barclays Bank plc | | | 07/15/20 | | | | (467 | ) |
MXN | | | 5,864,657 | | | USD | | | 258,500 | | | Citibank NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | (3,794 | ) |
MXN | | | 2,138,401 | | | USD | | | 96,500 | | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 07/15/20 | | | | (3,628 | ) |
MXN | | | 28,873,974 | | | USD | | | 1,295,500 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | (41,486 | ) |
MXN | | | 10,219,359 | | | USD | | | 459,000 | | | Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc | | | 07/15/20 | | | | (15,167 | ) |
RUB | | | 100,225,147 | | | USD | | | 1,437,000 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | (31,111 | ) |
USD | | | 1,100,498 | | | IDR | | | 16,081,032,612 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | (5,090 | ) |
USD | | | 152,000 | | | KRW | | | 184,086,470 | | | BNP Paribas SA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | (1,450 | ) |
USD | | | 40,000 | | | KRW | | | 48,464,000 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | (398 | ) |
USD | | | 62,000 | | | MXN | | | 1,429,288 | | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 07/15/20 | | | | (75 | ) |
ZAR | | | 4,373,720 | | | USD | | | 258,000 | | | Citibank NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | (6,326 | ) |
USD | | | 478,000 | | | TRY | | | 3,308,955 | | | Citibank NA | | | 07/17/20 | | | | (3,126 | ) |
USD | | | 132,000 | | | CLP | | | 108,537,000 | | | Citibank NA | | | 07/20/20 | | | | (190 | ) |
KZT | | | 9,731,250 | | | USD | | | 25,000 | | | Goldman Sachs International | | | 07/24/20 | | | | (1,184 | ) |
KZT | | | 9,407,145 | | | USD | | | 24,090 | | | Natwest Markets plc | | | 07/24/20 | | | | (1,068 | ) |
USD | | | 99,413 | | | COP | | | 378,862,000 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/27/20 | | | | (1,178 | ) |
USD | | | 65,000 | | | BRL | | | 355,985 | | | Citibank NA | | | 08/04/20 | | | | (348 | ) |
USD | | | 96,252 | | | AUD | | | 140,000 | | | Standard Chartered Bank | | | 08/05/20 | | | | (381 | ) |
USD | | | 4,882,136 | | | EUR | | | 4,345,000 | | | State Street Bank and Trust Co. | | | 08/05/20 | | | | (3,289 | ) |
USD | | | 108,000 | | | COP | | | 409,428,000 | | | Natwest Markets plc | | | 08/10/20 | | | | (572 | ) |
USD | | | 876,683 | | | CNY | | | 6,235,000 | | | Standard Chartered Bank | | | 09/16/20 | | | | (1,397 | ) |
USD | | | 111,922 | | | EUR | | | 99,463 | | | UBS AG | | | 11/27/20 | | | | (231 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | (209,687 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
OTC Barrier Options Purchased
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Description | | Type of Option | | Counterparty | | Expiration Date | | | Exercise Price | | | Barrier Price/Range | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | |
Call | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
USD Currency | | One-Touch | | Bank of America NA | | | 09/10/20 | | | | CLP | | | | 820.00 | | | | CLP | | | | 820.00 | | | | USD | | | | 20 | | | $ | 9,346 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | |
34 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund |
OTC Barrier Options Purchased (continued)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Description | | Type of Option | | Counterparty | | Expiration Date | | | Exercise Price | | | Barrier Price/Range | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | |
Put | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
USD Currency | | Down and Out | | Goldman Sachs International | | | 07/15/20 | | | | MXN | | | | 22.25 | | | | MXN | | | | 21.30 | | | | USD | | | | 321 | | | $ | 544 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | 9,890 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
OTC Currency Options Purchased
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Description | | Counterparty | | Expiration Date | | | Exercise Price | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | |
Call | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
USD Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | CLP | | | | 830.00 | | | | USD | | | | 314 | | | $ | 2,893 | |
USD Currency | | Citibank NA | | | 07/23/20 | | | | ZAR | | | | 18.00 | | | | USD | | | | 252 | | | | 1,574 | |
USD Currency | | Citibank NA | | | 07/23/20 | | | | ZAR | | | | 17.25 | | | | USD | | | | 252 | | | | 5,278 | |
USD Currency | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 07/23/20 | | | | ZAR | | | | 19.00 | | | | USD | | | | 252 | | | | 369 | |
EUR Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 07/30/20 | | | | USD | | | | 1.13 | | | | EUR | | | | 460 | | | | 2,625 | |
USD Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 08/07/20 | | | | TRY | | | | 7.00 | | | | USD | | | | 226 | | | | 2,465 | |
USD Currency | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 11/03/20 | | | | TWD | | | | 30.00 | | | | USD | | | | 470 | | | | 1,496 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16,700 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Put | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
USD Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 07/02/20 | | | | BRL | | | | 5.00 | | | | USD | | | | 378 | | | | 3 | |
USD Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 07/02/20 | | | | KRW | | | | 1,220.00 | | | | USD | | | | 441 | | | | 7,417 | |
USD Currency | | Citibank NA | | | 07/02/20 | | | | RUB | | | | 78.00 | | | | USD | | | | 1,295 | | | | 122,729 | |
USD Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 07/09/20 | | | | KRW | | | | 1,170.00 | | | | USD | | | | 630 | | | | 133 | |
USD Currency | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/16/20 | | | | KRW | | | | 1,200.00 | | | | USD | | | | 514 | | | | 3,447 | |
USD Currency | | Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc | | | 07/20/20 | | | | BRL | | | | 5.20 | | | | USD | | | | 258 | | | | 2,420 | |
USD Currency | | Standard Chartered Bank | | | 07/21/20 | | | | JPY | | | | 106.00 | | | | USD | | | | 646 | | | | 758 | |
USD Currency | | HSBC Bank plc | | | 07/27/20 | | | | MXN | | | | 22.60 | | | | USD | | | | 388 | | | | 4,355 | |
USD Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 08/05/20 | | | | ZAR | | | | 16.90 | | | | USD | | | | 507 | | | | 4,066 | |
USD Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 08/06/20 | | | | MXN | | | | 24.00 | | | | USD | | | | 251 | | | | 12,551 | |
USD Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 10/09/20 | | | | MXN | | | | 23.80 | | | | USD | | | | 314 | | | | 15,224 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 173,103 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | 189,803 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
OTC Interest Rate Swaptions Purchased
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Paid by the Fund | | Received by the Fund | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Description | | Rate | | | Frequency | | Rate | | | Frequency | | Counterparty | | Expiration Date | | | Exercise Rate | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | |
Put | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
10-Year Interest Rate Swap(a) | | | 1.05 | % | | Semi-Annual | | | 3 month LIBOR | | | Quarterly | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 12/03/20 | | | | 1.05 | % | | USD | | | 4,210 | | | $ | 23,401 | |
10-Year Interest Rate Swap(a) | | | 1.05 | % | | Semi-Annual | | | 3 month LIBOR | | | Quarterly | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 12/16/20 | | | | 1.05 | | | USD | | | 1,570 | | | | 9,615 | |
10-Year Interest Rate Swap(a) | | | 1.00 | % | | Semi-Annual | | | 3 month LIBOR | | | Quarterly | | Bank of America NA | | | 12/17/20 | | | | 1.00 | | | USD | | | 1,927 | | | | 13,851 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | 46,867 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| (a) | Forward settling swaption. | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 35 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund |
OTC Currency Options Written
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Description | | Counterparty | | Expiration Date | | | Exercise Price | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | |
Call | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
USD Currency | | BNP Paribas SA | | | 07/02/20 | | | | BRL | | | | 5.35 | | | | USD | | | | 316 | | | $ | (6,262 | ) |
USD Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 07/02/20 | | | | KRW | | | | 1,240.00 | | | | USD | | | | 441 | | | | (1 | ) |
AUD Currency | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/09/20 | | | | JPY | | | | 71.00 | | | | AUD | | | | 194 | | | | (6,306 | ) |
USD Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 07/09/20 | | | | MXN | | | | 25.00 | | | | USD | | | | 94 | | | | (62 | ) |
USD Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | CLP | | | | 855.00 | | | | USD | | | | 314 | | | | (1,034 | ) |
USD Currency | | Citibank NA | | | 07/23/20 | | | | ZAR | | | | 19.00 | | | | USD | | | | 252 | | | | (369 | ) |
USD Currency | | Citibank NA | | | 07/23/20 | | | | ZAR | | | | 18.00 | | | | USD | | | | 505 | | | | (3,154 | ) |
USD Currency | | HSBC Bank plc | | | 07/27/20 | | | | MXN | | | | 24.00 | | | | USD | | | | 388 | | | | (3,289 | ) |
EUR Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 07/30/20 | | | | USD | | | | 1.15 | | | | EUR | | | | 460 | | | | (1,001 | ) |
USD Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 08/06/20 | | | | MXN | | | | 25.50 | | | | USD | | | | 94 | | | | (352 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | (21,830 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Put | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
USD Currency | | Citibank NA | | | 07/02/20 | | | | RUB | | | | 75.00 | | | | USD | | | | 1,295 | | | | (68,188 | ) |
USD Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 07/15/20 | | | | CLP | | | | 795.00 | | | | USD | | | | 314 | | | | (819 | ) |
USD Currency | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/16/20 | | | | KRW | | | | 1,185.00 | | | | USD | | | | 772 | | | | (1,601 | ) |
USD Currency | | Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc | | | 07/20/20 | | | | BRL | | | | 4.95 | | | | USD | | | | 386 | | | | (815 | ) |
USD Currency | | Citibank NA | | | 07/23/20 | | | | ZAR | | | | 17.00 | | | | USD | | | | 252 | | | | (1,637 | ) |
USD Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 08/06/20 | | | | MXN | | | | 23.00 | | | | USD | | | | 251 | | | | (5,318 | ) |
USD Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 08/07/20 | | | | TRY | | | | 6.60 | | | | USD | | | | 226 | | | | (242 | ) |
USD Currency | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 08/07/20 | | | | TWD | | | | 29.25 | | | | USD | | | | 251 | | | | (1,542 | ) |
USD Currency | | Bank of America NA | | | 10/09/20 | | | | MXN | | | | 22.80 | | | | USD | | | | 502 | | | | (11,887 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | (92,049 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ (113,879 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Centrally Cleared Interest Rate Swaps
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Paid by the Fund | | | | Received by the Fund | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Rate | | Frequency | | | | Rate | | Frequency | | Effective Date | | | Termination Date | | | | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | | | Upfront Premium Paid (Received) | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
0.73% | | Semi-Annual | | | | 3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | | 04/05/21(a) | | | | 04/05/22 | | | | CAD | | | | 11,628 | | | $ | (15,139) | | | $ | — | | | $ | (15,139) | |
0.77% | | Semi-Annual | | | | 3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | | 04/07/21(a) | | | | 04/07/22 | | | | CAD | | | | 22,980 | | | | (36,200) | | | | — | | | | (36,200) | |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | | | 0.66% | | Semi-Annual | | | 05/13/22(a) | | | | 05/13/23 | | | | CAD | | | | 22,008 | | | | (14,624) | | | | — | | | | (14,624) | |
1 day SONIA | | At Termination | | | | 0.02% | | At Termination | | | 05/26/22(a) | | | | 05/26/23 | | | | GBP | | | | 25,890 | | | | 25,680 | | | | — | | | | 25,680 | |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | | | 0.74% | | Semi-Annual | | | 05/26/22(a) | | | | 05/26/23 | | | | CAD | | | | 7,555 | | | | (1,024) | | | | — | | | | (1,024) | |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | | | 0.73% | | Semi-Annual | | | 05/30/22(a) | | | | 05/30/23 | | | | CAD | | | | 6,123 | | | | (1,104) | | | | — | | | | (1,104) | |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | | | 0.76% | | Semi-Annual | | | 05/30/22(a) | | | | 05/30/23 | | | | CAD | | | | 6,270 | | | | 249 | | | | — | | | | 249 | |
0.08% | | At Termination | | | | 1 day Fed Funds | | At Termination | | | 05/31/22(a) | | | | 05/31/23 | | | | USD | | | | 4,462 | | | | (3,889) | | | | — | | | | (3,889) | |
0.06% | | At Termination | | | | 1 day Fed Funds | | At Termination | | | 05/31/22(a) | | | | 05/31/23 | | | | USD | | | | 5,375 | | | | (3,594) | | | | — | | | | (3,594) | |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | | | 0.76% | | Semi-Annual | | | 06/01/22(a) | | | | 06/01/23 | | | | CAD | | | | 12,246 | | | | (10) | | | | — | | | | (10) | |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | | | 0.77% | | Semi-Annual | | | 06/01/22(a) | | | | 06/01/23 | | | | CAD | | | | 12,246 | | | | 214 | | | | — | | | | 214 | |
0.05% | | At Termination | | | | 1 day Fed Funds | | At Termination | | | 06/02/22(a) | | | | 06/02/23 | | | | USD | | | | 4,357 | | | | (2,450) | | | | — | | | | (2,450) | |
0.04% | | At Termination | | | | 1 day Fed Funds | | At Termination | | | 06/03/22(a) | | | | 06/03/23 | | | | USD | | | | 8,713 | | | | (4,080) | | | | — | | | | (4,080) | |
0.04% | | At Termination | | | | 1 day Fed Funds | | At Termination | | | 06/03/22(a) | | | | 06/03/23 | | | | USD | | | | 8,713 | | | | (4,302) | | | | — | | | | (4,302) | |
0.74% | | Semi-Annual | | | | 3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | | 06/27/22(a) | | | | 06/27/23 | | | | CAD | | | | 22,095 | | | | 6,545 | | | | — | | | | 6,545 | |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | | | 1.09% | | Semi-Annual | | | 04/03/23(a) | | | | 04/03/24 | | | | CAD | | | | 11,628 | | | | 17,234 | | | | — | | | | 17,234 | |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | | | 1.22% | | Semi-Annual | | | 04/10/23(a) | | | | 04/10/24 | | | | CAD | | | | 22,980 | | | | 54,944 | | | | — | | | | 54,944 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | | | 6.67% | | Monthly | | | N/A | | | | 08/12/24 | | | | MXN | | | | 10,494 | | | | 34,575 | | | | — | | | | 34,575 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | | | 6.72% | | Monthly | | | N/A | | | | 08/13/24 | | | | MXN | | | | 9,029 | | | | 30,427 | | | | — | | | | 30,427 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | | | 6.59% | | Monthly | | | N/A | | | | 11/08/24 | | | | MXN | | | | 6,685 | | | | 21,788 | | | | — | | | | 21,788 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | | | 5.20% | | Monthly | | | N/A | | | | 05/02/25 | | | | MXN | | | | 16,540 | | | | 12,338 | | | | — | | | | 12,338 | |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | | | 0.75% | | Semi-Annual | | | N/A | | | | 05/26/25 | | | | CAD | | | | 4,475 | | | | (344) | | | | — | | | | (344) | |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | | | 0.85% | | Semi-Annual | | | N/A | | | | 06/04/25 | | | | CAD | | | | 2,240 | | | | 7,788 | | | | (16) | | | | 7,804 | |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | | | 0.85% | | Semi-Annual | | | N/A | | | | 06/04/25 | | | | CAD | | | | 2,240 | | | | 7,624 | | | | — | | | | 7,624 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | | | 6.32% | | Monthly | | | N/A | | | | 07/17/25 | | | | MXN | | | | 1,733 | | | | 5,111 | | | | — | | | | 5,111 | |
2.91% | | Semi-Annual | | | | 3 month LIBOR | | Quarterly | | | N/A | | | | 08/23/26 | | | | USD | | | | 125 | | | | (20,499) | | | | — | | | | (20,499) | |
3.16% | | Semi-Annual | | | | 3 month LIBOR | | Quarterly | | | N/A | | | | 10/03/28 | | | | USD | | | | 152 | | | | (33,198) | | | | — | | | | (33,198) | |
| | |
36 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund |
Centrally Cleared Interest Rate Swaps (continued)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Paid by the Fund | | Received by the Fund | | Effective Date | | | Termination Date | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | | | Upfront Premium Paid (Received) | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
Rate | | Frequency | | Rate | | Frequency |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | 5.99% | | Monthly | | | N/A | | | | 05/02/30 | | | MXN | | | 4,396 | | | $ | 5,126 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 5,126 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | 6.03% | | Monthly | | | N/A | | | | 05/02/30 | | | MXN | | | 4,396 | | | | 5,740 | | | | — | | | | 5,740 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | 6.03% | | Monthly | | | N/A | | | | 05/03/30 | | | MXN | | | 3,930 | | | | 5,071 | | | | — | | | | 5,071 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | 5.96% | | Monthly | | | N/A | | | | 05/06/30 | | | MXN | | | 3,182 | | | | 3,357 | | | | — | | | | 3,357 | |
3 month LIBOR | | Quarterly | | 0.64% | | Semi-Annual | | | 08/12/20 | (a) | | | 08/12/30 | | | USD | | | 1,627 | | | | (2,097 | ) | | | — | | | | (2,097 | ) |
3 month LIBOR | | Quarterly | | 0.80% | | Semi-Annual | | | 12/18/20 | (a) | | | 12/18/30 | | | USD | | | 424 | | | | 5,103 | | | | — | | | | 5,103 | |
3 month LIBOR | | Quarterly | | 0.75% | | Semi-Annual | | | 12/21/20 | (a) | | | 12/21/30 | | | USD | | | 520 | | | | 3,645 | | | | — | | | | 3,645 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | 110,005 | | | $ | (16 | ) | | $ | 110,021 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
OTC Credit Default Swaps — Buy Protection
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Reference Obligation/Index | | Financing Rate Paid by the Fund | | | Payment Frequency | | | Counterparty | | Termination Date | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | | | Upfront Premium Paid (Received) | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
United Mexican States | | | 1.00 | % | | | Quarterly | | | Bank of America NA | | | 09/20/20 | | | USD | | | 135 | | | $ | (221 | ) | | $ | 77 | | | $ | (298 | ) |
Federative Republic of Brazil | | | 1.00 | | | | Quarterly | | | Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc | | | 06/20/25 | | | USD | | | 202 | | | | 14,390 | | | | 25,559 | | | | (11,169 | ) |
Federative Republic of Brazil | | | 1.00 | | | | Quarterly | | | Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc | | | 06/20/25 | | | USD | | | 298 | | | | 21,228 | | | | 41,712 | | | | (20,484 | ) |
Republic of South Africa | | | 1.00 | | | | Quarterly | | | Barclays Bank plc | | | 06/20/25 | | | USD | | | 128 | | | | 11,992 | | | | 10,883 | | | | 1,109 | |
Republic of South Africa | | | 1.00 | | | | Quarterly | | | Goldman Sachs International | | | 06/20/25 | | | USD | | | 227 | | | | 21,196 | | | | 18,085 | | | | 3,111 | |
Republic of South Africa | | | 1.00 | | | | Quarterly | | | Goldman Sachs International | | | 06/20/25 | | | USD | | | 218 | | | | 20,384 | | | | 19,148 | | | | 1,236 | |
Republic of South Africa | | | 1.00 | | | | Quarterly | | | Goldman Sachs International | | | 06/20/25 | | | USD | | | 160 | | | | 15,005 | | | | 13,959 | | | | 1,046 | |
Republic of South Africa | | | 1.00 | | | | Quarterly | | | Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc | | | 06/20/25 | | | USD | | | 531 | | | | 49,678 | | | | 71,198 | | | | (21,520 | ) |
Republic of the Philippines | | | 1.00 | | | | Quarterly | | | Citibank NA | | | 06/20/25 | | | USD | | | 754 | | | | (12,696 | ) | | | 25,413 | | | | (38,109 | ) |
United Mexican States | | | 1.00 | | | | Quarterly | | | Citibank NA | | | 06/20/25 | | | USD | | | 497 | | | | 13,432 | | | | 48,826 | | | | (35,394 | ) |
CMBX.NA.9.AAA | | | 0.50 | | | | Monthly | | | Credit Suisse International | | | 09/17/58 | | | USD | | | 300 | | | | (1,421 | ) | | | 1,709 | | | | (3,130 | ) |
CMBX.NA.9.AAA | | | 0.50 | | | | Monthly | | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 09/17/58 | | | USD | | | 240 | | | | (1,137 | ) | | | 1,383 | | | | (2,520 | ) |
CMBX.NA.9.AAA | | | 0.50 | | | | Monthly | | | Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc | | | 09/17/58 | | | USD | | | 460 | | | | (2,179 | ) | | | 2,823 | | | | (5,002 | ) |
CMBX.NA.9.AAA | | | 0.50 | | | | Monthly | | | Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc | | | 09/17/58 | | | USD | | | 180 | | | | (853 | ) | | | 1,028 | | | | (1,881 | ) |
CMBX.NA.9.AAA | | | 0.50 | | | | Monthly | | | Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc | | | 09/17/58 | | | USD | | | 200 | | | | (948 | ) | | | 1,139 | | | | (2,087 | ) |
CMBX.NA.9.BBB- | | | 3.00 | | | | Monthly | | | Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc | | | 09/17/58 | | | USD | | | 16 | | | | 1,552 | | | | 441 | | | | 1,111 | |
CMBX.NA.6.AAA | | | 0.50 | | | | Monthly | | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 05/11/63 | | | USD | | | 158 | | | | (444 | ) | | | (11 | ) | | | (433 | ) |
CMBX.NA.6.AAA | | | 0.50 | | | | Monthly | | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 05/11/63 | | | USD | | | 371 | | | | (1,047 | ) | | | (140 | ) | | | (907 | ) |
CMBX.NA.6.BBB- | | | 3.00 | | | | Monthly | | | JPMorgan Securities LLC | | | 05/11/63 | | | USD | | | 60 | | | | 9,375 | | | | 2,747 | | | | 6,628 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | 157,286 | | | $ | 285,979 | | | $ | (128,693 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
OTC Credit Default Swaps — Sell Protection
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Reference Obligation/Index | | Financing Rate Received by the Fund | | | Payment Frequency | | | Counterparty | | Termination Date | | | Credit Rating(a) | | Notional Amount (000)(b) | | | Value | | | Upfront Premium Paid (Received) | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
United Mexican States | | | 1.00 | % | | | Quarterly | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 09/20/20 | | | NR | | USD | | | 135 | | | $ | 219 | | | $ | (67 | ) | | $ | 286 | |
CMBX.NA.3.AM | | | 0.50 | | | | Monthly | | | Credit Suisse International | | | 12/13/49 | | | NR | | USD | | | — | | | | — | | | | (4 | ) | | | 4 | |
CMBX.NA.9.BBB- | | | 3.00 | | | | Monthly | | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 09/17/58 | | | BBB- | | USD | | | 58 | | | | (5,626 | ) | | | (3,335 | ) | | | (2,291 | ) |
CMBX.NA.10.A | | | 2.00 | | | | Monthly | | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 11/17/59 | | | A | | USD | | | 240 | | | | (10,361 | ) | | | (4,951 | ) | | | (5,410 | ) |
CMBX.NA.10.A | | | 2.00 | | | | Monthly | | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 11/17/59 | | | A | | USD | | | 120 | | | | (5,181 | ) | | | (2,522 | ) | | | (2,659 | ) |
CMBX.NA.10.BBB- | | | 3.00 | | | | Monthly | | | JPMorgan Securities LLC | | | 11/17/59 | | | BBB- | | USD | | | 20 | | | | (1,996 | ) | | | (818 | ) | | | (1,178 | ) |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 37 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund |
OTC Credit Default Swaps — Sell Protection (continued)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Reference Obligation/Index | | Financing Rate Received by the Fund | | | Payment Frequency | | | Counterparty | | | Termination Date | | | Credit Rating (a) | | Notional Amount (000) (b) | | | Value | | | Upfront Premium Paid (Received) | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
CMBX.NA.6.BBB- | | | 3.00 | % | | | Monthly | | | | Credit Suisse International | | | | 05/11/63 | | | BBB- | | USD | | | 60 | | | $ | (9,375 | ) | | $ | (2,271 | ) | | $ | (7,104 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | (32,320 | ) | | $ | (13,968 | ) | | $ | (18,352 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(a) | | Using the rating of the issuer or the underlying securities of the index, as applicable, provided by S&P Global Ratings. |
(b) | | The maximum potential amount the Fund may pay should a negative credit event take place as defined under the terms of the agreement. |
OTC Interest Rate Swaps
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Paid by the Fund | | Received by the Fund | | Counterparty | | Termination Date | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | | | Upfront Premium Paid (Received) | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
Rate | | Frequency | | Rate | | | Frequency |
3.27% | | Semi-Annual | | | 3 month LIBOR | | | Quarterly | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 05/16/21 | | | | USD | | | | 470 | | | $ | (13,918 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | (13,918 | ) |
1 day BZDIOVER | | At Termination | | | 5.13% | | | At Termination | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 01/02/23 | | | | BRL | | | | 2,230 | | | | 13,364 | | | | — | | | | 13,364 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | | 6.43% | | | Monthly | | Bank of America NA | | | 06/06/25 | | | | MXN | | | | 541 | | | | 1,706 | | | | — | | | | 1,706 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | | 6.33% | | | Monthly | | Citibank NA | | | 06/09/25 | | | | MXN | | | | 271 | | | | 802 | | | | — | | | | 802 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | | 6.33% | | | Monthly | | Citibank NA | | | 07/17/25 | | | | MXN | | | | 864 | | | | 2,556 | | | | — | | | | 2,556 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | | 6.27% | | | Monthly | | Bank of America NA | | | 12/05/25 | | | | MXN | | | | 122 | | | | 349 | | | | — | | | | 349 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | 4,859 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 4,859 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
OTC Inflation Swaps
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Paid by the Fund | | Received by the Fund | | Counterparty | | Termination Date | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | | | Upfront Premium Paid (Received) | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
Reference | | Frequency | | Rate | | | Frequency |
1 month USCPI | | At Termination | | | (0.96)% | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/21 | | | | USD | | | | 4,685 | | | $ | (30,497 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | (30,497 | ) |
1 month USCPI | | At Termination | | | (1.00)% | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/21 | | | | USD | | | | 4,685 | | | | (32,160 | ) | | | — | | | | (32,160 | ) |
1 month USCPI | | At Termination | | | (1.00)% | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/21 | | | | USD | | | | 4,685 | | | | (32,160 | ) | | | — | | | | (32,160 | ) |
1 month USCPI | | At Termination | | | (1.02)% | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/21 | | | | USD | | | | 4,685 | | | | (33,019 | ) | | | — | | | | (33,019 | ) |
0.04% | | At Termination | | | 1 month USCPI | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/22 | | | | USD | | | | 4,685 | | | | 42,449 | | | | — | | | | 42,449 | |
0.02% | | At Termination | | | 1 month USCPI | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/22 | | | | USD | | | | 4,685 | | | | 44,424 | | | | — | | | | 44,424 | |
0.01% | | At Termination | | | 1 month USCPI | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/22 | | | | USD | | | | 4,685 | | | | 45,143 | | | | — | | | | 45,143 | |
0.00% | | At Termination | | | 1 month USCPI | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/22 | | | | USD | | | | 4,685 | | | | 46,220 | | | | — | | | | 46,220 | |
1 month USCPI | | At Termination | | | (0.05)% | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/22 | | | | USD | | | | 7,027 | | | | (76,062 | ) | | | — | | | | (76,062 | ) |
0.62% | | At Termination | | | 1 month USCPI | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/24 | | | | USD | | | | 7,027 | | | | 102,912 | | | | — | | | | 102,912 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | 77,250 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 77,250 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | |
38 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund |
OTC Total Return Swaps
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Paid by the Fund | | Received by the Fund | | Counterparty | | Termination Date | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | | | Upfront Premium Paid (Received) | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
Rate (Amount)/ Reference | | Frequency | | Rate/Reference | | | Frequency |
3 month LIBOR | | At Termination | |
| iBoxx USD Liquid High Yield Total Return Index | | | At Termination | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 09/20/20 | | | | USD | | | | 3,220 | | | $ | (4,291 | ) | | $ | (217 | ) | | $ | (4,074 | ) |
3 month LIBOR | | At Termination | |
| Markit iBoxx USD Liquid Investment Grade Index | | | At Termination | | Barclays Bank plc | | | 09/20/20 | | | | USD | | | | 6,470 | | | | (21,960 | ) | | | (207 | ) | | | (21,753 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | (26,251 | ) | | $ | (424 | ) | | $ | (25,827 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
The following reference rates, and their values as of period end, are used for security descriptions:
| | | | | | |
Reference Index | | | | Reference Rate | |
1 day BZDIOVER | | Overnight Brazil CETIP — Interbank Rate | | | 0.01 | % |
1 day Fed Funds | | 1 day Fed Funds | | | 0.08 | |
1 day SONIA | | Sterling Overnight Index Average | | | 0.06 | |
1 month USCPI | | U.S. Consumer Price Index | | | 0.10 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Mexico Interbank TIIE 28-Day | | | 5.28 | |
3 month BA | | Canadian Bankers Acceptances | | | 0.56 | |
3 month LIBOR | | London Interbank Offered Rate | | | 0.30 | |
Balances Reported in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities for Centrally Cleared Swaps, OTC Swaps and Options Written
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Swap Premiums Paid | | | Swap Premiums Received | | | Unrealized Appreciation | | | Unrealized Depreciation | | | Value | |
Centrally Cleared Swaps (a) | | $ | — | | | $ | (16 | ) | | $ | 252,575 | | | $ | (142,554 | ) | | $ | — | |
OTC Swaps | | | 286,130 | | | | (14,543 | ) | | | 314,456 | | | | (405,219 | ) | | | — | |
Options Written | | | N/A | | | | N/A | | | | 14,859 | | | | (57,675 | ) | | | (113,879 | ) |
(a) | | Includes cumulative appreciation (depreciation) on centrally cleared swaps, as reported in the Schedule of Investments. Only current day’s variation margin is reported within the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and is net of any previously paid (received) swap premium amounts. |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 39 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund |
Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure
As of period end, the fair values of derivative financial instruments located in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities were as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Commodity Contracts | | | Credit Contracts | | | Equity Contracts | | | Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts | | | Interest Rate Contracts | | | Other Contracts | | | Total | |
Assets — Derivative Financial Instruments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Futures contracts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts (a) | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 437,295 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 437,295 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 220,015 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 220,015 | |
Options purchased (b) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Investments at value — unaffiliated (c) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 199,693 | | | | 46,867 | | | | — | | | | 246,560 | |
Swaps — centrally cleared | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized appreciation on centrally cleared swaps (a) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 252,575 | | | | — | | | | 252,575 | |
Swaps — OTC | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized appreciation on OTC swaps; Swap premiums paid | | | — | | | | 300,661 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 18,777 | | | | 281,148 | | | | 600,586 | |
| | | | |
| | $ | — | | | $ | 300,661 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 419,708 | | | $ | 755,514 | | | $ | 281,148 | | | $ | 1,757,031 | |
| | | | |
| | | | | | |
Liabilities — Derivative Financial Instruments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Futures contracts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts(a) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 261,316 | | | | — | | | | 261,316 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 209,687 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 209,687 | |
Options written | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Options written at value | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 113,879 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 113,879 | |
Swaps — centrally cleared | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized depreciation on centrally cleared swaps (a) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 142,554 | | | | — | | | | 142,554 | |
Swaps — OTC | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized depreciation on OTC swaps; Swap premiums received | | | — | | | | 175,695 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 40,169 | | | | 203,898 | | | | 419,762 | |
| | | | |
| | $ | — | | | $ | 175,695 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 323,566 | | | $ | 444,039 | | | $ | 203,898 | | | $ | 1,147,198 | |
| | | | |
| (a) | Net cumulative unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on futures contracts and centrally cleared swaps, if any, are reported in the Schedule of Investments. In the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, only current day’s variation margin is reported in receivables or payables and the net cumulative unrealized appreciation (depreciation) is included in accumulated earnings (loss). | |
| (b) | Includes forward settling swaptions. | |
| (c) | Includes options purchased at value as reported in the Schedule of Investments. | |
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the effect of derivative financial instruments in the Statement of Operations was as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Commodity Contracts | | | Credit Contracts | | | Equity Contracts | | | Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts | | | Interest Rate Contracts | | | Other Contracts | | | Total | |
Net Realized Gain (Loss) from: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Futures contracts | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 7,675,158 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 7,675,158 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 407,345 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 407,345 | |
Options purchased (a) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | (310,830 | ) | | | 59,269 | | | | — | | | | (251,561 | ) |
Options written | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 163,970 | | | | (129,997 | ) | | | — | | | | 33,973 | |
Swaps | | | — | | | | 673,611 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 566,588 | | | | 260,552 | | | | 1,500,751 | |
| | | | |
| | $ | — | | | $ | 673,611 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 260,485 | | | $ | 8,171,018 | | | $ | 260,552 | | | $ | 9,365,666 | |
| | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Futures contracts | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 602,050 | | | | — | | | | 602,050 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | (239,473 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | (239,473 | ) |
Options purchased (b) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 26,023 | | | | 136,052 | | | | — | | | | 162,075 | |
Options written | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | (31,458 | ) | | | (168,921 | ) | | | — | | | | (200,379 | ) |
Swaps | | | — | | | | 87,409 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 96,294 | | | | 77,250 | | | | 260,953 | |
| | | | |
| | $ | — | | | $ | 87,409 | | | $ | — | | | $ | (244,908 | ) | | $ | 665,475 | | | $ | 77,250 | | | $ | 585,226 | |
| | | | |
(a) | Options purchased are included in net realized gain (loss) from investments — unaffiliated. |
(b) | Options purchased are included in net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments — unaffiliated. |
| | |
40 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund |
Average Quarterly Balances of Outstanding Derivative Financial Instruments
| | | | |
Futures contracts: | | | | |
Average notional value of contracts — long | | $ | 118,567,870 | |
Average notional value of contracts — short | | | 30,634,543 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts: | | | | |
Average amounts purchased — in USD | | | 33,039,464 | |
Average amounts sold — in USD | | | 18,339,264 | |
Options: | | | | |
Average value of option contracts purchased | | | 189,961 | |
Average value of option contracts written | | | 157,046 | |
Average notional value of swaption contracts purchased | | | 3,853,500 | |
Credit default swaps: | | | | |
Average notional value — buy protection | | | 5,146,843 | |
Average notional value — sell protection | | | 451,805 | |
Interest rate swaps: | | | | |
Average notional value — pays fixed rate | | | 37,714,429 | |
Average notional value — receives fixed rate | | | 66,370,932 | |
Inflation swaps: | | | | |
Average notional value — pays fixed rate | | | 12,883,050 | |
Average notional value — receives fixed rate | | | 12,883,050 | |
Total return swaps: | | | | |
Average notional value | | | 4,845,000 | |
For more information about the Fund’s investment risks regarding derivative financial instruments, refer to the Notes to Financial Statements.
Derivative Financial Instruments — Offsetting as of Period End
The Fund’s derivative assets and liabilities (by type) were as follows:
| | | | | | | | |
| | Assets | | | Liabilities | |
Derivative Financial Instruments: | | | | | | | | |
Futures contracts | | $ | 82,729 | | | $ | 193,693 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | 220,015 | | | | 209,687 | |
Options(a)(b) | | | 246,560 | | | | 113,879 | |
Swaps — Centrally cleared | | | — | | | | 2,286 | |
Swaps — OTC(c) | | | 600,586 | | | | 419,762 | |
| | | | |
Total derivative assets and liabilities in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities | | $ | 1,149,890 | | | $ | 939,307 | |
Derivatives not subject to a Master Netting Agreement or similar agreement (“MNA”) | | | (82,729) | | | | (195,979) | |
| | | | |
Total derivative assets and liabilities subject to an MNA | | $ | 1,067,161 | | | $ | 743,328 | |
| | | | |
(a) | Includes options purchased at value which is included in Investments at value — unaffiliated in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and reported in the Schedule of Investments. | |
(b) | Includes forward settling swaptions. | |
(c) | Includes unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on OTC swaps and swap premiums paid/received in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 41 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund |
The following tables present the Fund’s derivative assets and liabilities by counterparty net of amounts available for offset under an MNA and net of the related collateral received and pledged by the Fund:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Counterparty | | Derivative Assets Subject to an MNA by Counterparty | | | Derivatives Available for Offset (a) | | | Non-cash Collateral Received | | | Cash Collateral Received(b) | | | Net Amount of Derivative Assets(c) | |
Bank of America NA | | $ | 80,961 | | | $ | (21,014 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 59,947 | |
Barclays Bank plc | | | 44,568 | | | | (22,427 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 22,141 | |
BNP Paribas SA | | | 10,264 | | | | (9,283 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 981 | |
Citibank NA | | | 542,281 | | | | (383,570 | ) | | | — | | | | (158,711 | ) | | | — | |
Credit Suisse International | | | 2,572 | | | | (2,572 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
Deutsche Bank AG | | | 53,281 | | | | (53,281 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
Goldman Sachs International | | | 58,212 | | | | (1,184 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 57,028 | |
HSBC Bank plc | | | 5,900 | | | | (4,471 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 1,429 | |
JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 104,580 | | | | (104,580 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
JPMorgan Securities LLC | | | 9,375 | | | | (1,996 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 7,379 | |
Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc | | | 148,189 | | | | (78,293 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 69,896 | |
Natwest Markets plc | | | 2,797 | | | | (1,640 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 1,157 | |
Standard Chartered Bank | | | 1,131 | | | | (1,131 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
State Street Bank and Trust Co. | | | 3,050 | | | | (3,050 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | 1,067,161 | | | $ | (688,492 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | (158,711 | ) | | $ | 219,958 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Counterparty | | Derivative Liabilities Subject to an MNA by Counterparty | | | Derivatives Available for Offset(a) | | | Non-cash Collateral Pledged | | | Cash Collateral Pledged | | | Net Amount of Derivative Liabilities(d) | |
ANZ Banking Group Ltd. | | $ | 3,140 | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 3,140 | |
Bank of America NA | | | 21,014 | | | | (21,014 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
Barclays Bank plc | | | 22,427 | | | | (22,427 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
BNP Paribas SA | | | 9,283 | | | | (9,283 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
Citibank NA | | | 383,570 | | | | (383,570 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
Credit Suisse International | | | 12,509 | | | | (2,572 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 9,937 | |
Deutsche Bank AG | | | 55,975 | | | | (53,281 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 2,694 | |
Goldman Sachs International | | | 1,184 | | | | (1,184 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
HSBC Bank plc | | | 4,471 | | | | (4,471 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 111,134 | | | | (104,580 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 6,554 | |
JPMorgan Securities LLC | | | 1,996 | | | | (1,996 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc | | | 78,293 | | | | (78,293 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
Natwest Markets plc | | | 1,640 | | | | (1,640 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
Standard Chartered Bank | | | 1,778 | | | | (1,131 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 647 | |
State Street Bank and Trust Co. | | | 3,642 | | | | (3,050 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 592 | |
Toronto Dominion Bank | | | 5,320 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 5,320 | |
UBS AG | | | 25,952 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 25,952 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | 743,328 | | | $ | (688,492 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 54,836 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(a) | | The amount of derivatives available for offset is limited to the amount of derivative assets and/or liabilities that are subject to an MNA. |
(b) | | Excess of collateral received from the individual counterparty is not shown for financial reporting purposes. |
(c) | | Net amount represents the net amount receivable from the counterparty in the event of default. |
(d) | | Net amount represents the net amount payable due to the counterparty in the event of default. |
| | |
42 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund |
Fair Value Hierarchy as of Period End
Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of investments and derivative financial instruments. For information about the Fund’s policy regarding valuation of investments and derivative financial instruments, refer to the Notes to Financial Statements.
The following tables summarize the Fund’s investments and derivative financial instruments categorized in the disclosure hierarchy:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Level 1 | | | Level 2 | | | Level 3 | | | Total | |
Assets: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Investments: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Long-Term Investments: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Asset-Backed Securities | | $ | — | | | $ | 33,437,518 | | | $ | 3,455,592 | | | $ | 36,893,110 | |
Corporate Bonds: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Aerospace & Defense | | | — | | | | 12,298,413 | | | | — | | | | 12,298,413 | |
Air Freight & Logistics | | | — | | | | 2,605,887 | | | | — | | | | 2,605,887 | |
Airlines | | | — | | | | 2,818,228 | | | | — | | | | 2,818,228 | |
Auto Components | | | — | | | | 180,763 | | | | — | | | | 180,763 | |
Automobiles | | | — | | | | 2,103,126 | | | | — | | | | 2,103,126 | |
Banks | | | — | | | | 40,499,426 | | | | — | | | | 40,499,426 | |
Beverages | | | — | | | | 4,914,516 | | | | — | | | | 4,914,516 | |
Biotechnology | | | — | | | | 4,564,151 | | | | — | | | | 4,564,151 | |
Building Products | | | — | | | | 1,719,264 | | | | — | | | | 1,719,264 | |
Capital Markets | | | — | | | | 13,790,007 | | | | — | | | | 13,790,007 | |
Chemicals | | | — | | | | 2,820,094 | | | | — | | | | 2,820,094 | |
Commercial Services & Supplies | | | — | | | | 2,791,793 | | | | — | | | | 2,791,793 | |
Communications Equipment | | | — | | | | 744,002 | | | | — | | | | 744,002 | |
Construction & Engineering | | | — | | | | 90,662 | | | | — | | | | 90,662 | |
Construction Materials | | | — | | | | 50,363 | | | | — | | | | 50,363 | |
Consumer Finance | | | — | | | | 5,269,129 | | | | — | | | | 5,269,129 | |
Containers & Packaging | | | — | | | | 332,581 | | | | — | | | | 332,581 | |
Distributors | | | — | | | | 267,659 | | | | — | | | | 267,659 | |
Diversified Consumer Services | | | — | | | | 1,142,308 | | | | — | | | | 1,142,308 | |
Diversified Financial Services | | | — | | | | 3,006,224 | | | | — | | | | 3,006,224 | |
Diversified Telecommunication Services | | | — | | | | 9,696,857 | | | | — | | | | 9,696,857 | |
Electric Utilities | | | — | | | | 17,237,505 | | | | — | | | | 17,237,505 | |
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components | | | — | | | | 194,189 | | | | — | | | | 194,189 | |
Energy Equipment & Services | | | — | | | | 105,405 | | | | — | | | | 105,405 | |
Entertainment | | | — | | | | 1,302,303 | | | | — | | | | 1,302,303 | |
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) | | | — | | | | 5,699,852 | | | | 723,011 | | | | 6,422,863 | |
Food & Staples Retailing | | | — | | | | 1,576,660 | | | | — | | | | 1,576,660 | |
Food Products | | | — | | | | 1,527,978 | | | | — | | | | 1,527,978 | |
Gas Utilities | | | — | | | | 238,863 | | | | — | | | | 238,863 | |
Health Care Equipment & Supplies | | | — | | | | 1,302,734 | | | | — | | | | 1,302,734 | |
Health Care Providers & Services | | | — | | | | 11,450,575 | | | | — | | | | 11,450,575 | |
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure | | | — | | | | 3,685,066 | | | | — | | | | 3,685,066 | |
Household Durables | | | — | | | | 868,723 | | | | — | | | | 868,723 | |
Household Products | | | — | | | | 132,439 | | | | — | | | | 132,439 | |
Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers | | | — | | | | 55,860 | | | | — | | | | 55,860 | |
Industrial Conglomerates | | | — | | | | 796,154 | | | | — | | | | 796,154 | |
Insurance | | | — | | | | 2,749,356 | | | | — | | | | 2,749,356 | |
Interactive Media & Services | | | — | | | | 201,858 | | | | — | | | | 201,858 | |
Internet & Direct Marketing Retail | | | — | | | | 1,819,565 | | | | — | | | | 1,819,565 | |
IT Services | | | — | | | | 6,761,562 | | | | — | | | | 6,761,562 | |
Leisure Products | | | — | | | | 518,822 | | | | — | | | | 518,822 | |
Life Sciences Tools & Services | | | — | | | | 1,142,452 | | | | — | | | | 1,142,452 | |
Machinery | | | — | | | | 1,495,614 | | | | — | | | | 1,495,614 | |
Media | | | — | | | | 9,469,216 | | | | — | | | | 9,469,216 | |
Metals & Mining | | | — | | | | 1,366,964 | | | | — | | | | 1,366,964 | |
Multiline Retail | | | — | | | | 99,319 | | | | — | | | | 99,319 | |
Multi-Utilities | | | — | | | | 975,443 | | | | — | | | | 975,443 | |
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels | | | — | | | | 16,382,471 | | | | — | | | | 16,382,471 | |
Paper & Forest Products | | | — | | | | 1,035,612 | | | | — | | | | 1,035,612 | |
Pharmaceuticals | | | — | | | | 5,467,265 | | | | — | | | | 5,467,265 | |
Real Estate Management & Development | | | — | | | | 2,911,185 | | | | — | | | | 2,911,185 | |
Road & Rail | | | — | | | | 4,208,812 | | | | — | | | | 4,208,812 | |
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment | | | — | | | | 8,766,296 | | | | — | | | | 8,766,296 | |
Software | | | — | | | | 3,904,856 | | | | — | | | | 3,904,856 | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 43 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Level 1 | | | Level 2 | | | Level 3 | | | Total | |
Specialty Retail | | $ | — | | | $ | 1,409,794 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 1,409,794 | |
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals | | | — | | | | 3,320,803 | | | | — | | | | 3,320,803 | |
Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods | | | — | | | | 595,851 | | | | — | | | | 595,851 | |
Thrifts & Mortgage Finance | | | — | | | | 945,678 | | | | — | | | | 945,678 | |
Tobacco | | | — | | | | 3,840,305 | | | | — | | | | 3,840,305 | |
Trading Companies & Distributors | | | — | | | | 1,586,458 | | | | — | | | | 1,586,458 | |
Wireless Telecommunication Services | | | — | | | | 3,894,472 | | | | — | | | | 3,894,472 | |
Floating Rate Loan Interests: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Air Freight & Logistics | | | — | | | | 262,114 | | | | — | | | | 262,114 | |
Building Products | | | — | | | | 152,669 | | | | — | | | | 152,669 | |
Construction Materials | | | — | | | | 127,822 | | | | — | | | | 127,822 | |
Consumer Finance | | | — | | | | — | | | | 26,700 | | | | 26,700 | |
Diversified Financial Services | | | — | | | | 254,576 | | | | — | | | | 254,576 | |
Health Care Providers & Services | | | — | | | | 337,414 | | | | — | | | | 337,414 | |
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure | | | — | | | | 280,249 | | | | — | | | | 280,249 | |
Media | | | — | | | | 189,724 | | | | — | | | | 189,724 | |
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels | | | — | | | | 445,569 | | | | — | | | | 445,569 | |
Pharmaceuticals | | | — | | | | 274,805 | | | | — | | | | 274,805 | |
Road & Rail | | | — | | | | 161,926 | | | | — | | | | 161,926 | |
Thrifts & Mortgage Finance | | | — | | | | — | | | | 853,587 | | | | 853,587 | |
Foreign Agency Obligations | | | — | | | | 1,669,762 | | | | — | | | | 1,669,762 | |
Foreign Government Obligations | | | — | | | | 16,572,023 | | | | — | | | | 16,572,023 | |
Investment Companies | | | 41,027,557 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 41,027,557 | |
Municipal Bonds | | | — | | | | 27,979,585 | | | | — | | | | 27,979,585 | |
Non-Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities | | | — | | | | 17,693,353 | | | | 482,575 | | | | 18,175,928 | |
Capital Trusts | | | — | | | | 1,446,509 | | | | — | | | | 1,446,509 | |
U.S. Government Sponsored Agency Securities | | | — | | | | 276,372,617 | | | | 21,848 | | | | 276,394,465 | |
U.S. Treasury Obligations | | | — | | | | 57,835,490 | | | | — | | | | 57,835,490 | |
Short-Term Securities | | | 80,743,242 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 80,743,242 | |
Options Purchased: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Foreign currency exchange contracts | | | — | | | | 199,693 | | | | — | | | | 199,693 | |
Interest rate contracts | | | — | | | | 46,867 | | | | — | | | | 46,867 | |
Liabilities: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Investments: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
TBA Sale Commitments | | | — | | | | (60,869,974 | ) | | | — | | | | (60,869,974 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | 121,770,799 | | | $ | 617,620,099 | | | $ | 5,563,313 | | | $ | 744,954,211 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Derivative Financial Instruments(a) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Assets: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Credit contracts | | $ | — | | | $ | 14,531 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 14,531 | |
Foreign currency exchange contracts | | | — | | | | 220,015 | | | | — | | | | 220,015 | |
Interest rate contracts | | | 437,295 | | | | 271,352 | | | | — | | | | 708,647 | |
Other contracts | | | — | | | | 281,148 | | | | — | | | | 281,148 | |
Liabilities: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Credit contracts | | | — | | | | (161,576 | ) | | | — | | | | (161,576 | ) |
Foreign currency exchange contracts | | | — | | | | (323,566 | ) | | | — | | | | (323,566 | ) |
Interest rate contracts | | | (261,316 | ) | | | (182,299 | ) | | | — | | | | (443,615 | ) |
Other contracts | | | — | | | | (203,898 | ) | | | — | | | | (203,898 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | 175,979 | | | $ | (84,293 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | 91,686 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
The breakdown of the Fund’s investments into major categories is disclosed in the Schedule of Investments above.
(a) | Derivative financial instruments are swaps, futures contracts, forward foreign currency exchange contracts and options written. Swaps, futures contracts and forward foreign currency exchange contracts are valued at the unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on the instrument and options written are shown at value. |
| | |
44 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund |
A reconciliation of Level 3 investments is presented when the Fund had a significant amount of Level 3 investments at the beginning and/or end of the period in relation to net assets. The following table is a reconciliation of Level 3 investments for which significant unobservable inputs were used in determining fair value:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
| | Asset-Backed Securities | | | Corporate Bonds | | | Floating Rate Loan Interests | | | Non-Agency Mortgage- Backed Securities | | | U.S. Government Sponsored Agency Securities | | | Total | |
| |
Investments: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Assets: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Opening balance, as of December 31, 2019 | | $ | 3,780,025 | | | $ | 806,975 | | | $ | 1,988,467 | | | $ | 909,139 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 7,484,606 | |
Transfers into level 3 | | | 345,608 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 128,029 | | | | 21,140 | | | | 494,777 | |
Transfers out of level 3 | | | (327,267 | ) | | | — | | | | (157,407 | ) | | | (370,381 | ) | | | — | | | | (855,055) | |
Accrued discounts/premiums | | | 1,857 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 452 | | | | — | | | | 2,309 | |
Net realized gain | | | 165 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 1,417 | | | | — | | | | 1,582 | |
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)(a)(b) | | | (113,320 | ) | | | (38,053 | ) | | | (2,516 | ) | | | (77,057 | ) | | | 708 | | | | (230,238) | |
Purchases | | | — | | | | — | | | | 87,673 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 87,673 | |
Sales | | | (231,476 | ) | | | (45,911 | ) | | | (1,035,930 | ) | | | (109,024 | ) | | | — | | | | (1,422,341) | |
| | | | |
Closing balance, as of June 30, 2020 | | $ | 3,455,592 | | | $ | 723,011 | | | $ | 880,287 | | | $ | 482,575 | | | $ | 21,848 | | | $ | 5,563,313 | |
| | | | |
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments still held at June 30, 2020(b) | | $ | (113,320 | ) | | $ | (38,053 | ) | | $ | (3,827 | ) | | $ | (77,057 | ) | | $ | 708 | | | $ | (231,549) | |
| | | | |
(a) | | Included in the related net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) in the Statement of Operations. |
(b) | | Any difference between net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) and net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments still held at June 30, 2020 is generally due to investments no longer held or categorized as Level 3 at period end. |
The Fund’s investments that are categorized as Level 3 were valued utilizing third party pricing information without adjustment. Such valuations are based on unobservable inputs. A significant change in third party information could result in a significantly lower or higher value of such Level 3 investments.
See notes to financial statements.
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 45 |
Statement of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited)
June 30, 2020
| | | | |
| | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund | |
| |
ASSETS | | | | |
Investments at value — unaffiliated (cost — $664,255,897) | | $ | 684,066,218 | |
Investments at value — affiliated (cost — $123,040,410) | | | 121,757,967 | |
Cash | | | 26,051 | |
Cash pledged: | | | | |
Futures contracts | | | 2,569,050 | |
Centrally cleared swaps | | | 588,090 | |
Foreign currency at value (cost — $4,575,474) | | | 4,533,178 | |
Receivables: | | | | |
Investments sold | | | 66,169,374 | |
TBA sale commitments | | | 60,737,854 | |
Capital shares sold | | | 3,153,944 | |
Dividends — affiliated | | | 107,168 | |
Dividends — unaffiliated | | | 13,100 | |
Interest — unaffiliated | | | 3,781,405 | |
Variation margin on futures contracts | | | 82,729 | |
Swap premiums paid | | | 286,130 | |
Unrealized appreciation on: | | | | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | 220,015 | |
OTC swaps | | | 314,456 | |
Prepaid expenses | | | 7,231 | |
Other assets | | | 1,528 | |
Total assets | | | 948,415,488 | |
| |
LIABILITIES | | | | |
Cash received: | | | | |
Collateral — OTC derivatives | | | 190,000 | |
Collateral — TBA commitments | | | 78,000 | |
Options written at value (premium received $71,063) | | | 113,879 | |
TBA sale commitments at value (proceeds $60,737,854) | | | 60,869,974 | |
Payables: | | | | |
Investments purchased | | | 234,383,808 | |
Capital shares redeemed | | | 38,953 | |
Distribution fees | | | 78,095 | |
Income dividend distributions | | | 589,189 | |
Investment advisory fees | | | 214,278 | |
Directors’ and Officer’s fees | | | 1,383 | |
Other affiliates | | | 1,496 | |
Variation margin on futures contracts | | | 193,693 | |
Variation margin on centrally cleared swaps | | | 2,286 | |
Other accrued expenses | | | 397,547 | |
Swap premiums received | | | 14,543 | |
Unrealized depreciation on: | | | | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | 209,687 | |
OTC swaps | | | 405,219 | |
Total liabilities | | | 297,782,030 | |
NET ASSETS | | $ | 650,633,458 | |
| |
NET ASSETS CONSIST OF | | | | |
Paid-in capital | | $ | 605,544,164 | |
Accumulated earnings | | | 45,089,294 | |
NET ASSETS | | $ | 650,633,458 | |
| |
NET ASSET VALUE | | | | |
Class I — Based on net assets of $246,140,396 and 19,259,261 shares outstanding, 600 million shares authorized, $0.10 par value | | $ | 12.78 | |
Class III — Based on net assets of $404,493,062 and 32,029,618 shares outstanding, 100 million shares authorized, $0.10 par value | | $ | 12.63 | |
See notes to financial statements.
| | |
46 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
Statement of Operations (unaudited)
Six Months Ended June 30, 2020
| | | | |
| | BlackRock
Total Return V.I. Fund | |
| |
INVESTMENT INCOME | | | | |
Dividends — affiliated | | $ | 751,174 | |
Dividends — unaffiliated | | | 613 | |
Interest — unaffiliated | | | 7,789,811 | |
Foreign taxes withheld | | | (23,251 | ) |
Total investment income | | | 8,518,347 | |
| |
EXPENSES | | | | |
Investment advisory | | | 1,327,006 | |
Transfer agent — class specific | | | 513,310 | |
Distribution — class specific | | | 498,567 | |
Printing | | | 89,263 | |
Accounting services | | | 75,072 | |
Professional | | | 56,031 | |
Custodian | | | 41,480 | |
Directors and Officer | | | 3,136 | |
Transfer agent | | | 2,486 | |
Miscellaneous | | | 69,800 | |
Total expenses excluding interest expense | | | 2,676,151 | |
Interest expense | | | 2,914 | |
Total expenses | | | 2,679,065 | |
Less: | | | | |
Fees waived and/or reimbursed by the Manager | | | (14,830 | ) |
Transfer agent fees waived and/or reimbursed — class specific | | | (393,558) | |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed | | | 2,270,677 | |
Net investment income | | | 6,247,670 | |
| |
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) | | | | |
Net realized gain (loss) from: | | | | |
Investments — unaffiliated | | | 15,609,996 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | 407,345 | |
Foreign currency transactions | | | 311,321 | |
Futures contracts | | | 7,675,158 | |
Options written | | | 33,973 | |
Short sales — unaffiliated | | | (19,030 | ) |
Swaps | | | 1,500,751 | |
| | | 25,519,514 | |
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on: | | | | |
Investments — affiliated | | | (1,184,294 | ) |
Investments — unaffiliated | | | 3,806,926 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | (239,473 | ) |
Foreign currency translations | | | (71,672 | ) |
Futures contracts | | | 602,050 | |
Options written | | | (200,379 | ) |
Swaps | | | 260,953 | |
Unfunded floating rate loan interests | | | (3,142) | |
| | | 2,970,969 | |
Net realized and unrealized gain | | | 28,490,483 | |
NET INCREASE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS | | $ | 34,738,153 | |
See notes to financial statements.
Statements of Changes in Net Assets
| | | | | | | | |
| | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20 (unaudited) | | | Year Ended 12/31/19 | |
| | |
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS | | | | | | | | |
| | |
OPERATIONS | | | | | | | | |
Net investment income | | $ | 6,247,670 | | | $ | 16,365,241 | |
Net realized gain | | | 25,519,514 | | | | 17,906,579 | |
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) | | | 2,970,969 | | | | 18,584,009 | |
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations | | | 34,738,153 | | | | 52,855,829 | |
| | |
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS (a) | | | | | | | | |
Class I | | | (2,697,166 | ) | | | (8,096,255 | ) |
Class III | | | (3,836,440 | ) | | | (10,610,090 | ) |
Decrease in net assets resulting from distributions to shareholders | | | (6,533,606 | ) | | | (18,706,345 | ) |
| | |
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS | | | | | | | | |
Net increase (decrease) in net assets derived from capital share transactions | | | (8,903,181 | ) | | | 32,197,720 | |
| | |
NET ASSETS | | | | | | | | |
Total increase in net assets | | | 19,301,366 | | | | 66,347,204 | |
Beginning of period | | | 631,332,092 | | | | 564,984,888 | |
End of period | | $ | 650,633,458 | | | $ | 631,332,092 | |
(a) | | Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations. |
See notes to financial statements.
| | |
48 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
Financial Highlights
(For a share outstanding throughout each period)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund | |
| |
| | Class I | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20
(unaudited) | | | | | | Year Ended December 31, | |
| | 2019 | | | 2018 | | | 2017 | | | 2016 | | | 2015 | |
| | | | | | | |
Net asset value, beginning of period | | $ | 12.22 | | | | | | | $ | 11.53 | | | $ | 11.91 | | | $ | 11.79 | | | $ | 11.71 | | | $ | 11.93 | |
| | | | |
Net investment income(a) | | | 0.13 | | | | | | | | 0.35 | | | | 0.33 | | | | 0.29 | | | | 0.23 | | | | 0.22 | |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | | | 0.57 | | | | | | | | 0.73 | | | | (0.39 | ) | | | 0.13 | | | | 0.09 | | | | (0.19 | ) |
| | | | |
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations | | | 0.70 | | | | | | | | 1.08 | | | | (0.06 | ) | | | 0.42 | | | | 0.32 | | | | 0.03 | |
| | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Distributions(b) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
From net investment income | | | (0.14 | ) | | | | | | | (0.35 | ) | | | (0.32 | ) | | | (0.30 | ) | | | (0.24 | ) | | | (0.25 | ) |
From net realized gain | | | — | | | | | | | | (0.04 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
| | | | |
Total distributions | | | (0.14 | ) | | | | | | | (0.39 | ) | | | (0.32 | ) | | | (0.30 | ) | | | (0.24 | ) | | | (0.25 | ) |
| | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Net asset value, end of period | | $ | 12.78 | | | | | | | $ | 12.22 | | | $ | 11.53 | | | $ | 11.91 | | | $ | 11.79 | | | $ | 11.71 | |
| | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Total Return(c) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Based on net asset value | | | 5.74 | %(d) | | | | | | | 9.49 | % | | | (0.46 | )% | | | 3.60 | %(e) | | | 2.76 | % | | | 0.26 | % |
| | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Ratios to Average Net Assets(f) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total expenses | | | 0.69 | %(g) | | | | | | | 0.74 | % | | | 0.85 | %(h) | | | 0.94 | % | | | 0.82 | % | | | 0.92 | % |
| | | | |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed and paid indirectly | | | 0.52 | %(g) | | | | | | | 0.54 | % | | | 0.58 | %(h) | | | 0.74 | % | | | 0.62 | % | | | 0.74 | % |
| | | | |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed and paid indirectly and excluding interest expense | | | 0.51 | %(g) | | | | | | | 0.52 | % | | | 0.55 | % | | | 0.62 | % | | | 0.59 | % | | | 0.69 | % |
| | | | |
Net investment income | | | 2.14 | %(g) | | | | | | | 2.90 | % | | | 2.84 | % | | | 2.43 | % | | | 1.92 | % | | | 1.89 | % |
| | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Supplemental Data | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net assets, end of period (000) | | $ | 246,140 | | | | | | | $ | 245,548 | | | $ | 246,390 | | | $ | 152,138 | | | $ | 157,445 | | | $ | 154,046 | |
| | | | |
Portfolio turnover rate(i) | | | 333 | % | | | | | | | 536 | % | | | 488 | % | | | 627 | % | | | 590 | % | | | 900 | % |
| | | | |
(a) | Based on average shares outstanding. |
(b) | Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations. |
(c) | Where applicable, excludes insurance-related fees and expenses and assumes the reinvestment of distributions. (d) Aggregate total return. |
(e) | Includes payment received from an affiliate, which impacted the Fund’s total return. Excluding the payment from an affiliate, the Fund’s total return is 3.51%. |
(f) | Excludes expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds as follows: |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20
(unaudited) | | | | | | Year Ended December 31, | |
| | 2019 | | | 2018 | | | 2017 | | | 2016 | | | 2015 | |
Investments in underlying funds | | | 0.01 | % | | | | | | | 0.01 | % | | | 0.01 | % | | | — | % | | | 0.01 | % | | | 0.01 | % |
| | | | |
(h) | Includes reorganization costs associated with the Fund’s reorganization. Without these costs, total expenses and total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed would have been 0.82% and 0.57%, respectively. |
(i) | Includes mortgage dollar roll transactions (“MDRs”). Additional information regarding portfolio turnover rate is as follows: |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20
(unaudited) | | | | | | Year Ended December 31, | |
| | 2019 | | | 2018 | | | 2017 | | | 2016 | | | 2015 | |
Portfolio turnover rate (excluding MDRs) | | | 202 | % | | | | | | | 326 | % | | | 310 | % | | | 389 | % | | | 396 | % | | | 625 | % |
| | | | |
See notes to financial statements.
Financial Highlights (continued)
(For a share outstanding throughout each period)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund | |
| |
| | Class III | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20
(unaudited) | | | | | | Year Ended December 31, | |
| | 2019 | | | 2018 | | | 2017 | | | 2016 | | | 2015 | |
| | | | | | | |
Net asset value, beginning of period | | $ | 12.07 | | | | | | | $ | 11.40 | | | $ | 11.76 | | | $ | 11.65 | | | $ | 11.57 | | | $ | 11.79 | |
| | | | |
Net investment income(a) | | | 0.11 | | | | | | | | 0.31 | | | | 0.29 | | | | 0.25 | | | | 0.19 | | | | 0.18 | |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | | | 0.57 | | | | | | | | 0.71 | | | | (0.37 | ) | | | 0.12 | | | | 0.10 | | | | (0.19 | ) |
| | | | |
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations | | | 0.68 | | | | | | | | 1.02 | | | | (0.08 | ) | | | 0.37 | | | | 0.29 | | | | (0.01 | ) |
| | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Distributions(b) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
From net investment income | | | (0.12 | ) | | | | | | | (0.31 | ) | | | (0.28 | ) | | | (0.26 | ) | | | (0.21 | ) | | | (0.21 | ) |
From net realized gain | | | — | | | | | | | | (0.04 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
| | | | |
Total distributions | | | (0.12 | ) | | | | | | | (0.35 | ) | | | (0.28 | ) | | | (0.26 | ) | | | (0.21 | ) | | | (0.21 | ) |
| | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Net asset value, end of period | | $ | 12.63 | | | | | | | $ | 12.07 | | | $ | 11.40 | | | $ | 11.76 | | | $ | 11.65 | | | $ | 11.57 | |
| | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Total Return(c) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Based on net asset value | | | 5.64 | %(d) | | | | | | | 9.05 | % | | | (0.63 | )% | | | 3.21 | %(e) | | | 2.46 | % | | | (0.08 | )% |
| | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Ratios to Average Net Assets(f) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total expenses | | | 0.92 | %(g) | | | | | | | 0.97 | % | | | 1.06 | %(h) | | | 1.16 | % | | | 1.01 | % | | | 1.06 | % |
| | | | |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed and paid indirectly | | | 0.83 | %(g) | | | | | | | 0.85 | % | | | 0.89 | %(h) | | | 1.06 | % | | | 0.93 | % | | | 1.04 | % |
| | | | |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed and paid indirectly and excluding interest expense | | | 0.82 | %(g) | | | | | | | 0.83 | % | | | 0.86 | % | | | 0.94 | % | | | 0.89 | % | | | 0.98 | % |
| | | | |
Net investment income | | | 1.83 | %(g) | | | | | | | 2.58 | % | | | 2.54 | % | | | 2.15 | % | | | 1.61 | % | | | 1.54 | % |
| | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Supplemental Data | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net assets, end of period (000) | | $ | 404,493 | | | | | | | $ | 385,784 | | | $ | 318,595 | | | $ | 267,651 | | | $ | 175,153 | | | $ | 68,844 | |
| | | | |
Portfolio turnover rate(i) | | | 333 | % | | | | | | | 536 | % | | | 488 | % | | | 627 | % | | | 590 | % | | | 900 | % |
| | | | |
(a) | Based on average shares outstanding. |
(b) | Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations. |
(c) | Where applicable, excludes insurance-related fees and expenses and assumes the reinvestment of distributions. |
(d) | Aggregate total return. |
(e) | Includes payment received from an affiliate, which had no impact on the Fund’s total return. |
(f) | Excludes expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds as follows: |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20
(unaudited) | | | | | | Year Ended December 31, | |
| | 2019 | | | 2018 | | | 2017 | | | 2016 | | | 2015 | |
Investments in underlying funds | | | 0.01 | % | | | | | | | 0.01 | % | | | 0.01 | % | | | — | % | | | 0.01 | % | | | 0.01 | % |
| | | | |
(h) | Includes reorganization costs associated with the Fund’s reorganization. Without these costs, total expenses and total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed would have been 1.03% and 0.88%, respectively. |
(i) | Includes mortgage dollar roll transactions (“MDRs”). Additional information regarding portfolio turnover rate is as follows: |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20
(unaudited) | | | | | | Year Ended December 31, | |
| | 2019 | | | 2018 | | | 2017 | | | 2016 | | | 2015 | |
Portfolio turnover rate (excluding MDRs) | | | 202 | % | | | | | | | 326 | % | | | 310 | % | | | 389 | % | | | 396 | % | | | 625 | % |
| | | | |
See notes to financial statements.
| | |
50 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited)
BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc. (the “Company”) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. The Company is organized as a Maryland corporation that is comprised of 3 separate funds. The funds offer shares to insurance companies for their separate accounts to fund benefits under certain variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts. The financial statements presented are for BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (the “Fund”). The Fund is classified as diversified. Class I and Class III Shares have equal voting, dividend, liquidation and other rights, except that only shares of the respective classes are entitled to vote on matters concerning only that class. In addition, Class III Shares bear certain expenses related to the distribution of such shares.
The Fund, together with certain other registered investment companies advised by BlackRock Advisors, LLC (the “Manager”) or its affiliates, is included in a complex of non-index fixed-income mutual funds and all BlackRock-advised closed-end funds referred to as the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex.
2. | SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES |
The financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), which may require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities in the financial statements, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operations during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The Fund is considered an investment company under U.S. GAAP and follows the accounting and reporting guidance applicable to investment companies. Below is a summary of significant accounting policies:
Investment Transactions and Income Recognition: For financial reporting purposes, investment transactions are recorded on the dates the transactions are executed. Realized gains and losses on investment transactions are determined on the identified cost basis. Dividend income and non-cash dividend income, if any, are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Dividends from foreign securities where the ex-dividend date may have passed are subsequently recorded when the Fund is informed of the ex-dividend date. Under the applicable foreign tax laws, a withholding tax at various rates may be imposed on capital gains, dividends and interest. Interest income, including amortization and accretion of premiums and discounts on debt securities, is recognized on an accrual basis. Income, expenses and realized and unrealized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class based on its relative net assets.
Foreign Currency Translation: The Fund’s books and records are maintained in U.S. dollars. Securities and other assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars using exchange rates determined as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). Purchases and sales of investments are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing on the respective dates of such transactions. Generally, when the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, the investments denominated in that currency will lose value; the opposite effect occurs if the U.S. dollar falls in relative value.
The Fund does not isolate the portion of the results of operations arising as a result of changes in the exchange rates from the changes in the market prices of investments held or sold for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the effects of changes in exchange rates on investments are not segregated in the Statement of Operations from the effects of changes in market prices of those investments, but are included as a component of net realized and unrealized gain (loss) from investments. The Fund reports realized currency gains (losses) on foreign currency related transactions as components of net realized gain (loss) for financial reporting purposes, whereas such components are generally treated as ordinary income for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Segregation and Collateralization: In cases where the Fund enters into certain investments (e.g., dollar rolls, TBA sale commitments, futures contracts, forward foreign currency exchange contracts, options written and swaps) or certain borrowings (e.g., reverse repurchase transactions) that would be treated as “senior securities” for 1940 Act purposes, the Fund may segregate or designate on its books and records cash or liquid assets having a market value at least equal to the amount of its future obligations under such investments or borrowings. Doing so allows the investment or borrowings to be excluded from treatment as a “senior security”. Furthermore, if required by an exchange or counterparty agreement, the Fund may be required to deliver/deposit cash and/or securities to/with an exchange, or broker-dealer or custodian as collateral for certain investments or obligations.
Distributions: Distributions from net investment income are declared daily and paid monthly. Distributions of capital gains are recorded on the ex-dividend date and made at least annually. The character and timing of distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.
Deferred Compensation Plan: Under the Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) approved by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), the directors who are not “interested persons” of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act (“Independent Directors”), may defer a portion of their annual complex-wide compensation. Deferred amounts earn an approximate return as though equivalent dollar amounts had been invested in common shares of certain funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex selected by the Independent Directors. This has the same economic effect for the Independent Directors as if the Independent Directors had invested the deferred amounts directly in certain funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex.
The Plan is not funded and obligations thereunder represent general unsecured claims against the general assets of the Fund, as applicable. Deferred compensation liabilities are included in the Directors’ and Officer’s fees payable in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and will remain as a liability of the Fund until such amounts are distributed in accordance with the Plan.
Indemnifications: In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations that provide general indemnification. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown because it involves future potential claims against the Fund, which cannot be predicted with any certainty. Other: Expenses directly related to the Fund or its classes are charged to the Fund or the applicable class. Other operating expenses shared by several funds, including other funds managed by the Manager, are prorated among those funds on the basis of relative net assets or other appropriate methods. Expenses directly related to the Fund and other shared expenses prorated to the Fund are allocated daily to each class based on its relative net assets or other appropriate methods.
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NOTESTO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | | 51 |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
3. | INVESTMENT VALUATION AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS |
Investment Valuation Policies: The Fund’s investments are valued at fair value (also referred to as “market value” within the financial statements) as of the close of trading on the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time). U.S. GAAP defines fair value as the price the Fund would receive to sell an asset or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Fund determines the fair values of its financial instruments using various independent dealers or pricing services under policies approved by the Board. If a security’s market price is not readily available or does not otherwise accurately represent the fair value of the security, the security will be valued in accordance with a policy approved by the Board as reflecting fair value. The BlackRock Global Valuation Methodologies Committee (the “Global Valuation Committee”) is the committee formed by management to develop global pricing policies and procedures and to oversee the pricing function for all financial instruments.
Fair Value Inputs and Methodologies: The following methods and inputs are used to establish the fair value of the Fund’s assets and liabilities:
| • | | Equity investments traded on a recognized securities exchange are valued at the official closing price each day, if available. For equity investments traded on more than one exchange, the official closing price on the exchange where the stock is primarily traded is used. Equity investments traded on a recognized exchange for which there were no sales on that day may be valued at the last available bid (long positions) or ask (short positions) price. |
| • | | Fixed-income securities for which market quotations are readily available are generally valued using the last available bid prices or current market quotations provided by independent dealers or third party pricing services. Floating rate loan interests are valued at the mean of the bid prices from one or more independent brokers or dealers as obtained from a third party pricing service. Pricing services generally value fixed-income securities assuming orderly transactions of an institutional round lot size, but a fund may hold or transact in such securities in smaller, odd lot sizes. Odd lots may trade at lower prices than institutional round lots. The pricing services may use matrix pricing or valuation models that utilize certain inputs and assumptions to derive values, including transaction data (e.g., recent representative bids and offers), credit quality information, perceived market movements, news, and other relevant information. Certain fixed-income securities, including asset-backed and mortgage related securities may be valued based on valuation models that consider the estimated cash flows of each tranche of the entity, establish a benchmark yield and develop an estimated tranche specific spread to the benchmark yield based on the unique attributes of the tranche. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used with respect to debt obligations with sixty days or less remaining to maturity unless the Manager determines such method does not represent fair value. |
Generally, trading in foreign instruments is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of trading on the NYSE. Occasionally, events affecting the values of such instruments may occur between the foreign market close and the close of trading on the NYSE that may not be reflected in the computation of the Fund’s net assets. Each business day, the Fund uses a pricing service to assist with the valuation of certain foreign exchange-traded equity securities and foreign exchange-traded and over-the-counter (“OTC”) options (the “Systematic Fair Value Price”). Using current market factors, the Systematic Fair Value Price is designed to value such foreign securities and foreign options at fair value as of the close of trading on the NYSE, which follows the close of the local markets.
| • | | Municipal investments (including commitments to purchase such investments on a “when-issued” basis) are valued on the basis of prices provided by dealers or pricing services. In determining the value of a particular investment, pricing services may use certain information with respect to transactions in such investments, quotations from dealers, pricing matrixes, market transactions in comparable investments and information with respect to various relationships between investments. |
| • | | Investments in open-end U.S. mutual funds are valued at net asset value (“NAV”) each business day. |
| • | | Futures contract notional values are determined based on that day’s last reported settlement price on the exchange where the contract is traded. |
| • | | Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are valued at the mean between the bid and ask prices and are determined as of the close of trading on the NYSE based on that day’s prevailing forward exchange rate for the underlying currencies. Interpolated values are derived when the settlement date of the contract is an interim date for which quotations are not available. |
| • | | Exchange-traded equity options for which market quotations are readily available will be valued at the National Best Bid and Offer quotes (“NBBO”). NBBO represents the mean of the bid and ask prices as quoted on the exchange on which such options are traded. In the event that there is no mean price available, the last bid (long positions) or ask (short positions) price will be used. If no bid or ask price is available, the prior day’s price may be used. OTC options and options on swaps (“swaptions”) are valued by an independent pricing service using a mathematical model, which incorporates a number of market data factors, such as the trades and prices of the underlying instruments. |
| • | | Swap agreements are valued utilizing quotes received daily by the Fund’s pricing service or through brokers, which are derived using daily swap curves and models that incorporate a number of market data factors, such as discounted cash flows, trades and values of the underlying reference instruments. |
| • | | To-be-announced (“TBA”) commitments are valued on the basis of last available bid prices or current market quotations provided by pricing services. |
If events (e.g., a company announcement, market volatility or a natural disaster) occur that are expected to materially affect the value of such investments, or in the event that the application of these methods of valuation results in a price for an investment that is deemed not to be representative of the market value of such investment, or if a price is not available, the investment will be valued by the Global Valuation Committee, or its delegate, in accordance with a policy approved by the Board as reflecting fair value (“Fair Valued Investments”). The fair valuation approaches that may be used by the Global Valuation Committee will include market approach, income approach and cost approach. Valuation techniques such as discounted cash flow, use of market comparables and matrix pricing are types of valuation approaches and are typically used in determining fair value. When determining the price for Fair Valued Investments, the Global Valuation Committee, or its delegate, seeks to determine the price that the Fund might reasonably expect to receive or pay from the current sale or purchase of that asset or liability in an arm’s-length transaction. Fair value determinations shall be based upon all available factors that the Global Valuation Committee, or its delegate, deems relevant and consistent with the principles of fair value measurement. The pricing of all Fair Valued Investments is subsequently reported to the Board or a committee thereof on a quarterly basis.
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52 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
For investments in equity or debt issued by privately held companies or funds (“Private Company” or collectively, the “Private Companies”) and other Fair Valued Investments, the fair valuation approaches that are used by the Global Valuation Committee and third party pricing services utilize one or a combination of, but not limited to, the following inputs.
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| | Standard Inputs Generally Considered By Third Party Pricing Services |
Market approach | | (i) recent market transactions, including subsequent rounds of financing, in the underlying investment or comparable issuers; (ii) recapitalizations and other transactions across the capital structure; and (iii) market multiples of comparable issuers. |
Income approach | | (i) future cash flows discounted to present and adjusted as appropriate for liquidity, credit, and/or market risks; (ii) quoted prices for similar investments or assets in active markets; and (iii) other risk factors, such as interest rates, yield curves, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks, recovery rates, liquidation amounts and/or default rates. |
Cost approach | | (i) audited or unaudited financial statements, investor communications and financial or operational metrics issued by the Private Company; (ii) changes in the valuation of relevant indices or publicly traded companies comparable to the Private Company; (iii) relevant news and other public sources; and (iv) known secondary market transactions in the Private Company’s interests and merger or acquisition activity in companies comparable to the Private Company. |
Investments in series of preferred stock issued by Private Companies are typically valued utilizing market approach in determining the enterprise value of the company. Such investments often contain rights and preferences that differ from other series of preferred and common stock of the same issuer. Valuation techniques such as an option pricing model (“OPM”), a probability weighted expected return model (“PWERM”) or a hybrid of those techniques are used in allocating enterprise value of the company, as deemed appropriate under the circumstances. The use of OPM and PWERM techniques involve a determination of the exit scenarios of the investment in order to appropriately allocate the enterprise value of the company among the various parts of its capital structure.
The Private Companies are not subject to the public company disclosure, timing, and reporting standards as other investments held by the Fund. Typically, the most recently available information by a Private Company is as of a date that is earlier than the date the Fund is calculating its NAV. This factor may result in a difference between the value of the investment and the price the Fund could receive upon the sale of the investment.
Fair Value Hierarchy: Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of investments and derivative financial instruments. These inputs to valuation techniques are categorized into a fair value hierarchy consisting of three broad levels for financial statement purposes as follows:
| • | | Level 1 — Unadjusted price quotations in active markets/exchanges for identical assets or liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access |
| • | | Level 2 — Other observable inputs (including, but not limited to, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in markets that are active, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the assets or liabilities (such as interest rates, yield curves, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks and default rates) or other market–corroborated inputs) |
| • | | Level 3 — Unobservable inputs based on the best information available in the circumstances, to the extent observable inputs are not available (including the Global Valuation Committee’s assumptions used in determining the fair value of investments and derivative financial instruments) |
The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3. The inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the fair value hierarchy classification is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. Investments classified within Level 3 have significant unobservable inputs used by the Global Valuation Committee in determining the price for Fair Valued Investments. Level 3 investments include equity or debt issued by Private Companies. There may not be a secondary market, and/or there are a limited number of investors. The categorization of a value determined for investments and derivative financial instruments is based on the pricing transparency of the investments and derivative financial instruments and is not necessarily an indication of the risks associated with investing in those securities.
4. | SECURITIES AND OTHER INVESTMENTS |
Asset-Backed and Mortgage-Backed Securities: Asset-backed securities are generally issued as pass-through certificates or as debt instruments. Asset-backed securities issued as pass-through certificates represent undivided fractional ownership interests in an underlying pool of assets. Asset-backed securities issued as debt instruments, which are also known as collateralized obligations, are typically issued as the debt of a special purpose entity organized solely for the purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt. Asset-backed securities are often backed by a pool of assets representing the obligations of a number of different parties. The yield characteristics of certain asset-backed securities may differ from traditional debt securities. One such major difference is that all or a principal part of the obligations may be prepaid at any time because the underlying assets (i.e., loans) may be prepaid at any time. As a result, a decrease in interest rates in the market may result in increases in the level of prepayments as borrowers, particularly mortgagors, refinance and repay their loans. An increased prepayment rate with respect to an asset-backed security will have the effect of shortening the maturity of the security. In addition, a fund may subsequently have to reinvest the proceeds at lower interest rates. If a fund has purchased such an asset-backed security at a premium, a faster than anticipated prepayment rate could result in a loss of principal to the extent of the premium paid.
For mortgage pass-through securities (the “Mortgage Assets”) there are a number of important differences among the agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government that issue mortgage-related securities and among the securities that they issue. For example, mortgage-related securities guaranteed by Ginnie Mae are guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest by Ginnie Mae and such guarantee is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. However, mortgage-related securities
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NOTESTO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | | 53 |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
issued by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, including Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae guaranteed mortgage pass-through certificates, which are solely the obligations of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, are not backed by or entitled to the full faith and credit of the United States, but are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury.
Non-agency mortgage-backed securities are securities issued by non-governmental issuers and have no direct or indirect government guarantees of payment and are subject to various risks. Non-agency mortgage loans are obligations of the borrowers thereunder only and are not typically insured or guaranteed by any other person or entity. The ability of a borrower to repay a loan is dependent upon the income or assets of the borrower. A number of factors, including a general economic downturn, acts of God, terrorism, social unrest and civil disturbances, may impair a borrower’s ability to repay its loans.
Collateralized Debt Obligations: Collateralized debt obligations (“CDOs”), including collateralized bond obligations (“CBOs”) and collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”), are types of asset-backed securities. A CDO is an entity that is backed by a diversified pool of debt securities (CBOs) or syndicated bank loans (CLOs). The cash flows of the CDO can be split into multiple segments, called “tranches,” which will vary in risk profile and yield. The riskiest segment is the subordinated or “equity” tranche. This tranche bears the greatest risk of defaults from the underlying assets in the CDO and serves to protect the other, more senior, tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since it is shielded from defaults by the more junior tranches, a “senior” tranche will typically have higher credit ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and often receive investment grade ratings from one or more of the nationally recognized rating agencies. Despite the protection from the more junior tranches, senior tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to future defaults and the disappearance of one or more protecting tranches as a result of changes in the credit profile of the underlying pool of assets.
Inflation-Indexed Bonds: Inflation-indexed bonds (other than municipal inflation-indexed and certain corporate inflation-indexed bonds) are fixed-income securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. If the index measuring inflation rises or falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds (other than municipal inflation-indexed and certain corporate inflation-indexed bonds) will be adjusted upward or downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a larger or smaller principal amount) will be increased or reduced, respectively. Any upward or downward adjustment in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be included as interest income in the Statement of Operations, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation-indexed bonds. For bonds that do not provide a similar guarantee, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal. With regard to municipal inflation-indexed bonds and certain corporate inflation-indexed bonds, the inflation adjustment is typically reflected in the semi-annual coupon payment. As a result, the principal value of municipal inflation-indexed bonds and such corporate inflation-indexed bonds does not adjust according to the rate of inflation.
Multiple Class Pass-Through Securities: Multiple class pass-through securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”) and commercial mortgage-backed securities, may be issued by Ginnie Mae, U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities or by trusts formed by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans. In general, CMOs are debt obligations of a legal entity that are collateralized by a pool of residential or commercial mortgage loans or Mortgage Assets. The payments on these are used to make payments on the CMOs or multiple pass-through securities. Multiple class pass-through securities represent direct ownership interests in the Mortgage Assets. Classes of CMOs include interest only (“IOs”), principal only (“POs”), planned amortization classes and targeted amortization classes. IOs and POs are stripped mortgage-backed securities representing interests in a pool of mortgages, the cash flow from which has been separated into interest and principal components. IOs receive the interest portion of the cash flow while POs receive the principal portion. IOs and POs can be extremely volatile in response to changes in interest rates. As interest rates rise and fall, the value of IOs tends to move in the same direction as interest rates. POs perform best when prepayments on the underlying mortgages rise since this increases the rate at which the principal is returned and the yield to maturity on the PO. When payments on mortgages underlying a PO are slower than anticipated, the life of the PO is lengthened and the yield to maturity is reduced. If the underlying Mortgage Assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, a fund’s initial investment in the IOs may not fully recoup.
Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities: Stripped mortgage-backed securities are typically issued by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities. Stripped mortgage-backed securities are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest (IOs) and principal (POs) distributions on a pool of Mortgage Assets. Stripped mortgage-backed securities may be privately issued.
Zero-Coupon Bonds: Zero-coupon bonds are normally issued at a significant discount from face value and do not provide for periodic interest payments. These bonds may experience greater volatility in market value than other debt obligations of similar maturity which provide for regular interest payments.
Capital Securities and Trust Preferred Securities: Capital securities, including trust preferred securities, are typically issued by corporations, generally in the form of interest-bearing notes with preferred securities characteristics. In the case of trust preferred securities, an affiliated business trust of a corporation issues these securities, generally in the form of beneficial interests in subordinated debentures or similarly structured securities. The securities can be structured with either a fixed or adjustable coupon that can have either a perpetual or stated maturity date. For trust preferred securities, the issuing bank or corporation pays interest to the trust, which is then distributed to holders of these securities as a dividend. Dividends can be deferred without creating an event of default or acceleration, although maturity cannot take place unless all cumulative payment obligations have been met. The deferral of payments does not affect the purchase or sale of these securities in the open market. These securities generally are rated below that of the issuing company’s senior debt securities and are freely callable at the issuer’s option.
Preferred Stocks: Preferred stock has a preference over common stock in liquidation (and generally in receiving dividends as well), but is subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer in all respects. As a general rule, the market value of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, while the market price of convertible preferred stock generally also reflects some element of conversion value. Because preferred stock is junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer’s board of directors. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.
Floating Rate Loan Interests: Floating rate loan interests are typically issued to companies (the “borrower”) by banks, other financial institutions, or privately and publicly offered corporations (the “lender”). Floating rate loan interests are generally non-investment grade, often involve borrowers whose financial condition is troubled or uncertain and companies that are highly leveraged or in bankruptcy proceedings. In addition, transactions in floating rate loan interests may settle on a delayed basis, which may result in proceeds from the sale not being readily available for a fund to make additional investments or meet its redemption obligations. Floating rate loan interests may include fully funded term loans or revolving lines of credit. Floating rate loan interests are typically senior in the corporate capital structure of the borrower. Floating rate loan
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54 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
interests generally pay interest at rates that are periodically determined by reference to a base lending rate plus a premium. Since the rates reset only periodically, changes in prevailing interest rates (and particularly sudden and significant changes) can be expected to cause some fluctuations in the NAV of a fund to the extent that it invests in floating rate loan interests. The base lending rates are generally the lending rate offered by one or more European banks, such as the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), the prime rate offered by one or more U.S. banks or the certificate of deposit rate. Floating rate loan interests may involve foreign borrowers, and investments may be denominated in foreign currencies. These investments are treated as investments in debt securities for purposes of a fund’s investment policies.
When a fund purchases a floating rate loan interest, it may receive a facility fee and when it sells a floating rate loan interest, it may pay a facility fee. On an ongoing basis, a fund may receive a commitment fee based on the undrawn portion of the underlying line of credit amount of a floating rate loan interest. Facility and commitment fees are typically amortized to income over the term of the loan or term of the commitment, respectively. Consent and amendment fees are recorded to income as earned. Prepayment penalty fees, which may be received by a fund upon the prepayment of a floating rate loan interest by a borrower, are recorded as realized gains. A fund may invest in multiple series or tranches of a loan. A different series or tranche may have varying terms and carry different associated risks.
Floating rate loan interests are usually freely callable at the borrower’s option. A fund may invest in such loans in the form of participations in loans (“Participations”) or assignments (“Assignments”) of all or a portion of loans from third parties. Participations typically will result in a fund having a contractual relationship only with the lender, not with the borrower. A fund has the right to receive payments of principal, interest and any fees to which it is entitled only from the lender selling the Participation and only upon receipt by the lender of the payments from the borrower. In connection with purchasing Participations, a fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement, nor any rights of offset against the borrower. A fund may not benefit directly from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the Participation. As a result, a fund assumes the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender that is selling the Participation. A fund’s investment in loan participation interests involves the risk of insolvency of the financial intermediaries who are parties to the transactions. In the event of the insolvency of the lender selling the Participation, a fund may be treated as a general creditor of the lender and may not benefit from any offset between the lender and the borrower. Assignments typically result in a fund having a direct contractual relationship with the borrower, and a fund may enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement.
Forward Commitments, When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Securities: The fund may purchase securities on a when-issued basis and may purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis. Settlement of such transactions normally occurs within a month or more after the purchase or sale commitment is made. The fund may purchase securities under such conditions with the intention of actually acquiring them, but may enter into a separate agreement to sell the securities before the settlement date. Since the value of securities purchased may fluctuate prior to settlement, the fund may be required to pay more at settlement than the security is worth. In addition, the fund is not entitled to any of the interest earned prior to settlement. When purchasing a security on a delayed delivery basis, the fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations. In the event of default by the counterparty, the fund’s maximum amount of loss is the unrealized appreciation of unsettled when-issued transactions.
TBA Commitments: TBA commitments are forward agreements for the purchase or sale of mortgage-backed securities for a fixed price, with payment and delivery on an agreed upon future settlement date. The specific securities to be delivered are not identified at the trade date. However, delivered securities must meet specified terms, including issuer, rate and mortgage terms. When entering into TBA commitments, a fund may take possession of or deliver the underlying mortgage-backed securities but can extend the settlement or roll the transaction. TBA commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased or sold declines or increases, respectively, prior to settlement date.
In order to better define contractual rights and to secure rights that will help a fund mitigate its counterparty risk, TBA commitments may be entered into by a fund under Master Securities Forward Transaction Agreements (each, an “MSFTA”). An MSFTA typically contains, among other things, collateral posting terms and netting provisions in the event of default and/or termination event. The collateral requirements are typically calculated by netting the mark-to-market amount for each transaction under such agreement and comparing that amount to the value of the collateral currently pledged by a fund and the counterparty. Cash collateral that has been pledged to cover the obligations of a fund and cash collateral received from the counterparty, if any, is reported separately in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as cash pledged as collateral for TBA commitments or cash received as collateral for TBA commitments, respectively. Non-cash collateral pledged by a fund, if any, is noted in the Schedule of Investments. Typically, a fund is permitted to sell, re-pledge or use the collateral it receives; however, the counterparty is not permitted to do so. To the extent amounts due to a fund are not fully collateralized, contractually or otherwise, a fund bears the risk of loss from counterparty non-performance.
Mortgage Dollar Roll Transactions: The fund may sell TBA mortgage-backed securities and simultaneously contract to repurchase substantially similar (i.e., same type, coupon and maturity) securities on a specific future date at an agreed upon price. During the period between the sale and repurchase, a fund is not entitled to receive interest and principal payments on the securities sold. Mortgage dollar roll transactions are treated as purchases and sales and realize gains and losses on these transactions. Mortgage dollar rolls involve the risk that the market value of the securities that a fund is required to purchase may decline below the agreed upon repurchase price of those securities.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements: Reverse repurchase agreements are agreements with qualified third party broker dealers in which a fund sells securities to a bank or broker-dealer and agrees to repurchase the same securities at a mutually agreed upon date and price. A fund receives cash from the sale to use for other investment purposes. During the term of the reverse repurchase agreement, a fund continues to receive the principal and interest payments on the securities sold. Certain agreements have no stated maturity and can be terminated by either party at any time. Interest on the value of the reverse repurchase agreements issued and outstanding is based upon competitive market rates determined at the time of issuance. A fund may utilize reverse repurchase agreements when it is anticipated that the interest income to be earned from the investment of the proceeds of the transaction is greater than the interest expense of the transaction. Reverse repurchase agreements involve leverage risk. If a fund suffers a loss on its investment of the transaction proceeds from a reverse repurchase agreement, a fund would still be required to pay the full repurchase price. Further, a fund remains subject to the risk that the market value of the securities repurchased declines below the repurchase price. In such cases, a fund would be required to return a portion of the cash received from the transaction or provide additional securities to the counterparty.
Cash received in exchange for securities delivered plus accrued interest due to the counterparty is recorded as a liability in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities at face value including accrued interest. Due to the short-term nature of the reverse repurchase agreements, face value approximates fair value. Interest payments made by a fund to the counterparties are recorded as a component of interest expense in the Statement of Operations. In periods of increased demand for the security, a fund may receive a fee for the use of the security by the counterparty, which may result in interest income to a fund.
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NOTESTO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | | 55 |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the average amount of reverse repurchase agreements outstanding and the daily weighted average interest rate for the Fund were $500,501 and 1.62%, respectively
Short Sale Transactions: In short sale transactions, a fund sells a security it does not hold in anticipation of a decline in the market price of that security. When a fund makes a short sale, it will borrow the security sold short and deliver the fixed-income security to the counterparty to which it sold the security short. An amount equal to the proceeds received by a fund is reflected as an asset and an equivalent liability. The amount of the liability is subsequently marked-to-market to reflect the market value of the short sale. A fund is required to repay the counterparty interest on the security sold short, which, if applicable, is included in interest expense in the Statement of Operations. A fund is exposed to market risk based on the amount, if any, that the market value of the security increases beyond the market value at which the position was sold. Thus, a short sale of a security involves the risk that instead of declining, the price of the security sold short will rise. The short sale of securities involves the possibility of an unlimited loss since there is an unlimited potential for the market price of the security sold short to increase. A gain is limited to the price at which a fund sold the security short. A realized gain or loss is recognized upon the termination of a short sale if the market price is either less than or greater than the proceeds originally received. There is no assurance that a fund will be able to close out a short position at a particular time or at an acceptable price.
5. | DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS |
The Fund engages in various portfolio investment strategies using derivative contracts both to increase the returns of the Fund and/or to manage its exposure to certain risks such as credit risk, equity risk, interest rate risk, foreign currency exchange rate risk, commodity price risk or other risks (e.g., inflation risk). Derivative financial instruments categorized by risk exposure are included in the Schedule of Investments. These contracts may be transacted on an exchange or OTC.
Futures Contracts: Futures contracts are purchased or sold to gain exposure to, or manage exposure to, changes in interest rates (interest rate risk) and changes in the value of equity securities (equity risk) or foreign currencies (foreign currency exchange rate risk).
Futures contracts are agreements between the Fund and a counterparty to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying instrument at a specified price and on a specified date. Depending on the terms of a contract, it is settled either through physical delivery of the underlying instrument on the settlement date or by payment of a cash amount on the settlement date. Upon entering into a futures contract, the Fund is required to deposit initial margin with the broker in the form of cash or securities in an amount that varies depending on a contract’s size and risk profile. The initial margin deposit must then be maintained at an established level over the life of the contract. Amounts pledged, which are considered restricted, are included in cash pledged for futures contracts in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Securities deposited as initial margin are designated in the Schedule of Investments and cash deposited, if any, are shown as cash pledged for futures contracts in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Pursuant to the contract, the Fund agrees to receive from or pay to the broker an amount of cash equal to the daily fluctuation in market value of the contract (“variation margin”). Variation margin is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) and, if any, shown as variation margin receivable (or payable) on futures contracts in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. When the contract is closed, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statement of Operations equal to the difference between the notional amount of the contract at the time it was opened and the notional amount at the time it was closed. The use of futures contracts involves the risk of an imperfect correlation in the movements in the price of futures contracts and interest, foreign currency exchange rates or underlying assets.
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts: Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are entered into to gain or reduce exposure to foreign currencies (foreign currency exchange rate risk).
A forward foreign currency exchange contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a currency at a set exchange rate on a specified date. These contracts help to manage the overall exposure to the currencies in which some of the investments held by the Fund are denominated and in some cases, may be used to obtain exposure to a particular market.
The contract is marked-to-market daily and the change in market value is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. When a contract is closed, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statement of Operations equal to the difference between the value at the time it was opened and the value at the time it was closed. Non-deliverable forward foreign currency exchange contracts are settled with the counterparty in cash without the delivery of foreign currency. The use of forward foreign currency exchange contracts involves the risk that the value of a forward foreign currency exchange contract changes unfavorably due to movements in the value of the referenced foreign currencies, and such value may exceed the amount(s) reflected in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Cash amounts pledged for forward foreign currency exchange contracts are considered restricted and are included in cash pledged as collateral for OTC derivatives in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Options: The Fund purchases and writes call and put options to increase or decrease its exposure to the risks of underlying instruments, including equity risk, interest rate risk and/or commodity price risk and/or, in the case of options written, to generate gains from options premiums.
A call option gives the purchaser (holder) of the option the right (but not the obligation) to buy, and obligates the seller (writer) to sell (when the option is exercised) the underlying instrument at the exercise or strike price at any time or at a specified time during the option period. A put option gives the holder the right to sell and obligates the writer to buy the underlying instrument at the exercise or strike price at any time or at a specified time during the option period.
Premiums paid on options purchased and premiums received on options written, as well as the daily fluctuation in market value, are included in investments at value – unaffiliated and options written at value, respectively, in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. When an instrument is purchased or sold through the exercise of an option, the premium is offset against the cost or proceeds of the underlying instrument. When an option expires, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statement of Operations to the extent of the premiums received or paid. When an option is closed or sold, a gain or loss is recorded in the Statement of Operations to the extent the cost of the closing transaction exceeds the premiums received or paid. When the Fund writes a call option, such option is typically “covered,” meaning that it holds the underlying instrument subject to being called by the option counterparty. When the Fund writes a put option, cash is segregated in an amount sufficient to cover the obligation. These amounts, which are considered restricted, are included in cash pledged as collateral for options written in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
| • | | Swaptions — The Fund purchases and writes options on swaps (“swaptions”) primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of the Fund’s holdings, as a duration management technique or to protect against an increase in the price of securities it anticipates purchasing at a later date. The purchaser and |
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56 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
| writer of a swaption is buying or granting the right to enter into a previously agreed upon interest rate or credit default swap agreement (interest rate risk and/or credit risk) at any time before the expiration of the option. |
| • | | Foreign currency options — The Fund purchases and writes foreign currency options, foreign currency futures and options on foreign currency futures to gain or reduce exposure to foreign currencies (foreign currency exchange rate risk). Foreign currency options give the purchaser the right to buy from or sell to the writer a foreign currency at any time before the expiration of the option. |
| • | | Barrier options — The Fund may purchase and write a variety of options with non-standard payout structures or other features (“barrier options”) that are generally traded OTC. |
The Fund may invest in various types of barrier options, including down-and-out options, down-and-in options, double no-touch options, one-touch options, up-and-out options and up-and-in options. Down-and-out options expire worthless to the purchaser if the price of the underlying instrument falls below a specific barrier price level prior to the expiration date. Down-and-in options expire worthless to the purchaser unless the price of the underlying instrument falls below a specific barrier price level prior to the expiration date. Double no-touch options provide the purchaser an agreed-upon payout if the price of the underlying instrument does not reach or surpass predetermined barrier price levels prior to the option’s expiration date. One-touch options provide the purchaser an agreed-upon payout if the price of the underlying instrument reaches or surpasses predetermined barrier price levels prior to the expiration date. Up-and-out options expire worthless to the purchaser if the price of the underlying instrument increases beyond a predetermined barrier price level prior to the expiration date. Up-and-in options can only be exercised when the price of the underlying instrument increases beyond a predetermined barrier price level.
In purchasing and writing options, the Fund bears the risk of an unfavorable change in the value of the underlying instrument or the risk that it may not be able to enter into a closing transaction due to an illiquid market. Exercise of a written option could result in the Fund purchasing or selling a security when it otherwise would not, or at a price different from the current market value.
Swaps: Swap contracts are entered into to manage exposure to issuers, markets and securities. Such contracts are agreements between the Fund and a counterparty to make periodic net payments on a specified notional amount or a net payment upon termination. Swap agreements are privately negotiated in the OTC market and may be entered into as a bilateral contract (“OTC swaps”) or centrally cleared (“centrally cleared swaps”).
For OTC swaps, any upfront premiums paid and any upfront fees received are shown as swap premiums paid and swap premiums received, respectively, in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and amortized over the term of the contract. The daily fluctuation in market value is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on OTC Swaps in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Payments received or paid are recorded in the Statement of Operations as realized gains or losses, respectively. When an OTC swap is terminated, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statement of Operations equal to the difference between the proceeds from (or cost of) the closing transaction and the Fund’s basis in the contract, if any. Generally, the basis of the contract is the premium received or paid.
In a centrally cleared swap, immediately following execution of the swap contract, the swap contract is novated to a central counterparty (the “CCP”) and the Fund’s counterparty on the swap agreement becomes the CCP. The Fund is required to interface with the CCP through the broker. Upon entering into a centrally cleared swap, the Fund is required to deposit initial margin with the broker in the form of cash or securities in an amount that varies depending on the size and risk profile of the particular swap. Securities deposited as initial margin are designated in the Schedule of Investments and cash deposited is shown as cash pledged for centrally cleared swaps in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Amounts pledged, which are considered restricted cash, are included in cash pledged for centrally cleared swaps in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Pursuant to the contract, the Fund agrees to receive from or pay to the broker an amount of cash equal to the daily fluctuation in market value of the contract (“variation margin”). Variation margin is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) and shown as variation margin receivable (or payable) on centrally cleared swaps in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Payments received from (paid to) the counterparty, including at termination, are recorded as realized gains (losses) in the Statement of Operations.
| • | | Credit default swaps — Credit default swaps are entered into to manage exposure to the market or certain sectors of the market, to reduce risk exposure to defaults of corporate and/or sovereign issuers or to create exposure to corporate and/or sovereign issuers to which a fund is not otherwise exposed (credit risk). |
The Fund may either buy or sell (write) credit default swaps on single-name issuers (corporate or sovereign), a combination or basket of single-name issuers or traded indexes. Credit default swaps are agreements in which the protection buyer pays fixed periodic payments to the seller in consideration for a promise from the protection seller to make a specific payment should a negative credit event take place with respect to the referenced entity (e.g., bankruptcy, failure to pay, obligation acceleration, repudiation, moratorium or restructuring). As a buyer, if an underlying credit event occurs, the Fund will either (i) receive from the seller an amount equal to the notional amount of the swap and deliver the referenced security or underlying securities comprising the index, or (ii) receive a net settlement of cash equal to the notional amount of the swap less the recovery value of the security or underlying securities comprising the index. As a seller (writer), if an underlying credit event occurs, the Fund will either pay the buyer an amount equal to the notional amount of the swap and take delivery of the referenced security or underlying securities comprising the index or pay a net settlement of cash equal to the notional amount of the swap less the recovery value of the security or underlying securities comprising the index.
| • | | Total return swaps — Total return swaps are entered into to obtain exposure to a security or market without owning such security or investing directly in such market or to exchange the risk/return of one security or market (e.g., fixed-income) with another security or market (e.g., equity or commodity prices) (equity risk, commodity price risk and/or interest rate risk). |
Total return swaps are agreements in which there is an exchange of cash flows whereby one party commits to make payments based on the total return (distributions plus capital gains/losses) of an underlying instrument, or basket of underlying instruments, in exchange for fixed or floating rate interest payments. If the total return of the instrument(s) or index underlying the transaction exceeds or falls short of the offsetting fixed or floating interest rate obligation, the Fund receives payment from or makes a payment to the counterparty.
| • | | Interest rate swaps — Interest rate swaps are entered into to gain or reduce exposure to interest rates or to manage duration, the yield curve or interest rate (interest rate risk). |
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NOTESTO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | | 57 |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
Interest rate swaps are agreements in which one party pays a stream of interest payments, either fixed or floating, in exchange for another party’s stream of interest payments, either fixed or floating, on the same notional amount for a specified period of time. In more complex interest rate swaps, the notional principal amount may decline (or amortize) over time.
| • | | Forward swaps — The Fund enters into forward interest rate swaps and forward total return swaps. In a forward swap, the Fund and the counterparty agree to make periodic net payments beginning on a specified date or a net payment at termination. |
| • | | Inflation swaps — Inflation swaps are entered into to gain or reduce exposure to inflation (inflation risk). In an inflation swap, one party makes fixed interest payments on a notional principal amount in exchange for another party’s variable payments based on an inflation index, such as the Consumer Price Index. |
Swap transactions involve, to varying degrees, elements of interest rate, credit and market risk in excess of the amounts recognized in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Such risks involve the possibility that there will be no liquid market for these agreements, that the counterparty to the agreements may default on its obligation to perform or disagree as to the meaning of the contractual terms in the agreements, and that there may be unfavorable changes in interest rates and/or market values associated with these transactions.
Master Netting Arrangements: In order to define its contractual rights and to secure rights that will help it mitigate its counterparty risk, the Fund may enter into an International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. Master Agreement (“ISDA Master Agreement”) or similar agreement with its counterparties. An ISDA Master Agreement is a bilateral agreement between the Fund and a counterparty that governs certain OTC derivatives and typically contains, among other things, collateral posting terms and netting provisions in the event of a default and/or termination event. Under an ISDA Master Agreement, the Fund may, under certain circumstances, offset with the counterparty certain derivative financial instruments’ payables and/or receivables with collateral held and/or posted and create one single net payment. The provisions of the ISDA Master Agreement typically permit a single net payment in the event of default including the bankruptcy or insolvency of the counterparty. Bankruptcy or insolvency laws of a particular jurisdiction may restrict or prohibit the right of offset in bankruptcy, insolvency or other events.
Collateral Requirements: For derivatives traded under an ISDA Master Agreement, the collateral requirements are typically calculated by netting the mark-to-market amount for each transaction under such agreement and comparing that amount to the value of any collateral currently pledged by the Fund and the counterparty.
Cash collateral that has been pledged to cover obligations of the Fund and cash collateral received from the counterparty, if any, is reported separately in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as cash pledged as collateral and cash received as collateral, respectively. Non-cash collateral pledged by the Fund, if any, is noted in the Schedule of Investments. Generally, the amount of collateral due from or to a counterparty is subject to a certain minimum transfer amount threshold before a transfer is required, which is determined at the close of business of the Fund. Any additional required collateral is delivered to/pledged by the Fund on the next business day. Typically, the counterparty is not permitted to sell, re-pledge or use cash and non-cash collateral it receives. The Fund generally agrees not to use non-cash collateral that it receives but may, absent default or certain other circumstances defined in the underlying ISDA Master Agreement, be permitted to use cash collateral received. In such cases, interest may be paid pursuant to the collateral arrangement with the counterparty. To the extent amounts due to the Fund from its counterparties are not fully collateralized, it bears the risk of loss from counterparty non-performance. Likewise, to the extent the Fund has delivered collateral to a counterparty and stands ready to perform under the terms of its agreement with such counterparty, it bears the risk of loss from a counterparty in the amount of the value of the collateral in the event the counterparty fails to return such collateral. Based on the terms of agreements, collateral may not be required for all derivative contracts.
For financial reporting purposes, the Fund does not offset derivative assets and derivative liabilities that are subject to netting arrangements, if any, in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
6. | INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES |
Investment Advisory: The Company, on behalf of the Fund, entered into an Investment Advisory Agreement with the Manager, the Fund’s investment adviser and an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”), to provide investment advisory and administrative services. The Manager is responsible for the management of the Fund’s portfolio and provides the personnel, facilities, equipment and certain other services necessary to the operations of the Fund.
For such services, the Fund pays the Manager a monthly fee based on a percentage of the aggregate average daily net assets of the Fund and BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund, a series of the Company, at the following annual rates:
| | | | |
Average Daily Net Assets | | Investment Advisory Fees | |
First $250 Million | | | 0.50 | % |
$250 Million - $500 Million | | | 0.45 | |
$500 Million - $750 Million | | | 0.40 | |
Greater than $750 Million | | | 0.35 | |
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the aggregate average daily net assets of the Fund and BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund were approximately $1,164,635,509.
The Manager entered into separate sub-advisory agreements with BlackRock International Limited (“BIL”) and BlackRock (Singapore) Limited (“BRS”) (collectively, the “Sub-Advisers”), each an affiliate of the Manager. The Manager pays BIL and BRS for services they provide for that portion of the Fund for which BIL and BRS, as applicable, acts as sub-adviser, a monthly fee that is equal to a percentage of the investment advisory fees paid by the Fund to the Manager.
Distribution Fees: The Company, on behalf of the Fund, entered into a Distribution Agreement and a Distribution Plan with BlackRock Investments, LLC (“BRIL”), an affiliate of the Manager. Pursuant to the Distribution Plan and in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, the Fund pays BRIL ongoing distribution fees. The fees are accrued daily and paid monthly at an annual rate of 0.25% based upon the average daily net assets attributable to Class III.
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58 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
BRIL and broker-dealers, pursuant to sub-agreements with BRIL, provide shareholder distribution services to the Fund. The ongoing distribution fee compensates BRIL and each broker-dealer for providing shareholder servicing related distribution to shareholders.
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the class specific distribution fees borne directly by Class III were $498,567.
Transfer Agent: On behalf of the Fund, the Manager entered into agreements with insurance companies and other financial intermediaries (“Service Organizations”), some of which may be affiliates. Pursuant to these agreements, the Service Organizations provide the Fund with administrative, networking, recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency and shareholder services to underlying investor accounts. For these services, the Service Organizations receive an annual fee per shareholder account, which will vary depending on share class and/or net assets of Fund shareholders serviced by the Service Organizations which is shown as transfer agent — class specific. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the Fund did not pay any amounts to affiliates in return for these services.
In addition, the Fund pays the transfer agent, which is not an affiliate, a fee for the issuance, transfer and redemption of shares and the opening and maintenance of shareholder accounts, which is included in transfer agent in the Statement of Operations.
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the following table shows the class specific transfer agent fees borne directly by each share class of the Fund:
| | | | |
Class I | | $ | 208,950 | |
Class III | | | 304,360 | |
| | $ | 513,310 | |
Expense Limitations, Waivers and Reimbursements: The Manager contractually agreed to waive its investment advisory fees by the amount of investment advisory fees the Fund pays to the Manager indirectly through its investment in affiliated money market funds (the “affiliated money market fund waiver”) through April 30, 2021. The contractual agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the Independent Directors, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The amount of waivers and/or reimbursements of fees and expenses made pursuant to the expense limitations described below will be reduced by the amount of the affiliated money market fund waiver. Prior to May 1, 2020, this waiver was voluntary. This amount is included in fees waived and/or reimbursed by the Manager in the Statement of Operations. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the amount waived was $11,099.
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its investment advisory fee with respect to any portion of the Fund’s assets invested in affiliated equity and fixed-income mutual funds and affiliated exchange-traded funds that have a contractual management fee through April 30, 2021. The contractual agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the Independent Directors, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, there were no fees waived and/or reimbursed by the Manager pursuant to this arrangement.
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the Fund reimbursed the Manager $3,745 for certain accounting services, which is included in accounting services in the Statement of Operations.
The Manager has contractually agreed to reimburse certain transfer agent fees in order to limit such expenses to a percentage of average daily net assets as follows:
| | | | |
Class I | | | 0.00 | % |
Class III | | | 0.06 | |
The Manager has agreed not to reduce or discontinue these contractual expense limitations through April 30, 2021, unless approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Directors, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
These amounts waived and/or reimbursed are shown as transfer agent fees waived and/or reimbursed — class specific in the Statement of Operations. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, class specific expense waivers and/or reimbursements are as follows:
| | | | |
| | Transfer Agent Fees Waived and/or Reimbursed | |
Class I | | $ | 208,950 | |
Class III | | | 184,608 | |
| | $ | 393,558 | |
The Manager contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit expenses, excluding interest expense, dividend expense, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other fund expenses, which constitute extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business and excluding distribution fees for Class III shares (“expense limitation”). The expense limitations as a percentage of average daily net assets are as follows:
| | | | |
Class I | | | 0.60 | % |
Class III | | | 1.50 | |
In addition, with respect to Class I shares, the Manager has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit expenses including interest expense, and excluding dividend expense, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other fund expenses, which constitute extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business to 0.60% of average daily net assets through April 30, 2021.
The Manager has agreed not to reduce or discontinue this contractual expense limitation through April 30, 2021, unless approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independents Directors, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the Manager waived and/or reimbursed $3,731, which is included in fees waived and/or reimbursed by the Manager in the Statement of Operations.
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NOTESTO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | | 59 |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
Interfund Lending: In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the Fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing facility for temporary purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions. The Fund is currently permitted to borrow under the Interfund Lending Program.
A lending BlackRock fund may lend in aggregate up to 15% of its net assets, but may not lend more than 5% of its net assets to any one borrowing fund through the Interfund Lending Program. A borrowing BlackRock fund may not borrow through the Interfund Lending Program or from any other source more than 33 1/3% of its total assets (or any lower threshold provided for by the fund’s investment restrictions). If a borrowing BlackRock fund’s total outstanding borrowings exceed 10% of its total assets, each of its outstanding interfund loans will be subject to collateralization of at least 102% of the outstanding principal value of the loan. All interfund loans are for temporary or emergency purposes and the interest rate to be charged will be the average of the highest current overnight repurchase agreement rate available to a lending fund and the bank loan rate, as calculated according to a formula established by the Board.
During the period ended June 30, 2020, the Fund did not participate in the Interfund Lending Program.
Directors and Officers: Certain directors and/or officers of the Company are directors and/or officers of BlackRock or its affiliates. The Fund reimburses the Manager for a portion of the compensation paid to the Company’s Chief Compliance Officer, which is included in Directors and Officer in the Statement of Operations.
Other Transactions: The Fund may purchase securities from, or sell securities to, an affiliated fund provided the affiliation is due solely to having a common investment adviser, common officers, or common directors. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the purchase and sale transactions and any net realized gains (losses) with affiliated funds in compliance with Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act were as follows:
| | | | |
Purchases | | $ | 402,218 | |
Sales | | | 720,788 | |
Net Realized Gain | | | 32,956 | |
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, purchases and sales of investments, including paydowns and mortgage dollar rolls and excluding short-term securities, were as follows:
| | | | | | | | |
| | Purchases | | | Sales | |
Non-U.S. Government Securities | | $ | 2,376,545,552 | | | $ | 2,427,376,254 | |
U.S. Government Securities | | | 39,812,618 | | | | 143,295,735 | |
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, purchases and sales related to mortgage dollar rolls were $949,239,920 and $949,490,828, respectively.
It is the Fund’s policy to comply with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, applicable to regulated investment companies, and to distribute substantially all of its taxable income to its shareholders. Therefore, no U.S. federal income tax provision is required.
The Fund files U.S. federal and various state and local tax returns. No income tax returns are currently under examination. The statute of limitations on the Fund’s U.S. federal tax returns generally remains open for each of the four years ended December 31, 2019. The statutes of limitations on the Fund’s state and local tax returns may remain open for an additional year depending upon the jurisdiction.
Management has analyzed tax laws and regulations and their application to the Fund as of June 30, 2020, inclusive of the open tax return years, and does not believe that there are any uncertain tax positions that require recognition of a tax liability in the Fund’s financial statements.
As of June 30, 2020, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
| | | | |
Tax cost | | $ | 787,813,810 | |
| | | | |
Gross unrealized appreciation | | $ | 26,456,223 | |
Gross unrealized depreciation | | | (8,415,219) | |
| | | | |
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) | | $ | 18,041,004 | |
| | | | |
The Company, on behalf of the Fund, along with certain other funds managed by the Manager and its affiliates (“Participating Funds”), is a party to a 364-day, $2.25 billion credit agreement with a group of lenders. Under this agreement, the Fund may borrow to fund shareholder redemptions. Excluding commitments designated for certain individual funds, the Participating Funds, including the Fund, can borrow up to an aggregate commitment amount of $1.75 billion at any time outstanding, subject to asset coverage and other limitations as specified in the agreement. The credit agreement has the following terms: a fee of 0.10% per annum on unused commitment amounts and interest at a rate equal to the higher of (a) one-month LIBOR (but, in any event, not less than 0.00%) on the date the loan is made plus 0.80% per annum or (b) the Fed Funds rate (but, in any event, not less than 0.00%) in effect from time to time plus 0.80% per annum on amounts borrowed. The agreement expires in April 2021 unless extended or renewed. These fees were allocated among such funds based upon portions of the aggregate commitment available to them and relative net assets of Participating Funds. During the six months ended June 30, 2020, the Fund did not borrow under the credit agreement.
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60 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
Many municipalities insure repayment of their bonds, which may reduce the potential for loss due to credit risk. The market value of these bonds may fluctuate for other reasons, including market perception of the value of such insurance, and there is no guarantee that the insurer will meet its obligation.
Inventories of municipal bonds held by brokers and dealers may decrease, which would lessen their ability to make a market in these securities. Such a reduction in market making capacity could potentially decrease the Fund’s ability to buy or sell bonds. As a result, the Fund may sell a security at a lower price, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative impact on performance. If the Fund needed to sell large blocks of bonds, those sales could further reduce the bonds’ prices and impact performance.
In the normal course of business, the Fund invests in securities or other instruments and may enter into certain transactions, and such activities subject the Fund to various risks, including among others, fluctuations in the market (market risk) or failure of an issuer to meet all of its obligations. The value of securities or other instruments may also be affected by various factors, including, without limitation: (i) the general economy; (ii) the overall market as well as local, regional or global political and/or social instability; (iii) regulation, taxation or international tax treaties between various countries; or (iv) currency, interest rate and price fluctuations. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments. The Fund’s prospectus provides details of the risks to which the Fund is subject.
The Fund may be exposed to prepayment risk, which is the risk that borrowers may exercise their option to prepay principal earlier than scheduled during periods of declining interest rates, which would force the Fund to reinvest in lower yielding securities. The Fund may also be exposed to reinvestment risk, which is the risk that income from the Fund’s portfolio will decline if the Fund invests the proceeds from matured, traded or called fixed-income securities at market interest rates that are below the Fund portfolio’s current earnings rate.
Valuation Risk: The market values of equities, such as common stocks and preferred securities or equity related investments, such as futures and options, may decline due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a particular company. They may also decline due to factors which affect a particular industry or industries. The Fund may invest in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. The Fund may experience difficulty in selling illiquid investments in a timely manner at the price that it believes the investments are worth. Prices may fluctuate widely over short or extended periods in response to company, market or economic news. Markets also tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising and falling prices. This volatility may cause the Fund’s NAV to experience significant increases or decreases over short periods of time. If there is a general decline in the securities and other markets, the NAV of the Fund may lose value, regardless of the individual results of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests.
The price the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation technique or a price provided by an independent pricing service. Changes to significant unobservable inputs and assumptions (i.e., publicly traded company multiples, growth rate, time to exit) due to the lack of observable inputs may significantly impact the resulting fair value and therefore the Fund’s results of operations. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third party service providers.
An outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus has developed into a global pandemic and has resulted in closing borders, quarantines, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The impact of this pandemic, and other global health crises that may arise in the future, could affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the market in general in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. This pandemic may result in substantial market volatility and may adversely impact the prices and liquidity of a fund’s investments. The duration of this pandemic and its effects cannot be determined with certainty.
Counterparty Credit Risk: The Fund may be exposed to counterparty credit risk, or the risk that an entity may fail to or be unable to perform on its commitments related to unsettled or open transactions. The Fund manages counterparty credit risk by entering into transactions only with counterparties that the Manager believes have the financial resources to honor their obligations and by monitoring the financial stability of those counterparties. Financial assets, which potentially expose the Fund to market, issuer and counterparty credit risks, consist principally of financial instruments and receivables due from counterparties. The extent of the Fund’s exposure to market, issuer and counterparty credit risks with respect to these financial assets is approximately their value recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, less any collateral held by the Fund.
A derivative contract may suffer a mark-to-market loss if the value of the contract decreases due to an unfavorable change in the market rates or values of the underlying instrument. Losses can also occur if the counterparty does not perform under the contract.
The Fund’s risk of loss from counterparty credit risk on OTC derivatives is generally limited to the aggregate unrealized gain less the value of any collateral held by the Fund.
For OTC options purchased, the Fund bears the risk of loss in the amount of the premiums paid plus the positive change in market values net of any collateral held by the Fund should the counterparty fail to perform under the contracts. Options written by the Fund do not typically give rise to counterparty credit risk, as options written generally obligate the Fund, and not the counterparty, to perform. The Fund may be exposed to counterparty credit risk with respect to options written to the extent the Fund deposits collateral with its counterparty to a written option.
With exchange-traded futures and centrally cleared swaps, there is less counterparty credit risk to the Fund since the exchange or clearinghouse, as counterparty to such instruments, guarantees against a possible default. The clearinghouse stands between the buyer and the seller of the contract; therefore, credit risk is limited to failure of the clearinghouse. While offset rights may exist under applicable law, the Fund does not have a contractual right of offset against a clearing broker or clearinghouse in the event of a default (including the bankruptcy or insolvency). Additionally, credit risk exists in exchange-traded futures and centrally cleared swaps with respect to initial and variation margin that is held in a clearing broker’s customer accounts . While clearing brokers are required to segregate customer margin from their own assets, in the event that a
| | |
NOTESTO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | | 61 |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
clearing broker becomes insolvent or goes into bankruptcy and at that time there is a shortfall in the aggregate amount of margin held by the clearing broker for all its clients, typically the shortfall would be allocated on a pro rata basis across all the clearing broker’s customers, potentially resulting in losses to the Fund.
Concentration Risk: The Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in fixed-income securities and/or uses derivatives tied to the fixed-income markets. Changes in market interest rates or economic conditions may affect the value and/or liquidity of such investments. Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to the current period of historically low rates.
The Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in securities backed by commercial or residential mortgage loans or in issuers that hold mortgage and other asset-backed securities. Investment percentages in these securities are presented in the Schedule of Investments. Changes in economic conditions, including delinquencies and/or defaults on assets underlying these securities, can affect the value, income and/or liquidity of such positions.
11. | CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS |
Transactions in capital shares for each class were as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20 | | | Year Ended 12/31/19 | |
| | | | |
| | Shares | | | Amount | | | Shares | | | Amount | |
| |
| | | | |
Class I | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Shares sold | | | 560,086 | | | $ | 7,075,337 | | | | 993,847 | | | $ | 11,950,864 | |
Shares issued in reinvestment of distributions | | | 239,139 | | | | 2,966,228 | | | | 677,136 | | | | 8,126,680 | |
Shares redeemed | | | (1,635,997 | ) | | | (20,184,953 | ) | | | (2,942,075 | ) | | | (35,288,318 | ) |
| | | | |
Net decrease | | | (836,772 | ) | | $ | (10,143,388 | ) | | | (1,271,092 | ) | | $ | (15,210,774 | ) |
| | | | |
| | | | |
Class III | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Shares sold | | | 4,447,555 | | | $ | 54,492,195 | | | | 6,788,622 | | | $ | 80,399,856 | |
Shares issued in reinvestment of distributions | | | 346,204 | | | | 4,242,772 | | | | 883,225 | | | | 10,495,162 | |
Shares redeemed | | | (4,716,533 | ) | | | (57,494,760 | ) | | | (3,678,563 | ) | | | (43,486,524 | ) |
| | | | |
Net increase | | | 77,226 | | | $ | 1,240,207 | | | | 3,993,284 | | | $ | 47,408,494 | |
| | | | |
Total Net Increase (Decrease) | | | (759,546 | ) | | $ | (8,903,181 | ) | | | 2,722,192 | | | $ | 32,197,720 | |
| | | | |
Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Fund through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that there were no subsequent events requiring adjustment or additional disclosure in the financial statements.
| | |
62 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
Glossary of Terms Used in this Report
| | |
Currency |
| |
AUD | | Australian Dollar |
| |
BRL | | Brazilian Real |
| |
CAD | | Canadian Dollar |
| |
CLP | | Chilean Peso |
| |
CNY | | Chinese Yuan |
| |
COP | | Colombian Peso |
| |
EUR | | Euro |
| |
GBP | | British Pound |
| |
IDR | | Indonesian Rupiah |
| |
JPY | | Japanese Yen |
| |
KRW | | South Korean Won |
| |
KZT | | Kazakhstani Tenge |
| |
MXN | | Mexican Peso |
| |
RUB | | New Russian Ruble |
| |
TRY | | Turkish Lira |
| |
TWD | | Taiwan New Dollar |
| |
USD | | United States Dollar |
| |
ZAR | | South African Rand |
| | |
Portfolio Abbreviations |
| |
ABS | | Asset-Backed Security |
| |
BA | | Canadian Bankers Acceptances |
| |
BZDIOVER | | Overnight Brazil CETIP — Interbank Rate |
| |
CLO | | Collateralized Loan Obligation |
| |
COP | | Certificates of Participation |
| |
CSMC | | Credit Suisse Mortgage Capital |
| |
CWABS | | Countrywide Asset-Backed Certificates |
| |
DAC | | Designated Activity Company |
| |
GO | | General Obligation Bonds |
| |
LIBOR | | London Interbank Offered Rate |
| |
MXIBTIIE | | Mexico Interbank TIIE 28-Day |
| |
OTC | | Over-the-counter |
| |
PCL | | Public Company Limited |
| |
PJSC | | Public Joint Stock Company |
| |
RB | | Revenue Bonds |
| |
REMIC | | Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit |
| |
SCA | | Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget |
| |
SOFR | | Secured Overnight Financing Rate |
| |
SONIA | | Sterling Overnight Interbank Avergage Rate |
| |
TBA | | To-be-announced |
| |
USCPI | | U.S. Consumer Price Index |
| |
VRDN | | Variable Rate Demand Notes |
| | |
GLOSSARYOF TERMS USEDINTHIS REPORT | | 63 |
| | |
![LOGO](https://capedge.com/proxy/N-CSRS/0001193125-20-234124/g949669g42l24.jpg) | | JUNE 30, 2020 |
| | |
| |
| | 2020 Semi-Annual Report (Unaudited) |
BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc.
· | | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund |
|
Not FDIC Insured • May Lose Value • No Bank Guarantee |
| | |
Fund Summary as of June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund |
Investment Objective
BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund’s (the “Fund”) investment objective is to seek to maximize total return, consistent with income generation and prudent investment management.
Portfolio Management Commentary
How did the Fund perform?
For the six-month period ended June 30, 2020, the Fund underperformed its benchmark, the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Government/Mortgage Index. For the same period, the Fund outperformed its secondary benchmark, the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Mortgage-Backed Securities Index. The following discussion of relative performance pertains to the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Government/Mortgage Index.
What factors influenced performance?
Detractors from the Fund’s performance relative to the benchmark included the allocation to commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”), as the sector was negatively impacted by the market volatility and illiquidity seen in the wake of coronavirus concerns. Positioning with respect to interest rate volatility and inflation also weighed on returns.
Positive contributors to the Fund’s performance relative to the benchmark included selection within 30-year agency mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”). The Fund’s stance with respect to U.S. and global interest rates also aided returns, specifically, an above-benchmark stance with respect to duration (and corresponding interest rate sensitivity) as Treasury yields declined sharply during the period.
Describe recent portfolio activity.
During the reporting period, allocations to agency MBS and U.S. Treasuries were reduced, along with exposure to inflation-protected securities and agency CMBS. The Fund’s duration stance shifted from an overweight position to an underweight.
The Fund had a modestly elevated cash position at period end due to the investment adviser’s increasing preference for using forward contracts to gain MBS exposure as opposed to holding cash bonds. The Fund’s cash position did not have a material impact on performance over the six-month period.
Describe portfolio positioning at period end.
The Fund was slightly underweight in U.S. duration. Overall, the Fund maintained a modestly constructive near-term stance on agency MBS, with a focus on low coupon, “to be announced” securities that will derive fundamental benefits from the Fed’s ongoing purchases. Within global interest rate and currency strategies, the Fund maintained a small long position in select European peripherals, including Italy and Spain, given accommodative central bank policy.
The views expressed reflect the opinions of BlackRock as of the date of this report and are subject to change based on changes in market, economic or other conditions. These views are not intended to be a forecast of future events and are no guarantee of future results.
Portfolio Information
PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION
| | | | |
Asset Type | | Percent of Total Investments (a) | |
U.S. Government Sponsored Agency Securities | | | 51 | % |
U.S. Treasury Obligations | | | 43 | |
Non-Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities | | | 4 | |
Asset-Backed Securities | | | 2 | |
Foreign Government Obligations | | | — | (b) |
| (a) | Excludes short-term securities, options purchased, options written and TBA sale commitments. | |
| (b) | Represents less than 1% of the Fund’s total investments. | |
| | |
2 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Fund Summary as of June 30, 2020 (continued) | | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund |
Performance Summary for the Period Ended June 30, 2020
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Average Annual Total Returns (a) | |
| | Standardized 30-Day Yields (b) | | | Unsubsidized 30-Day Yields (b) | | | 6-Month Total Returns (a) | | | | | | 1 Year | | | 5 Years | | | 10 Years | |
Class I(c)(d) | | | 1.36 | % | | | 0.92 | % | | | 5.97 | % | | | | | | | 7.75 | % | | | 3.18 | % | | | 2.80 | % |
Class III(c)(d) | | | 1.06 | | | | 0.70 | | | | 5.81 | | | | | | | | 7.42 | | | | 2.86 | | | | 2.52 | (e) |
Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Government/Mortgage Index(f) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 6.59 | | | | | | | | 8.50 | | | | 3.73 | | | | 3.23 | |
Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Mortgage-Backed Securities Index(g) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 3.50 | | | | | | | | 5.67 | | | | 3.23 | | | | 3.06 | |
| (a) | For a portion of the period, the Fund’s investment adviser waived a portion of its fee. Without such waiver, the Fund’s performance would have been lower. | |
| (b) | The standardized 30-day yield includes the effects of any waivers and/or reimbursements. The unsubsidized 30-day yield excludes the effects of any waivers and/or reimbursements. | |
| (c) | Average annual and cumulative total returns are based on changes in net asset value (“NAV”) for the periods shown, and assume reinvestment of all distributions at NAV on the ex-dividend/ payable date. Insurance-related fees and expenses are not reflected in these returns. | |
| (d) | The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its assets in fixed-income securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies. On September 17, 2018, the Fund acquired all of the assets, subject to the liabilities, of BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund (the “Predecessor Fund”), a series of BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc., through a tax-free reorganization (the “Reorganization”). The Predecessor Fund is the performance and accounting survivor of the Reorganization. The Fund’s total returns prior to October 1, 2011 are the returns of the Predecessor Fund when it followed a different investment objective and different investment strategies under the name “BlackRock Government Income V.I. Fund”. | |
| (e) | The returns for Class III Shares prior to July 15, 2013, the recommencement of operations of Class III Shares, are based upon the performance of the Predecessor Fund’s Class I Shares. The returns for Class III Shares, however, are adjusted to reflect the distribution (12b-1) fees applicable to Class III Shares. | |
| (f) | An index that measures debt issued by the U.S. Government, and its agencies, as well as mortgage-backed pass-through securities of Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. | |
| (g) | An unmanaged index that includes the mortgage-backed pass-through securities of Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that meet certain maturity and liquidity criteria. | |
Past performance is not indicative of future results. Performance results do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.
Performance results may include adjustments made for financial reporting purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
The Benefits and Risks of Leveraging
The Fund may utilize leverage to seek to enhance returns and net asset value (“NAV”). However, there is no guarantee that these objectives can be achieved in all interest rate environments.
The Fund may utilize leverage by entering into reverse repurchase agreements.
In general, the concept of leveraging is based on the premise that the financing cost of leverage, which is based on short-term interest rates, is normally lower than the income earned by the Fund on its longer-term portfolio investments purchased with the proceeds from leverage. To the extent that the total assets of the Fund (including the assets obtained from leverage) are invested in higher-yielding portfolio investments, the Fund’s shareholders benefit from the incremental net income.
The interest earned on securities purchased with the proceeds from leverage is distributed to the Fund’s shareholders, and the value of these portfolio holdings is reflected in the Fund’s per share NAV. However, in order to benefit shareholders, the return on assets purchased with leverage proceeds must exceed the ongoing costs associated with the leverage. If interest and other ongoing costs of leverage exceed the Fund’s return on assets purchased with leverage proceeds, income to shareholders is lower than if the Fund had not used leverage.
Furthermore, the value of the Fund’s portfolio investments generally varies inversely with the direction of long-term interest rates, although other factors can also influence the value of portfolio investments. As a result, changes in interest rates can influence the Fund’s NAV positively or negatively in addition to the impact on the Fund’s performance from leverage. Changes in the direction of interest rates are difficult to predict accurately, and there is no assurance that the Fund’s leveraging strategy will be successful.
The use of leverage also generally causes greater changes in the Fund’s NAV and dividend rates than comparable portfolios without leverage. In a declining market, leverage is likely to cause a greater decline in the NAV of the Fund’s shares than if the Fund were not leveraged. In addition, the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times or at distressed values in order to comply with regulatory requirements applicable to the use of leverage or as required by the terms of the leverage instruments, which may cause the Fund to incur losses. The use of leverage may limit the Fund’s ability to invest in certain types of securities or use certain types of hedging strategies. The Fund incurs expenses in connection with the use of leverage, all of which are borne by the Fund’s shareholders and may reduce income.
Disclosure of Expenses
Shareholders of the Fund may incur the following charges: (a) transactional expenses; and (b) operating expenses, including investment advisory fees, service and distribution fees, including 12b-1 fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, and other fund expenses. The expense example shown below (which is based on a hypothetical investment of $1,000 invested on January 1, 2020 and held through June 30, 2020) is intended to assist shareholders both in calculating expenses based on an investment in the Fund and in comparing these expenses with similar costs of investing in other mutual funds.
The expense example provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. In order to estimate the expenses a shareholder paid during the period covered by this report, shareholders can divide their account value by $1,000 and then multiply the result by the number corresponding to their share class under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During the Period.”
The expense example also provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses. In order to assist shareholders in comparing the ongoing expenses of investing in the Fund and other funds, compare the 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in shareholder reports of other funds.
The expenses shown in the expense example are intended to highlight shareholders’ ongoing costs only and do not reflect transactional expenses, such as sales charges, if any. Therefore, the hypothetical example is useful in comparing ongoing expenses only, and will not help shareholders determine the relative total expenses of owning different funds. If these transactional expenses were included, shareholder expenses would have been higher.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Actual | | | | | | Hypothetical (a) | |
| | | | | | | | Including Interest Expense and Fees | | | Excluding Interest Expense and Fees | | | | | | | | | Including Interest Expense and Fees | | | Excluding Interest Expense and Fees | |
| | Beginning Account Value (01/01/20) | | | Ending Account Value (06/30/20) | | | Expenses Paid During the Period (b) | | | Expenses Paid During the Period (c) | | | | | | Beginning Account Value (01/01/20) | | | Ending Account Value (06/30/20) | | | Expenses Paid During the Period (b) | | | Ending Account Value (06/30/20) | | | Expenses Paid During the Period (c) | |
Class I | | $ | 1,000.00 | | | $ | 1,059.70 | | | $ | 3.69 | | | $ | 2.92 | | | | | | | $ | 1,000.00 | | | $ | 1,021.28 | | | $ | 3.62 | | | $ | 1,022.03 | | | $ | 2.87 | |
Class III | | | 1,000.00 | | | | 1,058.10 | | | | 5.12 | | | | 4.35 | | | | | | | | 1,000.00 | | | | 1,019.89 | | | | 5.02 | | | | 1,020.64 | | | | 4.27 | |
| (a) | Hypothetical 5% annual return before expenses is calculated by prorating the number of days in the most recent fiscal half year divided by 366. | |
| (b) | For each class of the Fund, expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio for the class (0.72% for Class I and 1.00% for Class III), multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 182/366 (to reflect the one-half year period shown). | |
| (c) | For each class of the Fund, expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio for the class (0.57% for Class I and 0.85% for Class III), multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 182/366 (to reflect the one-half year period shown). | |
| | |
4 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
Derivative Financial Instruments
The Fund may invest in various derivative financial instruments. These instruments are used to obtain exposure to a security, commodity, index, market, and/or other assets without owning or taking physical custody of securities, commodities and/or other referenced assets or to manage market, equity, credit, interest rate, foreign currency exchange rate, commodity and/or other risks. Derivative financial instruments may give rise to a form of economic leverage and involve risks, including the imperfect correlation between the value of a derivative financial instrument and the underlying asset, possible default of the counterparty to the transaction or illiquidity of the instrument. The Fund’s successful use of a derivative financial instrument depends on the investment adviser’s ability to predict pertinent market movements accurately, which cannot be assured. The use of these instruments may result in losses greater than if they had not been used, may limit the amount of appreciation the Fund can realize on an investment and/or may result in lower distributions paid to shareholders. The Fund’s investments in these instruments, if any, are discussed in detail in the Notes to Financial Statements.
| | |
DERIVATIVE FINANCIALINSTRUMENTS | | 5 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Asset-Backed Securities — 2.0%(a) | |
Dryden XXVIII Senior Loan Fund, Series 2013-28A, Class A1LR, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.20%), 1.59%, 08/15/30(b) | | USD | 700 | | | $ | 683,997 | |
Progress Residential Trust, Series 2017-SFR1, Class A, 2.77%, 08/17/34 | | | 100 | | | | 101,120 | |
Romark WM-R Ltd., Series 2018-1A, Class A1, (LIBOR USD 3 Month + 1.03%), 2.17%, 04/20/31(b) | | | 500 | | | | 485,863 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Asset-Backed Securities — 2.0% (Cost: $1,299,580) | | | | 1,270,980 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
Foreign Government Obligations — 0.2% | |
|
Colombia — 0.0% | |
Republic of Colombia: | | | | | | | | |
6.25%, 11/26/25 | | COP | 26,800 | | | | 7,695 | |
7.25%, 10/18/34 | | | 78,700 | | | | 21,637 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 29,332 | |
|
Russia — 0.2% | |
Russian Federation: | | | | | | | | |
8.15%, 02/03/27 | | RUB | 1,279 | | | | 20,706 | |
6.00%, 10/06/27 | | | 585 | | | | 8,458 | |
6.90%, 05/23/29 | | | 2,602 | | | | 39,567 | |
8.50%, 09/17/31 | | | 2,242 | | | | 38,070 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 106,801 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Foreign Government Obligations — 0.2% (Cost: $136,216) | | | | 136,133 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
Non-Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities — 3.8% | |
|
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations — 0.5% | |
Seasoned Credit Risk Transfer Trust: | | | | | | | | |
Series 2018-2, Class MA, 3.50% 11/25/57 | | USD | 98 | | | | 106,276 | |
Series 2018-3, Class MA, 3.50% 08/25/57 | | | 127 | | | | 138,122 | |
Series 2019-2, Class MA, 3.50% 08/25/58 | | | 74 | | | | 81,116 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 325,514 | |
|
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities — 2.9% | |
BANK, Series 2020-BN26, Class B, 2.91% 03/15/63(c) | | | 155 | | | | 150,447 | |
BX Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2019-XL, Class D, 1.63% 10/15/36(a)(c) | | | 287 | | | | 279,446 | |
BX Trust, Series 2019-OC11, Class A, 3.20% 12/09/41(a) | | | 300 | | | | 312,528 | |
Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2017-PANW, Class A, 3.24% 10/10/29(a) | | | 440 | | | | 452,909 | |
CSAIL Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2019-C17, Class C, 3.93% 09/15/52 | | | 85 | | | | 85,493 | |
Hudson Yards Mortgage Trust, Series 2019-30HY, Class D, 3.56% 07/10/39(a)(c) | | | 101 | | | | 101,161 | |
KKR Industrial Portfolio Trust, Series 2020-AIP, Class A, 1.22% 03/15/37(a)(c) | | | 39 | | | | 38,528 | |
Morgan Stanley Capital I Trust, Series 2018-SUN, Class A, 1.08% 07/15/35(a)(c) | | | 145 | | | | 138,461 | |
One Bryant Park Trust, Series 2019-OBP, Class A, 2.52% 09/15/54(a) | | | 290 | | | | 306,863 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 1,865,836 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Interest Only Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities — 0.4%(c) | |
CSAIL Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2019-C16, Class XA, 1.73% 06/15/52 | | USD | 1,737 | | | $ | 180,099 | |
UBS Commercial Mortgage Trust, Series 2019-C17, Class XA, 1.64% 10/15/52 | | | 1,015 | | | | 102,138 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 282,237 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Non-Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities — 3.8% (Cost: $2,468,557) | | | | 2,473,587 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
U.S. Government Sponsored Agency Securities — 53.3% | |
|
Agency Obligations — 1.0% | |
Federal Home Loan Bank, 4.00%, 04/10/28 | | | 500 | | | | 616,789 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations — 0.5% | |
Federal National Mortgage Association, Series 2011-8, Class ZA, 4.00%, 02/25/41 | | | 187 | | | | 203,924 | |
Government National Mortgage Association Variable Rate Notes, Series 2014-107, Class WX, 6.80%, 07/20/39(c) | | | 122 | | | | 142,177 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 346,101 | |
|
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities — 0.7% | |
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. Variable Rate Notes(c): | | | | | | | | |
Series 2019-SB60, Class A10F, 3.31%, 01/25/29 | | | 220 | | | | 236,328 | |
Series 2019-SB61, Class A10F, 3.17%, 01/25/29 | | | 174 | | | | 186,401 | |
Government National Mortgage Association, Series 2019-7, Class V, 3.00%, 05/16/35 | | | 21 | | | | 23,714 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 446,443 | |
|
Interest Only Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities — 1.1% | |
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., Series 2015-K718, Class X2A, 0.10%, 02/25/48(a) | | | 20,675 | | | | 21,885 | |
Government National Mortgage Association Variable Rate Notes: | | | | | | | | |
Series 2002-83, 0.00%, 10/16/42(c) | | | 877 | | | | 1 | |
Series 2003-17, 0.00%, 03/16/43(c) | | | 987 | | | | 10 | |
Series 2003-109, 0.00%, 11/16/43(c) | | | 1,647 | | | | 64 | |
Series 2016-22, 0.77%, 11/16/55(c) | | | 2,510 | | | | 116,319 | |
Series 2016-45, 0.98%, 02/16/58(c) | | | 1,415 | | | | 85,302 | |
Series 2016-92, 0.90%, 04/16/58(c) | | | 538 | | | | 30,568 | |
Series 2016-113, (LIBOR USD 1 Month + 0.00%), 1.15%, 02/16/58(b) | | | 1,195 | | | | 90,449 | |
Series 2016-151, 1.06%, 06/16/58(c) | | | 919 | | | | 62,387 | |
Series 2017-30, 0.66%, 08/16/58(c) | | | 579 | | | | 27,564 | |
Series 2017-44, 0.70%, 04/17/51(c) | | | 646 | | | | 31,496 | |
Series 2017-53, 0.67%, 11/16/56(c) | | | 1,815 | | | | 87,313 | |
Series 2017-61, 0.76%, 05/16/59(c) | | | 475 | | | | 29,240 | |
Series 2017-64, 0.70%, 11/16/57(c) | | | 724 | | | | 38,778 | |
Series 2017-72, 0.67%, 04/16/57(c) | | | 1,156 | | | | 60,285 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 681,661 | |
|
Mortgage-Backed Securities — 50.0% | |
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.: | | | | | | | | |
2.50%, 03/01/30 - 04/01/31 | | | 184 | | | | 195,833 | |
3.00%, 09/01/27 - 12/01/46 | | | 450 | | | | 481,475 | |
3.50%, 04/01/31 - 01/01/48 | | | 609 | | | | 663,322 | |
4.00%, 08/01/40 - 12/01/45 | | | 112 | | | | 122,207 | |
4.50%, 02/01/39 - 07/01/47 | | | 214 | | | | 238,220 | |
5.00%, 10/01/41 - 11/01/41 | | | 141 | | | | 160,688 | |
5.50%, 06/01/41 | | | 97 | | | | 111,021 | |
8.00%, 12/01/29 - 07/01/30 | | | 21 | | | | 25,167 | |
| | |
6 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-NNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund (Percentages shown are based on Net Assets) |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
|
Mortgage-Backed Securities (continued) | |
Federal National Mortgage Association: | | | | | | | | |
3.00%, 02/01/44 | | USD | 64 | | | $ | 68,235 | |
3.50%, 11/01/46 | | | 167 | | | | 179,010 | |
4.00%, 01/01/41 | | | 8 | | | | 8,633 | |
Government National Mortgage Association: | | | | | | | | |
2.50%, 07/15/50(d) | | | 397 | | | | 417,905 | |
3.00%, 02/15/45 - 12/20/46 | | | 778 | | | | 828,090 | |
3.00%, 07/15/50(d) | | | 1,149 | | | | 1,217,357 | |
3.50%, 01/15/42 - 10/20/46 | | | 2,292 | | | | 2,457,983 | |
3.50%, 07/15/50(d) | | | 4 | | | | 4,221 | |
4.00%, 09/20/40 - 05/20/50 | | | 713 | | | | 769,737 | |
4.00%, 07/15/50(d) | | | 523 | | | | 553,942 | |
4.50%, 12/20/39 - 12/20/49 | | | 1,283 | | | | 1,405,968 | |
5.00%, 12/15/38 - 07/20/42 | | | 89 | | | | 101,183 | |
5.00%, 07/15/50(d) | | | 126 | | | | 136,848 | |
5.50%, 01/15/34 | | | 475 | | | | 554,770 | |
Uniform Mortgage-Backed Securities: | | | | | | | | |
2.00%, 10/01/31 - 03/01/32 | | | 110 | | | | 113,959 | |
2.00%, 09/25/35 - 08/25/50(d) | | | 450 | | | | 460,867 | |
2.50%, 04/01/30 - 02/01/33 | | | 616 | | | | 653,913 | |
2.50%, 07/25/35 - 08/25/50(d) | | | 4,296 | | | | 4,476,047 | |
3.00%, 04/01/29 - 05/01/50 | | | 2,875 | | | | 3,080,846 | |
3.00%, 07/25/35 - 07/25/50(d) | | | 1,420 | | | | 1,494,992 | |
3.50%, 04/01/29 - 04/01/50 | | | 2,667 | | | | 2,910,270 | |
3.50%, 07/25/50(d) | | | 256 | | | | 269,535 | |
4.00%, 01/01/26 - 03/01/50 | | | 2,214 | | | | 2,448,407 | |
4.00%, 07/25/35 - 07/25/50(d) | | | 952 | | | | 1,008,839 | |
4.50%, 05/01/24 - 04/01/49 | | | 691 | | | | 756,328 | |
4.50%, 07/25/50(d) | | | 2,842 | | | | 3,053,596 | |
5.00%, 09/01/35 - 08/01/41 | | | 195 | | | | 223,373 | |
5.00%, 07/25/50(d) | | | 3 | | | | 3,278 | |
5.50%, 05/01/34 - 12/01/39 | | | 198 | | | | 226,624 | |
6.00%, 04/01/35 - 06/01/41 | | | 223 | | | | 259,904 | |
6.50%, 05/01/40 | | | 40 | | | | 45,940 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 32,188,533 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| |
Total U.S. Government Sponsored Agency Securities — 53.3% (Cost: $33,400,212) | | | | 34,279,527 | |
| | | | | | | | |
|
U.S. Treasury Obligations — 44.3% | |
U.S. Treasury Bonds: | | | | | | | | |
4.25%, 05/15/39 | | | 170 | | | | 262,657 | |
4.50%, 08/15/39 | | | 170 | | | | 270,758 | |
4.38%, 11/15/39 | | | 170 | | | | 267,312 | |
3.13%, 02/15/43 | | | 660 | | | | 894,867 | |
2.88%, 05/15/43 - 11/15/46 | | | 1,290 | | | | 1,700,004 | |
3.63%, 08/15/43 | | | 660 | | | | 964,012 | |
3.75%, 11/15/43 | | | 660 | | | | 982,240 | |
3.00%, 02/15/48 | | | 630 | | | | 862,436 | |
2.25%, 08/15/49 | | | 895 | | | | 1,076,342 | |
U.S. Treasury Inflation Linked Notes: | | | | | | | | |
0.50%, 04/15/24 | | | 266 | | | | 279,493 | |
0.13%, 10/15/24 | | | 740 | | | | 775,213 | |
U.S. Treasury Notes: | | | | | | | | |
2.00%, 07/31/20 | | | 2,520 | | | | 2,523,797 | |
2.50%, 12/31/20 | | | 1,890 | | | | 1,911,558 | |
1.13%, 07/31/21 | | | 2,840 | | | | 2,869,287 | |
1.75%, 07/31/21 - 04/30/22 | | | 3,935 | | | | 4,030,612 | |
1.50%, 01/31/22 - 08/15/26 | | | 3,450 | | | | 3,563,389 | |
2.13%, 12/31/22 | | | 1,260 | | | | 1,321,376 | |
2.75%, 05/31/23 | | | 1,260 | | | | 1,354,106 | |
2.25%, 08/15/27 | | | 1,260 | | | | 1,415,187 | |
2.88%, 08/15/28 | | | 380 | | | | 450,033 | |
3.13%, 11/15/28 | | | 380 | | | | 459,429 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Security | | Par (000) | | | Value | |
U.S. Treasury Obligations (continued) | |
1.63%, 08/15/29 | | USD | 215 | | | $ | 234,594 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| |
Total U.S. Treasury Obligations — 44.3% (Cost: $26,179,166) | | | | 28,468,702 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Long-Term Investments — 103.6% (Cost: $63,483,731) | | | | 66,628,929 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
| | Shares | | | | |
| | |
Short-Term Securities — 13.5% | | | | | | |
| | |
Money Market Funds — 1.0% | | | | | | | | |
BlackRock Liquidity Funds, T-Fund, Institutional Class, 0.11%(e)* | | | 661,547 | | | | 661,547 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Money Market Funds — 1.0% (Cost: $661,547) | | | | 661,547 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
| | Par (000) | | | | |
|
U.S. Government Sponsored Agency Securities — 12.5% | |
Federal Home Loan Bank Discount Notes, 0.09%, 07/24/20(f) | | | 8,000 | | | | 7,999,387 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| |
Total U.S. Government Sponsored Agency Securities — 12.5% (Cost: $7,999,519) | | | | 7,999,387 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Short-Term Securities — 13.5% (Cost: $8,661,066) | | | | 8,660,934 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Options Purchased — 0.0% (Cost: $20,257) | | | | 2,797 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Investments Before Options Written and TBA Sale Commitments — 117.1% (Cost: $72,165,054) | | | | 75,292,660 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Options Written — (0.0)% (Premium Received — $19,330) | | | | (7,710 | ) |
| | | | | | | | |
|
TBA Sale Commitments — (9.8)%(d) | |
|
Mortgage-Backed Securities — (9.8)% | |
Government National Mortgage Association: | | | | | | | | |
3.50%, 07/15/50 | | | 133 | | | | (139,841 | ) |
4.50%, 07/15/50 | | | 317 | | | | (338,571 | ) |
Uniform Mortgage-Backed Securities: | | | | | | | | |
2.50%, 07/25/35 - 08/25/50 | | | 1,732 | | | | (1,806,145 | ) |
3.00%, 07/25/35 - 07/25/50 | | | 416 | | | | (438,070 | ) |
3.50%, 07/25/35 - 08/25/50 | | | 2,755 | | | | (2,897,467 | ) |
4.00%, 07/25/35 - 07/25/50 | | | 183 | | | | (193,684 | ) |
2.00%, 07/25/50 | | | 180 | | | | (184,205 | ) |
5.50%, 07/25/50 | | | 88 | | | | (96,829 | ) |
6.00%, 07/25/50 | | | 160 | | | | (178,103 | ) |
| | | | | | | | |
| |
Total TBA Sale Commitments — (9.8)% (Proceeds: $6,265,521) | | | | (6,272,915 | ) |
| | | | | | | | |
| |
Total Investments Net of Options Written and TBA Sale Commitments — 107.3% (Cost: $65,880,203) | | | | 69,012,035 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| |
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (7.3)% | | | | (4,680,036 | ) |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
Net Assets — 100.0% | | | | | | $ | 64,331,999 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 7 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund |
(a) | Security exempt from registration pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. These securities may be resold in transactions exempt from registration to qualified institutional investors. |
(b) | Variable rate security. Security may be issued at a fixed coupon rate, which converts to a variable rate at a specified date. Rate shown is the rate in effect as of period end. |
(c) | Variable or floating rate security, which interest rate adjusts periodically based on changes in current interest rates and prepayments on the underlying pool of assets. Rate shown is the rate in effect as of period end. |
(d) | Represents or includes a TBA transaction. |
(e) | Annualized 7-day yield as of period end. |
(f) | Rates are discount rates or a range of discount rates as of period end. |
* | Investments in issuers considered to be an affiliate/affiliates of the Fund during the six months ended June 30, 2020 for purposes of Section 2(a)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, were as follows: |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Affiliated Issuer | | Shares Held at 12/31/19 | | | Shares Purchased | | | Shares Sold | | | Shares Held at 06/30/20 | | | Value at 06/30/20 | | | Income | | | Net Realized Gain (Loss) (a) | | | Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
BlackRock Liquidity Funds, T-Fund, Institutional Class(b) | | | 1,258,784 | | | | — | | | | (597,237 | ) | | | 661,547 | | | $ | 661,547 | | | $ | 6,680 | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| (a) | Includes net capital gain distributions, if applicable. | |
| (b) | Represents net shares purchased (sold). | |
| | |
8 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund |
Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End
Futures Contracts
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Description | | Number of Contracts | | | Expiration Date | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value/ Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
Long Contracts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Euro-BTP | | | 4 | | | | 09/08/20 | | | $ | 647 | | | $ | 10,216 | |
U.S. Treasury 10 Year Note | | | 16 | | | | 09/21/20 | | | | 2,227 | | | | 617 | |
U.S. Treasury Long Bond | | | 2 | | | | 09/21/20 | | | | 357 | | | | 1,387 | |
U.S. Treasury 2 Year Note | | | 32 | | | | 09/30/20 | | | | 7,067 | | | | 4,596 | |
U.S. Treasury 5 Year Note | | | 53 | | | | 09/30/20 | | | | 6,664 | | | | 11,049 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 27,865 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Short Contracts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Euro-Bund | | | 4 | | | | 09/08/20 | | | | 793 | | | | (9,023 | ) |
Canada 10 Year Bond | | | 3 | | | | 09/21/20 | | | | 340 | | | | 172 | |
U.S. Treasury 10 Year Ultra Note | | | 2 | | | | 09/21/20 | | | | 315 | | | | (968 | ) |
U.S. Treasury Ultra Bond | | | 2 | | | | 09/21/20 | | | | 436 | | | | 511 | |
Long Gilt | | | 2 | | | | 09/28/20 | | | | 341 | | | | (1,875 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | (11,183 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | 16,682 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Currency Purchased | | | Currency Sold | | | Counterparty | | Settlement Date | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
USD | | | 30,859 | | | MXN | | | 700,000 | | | Citibank NA | | | 07/06/20 | | | $ | 419 | |
EUR | | | 10,000 | | | USD | | | 11,216 | | | State Street Bank and Trust Co. | | | 07/16/20 | | | | 22 | |
USD | | | 7,016 | | | AUD | | | 10,000 | | | Citibank NA | | | 07/16/20 | | | | 114 | |
USD | | | 10,000 | | | RUB | | | 701,742 | | | Goldman Sachs International | | | 07/16/20 | | | | 158 | |
USD | | | 40,000 | | | TRY | | | 274,340 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/16/20 | | | | 99 | |
USD | | | 50,000 | | | ZAR | | | 828,937 | | | Standard Chartered Bank | | | 07/16/20 | | | | 2,306 | |
USD | | | 10,000 | | | CLP | | | 7,709,300 | | | Citibank NA | | | 07/20/20 | | | | 611 | |
USD | | | 9,748 | | | COP | | | 36,500,000 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/27/20 | | | | 57 | |
USD | | | 17,524 | | | COP | | | 64,267,786 | | | Barclays Bank plc | | | 09/16/20 | | | | 532 | |
USD | | | 5,183 | | | RUB | | | 368,746 | | | BNP Paribas SA | | | 09/16/20 | | | | 47 | |
USD | | | 3,473 | | | RUB | | | 246,181 | | | Credit Suisse International | | | 09/16/20 | | | | 45 | |
USD | | | 3,631 | | | RUB | | | 257,701 | | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 09/16/20 | | | | 41 | |
USD | | | 108,823 | | | RUB | | | 7,576,869 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 09/16/20 | | | | 3,297 | |
USD | | | 6,118 | | | MXN | | | 134,119 | | | Barclays Bank plc | | | 09/23/20 | | | | 347 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8,095 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
USD | | | 53,512 | | | CAD | | | 73,000 | | | Citibank NA | | | 07/06/20 | | | | (260 | ) |
USD | | | 102,188 | | | EUR | | | 91,000 | | | HSBC Bank plc | | | 07/06/20 | | | | (58 | ) |
JPY | | | 1,071,741 | | | USD | | | 10,000 | | | UBS AG | | | 07/16/20 | | | | (72 | ) |
KRW | | | 11,883,700 | | | USD | | | 10,000 | | | Barclays Bank plc | | | 07/16/20 | | | | (94 | ) |
MXN | | | 1,538,921 | | | USD | | | 70,000 | | | Bank of America NA | | | 07/16/20 | | | | (3,174 | ) |
MXN | | | 451,282 | | | USD | | | 20,000 | | | State Street Bank and Trust Co. | | | 07/16/20 | | | | (403 | ) |
RUB | | | 5,512,800 | | | USD | | | 80,000 | | | BNP Paribas SA | | | 07/16/20 | | | | (2,682 | ) |
USD | | | 10,000 | | | COP | | | 37,800,000 | | | BNP Paribas SA | | | 07/16/20 | | | | (46 | ) |
USD | | | 10,000 | | | KRW | | | 12,138,357 | | | BNP Paribas SA | | | 07/16/20 | | | | (118 | ) |
USD | | | 10,000 | | | TWD | | | 293,490 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/16/20 | | | | (10 | ) |
USD | | | 10,000 | | | ZAR | | | 174,372 | | | State Street Bank and Trust Co. | | | 07/16/20 | | | | (33 | ) |
CLP | | | 7,832,206 | | | USD | | | 10,000 | | | Royal Bank of Canada | | | 07/20/20 | | | | (461 | ) |
USD | | | 5,149 | | | COP | | | 19,621,000 | | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 07/27/20 | | | | (61 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | (7,472 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 9 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund |
OTC Interest Rate Swaptions Purchased
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Paid by the Fund | | Received by the Fund | | Counterparty | | Expiration Date | | | Exercise Rate | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | |
Description | | Rate | | | Frequency | | Rate | | | Frequency |
Put 10-Year Interest Rate Swap(a) | | | 2.11 | % | | Semi-Annual | | | 3 month LIBOR | | | Quarterly | | Citibank NA | | | 08/17/20 | | | | 2.11 | % | | USD | 1,800 | | | $ | 4 | |
10-Year Interest Rate Swap(a) | | | 1.05 | % | | Semi-Annual | | | 3 month LIBOR | | | Quarterly | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 12/03/20 | | | | 1.05 | | | USD | 253 | | | | 1,406 | |
10-Year Interest Rate Swap(a) | | | 1.05 | % | | Semi-Annual | | | 3 month LIBOR | | | Quarterly | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 12/16/20 | | | | 1.05 | | | USD | 95 | | | | 582 | |
10-Year Interest Rate Swap(a) | | | 1.00 | % | | Semi-Annual | | | 3 month LIBOR | | | Quarterly | | Bank of America NA | | | 12/17/20 | | | | 1.00 | | | USD | 112 | | | | 805 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | 2,797 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| (a) | Forward settling swaption. | |
OTC Interest Rate Swaptions Written
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Paid by the Fund | | Received by the Fund | | Counterparty | | Expiration Date | | | Exercise Rate | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | |
Description | | Rate | | | Frequency | | Rate | | | Frequency |
Call 10-Year Interest Rate Swap(a) | | | 3 month LIBOR | | | Quarterly | | | 0.35 | % | | Semi-Annual | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 09/30/20 | | | | 0.35 | % | | USD | 600 | | | $ | (2,253 | ) |
10-Year Interest Rate Swap(a) | | | 3 month LIBOR | | | Quarterly | | | 0.40 | % | | Semi-Annual | | Barclays Bank plc | | | 10/28/20 | | | | 0.40 | | | USD | 900 | | | | (5,389 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | (7,642 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Put 2-Year Interest Rate Swap(a) | | | 0.60 | % | | Semi-Annual | | | 3 month LIBOR | | | Quarterly | | Deutsche Bank AG | | | 09/25/20 | | | | 0.60 | | | USD | 4,600 | | | | (68 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | (7,710 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| (a) | Forward settling swaption. | |
Centrally Cleared Interest Rate Swaps
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Paid by the Fund | | Received by the Fund | | Effective Date | | | Termination Date | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | | | Upfront Premium Paid (Received) | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
Rate | | Frequency | | Rate | | Frequency |
3 month LIBOR | | Quarterly | | 1.37% | | Semi-Annual | | | N/A | | | | 11/30/20 | | | USD | | | 1,350 | | | $ | 7,108 | | | $ | 12,806 | | | $ | (5,698 | ) |
1.37% | | Semi-Annual | | 3 month LIBOR | | Quarterly | | | N/A | | | | 11/30/20 | | | USD | | | 2,470 | | | | (13,004 | ) | | | — | | | | (13,004 | ) |
0.73% | | Semi-Annual | | 3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | | 04/05/21 | (a) | | | 04/05/22 | | | CAD | | | 1,388 | | | | (1,806 | ) | | | — | | | | (1,806 | ) |
0.77% | | Semi-Annual | | 3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | | 04/07/21 | (a) | | | 04/07/22 | | | CAD | | | 2,750 | | | | (4,332 | ) | | | — | | | | (4,332 | ) |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | 0.66% | | Semi-Annual | | | 05/13/22 | (a) | | | 05/13/23 | | | CAD | | | 2,765 | | | | (1,837 | ) | | | — | | | | (1,837 | ) |
1 day SONIA | | At Termination | | 0.02% | | At Termination | | | 05/26/22 | (a) | | | 05/26/23 | | | GBP | | | 2,670 | | | | 2,648 | | | | — | | | | 2,648 | |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | 0.74% | | Semi-Annual | | | 05/26/22 | (a) | | | 05/26/23 | | | CAD | | | 954 | | | | (129 | ) | | | — | | | | (129 | ) |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | 0.73% | | Semi-Annual | | | 05/30/22 | (a) | | | 05/30/23 | | | CAD | | | 773 | | | | (139 | ) | | | — | | | | (139 | ) |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | 0.76% | | Semi-Annual | | | 05/30/22 | (a) | | | 05/30/23 | | | CAD | | | 793 | | | | 31 | | | | — | | | | 31 | |
0.06% | | At Termination | | 1 day Fed Funds | | At Termination | | | 05/31/22 | (a) | | | 05/31/23 | | | USD | | | 679 | | | | (454 | ) | | | — | | | | (454 | ) |
0.08% | | At Termination | | 1 day Fed Funds | | At Termination | | | 05/31/22 | (a) | | | 05/31/23 | | | USD | | | 564 | | | | (492 | ) | | | — | | | | (492 | ) |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | 0.76% | | Semi-Annual | | | 06/01/22 | (a) | | | 06/01/23 | | | CAD | | | 1,547 | | | | (2 | ) | | | — | | | | (2 | ) |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | 0.77% | | Semi-Annual | | | 06/01/22 | (a) | | | 06/01/23 | | | CAD | | | 1,548 | | | | 27 | | | | — | | | | 27 | |
0.05% | | At Termination | | 1 day Fed Funds | | At Termination | | | 06/02/22 | (a) | | | 06/02/23 | | | USD | | | 550 | | | | (309 | ) | | | — | | | | (309 | ) |
0.04% | | At Termination | | 1 day Fed Funds | | At Termination | | | 06/03/22 | (a) | | | 06/03/23 | | | USD | | | 1,101 | | | | (544 | ) | | | — | | | | (544 | ) |
0.04% | | At Termination | | 1 day Fed Funds | | At Termination | | | 06/03/22 | (a) | | | 06/03/23 | | | USD | | | 1,101 | | | | (516 | ) | | | — | | | | (516 | ) |
0.74% | | Semi-Annual | | 3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | | 06/27/22 | (a) | | | 06/27/23 | | | CAD | | | 2,190 | | | | 649 | | | | — | | | | 649 | |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | 1.09% | | Semi-Annual | | | 04/03/23 | (a) | | | 04/03/24 | | | CAD | | | 1,388 | | | | 2,057 | | | | — | | | | 2,057 | |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | 1.22% | | Semi-Annual | | | 04/10/23 | (a) | | | 04/10/24 | | | CAD | | | 2,750 | | | | 6,575 | | | | — | | | | 6,575 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | 6.67% | | Monthly | | | N/A | | | | 08/12/24 | | | MXN | | | 496 | | | | 1,635 | | | | — | | | | 1,635 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | 6.72% | | Monthly | | | N/A | | | | 08/13/24 | | | MXN | | | 427 | | | | 1,439 | | | | — | | | | 1,439 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | 6.59% | | Monthly | | | N/A | | | | 11/08/24 | | | MXN | | | 314 | | | | 1,022 | | | | — | | | | 1,022 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | 5.20% | | Monthly | | | N/A | | | | 05/02/25 | | | MXN | | | 1,048 | | | | 782 | | | | — | | | | 782 | |
| | |
10 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund |
Centrally Cleared Interest Rate Swaps (continued)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Paid by the Fund | | Received by the Fund | | Effective Date | | | Termination Date | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | | | Upfront Premium Paid (Received) | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
Rate | | Frequency | | Rate | | Frequency |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | 0.75% | | Semi-Annual | | | N/A | | | | 05/26/25 | | | CAD | | | 460 | | | $ | (35 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | (35 | ) |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | 0.85% | | Semi-Annual | | | N/A | | | | 06/04/25 | | | CAD | | | 230 | | | | 783 | | | | — | | | | 783 | |
3 month BA | | Semi-Annual | | 0.85% | | Semi-Annual | | | N/A | | | | 06/04/25 | | | CAD | | | 230 | | | | 801 | | | | (1 | ) | | | 802 | |
2.85% | | Semi-Annual | | 3 month LIBOR | | Quarterly | | | N/A | | | | 12/21/28 | | | USD | | | 300 | | | | (58,069 | ) | | | — | | | | (58,069 | ) |
1.61% | | Semi-Annual | | 3 month LIBOR | | Quarterly | | | N/A | | | | 10/01/29 | | | USD | | | 400 | | | | (37,082 | ) | | | — | | | | (37,082 | ) |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | 5.99% | | Monthly | | | N/A | | | | 05/02/30 | | | MXN | | | 277 | | | | 323 | | | | — | | | | 323 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | 6.03% | | Monthly | | | N/A | | | | 05/02/30 | | | MXN | | | 277 | | | | 361 | | | | — | | | | 361 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | 6.03% | | Monthly | | | N/A | | | | 05/03/30 | | | MXN | | | 247 | | | | 319 | | | | — | | | | 319 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | 5.96% | | Monthly | | | N/A | | | | 05/06/30 | | | MXN | | | 201 | | | | 212 | | | | — | | | | 212 | |
3 month LIBOR | | Quarterly | | 0.64% | | Semi-Annual | | | 08/12/20 | (a) | | | 08/12/30 | | | USD | | | 124 | | | | (160 | ) | | | — | | | | (160 | ) |
3 month LIBOR | | Quarterly | | 0.80% | | Semi-Annual | | | 12/18/20 | (a) | | | 12/18/30 | | | USD | | | 26 | | | | 313 | | | | — | | | | 313 | |
3 month LIBOR | | Quarterly | | 0.75% | | Semi-Annual | | | 12/21/20 | (a) | | | 12/21/30 | | | USD | | | 30 | | | | 210 | | | | — | | | | 210 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | (91,615 | ) | | $ | 12,805 | | | $ | (104,420 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
OTC Interest Rate Swaps
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Paid by the Fund | | Received by the Fund | | Counterparty | | Termination Date | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | | | Upfront Premium Paid (Received) | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
Rate | | Frequency | | Rate | | | Frequency |
1 day BZDIOVER | | At Termination | | | 5.13% | | | At Termination | | JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 01/02/23 | | | | BRL | | | | 120 | | | $ | 717 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 717 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Monthly | | | 6.32% | | | Monthly | | Goldman Sachs International | | | 08/06/25 | | | | MXN | | | | 640 | | | | 1,899 | | | | — | | | | 1,899 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | 2,616 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 2,616 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
OTC Inflation Swaps
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Paid by the Fund | | Received by the Fund | | Counterparty | | Termination Date | | | Notional Amount (000) | | | Value | | | Upfront Premium Paid (Received) | | | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) | |
Reference | | Frequency | | Rate | | | Frequency |
1 month USCPI | | At Termination | | | (0.96)% | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/21 | | | | USD | | | | 594 | | | $ | (3,866 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | (3,866 | ) |
1 month USCPI | | At Termination | | | (1.00)% | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/21 | | | | USD | | | | 594 | | | | (4,078 | ) | | | — | | | | (4,078 | ) |
1 month USCPI | | At Termination | | | (1.00)% | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/21 | | | | USD | | | | 594 | | | | (4,078 | ) | | | — | | | | (4,078 | ) |
1 month USCPI | | At Termination | | | (1.02)% | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/21 | | | | USD | | | | 594 | | | | (4,187 | ) | | | — | | | | (4,187 | ) |
0.04% | | At Termination | | | 1 month USCPI | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/22 | | | | USD | | | | 594 | | | | 5,383 | | | | — | | | | 5,383 | |
0.02% | | At Termination | | | 1 month USCPI | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/22 | | | | USD | | | | 594 | | | | 5,633 | | | | — | | | | 5,633 | |
0.01% | | At Termination | | | 1 month USCPI | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/22 | | | | USD | | | | 594 | | | | 5,724 | | | | — | | | | 5,724 | |
0.00% | | At Termination | | | 1 month USCPI | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/22 | | | | USD | | | | 594 | | | | 5,860 | | | | — | | | | 5,860 | |
1 month USCPI | | At Termination | | | (0.05)% | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/22 | | | | USD | | | | 891 | | | | (9,644 | ) | | | — | | | | (9,644 | ) |
0.62% | | At Termination | | | 1 month USCPI | | | At Termination | | Citibank NA | | | 04/15/24 | | | | USD | | | | 891 | | | | 13,049 | | | | — | | | | 13,049 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | $ | 9,796 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 9,796 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 11 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund |
The following reference rates, and their values as of period end, are used for security descriptions:
| | | | | | |
Reference Index | | | | Reference Rate | |
1 day BZDIOVER | | Overnight Brazil CETIP — Interbank Rate | | | 0.01 | % |
1 day Fed Funds | | 1 day Fed Funds | | | 0.08 | |
1 day SONIA | | Sterling Overnight Index Average | | | 0.06 | |
1 month USCPI | | U.S. Consumer Price Index | | | 0.10 | |
28 day MXIBTIIE | | Mexico Interbank TIIE 28-Day | | | 5.28 | |
3 month BA | | Canadian Bankers Acceptances | | | 0.56 | |
3 month LIBOR | | London Interbank Offered Rate | | | 0.30 | |
Balances Reported in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities for Centrally Cleared Swaps, OTC Swaps and Options Written
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Swap Premiums Paid | | | Swap Premiums Received | | | Unrealized Appreciation | | | Unrealized Depreciation | | | Value | |
Centrally Cleared Swaps(a) | | $ | 12,806 | | | $ | (1 | ) | | $ | 20,188 | | | $ | (124,608 | ) | | $ | — | |
OTC Swaps | | | — | | | | — | | | | 38,265 | | | | (25,853 | ) | | | — | |
Options Written | | | N/A | | | | N/A | | | | 11,620 | | | | — | | | | (7,710 | ) |
| (a) | Includes cumulative appreciation (depreciation) on centrally cleared swaps, as reported in the Schedule of Investments. Only current day’s variation margin is reported within the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and is net of any previously paid (received) swap premium amounts. | |
Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure
As of period end, the fair values of derivative financial instruments located in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities were as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Commodity Contracts | | | Credit Contracts | | | Equity Contracts | | | Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts | | | Interest Rate Contracts | | | Other Contracts | | | Total | |
Assets — Derivative Financial Instruments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Futures contracts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts(a) | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 28,548 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 28,548 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 8,095 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 8,095 | |
Options purchased(b) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Investments at value — unaffiliated(c) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 2,797 | | | | — | | | | 2,797 | |
Swaps — centrally cleared | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized appreciation on centrally cleared swaps(a) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 20,188 | | | | — | | | | 20,188 | |
Swaps — OTC | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized appreciation on OTC swaps; Swap premiums paid | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 2,616 | | | | 35,649 | | | | 38,265 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 8,095 | | | $ | 54,149 | | | $ | 35,649 | | | $ | 97,893 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Liabilities — Derivative Financial Instruments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Futures contracts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts(a) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 11,866 | | | | — | | | | 11,866 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 7,472 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 7,472 | |
Options written | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Options written at value | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 7,710 | | | | — | | | | 7,710 | |
Swaps — centrally cleared | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized depreciation on centrally cleared swaps(a) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 124,608 | | | | — | | | | 124,608 | |
Swaps — OTC | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized depreciation on OTC swaps; Swap premiums received | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 25,853 | | | | 25,853 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 7,472 | | | $ | 144,184 | | | $ | 25,853 | | | $ | 177,509 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| (a) | Net cumulative unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on futures contracts and centrally cleared swaps, if any, are reported in the Schedule of Investments. In the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, only current day’s variation margin is reported in receivables or payables and the net cumulative unrealized appreciation (depreciation) is included in accumulated earnings (loss). | |
| (b) | Includes forward settling swaptions. | |
| (c) | Includes options purchased at value as reported in the Schedule of Investments. | |
| | |
12 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund |
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the effect of derivative financial instruments in the Statement of Operations was as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Commodity Contracts | | | Credit Contracts | | | Equity Contracts | | | Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts | | | Interest Rate Contracts | | | Other Contracts | | | Total | |
Net Realized Gain (Loss) from: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Futures contracts | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 398,865 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 398,865 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 34,643 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 34,643 | |
Options purchased(a) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | (10,674 | ) | | | — | | | | (10,674 | ) |
Options written | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 40,726 | | | | — | | | | 40,726 | |
Swaps | | | — | | | | 1,799 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | (1,185,848 | ) | | | 22,421 | | | | (1,161,628 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | — | | | $ | 1,799 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 34,643 | | | $ | (756,931 | ) | | $ | 22,421 | | | $ | (698,068 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Futures contracts | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 21 | | | | — | | | | 21 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | (12,898 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | (12,898 | ) |
Options purchased(b) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 15,506 | | | | — | | | | 15,506 | |
Options written | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 797 | | | | — | | | | 797 | |
Swaps | | | — | | | | 1,057 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 467,952 | | | | 9,796 | | | | 478,805 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | — | | | $ | 1,057 | | | $ | — | | | $ | (12,898 | ) | | $ | 484,276 | | | $ | 9,796 | | | $ | 482,231 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| (a) | Options purchased are included in net realized gain (loss) from investments — unaffiliated. | |
| (b) | Options purchased are included in net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments — unaffiliated. | |
Average Quarterly Balances of Outstanding Derivative Financial Instruments
| | | | |
Futures contracts: | | | | |
Average notional value of contracts — long | | $ | 19,313,431 | |
Average notional value of contracts — short | | | 2,429,059 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts: | | | | |
Average amounts purchased — in USD | | | 1,445,848 | |
Average amounts sold — in USD | | | 558,384 | |
Options: | | | | |
Average value of option contracts purchased | | | 537 | |
Average value of option contracts written | | | 58,954 | |
Average notional value of swaption contracts purchased | | | 2,030,000 | |
Average notional value of swaption contracts written | | | 7,800,000 | |
Credit default swaps: | | | | |
Average notional value — buy protection | | | — | (a) |
Average notional value — sell protection | | | — | (a) |
Interest rate swaps: | | | | |
Average notional value — pays fixed rate | | | 9,155,678 | |
Average notional value — receives fixed rate | | | 9,770,424 | |
Inflation swaps: | | | | |
Average notional value — pays fixed rate | | | 1,633,500 | |
Average notional value — receives fixed rate | | | 1,633,500 | |
| (a) | Derivative not held at any quarter-end. The risk exposure table serves as an indicator of activity during the period. | |
For more information about the Fund’s investment risks regarding derivative financial instruments, refer to the Notes to Financial Statements.
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 13 |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund |
Derivative Financial Instruments — Offsetting as of Period End
The Fund’s derivative assets and liabilities (by type) were as follows:
| | | | | | | | |
| | Assets | | | Liabilities | |
Derivative Financial Instruments: | | | | | | | | |
Futures contracts | | $ | 5,187 | | | $ | 3,100 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | 8,095 | | | | 7,472 | |
Options(a)(b) | | | 2,797 | | | | 7,710 | |
Swaps — Centrally cleared | | | — | | | | 1,475 | |
Swaps — OTC(c) | | | 38,265 | | | | 25,853 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Total derivative assets and liabilities in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities | | $ | 54,344 | | | $ | 45,610 | |
Derivatives not subject to a Master Netting Agreement or similar agreement (“MNA”) | | | (5,187 | ) | | | (4,575 | ) |
| | | | | | | | |
Total derivative assets and liabilities subject to an MNA | | $ | 49,157 | | | $ | 41,035 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| (a) | Includes options purchased at value which is included in Investments at value – unaffiliated in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and reported in the Schedule of Investments. | |
| (b) | Includes forward settling swaptions. | |
| (c) | Includes unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on OTC swaps and swap premiums paid/received in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. | |
The following tables present the Fund’s derivative assets and liabilities by counterparty net of amounts available for offset under an MNA and net of the related collateral received and pledged by the Fund:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Counterparty | | Derivative Assets Subject to an MNA by Counterparty | | | Derivatives Available for Offset (a) | | | Non-cash Collateral Received | | | Cash Collateral Received | | | Net Amount of Derivative Assets (b) | |
Bank of America NA | | $ | 805 | | | $ | (805 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | |
Barclays Bank plc | | | 879 | | | | (879 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
BNP Paribas SA | | | 47 | | | | (47 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
Citibank NA | | | 36,797 | | | | (26,113 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 10,684 | |
Credit Suisse International | | | 45 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 45 | |
Deutsche Bank AG | | | 2,029 | | | | (2,029 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
Goldman Sachs International | | | 2,057 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 2,057 | |
JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 4,170 | | | | (71 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 4,099 | |
Standard Chartered Bank | | | 2,306 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 2,306 | |
State Street Bank and Trust Co. | | | 22 | | | | (22 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | 49,157 | | | $ | (29,966 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 19,191 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Counterparty | | Derivative Liabilities Subject to an MNA by Counterparty | | | Derivatives Available for Offset (a) | | | Non-cash Collateral Pledged | | | Cash Collateral Pledged | | | Net Amount of Derivative Liabilities (c) | |
Bank of America NA | | $ | 3,174 | | | $ | (805 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 2,369 | |
Barclays Bank plc | | | 5,483 | | | | (879 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 4,604 | |
BNP Paribas SA | | | 2,846 | | | | (47 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 2,799 | |
Citibank NA | | | 26,113 | | | | (26,113 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
Deutsche Bank AG | | | 2,321 | | | | (2,029 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 292 | |
HSBC Bank plc | | | 58 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 58 | |
JPMorgan Chase Bank NA | | | 71 | | | | (71 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
Royal Bank of Canada | | | 461 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 461 | |
State Street Bank and Trust Co. | | | 436 | | | | (22 | ) | | | — | | | | — | | | | 414 | |
UBS AG | | | 72 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 72 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | 41,035 | | | $ | (29,966 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 11,069 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| (a) | The amount of derivatives available for offset is limited to the amount of derivative assets and/or liabilities that are subject to an MNA. | |
| (b) | Net amount represents the net amount receivable from the counterparty in the event of default. | |
| (c) | Net amount represents the net amount payable due to the counterparty in the event of default. | |
| | |
14 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
| | |
Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued) June 30, 2020 | | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund |
Fair Value Hierarchy as of Period End
Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of investments and derivative financial instruments. For information about the Fund’s policy regarding valuation of investments and derivative financial instruments, refer to the Notes to Financial Statements.
The following tables summarize the Fund’s investments and derivative financial instruments categorized in the disclosure hierarchy:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Level 1 | | | Level 2 | | | Level 3 | | | Total | |
Assets: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Investments: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Long-Term Investments | | $ | — | | | $ | 66,628,929 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 66,628,929 | |
Short-Term Securities: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Money Market Funds | | | 661,547 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 661,547 | |
U.S. Government Sponsored Agency Securities | | | — | | | | 7,999,387 | | | | — | | | | 7,999,387 | |
Options Purchased: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Interest rate contracts | | | — | | | | 2,797 | | | | — | | | | 2,797 | |
Liabilities: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Investments: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
TBA Sale Commitments | | | — | | | | (6,272,915 | ) | | | — | | | | (6,272,915 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | 661,547 | | | $ | 68,358,198 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 69,019,745 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Derivative Financial Instruments(a) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Assets: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Foreign currency exchange contracts | | $ | — | | | $ | 8,095 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 8,095 | |
Interest rate contracts | | | 28,548 | | | | 22,804 | | | | — | | | | 51,352 | |
Other contracts | | | — | | | | 35,649 | | | | — | | | | 35,649 | |
Liabilities: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Foreign currency exchange contracts | | | — | | | | (7,472 | ) | | | — | | | | (7,472 | ) |
Interest rate contracts | | | (11,866 | ) | | | (132,318 | ) | | | — | | | | (144,184 | ) |
Other contracts | | | — | | | | (25,853 | ) | | | — | | | | (25,853 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | 16,682 | | | $ | (99,095 | ) | | $ | — | | | $ | (82,413 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
The breakdown of the Fund’s investments into major categories is disclosed in the Schedule of Investments above.
| (a) | Derivative financial instruments are swaps, futures contracts, forward foreign currency exchange contracts and options written. Swaps, futures contracts and forward foreign currency exchange contracts are valued at the unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on the instrument and options written are shown at value. | |
See notes to financial statements.
| | |
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS | | 15 |
Statement of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited)
June 30, 2020
| | | | |
| | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund | |
| |
ASSETS | | | | |
Investments at value — unaffiliated (cost — $71,503,507) | | $ | 74,631,113 | |
Investments at value — affiliated (cost — $661,547) | | | 661,547 | |
Cash pledged: | | | | |
Futures contracts | | | 114,710 | |
Centrally cleared swaps | | | 66,943 | |
Foreign currency at value (cost — $363,726) | | | 359,031 | |
Receivables: | | | | |
Investments sold | | | 3,747,686 | |
TBA sale commitments | | | 6,265,521 | |
Capital shares sold | | | 443,293 | |
Dividends — affiliated | | | 88 | |
Dividends — unaffiliated | | | 9,910 | |
Interest — unaffiliated | | | 246,500 | |
Variation margin on futures contracts | | | 5,187 | |
Unrealized appreciation on: | | | | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | 8,095 | |
OTC swaps | | | 38,265 | |
Prepaid expenses | | | 718 | |
Other assets | | | 1,156 | |
| | | | |
Total assets | | | 86,599,763 | |
| | | | |
| |
LIABILITIES | | | | |
Bank overdraft | | | 15,618 | |
Options written at value (premium received $19,330) | | | 7,710 | |
TBA sale commitments at value (proceeds $6,265,521) | | | 6,272,915 | |
Payables: | | | | |
Investments purchased | | | 15,656,430 | |
Capital shares redeemed | | | 124 | |
Distribution fees | | | 1,525 | |
Income dividend distributions | | | 107,192 | |
Investment advisory fees | | | 12,519 | |
Directors’ and Officer’s fees | | | 5,505 | |
Other affiliates | | | 167 | |
Variation margin on futures contracts | | | 3,100 | |
Variation margin on centrally cleared swaps | | | 1,475 | |
Other accrued expenses | | | 150,159 | |
Unrealized depreciation on: | | | | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | 7,472 | |
OTC swaps | | | 25,853 | |
| | | | |
Total liabilities | | | 22,267,764 | |
| | | | |
| |
NET ASSETS | | $ | 64,331,999 | |
| | | | |
| |
NET ASSETS CONSIST OF | | | | |
Paid-in capital | | $ | 64,606,714 | |
Accumulated loss | | | (274,715 | ) |
| | | | |
NET ASSETS | | $ | 64,331,999 | |
| | | | |
| |
NET ASSET VALUE | | | | |
Class I — Based on net assets of $57,075,134 and 5,269,607 shares outstanding, 300 million shares authorized, $0.10 par value | | $ | 10.83 | |
| | | | |
Class III — Based on net assets of $7,256,865 and 670,376 shares outstanding, 100 million shares authorized, $0.10 par value | | $ | 10.83 | |
| | | | |
See notes to financial statements.
| | |
16 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
Statement of Operations (unaudited)
Six Months Ended June 30, 2020
| | | | |
| | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund | |
| |
INVESTMENT INCOME | | | | |
Dividends — affiliated | | $ | 6,680 | |
Dividends — unaffiliated | | | 36 | |
Interest — unaffiliated | | | 817,197 | |
Foreign taxes withheld | | | (75 | ) |
| | | | |
Total investment income | | | 823,838 | |
| | | | |
| |
EXPENSES | | | | |
Investment advisory | | | 164,826 | |
Transfer agent — class specific | | | 63,838 | |
Professional | | | 41,205 | |
Accounting services | | | 36,013 | |
Custodian | | | 17,360 | |
Distribution — class specific | | | 13,275 | |
Printing | | | 2,764 | |
Transfer agent | | | 2,486 | |
Miscellaneous | | | 9,771 | |
| | | | |
Total expenses excluding interest expense | | | 351,538 | |
Interest expense | | | 48,479 | |
| | | | |
Total expenses | | | 400,017 | |
Less: | | | | |
Fees waived and/or reimbursed by the Manager | | | (86,775 | ) |
Transfer agent fees waived and/or reimbursed — class specific | | | (60,651 | ) |
| | | | |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed | | | 252,591 | |
| | | | |
Net investment income | | | 571,247 | |
| | | | |
| |
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) | | | | |
Net realized gain (loss) from: | | | | |
Investments — unaffiliated | | | 1,786,221 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | 34,643 | |
Foreign currency transactions | | | (3,921 | ) |
Futures contracts | | | 398,865 | |
Options written | | | 40,726 | |
Swaps | | | (1,161,628 | ) |
| | | | |
| | | 1,094,906 | |
| | | | |
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on: | | | | |
Investments — unaffiliated | | | 1,750,475 | |
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts | | | (12,898 | ) |
Foreign currency translations | | | (4,996 | ) |
Futures contracts | | | 21 | |
Options written | | | 797 | |
Swaps | | | 478,805 | |
| | | | |
| | | 2,212,204 | |
| | | | |
Net realized and unrealized gain | | | 3,307,110 | |
| | | | |
NET INCREASE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS | | $ | 3,878,357 | |
| | | | |
See notes to financial statements.
Statements of Changes in Net Assets
| | | | | | | | |
| | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20 (unaudited) | | | Year Ended 12/31/19 | |
| | |
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS | | | | | | | | |
| | |
OPERATIONS | | | | | | | | |
Net investment income | | $ | 571,247 | | | $ | 1,287,039 | |
Net realized gain | | | 1,094,906 | | | | 760,480 | |
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) | | | 2,212,204 | | | | 1,570,977 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations | | | 3,878,357 | | | | 3,618,496 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS(a) | | | | | | | | |
Class I | | | (547,557 | ) | | | (1,276,900 | ) |
Class III | | | (86,693 | ) | | | (76,865 | ) |
| | | | | | | | |
Decrease in net assets resulting from distributions to shareholders | | | (634,250 | ) | | | (1,353,765 | ) |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS | | | | | | | | |
Net increase (decrease) in net assets derived from capital share transactions | | | 4,525,291 | | | | (3,827,360 | ) |
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
NET ASSETS | | | | | | | | |
Total increase (decrease) in net assets | | | 7,769,398 | | | | (1,562,629 | ) |
Beginning of period | | | 56,562,601 | | | | 58,125,230 | |
| | | | | | | | |
End of period | | $ | 64,331,999 | | | $ | 56,562,601 | |
| | | | | | | | |
(a) | Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations. |
See notes to financial statements.
| | |
18 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
Financial Highlights
(For a share outstanding throughout each period)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund | |
| |
| | Class I | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20 (unaudited) | | | | | | Year Ended December 31, | |
| | 2019 | | | 2018 | | | 2017 | | | 2016 | | | 2015 | |
| | | | | | | |
Net asset value, beginning of period | | $ | 10.32 | | | | | | | $ | 9.93 | | | $ | 10.12 | | | $ | 10.18 | | | $ | 10.23 | | | $ | 10.39 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net investment income(a) | | | 0.10 | | | | | | | | 0.23 | | | | 0.21 | | | | 0.16 | | | | 0.15 | | | | 0.15 | |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | | | 0.51 | | | | | | | | 0.40 | | | | (0.18 | ) | | | (0.01 | ) | | | (0.01 | ) | | | (0.10 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net increase from investment operations | | | 0.61 | | | | | | | | 0.63 | | | | 0.03 | | | | 0.15 | | | | 0.14 | | | | 0.05 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Distributions from net investment income(b) | | | (0.10 | ) | | | | | | | (0.24 | ) | | | (0.22 | ) | | | (0.21 | ) | | | (0.19 | ) | | | (0.21 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Net asset value, end of period | | $ | 10.83 | | | | | | | $ | 10.32 | | | $ | 9.93 | | | $ | 10.12 | | | $ | 10.18 | | | $ | 10.23 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Total Return(c) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Based on net asset value | | | 5.97 | %(d) | | | | | | | 6.36 | % | | | 0.29 | % | | | 1.52 | % | | | 1.33 | % | | | 0.45 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Ratios to Average Net Assets | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total expenses | | | 1.19 | %(e)(f) | | | | | | | 1.70 | % | | | 1.85 | % | | | 1.31 | % | | | 1.02 | % | | | 0.96 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed | | | 0.72 | %(e)(f) | | | | | | | 1.31 | % | | | 1.27 | % | | | 1.01 | % | | | 0.76 | % | | | 0.73 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed and excluding interest expense | | | 0.57 | %(e)(f) | | | | | | | 0.74 | % | | | 0.82 | % | | | 0.87 | % | | | 0.70 | % | | | 0.70 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net investment income | | | 1.81 | %(e)(f) | | | | | | | 2.22 | % | | | 2.10 | % | | | 1.58 | % | | | 1.43 | % | | | 1.41 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Supplemental Data | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net assets, end of period (000) | | $ | 57,075 | | | | | | | $ | 53,865 | | | $ | 54,820 | | | $ | 65,100 | | | $ | 72,433 | | | $ | 83,016 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Portfolio turnover rate(g) | | | 324 | % | | | | | | | 699 | % | | | 737 | % | | | 1,052 | % | | | 1,140 | % | | | 1,581 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(a) | Based on average shares outstanding. |
(b) | Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations. |
(c) | Where applicable, excludes insurance-related fees and expenses and assumes the reinvestment of distributions. |
(d) | Aggregate total return. |
(f) | Excludes expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds of 0.01%. |
(g) | Includes mortgage dollar roll transactions (“MDRs”). Additional information regarding portfolio turnover rate is as follows: |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20
(unaudited) | | | | | | Year Ended December 31, | |
| | | | | 2019 | | | 2018 | | | 2017 | | | 2016 | | | 2015 | |
Portfolio turnover rate (excluding MDRs) | | | 211 | % | | | | | | | 445 | % | | | 435 | % | | | 681 | % | | | 705 | % | | | 991 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
See notes to financial statements.
Financial Highlights (continued)
(For a share outstanding throughout each period)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund | |
| |
| | Class III | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20 (unaudited) | | | | | | Year Ended December 31, | |
| | 2019 | | | 2018 | | | 2017 | | | 2016 | | | 2015 | |
| | | | | | | |
Net asset value, beginning of period | | $ | 10.32 | | | | | | | $ | 9.92 | | | $ | 10.11 | | | $ | 10.18 | | | $ | 10.22 | | | $ | 10.39 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net investment income(a) | | | 0.07 | | | | | | | | 0.19 | | | | 0.18 | | | | 0.13 | | | | 0.11 | | | | 0.13 | |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | | | 0.53 | | | | | | | | 0.42 | | | | (0.18 | ) | | | (0.02 | ) | | | — | | | | (0.12 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net increase from investment operations | | | 0.60 | | | | | | | | 0.61 | | | | 0.00 | | | | 0.11 | | | | 0.11 | | | | 0.01 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Distributions from net investment income(b) | | | (0.09 | ) | | | | | | | (0.21 | ) | | | (0.19 | ) | | | (0.18 | ) | | | (0.15 | ) | | | (0.18 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Net asset value, end of period | | $ | 10.83 | | | | | | | $ | 10.32 | | | $ | 9.92 | | | $ | 10.11 | | | $ | 10.18 | | | $ | 10.22 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Total Return(c) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Based on net asset value | | | 5.81 | %(d) | | | | | | | 6.14 | % | | | (0.01 | )% | | | 1.10 | % | | | 1.08 | % | | | 0.08 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Ratios to Average Net Assets | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total expenses | | | 1.35 | %(e)(f) | | | | | | | 1.89 | % | | | 2.03 | % | | | 1.45 | % | | | 1.27 | % | | | 1.11 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed | | | 1.00 | %(e)(f) | | | | | | | 1.61 | % | | | 1.57 | % | | | 1.30 | % | | | 1.08 | % | | | 1.00 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed and excluding interest expense | | | 0.85 | %(e)(f) | | | | | | | 1.03 | % | | | 1.13 | % | | | 1.17 | % | | | 1.01 | % | | | 0.97 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net investment income | | | 1.34 | %(e)(f) | | | | | | | 1.86 | % | | | 1.86 | % | | | 1.30 | % | | | 1.09 | % | | | 1.27 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Supplemental Data | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net assets, end of period (000) | | $ | 7,257 | | | | | | | $ | 2,698 | | | $ | 3,305 | | | $ | 1,785 | | | $ | 2,758 | | | $ | 1,894 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Portfolio turnover rate(g) | | | 324 | % | | | | | | | 699 | % | | | 737 | % | | | 1,052 | % | | | 1,140 | % | | | 1,581 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(a) | Based on average shares outstanding. |
(b) | Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations. |
(c) | Where applicable, excludes insurance-related fees and expenses and assumes the reinvestment of distributions. |
(d) | Aggregate total return. |
(f) | Excludes expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds of 0.01%. |
(g) | Includes mortgage dollar roll transactions (“MDRs”). Additional information regarding portfolio turnover rate is as follows: |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20
(unaudited) | | | | | | Year Ended December 31, | |
| | | | | 2019 | | | 2018 | | | 2017 | | | 2016 | | | 2015 | |
Portfolio turnover rate (excluding MDRs) | | | 211 | % | | | | | | | 445 | % | | | 435 | % | | | 681 | % | | | 705 | % | | | 991 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
See notes to financial statements.
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20 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited)
BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc. (the “Company”) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. The Company is organized as a Maryland corporation that is comprised of 3 separate funds. The funds offer shares to insurance companies for their separate accounts to fund benefits under certain variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts. The financial statements presented are for BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund (the “Fund”). The Fund is classified as diversified. Class I and Class III Shares have equal voting, dividend, liquidation and other rights, except that only shares of the respective classes are entitled to vote on matters concerning only that class. In addition, Class III Shares bear certain expenses related to the distribution of such shares.
The Fund, together with certain other registered investment companies advised by BlackRock Advisors, LLC (the “Manager”) or its affiliates, is included in a complex of non-index fixed-income mutual funds and all BlackRock-advised closed-end funds referred to as the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex.
2. | SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES |
The financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), which may require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities in the financial statements, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operations during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The Fund is considered an investment company under U.S. GAAP and follows the accounting and reporting guidance applicable to investment companies. Below is a summary of significant accounting policies:
Investment Transactions and Income Recognition: For financial reporting purposes, investment transactions are recorded on the dates the transactions are executed. Realized gains and losses on investment transactions are determined on the identified cost basis. Dividend income and non-cash dividend income, if any, are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Dividends from foreign securities where the ex-dividend date may have passed are subsequently recorded when the Fund is informed of the ex-dividend date. Under the applicable foreign tax laws, a withholding tax at various rates may be imposed on capital gains, dividends and interest. Interest income, including amortization and accretion of premiums and discounts on debt securities, is recognized on an accrual basis. Income, expenses and realized and unrealized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class based on its relative net assets.
Foreign Currency Translation: The Fund’s books and records are maintained in U.S. dollars. Securities and other assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars using exchange rates determined as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). Purchases and sales of investments are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing on the respective dates of such transactions. Generally, when the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, the investments denominated in that currency will lose value; the opposite effect occurs if the U.S. dollar falls in relative value.
The Fund does not isolate the portion of the results of operations arising as a result of changes in the exchange rates from the changes in the market prices of investments held or sold for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the effects of changes in exchange rates on investments are not segregated in the Statement of Operations from the effects of changes in market prices of those investments, but are included as a component of net realized and unrealized gain (loss) from investments. The Fund reports realized currency gains (losses) on foreign currency related transactions as components of net realized gain (loss) for financial reporting purposes, whereas such components are generally treated as ordinary income for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Segregation and Collateralization: In cases where the Fund enters into certain investments (e.g., dollar rolls, TBA sale commitments, futures contracts, forward foreign currency exchange contracts, options written and swaps) or certain borrowings (e.g., reverse repurchase transactions) that would be treated as “senior securities” for 1940 Act purposes, the Fund may segregate or designate on its books and records cash or liquid assets having a market value at least equal to the amount of its future obligations under such investments or borrowings. Doing so allows the investment or borrowings to be excluded from treatment as a “senior security”. Furthermore, if required by an exchange or counterparty agreement, the Fund may be required to deliver/deposit cash and/or securities to/with an exchange, or broker-dealer or custodian as collateral for certain investments or obligations.
Distributions: Distributions from net investment income are declared daily and paid monthly. Distributions of capital gains are recorded on the ex-dividend date and made at least annually. The character and timing of distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.
Deferred Compensation Plan: Under the Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) approved by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), the directors who are not “interested persons” of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act (“Independent Directors”), may defer a portion of their annual complex-wide compensation. Deferred amounts earn an approximate return as though equivalent dollar amounts had been invested in common shares of certain funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex selected by the Independent Directors. This has the same economic effect for the Independent Directors as if the Independent Directors had invested the deferred amounts directly in certain funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex.
The Plan is not funded and obligations thereunder represent general unsecured claims against the general assets of the Fund, as applicable. Deferred compensation liabilities are included in the Directors’ and Officer’s fees payable in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and will remain as a liability of the Fund until such amounts are distributed in accordance with the Plan.
Indemnifications: In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations that provide general indemnification. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown because it involves future potential claims against the Fund, which cannot be predicted with any certainty.
Other: Expenses directly related to the Fund or its classes are charged to the Fund or the applicable class. Other operating expenses shared by several funds, including other funds managed by the Manager, are prorated among those funds on the basis of relative net assets or other appropriate methods. Expenses directly related to the Fund and other shared expenses prorated to the Fund are allocated daily to each class based on its relative net assets or other appropriate methods.
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NOTESTO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | | 21 |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
3. | INVESTMENT VALUATION AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS |
Investment Valuation Policies: The Fund’s investments are valued at fair value (also referred to as “market value” within the financial statements) as of the close of trading on the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time). U.S. GAAP defines fair value as the price the Fund would receive to sell an asset or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Fund determines the fair values of its financial instruments using various independent dealers or pricing services under policies approved by the Board. If a security’s market price is not readily available or does not otherwise accurately represent the fair value of the security, the security will be valued in accordance with a policy approved by the Board as reflecting fair value. The BlackRock Global Valuation Methodologies Committee (the “Global Valuation Committee”) is the committee formed by management to develop global pricing policies and procedures and to oversee the pricing function for all financial instruments.
Fair Value Inputs and Methodologies: The following methods and inputs are used to establish the fair value of the Fund’s assets and liabilities:
| • | | Fixed-income securities for which market quotations are readily available are generally valued using the last available bid prices or current market quotations provided by independent dealers or third party pricing services. Floating rate loan interests are valued at the mean of the bid prices from one or more independent brokers or dealers as obtained from a third party pricing service. Pricing services generally value fixed-income securities assuming orderly transactions of an institutional round lot size, but a fund may hold or transact in such securities in smaller, odd lot sizes. Odd lots may trade at lower prices than institutional round lots. The pricing services may use matrix pricing or valuation models that utilize certain inputs and assumptions to derive values, including transaction data (e.g., recent representative bids and offers), credit quality information, perceived market movements, news, and other relevant information. Certain fixed-income securities, including asset-backed and mortgage related securities may be valued based on valuation models that consider the estimated cash flows of each tranche of the entity, establish a benchmark yield and develop an estimated tranche specific spread to the benchmark yield based on the unique attributes of the tranche. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used with respect to debt obligations with sixty days or less remaining to maturity unless the Manager determines such method does not represent fair value. |
Generally, trading in foreign instruments is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of trading on the NYSE. Occasionally, events affecting the values of such instruments may occur between the foreign market close and the close of trading on the NYSE that may not be reflected in the computation of the Fund’s net assets. Each business day, the Fund uses a pricing service to assist with the valuation of certain foreign exchange-traded equity securities and foreign exchange-traded and over-the-counter (“OTC”) options (the “Systematic Fair Value Price”). Using current market factors, the Systematic Fair Value Price is designed to value such foreign securities and foreign options at fair value as of the close of trading on the NYSE, which follows the close of the local markets.
| • | | Investments in open-end U.S. mutual funds are valued at net asset value (“NAV”) each business day. |
| • | | Futures contract notional values are determined based on that day’s last reported settlement price on the exchange where the contract is traded. |
| • | | Exchange-traded equity options for which market quotations are readily available will be valued at the National Best Bid and Offer quotes (“NBBO”). NBBO represents the mean of the bid and ask prices as quoted on the exchange on which such options are traded. In the event that there is no mean price available, the last bid (long positions) or ask (short positions) price will be used. If no bid or ask price is available, the prior day’s price may be used. OTC options and options on swaps (“swaptions”) are valued by an independent pricing service using a mathematical model, which incorporates a number of market data factors, such as the trades and prices of the underlying instruments. |
| • | | Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are valued at the mean between the bid and ask prices and are determined as of the close of trading on the NYSE based on that day’s prevailing forward exchange rate for the underlying currencies. Interpolated values are derived when the settlement date of the contract is an interim date for which quotations are not available. |
| • | | Swap agreements are valued utilizing quotes received daily by the Fund’s pricing service or through brokers, which are derived using daily swap curves and models that incorporate a number of market data factors, such as discounted cash flows, trades and values of the underlying reference instruments. |
| • | | To-be-announced (“TBA”) commitments are valued on the basis of last available bid prices or current market quotations provided by pricing services. |
If events (e.g., a company announcement, market volatility or a natural disaster) occur that are expected to materially affect the value of such investments, or in the event that the application of these methods of valuation results in a price for an investment that is deemed not to be representative of the market value of such investment, or if a price is not available, the investment will be valued by the Global Valuation Committee, or its delegate, in accordance with a policy approved by the Board as reflecting fair value (“Fair Valued Investments”). The fair valuation approaches that may be used by the Global Valuation Committee will include market approach, income approach and cost approach. Valuation techniques such as discounted cash flow, use of market comparables and matrix pricing are types of valuation approaches and are typically used in determining fair value. When determining the price for Fair Valued Investments, the Global Valuation Committee, or its delegate, seeks to determine the price that the Fund might reasonably expect to receive or pay from the current sale or purchase of that asset or liability in an arm’s-length transaction. Fair value determinations shall be based upon all available factors that the Global Valuation Committee, or its delegate, deems relevant and consistent with the principles of fair value measurement. The pricing of all Fair Valued Investments is subsequently reported to the Board or a committee thereof on a quarterly basis.
Fair Value Hierarchy: Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of investments and derivative financial instruments. These inputs to valuation techniques are categorized into a fair value hierarchy consisting of three broad levels for financial statement purposes as follows:
| • | | Level 1 — Unadjusted price quotations in active markets/exchanges for identical assets or liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access |
| • | | Level 2 — Other observable inputs (including, but not limited to, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in markets that are active, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the assets or liabilities (such as interest rates, yield curves, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks and default rates) or other market–corroborated inputs) |
| • | | Level 3 — Unobservable inputs based on the best information available in the circumstances, to the extent observable inputs are not available (including the Global |
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22 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
| Valuation Committee’s assumptions used in determining the fair value of investments and derivative financial instruments) |
The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3. The inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the fair value hierarchy classification is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. Investments classified within Level 3 have significant unobservable inputs used by the Global Valuation Committee in determining the price for Fair Valued Investments. Level 3 investments include equity or debt issued by privately held companies or funds. There may not be a secondary market, and/or there are a limited number of investors. The categorization of a value determined for investments and derivative financial instruments is based on the pricing transparency of the investments and derivative financial instruments and is not necessarily an indication of the risks associated with investing in those securities.
4. | SECURITIES AND OTHER INVESTMENTS |
Asset-Backed and Mortgage-Backed Securities: Asset-backed securities are generally issued as pass-through certificates or as debt instruments. Asset-backed securities issued as pass-through certificates represent undivided fractional ownership interests in an underlying pool of assets. Asset-backed securities issued as debt instruments, which are also known as collateralized obligations, are typically issued as the debt of a special purpose entity organized solely for the purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt. Asset-backed securities are often backed by a pool of assets representing the obligations of a number of different parties. The yield characteristics of certain asset-backed securities may differ from traditional debt securities. One such major difference is that all or a principal part of the obligations may be prepaid at any time because the underlying assets (i.e., loans) may be prepaid at any time. As a result, a decrease in interest rates in the market may result in increases in the level of prepayments as borrowers, particularly mortgagors, refinance and repay their loans. An increased prepayment rate with respect to an asset-backed security will have the effect of shortening the maturity of the security. In addition, a fund may subsequently have to reinvest the proceeds at lower interest rates. If a fund has purchased such an asset-backed security at a premium, a faster than anticipated prepayment rate could result in a loss of principal to the extent of the premium paid.
For mortgage pass-through securities (the “Mortgage Assets”) there are a number of important differences among the agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government that issue mortgage-related securities and among the securities that they issue. For example, mortgage-related securities guaranteed by Ginnie Mae are guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest by Ginnie Mae and such guarantee is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. However, mortgage-related securities issued by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, including Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae guaranteed mortgage pass-through certificates, which are solely the obligations of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, are not backed by or entitled to the full faith and credit of the United States, but are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury.
Non-agency mortgage-backed securities are securities issued by non-governmental issuers and have no direct or indirect government guarantees of payment and are subject to various risks. Non-agency mortgage loans are obligations of the borrowers thereunder only and are not typically insured or guaranteed by any other person or entity. The ability of a borrower to repay a loan is dependent upon the income or assets of the borrower. A number of factors, including a general economic downturn, acts of God, terrorism, social unrest and civil disturbances, may impair a borrower’s ability to repay its loans.
Inflation-Indexed Bonds: Inflation-indexed bonds (other than municipal inflation-indexed and certain corporate inflation-indexed bonds) are fixed-income securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. If the index measuring inflation rises or falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds (other than municipal inflation-indexed and certain corporate inflation-indexed bonds) will be adjusted upward or downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a larger or smaller principal amount) will be increased or reduced, respectively. Any upward or downward adjustment in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be included as interest income in the Statement of Operations, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation-indexed bonds. For bonds that do not provide a similar guarantee, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal. With regard to municipal inflation-indexed bonds and certain corporate inflation-indexed bonds, the inflation adjustment is typically reflected in the semi-annual coupon payment. As a result, the principal value of municipal inflation-indexed bonds and such corporate inflation-indexed bonds does not adjust according to the rate of inflation.
Multiple Class Pass-Through Securities: Multiple class pass-through securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”) and commercial mortgage-backed securities, may be issued by Ginnie Mae, U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities or by trusts formed by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans. In general, CMOs are debt obligations of a legal entity that are collateralized by a pool of residential or commercial mortgage loans or Mortgage Assets. The payments on these are used to make payments on the CMOs or multiple pass-through securities. Multiple class pass-through securities represent direct ownership interests in the Mortgage Assets. Classes of CMOs include interest only (“IOs”), principal only (“POs”), planned amortization classes and targeted amortization classes. IOs and POs are stripped mortgage-backed securities representing interests in a pool of mortgages, the cash flow from which has been separated into interest and principal components. IOs receive the interest portion of the cash flow while POs receive the principal portion. IOs and POs can be extremely volatile in response to changes in interest rates. As interest rates rise and fall, the value of IOs tends to move in the same direction as interest rates. POs perform best when prepayments on the underlying mortgages rise since this increases the rate at which the principal is returned and the yield to maturity on the PO. When payments on mortgages underlying a PO are slower than anticipated, the life of the PO is lengthened and the yield to maturity is reduced. If the underlying Mortgage Assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, a fund’s initial investment in the IOs may not fully recoup.
Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities: Stripped mortgage-backed securities are typically issued by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities. Stripped mortgage-backed securities are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest (IOs) and principal (POs) distributions on a pool of Mortgage Assets. Stripped mortgage-backed securities may be privately issued.
TBA Commitments: TBA commitments are forward agreements for the purchase or sale of mortgage-backed securities for a fixed price, with payment and delivery on an agreed upon future settlement date. The specific securities to be delivered are not identified at the trade date. However, delivered securities must meet specified terms, including issuer, rate and mortgage terms. When entering into TBA commitments, a fund may take possession of or deliver the underlying mortgage-backed securities but can extend the settlement or roll the transaction. TBA commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased or sold declines or increases, respectively, prior to settlement date.
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NOTESTO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | | 23 |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
In order to better define contractual rights and to secure rights that will help a fund mitigate its counterparty risk, TBA commitments may be entered into by a fund under Master Securities Forward Transaction Agreements (each, an “MSFTA”). An MSFTA typically contains, among other things, collateral posting terms and netting provisions in the event of default and/or termination event. The collateral requirements are typically calculated by netting the mark-to-market amount for each transaction under such agreement and comparing that amount to the value of the collateral currently pledged by a fund and the counterparty. Cash collateral that has been pledged to cover the obligations of a fund and cash collateral received from the counterparty, if any, is reported separately in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as cash pledged as collateral for TBA commitments or cash received as collateral for TBA commitments, respectively. Non-cash collateral pledged by a fund, if any, is noted in the Schedule of Investments. Typically, a fund is permitted to sell, re-pledge or use the collateral it receives; however, the counterparty is not permitted to do so. To the extent amounts due to a fund are not fully collateralized, contractually or otherwise, a fund bears the risk of loss from counterparty non-performance.
Mortgage Dollar Roll Transactions: The Fund may sell TBA mortgage-backed securities and simultaneously contract to repurchase substantially similar (i.e., same type, coupon and maturity) securities on a specific future date at an agreed upon price. During the period between the sale and repurchase, a fund is not entitled to receive interest and principal payments on the securities sold. Mortgage dollar roll transactions are treated as purchases and sales and realize gains and losses on these transactions. Mortgage dollar rolls involve the risk that the market value of the securities that a fund is required to purchase may decline below the agreed upon repurchase price of those securities.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements: Reverse repurchase agreements are agreements with qualified third party broker dealers in which a fund sells securities to a bank or broker-dealer and agrees to repurchase the same securities at a mutually agreed upon date and price. A fund receives cash from the sale to use for other investment purposes. During the term of the reverse repurchase agreement, a fund continues to receive the principal and interest payments on the securities sold. Certain agreements have no stated maturity and can be terminated by either party at any time. Interest on the value of the reverse repurchase agreements issued and outstanding is based upon competitive market rates determined at the time of issuance. A fund may utilize reverse repurchase agreements when it is anticipated that the interest income to be earned from the investment of the proceeds of the transaction is greater than the interest expense of the transaction. Reverse repurchase agreements involve leverage risk. If a fund suffers a loss on its investment of the transaction proceeds from a reverse repurchase agreement, a fund would still be required to pay the full repurchase price. Further, a fund remains subject to the risk that the market value of the securities repurchased declines below the repurchase price. In such cases, a fund would be required to return a portion of the cash received from the transaction or provide additional securities to the counterparty.
Cash received in exchange for securities delivered plus accrued interest due to the counterparty is recorded as a liability in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities at face value including accrued interest. Due to the short-term nature of the reverse repurchase agreements, face value approximates fair value. Interest payments made by a fund to the counterparties are recorded as a component of interest expense in the Statement of Operations. In periods of increased demand for the security, a fund may receive a fee for the use of the security by the counterparty, which may result in interest income to a fund.
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the average amount of reverse repurchase agreements outstanding and the daily weighted average interest rate for the Fund were $7,584,258 and 0.64%, respectively.
5. | DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS |
The Fund engages in various portfolio investment strategies using derivative contracts both to increase the returns of the Fund and/or to manage its exposure to certain risks such as credit risk, equity risk, interest rate risk, foreign currency exchange rate risk, commodity price risk or other risks (e.g., inflation risk). Derivative financial instruments categorized by risk exposure are included in the Schedule of Investments. These contracts may be transacted on an exchange or OTC.
Futures Contracts: Futures contracts are purchased or sold to gain exposure to, or manage exposure to, changes in interest rates (interest rate risk) and changes in the value of equity securities (equity risk) or foreign currencies (foreign currency exchange rate risk).
Futures contracts are agreements between the Fund and a counterparty to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying instrument at a specified price and on a specified date. Depending on the terms of a contract, it is settled either through physical delivery of the underlying instrument on the settlement date or by payment of a cash amount on the settlement date. Upon entering into a futures contract, the Fund is required to deposit initial margin with the broker in the form of cash or securities in an amount that varies depending on a contract’s size and risk profile. The initial margin deposit must then be maintained at an established level over the life of the contract. Amounts pledged, which are considered restricted, are included in cash pledged for futures contracts in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Securities deposited as initial margin are designated in the Schedule of Investments and cash deposited, if any, are shown as cash pledged for futures contracts in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Pursuant to the contract, the Fund agrees to receive from or pay to the broker an amount of cash equal to the daily fluctuation in market value of the contract (“variation margin”). Variation margin is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) and, if any, shown as variation margin receivable (or payable) on futures contracts in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. When the contract is closed, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statement of Operations equal to the difference between the notional amount of the contract at the time it was opened and the notional amount at the time it was closed. The use of futures contracts involves the risk of an imperfect correlation in the movements in the price of futures contracts and interest, foreign currency exchange rates or underlying assets.
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts: Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are entered into to gain or reduce exposure to foreign currencies (foreign currency exchange rate risk).
A forward foreign currency exchange contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a currency at a set exchange rate on a specified date. These contracts help to manage the overall exposure to the currencies in which some of the investments held by the Fund are denominated and in some cases, may be used to obtain exposure to a particular market.
The contract is marked-to-market daily and the change in market value is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. When a contract is closed, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statement of Operations equal to the difference between the value at the time it was opened and the value at the time it was closed. Non-deliverable forward foreign currency exchange contracts are settled with the counterparty in cash without the delivery of foreign currency. The use of forward foreign currency exchange contracts involves the risk that the value of a forward foreign currency exchange contract changes unfavorably due to movements in the
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24 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
value of the referenced foreign currencies, and such value may exceed the amount(s) reflected in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Cash amounts pledged for forward foreign currency exchange contracts are considered restricted and are included in cash pledged as collateral for OTC derivatives in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Options: The Fund purchases and writes call and put options to increase or decrease its exposure to the risks of underlying instruments, including equity risk, interest rate risk and/or commodity price risk and/or, in the case of options written, to generate gains from options premiums.
A call option gives the purchaser (holder) of the option the right (but not the obligation) to buy, and obligates the seller (writer) to sell (when the option is exercised) the underlying instrument at the exercise or strike price at any time or at a specified time during the option period. A put option gives the holder the right to sell and obligates the writer to buy the underlying instrument at the exercise or strike price at any time or at a specified time during the option period.
Premiums paid on options purchased and premiums received on options written, as well as the daily fluctuation in market value, are included in investments at value – unaffiliated and options written at value, respectively, in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. When an instrument is purchased or sold through the exercise of an option, the premium is offset against the cost or proceeds of the underlying instrument. When an option expires, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statement of Operations to the extent of the premiums received or paid. When an option is closed or sold, a gain or loss is recorded in the Statement of Operations to the extent the cost of the closing transaction exceeds the premiums received or paid. When the Fund writes a call option, such option is typically “covered,” meaning that it holds the underlying instrument subject to being called by the option counterparty. When the Fund writes a put option, cash is segregated in an amount sufficient to cover the obligation. These amounts, which are considered restricted, are included in cash pledged as collateral for options written in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
| • | | Swaptions — The Fund purchases and writes options on swaps (“swaptions”) primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of the Fund’s holdings, as a duration management technique or to protect against an increase in the price of securities it anticipates purchasing at a later date. The purchaser and writer of a swaption is buying or granting the right to enter into a previously agreed upon interest rate or credit default swap agreement (interest rate risk and/or credit risk) at any time before the expiration of the option. |
| • | | Interest rate caps — Interest rate caps are entered into to gain or reduce exposure to interest rates (interest rate risk). Caps are agreements whereby one party agrees to make payments to the other, in return for a premium, to the extent that interest rate indexes exceed a specified rate, or “cap.” The maximum potential amount of future payments that the Fund would be required to make under an interest rate cap would be the notional amount times the percentage increase in interest rates determined by the difference between the interest rate index current value and the value at the time the cap was entered into. |
In purchasing and writing options, the Fund bears the risk of an unfavorable change in the value of the underlying instrument or the risk that it may not be able to enter into a closing transaction due to an illiquid market. Exercise of a written option could result in the Fund purchasing or selling a security when it otherwise would not, or at a price different from the current market value.
Swaps: Swap contracts are entered into to manage exposure to issuers, markets and securities. Such contracts are agreements between the Fund and a counterparty to make periodic net payments on a specified notional amount or a net payment upon termination. Swap agreements are privately negotiated in the OTC market and may be entered into as a bilateral contract (“OTC swaps”) or centrally cleared (“centrally cleared swaps”).
For OTC swaps, any upfront premiums paid and any upfront fees received are shown as swap premiums paid and swap premiums received, respectively, in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and amortized over the term of the contract. The daily fluctuation in market value is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on OTC Swaps in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Payments received or paid are recorded in the Statement of Operations as realized gains or losses, respectively. When an OTC swap is terminated, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statement of Operations equal to the difference between the proceeds from (or cost of) the closing transaction and the Fund’s basis in the contract, if any. Generally, the basis of the contract is the premium received or paid.
In a centrally cleared swap, immediately following execution of the swap contract, the swap contract is novated to a central counterparty (the “CCP”) and the Fund’s counterparty on the swap agreement becomes the CCP. The Fund is required to interface with the CCP through the broker. Upon entering into a centrally cleared swap, the Fund is required to deposit initial margin with the broker in the form of cash or securities in an amount that varies depending on the size and risk profile of the particular swap. Securities deposited as initial margin are designated in the Schedule of Investments and cash deposited is shown as cash pledged for centrally cleared swaps in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Amounts pledged, which are considered restricted cash, are included in cash pledged for centrally cleared swaps in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Pursuant to the contract, the Fund agrees to receive from or pay to the broker an amount of cash equal to the daily fluctuation in market value of the contract (“variation margin”). Variation margin is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) and shown as variation margin receivable (or payable) on centrally cleared swaps in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Payments received from (paid to) the counterparty, including at termination, are recorded as realized gains (losses) in the Statement of Operations.
| • | | Credit default swaps — Credit default swaps are entered into to manage exposure to the market or certain sectors of the market, to reduce risk exposure to defaults of corporate and/or sovereign issuers or to create exposure to corporate and/or sovereign issuers to which a fund is not otherwise exposed (credit risk). |
The Fund may either buy or sell (write) credit default swaps on single-name issuers (corporate or sovereign), a combination or basket of single-name issuers or traded indexes. Credit default swaps are agreements in which the protection buyer pays fixed periodic payments to the seller in consideration for a promise from the protection seller to make a specific payment should a negative credit event take place with respect to the referenced entity (e.g., bankruptcy, failure to pay, obligation acceleration, repudiation, moratorium or restructuring). As a buyer, if an underlying credit event occurs, the Fund will either (i) receive from the seller an amount equal to the notional amount of the swap and deliver the referenced security or underlying securities comprising the index, or (ii) receive a net settlement of cash equal to the notional amount of the swap less the recovery value of the security or underlying securities comprising the index. As a seller (writer), if an underlying credit event occurs, the Fund will either pay the buyer an amount equal to the notional amount of the swap and take delivery of the referenced security or underlying securities comprising the index or pay a net settlement of cash equal to the notional amount of the swap less the recovery value of the security or underlying securities comprising the index.
| • | | Interest rate swaps — Interest rate swaps are entered into to gain or reduce exposure to interest rates or to manage duration, the yield curve or interest rate (interest |
| | |
NOTESTO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | | 25 |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
Interest rate swaps are agreements in which one party pays a stream of interest payments, either fixed or floating, in exchange for another party’s stream of interest payments, either fixed or floating, on the same notional amount for a specified period of time. In more complex interest rate swaps, the notional principal amount may decline (or amortize) over time.
| • | | Forward swaps — The Fund enters into forward interest rate swaps and forward total return swaps. In a forward swap, the Fund and the counterparty agree to make periodic net payments beginning on a specified date or a net payment at termination. |
| • | | Inflation swaps — Inflation swaps are entered into to gain or reduce exposure to inflation (inflation risk). In an inflation swap, one party makes fixed interest payments on a notional principal amount in exchange for another party’s variable payments based on an inflation index, such as the Consumer Price Index. |
Swap transactions involve, to varying degrees, elements of interest rate, credit and market risk in excess of the amounts recognized in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Such risks involve the possibility that there will be no liquid market for these agreements, that the counterparty to the agreements may default on its obligation to perform or disagree as to the meaning of the contractual terms in the agreements, and that there may be unfavorable changes in interest rates and/or market values associated with these transactions.
Master Netting Arrangements: In order to define its contractual rights and to secure rights that will help it mitigate its counterparty risk, the Fund may enter into an International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. Master Agreement (“ISDA Master Agreement”) or similar agreement with its counterparties. An ISDA Master Agreement is a bilateral agreement between the Fund and a counterparty that governs certain OTC derivatives and typically contains, among other things, collateral posting terms and netting provisions in the event of a default and/or termination event. Under an ISDA Master Agreement, the Fund may, under certain circumstances, offset with the counterparty certain derivative financial instruments’ payables and/or receivables with collateral held and/or posted and create one single net payment. The provisions of the ISDA Master Agreement typically permit a single net payment in the event of default including the bankruptcy or insolvency of the counterparty. Bankruptcy or insolvency laws of a particular jurisdiction may restrict or prohibit the right of offset in bankruptcy, insolvency or other events.
Collateral Requirements: For derivatives traded under an ISDA Master Agreement, the collateral requirements are typically calculated by netting the mark-to-market amount for each transaction under such agreement and comparing that amount to the value of any collateral currently pledged by the Fund and the counterparty.
Cash collateral that has been pledged to cover obligations of the Fund and cash collateral received from the counterparty, if any, is reported separately in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as cash pledged as collateral and cash received as collateral, respectively. Non-cash collateral pledged by the Fund, if any, is noted in the Schedule of Investments. Generally, the amount of collateral due from or to a counterparty is subject to a certain minimum transfer amount threshold before a transfer is required, which is determined at the close of business of the Fund. Any additional required collateral is delivered to/pledged by the Fund on the next business day. Typically, the counterparty is not permitted to sell, re-pledge or use cash and non-cash collateral it receives. The Fund generally agrees not to use non-cash collateral that it receives but may, absent default or certain other circumstances defined in the underlying ISDA Master Agreement, be permitted to use cash collateral received. In such cases, interest may be paid pursuant to the collateral arrangement with the counterparty. To the extent amounts due to the Fund from its counterparties are not fully collateralized, it bears the risk of loss from counterparty non-performance. Likewise, to the extent the Fund has delivered collateral to a counterparty and stands ready to perform under the terms of its agreement with such counterparty, it bears the risk of loss from a counterparty in the amount of the value of the collateral in the event the counterparty fails to return such collateral. Based on the terms of agreements, collateral may not be required for all derivative contracts.
For financial reporting purposes, the Fund does not offset derivative assets and derivative liabilities that are subject to netting arrangements, if any, in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
6. | INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES |
Investment Advisory: The Company, on behalf of the Fund, entered into an Investment Advisory Agreement with the Manager, the Fund’s investment adviser and an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”), to provide investment advisory and administrative services. The Manager is responsible for the management of the Fund’s portfolio and provides the personnel, facilities, equipment and certain other services necessary to the operations of the Fund.
For such services, the Fund pays the Manager a monthly fee at an annual rate equal to the following percentages of the average daily value of the Fund’s net assets:
| | | | |
Average Daily Net Assets | | Investment Advisory Fees | |
First $1 Billion | | | 0.50 | % |
$1 Billion — $3 Billion | | | 0.47 | |
$3 Billion — $5 Billion | | | 0.45 | |
$5 Billion — $10 Billion | | | 0.44 | |
Greater than $10 Billion | | | 0.43 | |
The Manager entered into a sub-advisory agreement, effective May 19, 2020, with BlackRock International Limited (“BIL”), an affiliate of the Manager. The Manager pays BIL for services it provides for that portion of the Fund for which BIL acts as sub-adviser, a monthly fee that is equal to a percentage of the investment advisory fees paid by the Fund to the Manager.
Distribution Fees: The Company, on behalf of the Fund, entered into a Distribution Agreement and a Distribution Plan with BlackRock Investments, LLC (“BRIL”), an affiliate of the Manager. Pursuant to the Distribution Plan and in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, the Fund pays BRIL ongoing distribution fees. The fees are accrued daily and paid monthly at annual rate of 0.25% based upon the average daily net assets attributable to Class III.
| | |
26 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
BRIL and broker-dealers, pursuant to sub-agreements with BRIL, provide shareholder distribution services to the Fund. The ongoing distribution fee compensates BRIL and each broker-dealer for providing shareholder distribution related services to shareholders.
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the class specific distribution fees borne directly by Class III were $13,275.
Transfer Agent: On behalf of the Fund, the Manager entered into agreements with insurance companies and other financial intermediaries (“Service Organizations”), some of which may be affiliates. Pursuant to these agreements, the Service Organizations provide the Fund with administrative, networking, recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency and shareholder services to underlying investor accounts. For these services, the Service Organizations receive an annual fee per shareholder account, which will vary depending on share class and/or net assets of Fund shareholders serviced by the Service Organizations which is shown as transfer agent – class specific. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the Fund did not pay any amounts to affiliates in return for these services.
In addition, the Fund pays the transfer agent, which is not an affiliate, a fee for the issuance, transfer and redemption of shares and the opening and maintenance of shareholder accounts, which is included in transfer agent in the Statement of Operations.
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the following table shows the class specific transfer agent fees borne directly by each share class of the Fund:
| | | | |
Class I | | $ | 55,695 | |
Class III | | | 8,143 | |
| | $ | 63,838 | |
Expense Limitations, Waivers and Reimbursements: The Manager voluntarily agreed to waive 0.26% of its investment advisory fee paid by the Fund. This voluntary waiver may be reduced or discontinued at any time without notice. This amount is included in fees waived and/or reimbursed by the Manager in the Statement of Operations. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the amount waived was $85,709.
The Manager contractually agreed to waive its investment advisory fees by the amount of investment advisory fees the Fund pays to the Manager indirectly through its investment in affiliated money market funds (the “affiliated money market fund waiver”) through April 30, 2021. The contractual agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the Independent Directors, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The amount of waivers and/or reimbursements of fees and expenses made pursuant to the expense limitations described below will be reduced by the amount of the affiliated money market fund waiver. Prior to May 1, 2020, this waiver was voluntary. This amount is included in fees waived and/or reimbursed by the Manager in the Statement of Operations. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the amount waived was $1,066.
The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its investment advisory fee with respect to any portion of the Fund’s assets invested in affiliated equity and fixed-income mutual funds and affiliated exchange-traded funds that have a contractual management fee through April 30, 2021. The contractual agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the Independent Directors, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, there were no fees waived and/or reimbursed by the Manager pursuant to this arrangement.
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the Fund reimbursed the Manager $357 for certain accounting services, which is included in accounting services in the Statement of Operations.
The Manager has contractually agreed to reimburse certain transfer agent fees in order to limit such expenses to a percentage of average daily net assets as follows:
| | | | |
Class I | | | 0.00 | % |
Class III | | | 0.06 | |
The Manager has agreed not to reduce or discontinue the contractual expense limitations through April 30, 2021, unless approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Directors, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. These amounts are included in transfer agent fees waived and/or reimbursed — class specific in the Statement of Operations. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, class specific expense waivers and/or reimbursements were as follows:
| | | | |
| | Transfer Agent Fees Waived and/or Reimbursed | |
Class I | | $ | 55,695 | |
Class III | | | 4,956 | |
| | $ | 60,651 | |
The Manager contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit expenses, excluding interest expense, dividend expense, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other fund expenses, which constitute extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business (“expense limitation”). The expense limitations as a percentage of average daily net assets are as follows:
| | | | |
Class I | | | 1.25 | % |
Class III | | | 1.50 | |
The Manager has agreed not to reduce or discontinue these contractual expense limitations through April 30, 2021, unless approved by the Board, including a majority of Independent Directors, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, there were no fees waived and/ or reimbursed by the Manager.
| | |
NOTESTO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | | 27 |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
Interfund Lending: In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the Fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing facility for temporary purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions. The Fund is currently permitted to borrow under the Interfund Lending Program.
A lending BlackRock fund may lend in aggregate up to 15% of its net assets, but may not lend more than 5% of its net assets to any one borrowing fund through the Interfund Lending Program. A borrowing BlackRock fund may not borrow through the Interfund Lending Program or from any other source more than 33 1/3% of its total assets (or any lower threshold provided for by the fund’s investment restrictions). If a borrowing BlackRock fund’s total outstanding borrowings exceed 10% of its total assets, each of its outstanding interfund loans will be subject to collateralization of at least 102% of the outstanding principal value of the loan. All interfund loans are for temporary or emergency purposes and the interest rate to be charged will be the average of the highest current overnight repurchase agreement rate available to a lending fund and the bank loan rate, as calculated according to a formula established by the Board.
During the period ended June 30, 2020, the Fund did not participate in the Interfund Lending Program.
Directors and Officers: Certain directors and/or officers of the Company are directors and/or officers of BlackRock or its affiliates. The Fund reimburses the Manager for a portion of the compensation paid to the Company’s Chief Compliance Officer, which is included in Directors and Officer in the Statement of Operations.
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, purchases and sales of investments, including paydowns and mortgage dollar rolls and excluding short-term securities, were as follows:
| | | | | | | | |
| | Purchases | | | Sales | |
Non-U.S. Government Securities | | $ | 219,614,783 | | | $ | 227,496,608 | |
U.S. Government Securities | | | 16,822,145 | | | | 22,518,243 | |
For the six months ended June 30, 2020, purchases and sales related to mortgage dollar rolls were $83,006,246 and $83,007,099, respectively.
It is the Fund’s policy to comply with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, applicable to regulated investment companies, and to distribute substantially all of its taxable income to its shareholders. Therefore, no U.S. federal income tax provision is required.
The Fund files U.S. federal and various state and local tax returns. No income tax returns are currently under examination. The statute of limitations on the Fund’s U.S. federal tax returns generally remains open for each of the four years ended December 31, 2019. The statutes of limitations on the Fund’s state and local tax returns may remain open for an additional year depending upon the jurisdiction.
Management has analyzed tax laws and regulations and their application to the Fund as of June 30, 2020, inclusive of the open tax return years, and does not believe that there are any uncertain tax positions that require recognition of a tax liability in the Fund’s financial statements.
As of December 31, 2019, the Fund had non-expiring capital loss carryforward available to offset future realized capital gains of $4,638,280.
As of June 30, 2020, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:
| | | | |
Tax cost | | $ | 72,186,952 | |
| | | | |
Gross unrealized appreciation | | $ | 3,606,626 | |
Gross unrealized depreciation | | | (571,396 | ) |
| | | | |
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) | | $ | 3,035,230 | |
| | | | |
BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc., on behalf of the Fund, along with certain other funds managed by the Manager and its affiliates (“Participating Funds”), is a party to a 364-day, $2.25 billion credit agreement with a group of lenders. Under this agreement, the Fund may borrow to fund shareholder redemptions. Excluding commitments designated for certain individual funds, the Participating Funds, including the Fund, can borrow up to an aggregate commitment amount of $1.75 billion at any time outstanding, subject to asset coverage and other limitations as specified in the agreement. The credit agreement has the following terms: a fee of 0.10% per annum on unused commitment amounts and interest at a rate equal to the higher of (a) one-month LIBOR (but, in any event, not less than 0.00%) on the date the loan is made plus 0.80% per annum or (b) the Fed Funds rate (but, in any event, not less than 0.00%) in effect from time to time plus 0.80% per annum on amounts borrowed. The agreement expires in April 2021 unless extended or renewed. These fees were allocated among such funds based upon portions of the aggregate commitment available to them and relative net assets of Participating Funds. During the six months ended June 30, 2020, the Fund did not borrow under the credit agreement.
In the normal course of business, the Fund invests in securities or other instruments and may enter into certain transactions, and such activities subject the Fund to various risks, including among others, fluctuations in the market (market risk) or failure of an issuer to meet all of its obligations. The value of securities or other instruments may also be affected by various factors, including, without limitation: (i) the general economy; (ii) the overall market as well as local, regional or global political and/or social instability;
| | |
28 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
(iii) regulation, taxation or international tax treaties between various countries; or (iv) currency, interest rate and price fluctuations. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments. The Fund’s prospectus provides details of the risks to which the Fund is subject.
The Fund may be exposed to prepayment risk, which is the risk that borrowers may exercise their option to prepay principal earlier than scheduled during periods of declining interest rates, which would force the Fund to reinvest in lower yielding securities. The Fund may also be exposed to reinvestment risk, which is the risk that income from the Fund’s portfolio will decline if the Fund invests the proceeds from matured, traded or called fixed-income securities at market interest rates that are below the Fund portfolio’s current earnings rate.
Valuation Risk: An outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus has developed into a global pandemic and has resulted in closing borders, quarantines, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The impact of this pandemic, and other global health crises that may arise in the future, could affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the market in general in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. This pandemic may result in substantial market volatility and may adversely impact the prices and liquidity of a fund’s investments. The duration of this pandemic and its effects cannot be determined with certainty.
Counterparty Credit Risk: The Fund may be exposed to counterparty credit risk, or the risk that an entity may fail to or be unable to perform on its commitments related to unsettled or open transactions. The Fund manages counterparty credit risk by entering into transactions only with counterparties that the Manager believes have the financial resources to honor their obligations and by monitoring the financial stability of those counterparties. Financial assets, which potentially expose the Fund to market, issuer and counterparty credit risks, consist principally of financial instruments and receivables due from counterparties. The extent of the Fund’s exposure to market, issuer and counterparty credit risks with respect to these financial assets is approximately their value recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, less any collateral held by the Fund.
A derivative contract may suffer a mark-to-market loss if the value of the contract decreases due to an unfavorable change in the market rates or values of the underlying instrument. Losses can also occur if the counterparty does not perform under the contract.
The Fund’s risk of loss from counterparty credit risk on OTC derivatives is generally limited to the aggregate unrealized gain less the value of any collateral held by the Fund.
For OTC options purchased, the Fund bears the risk of loss in the amount of the premiums paid plus the positive change in market values net of any collateral held by the Fund should the counterparty fail to perform under the contracts. Options written by the Fund do not typically give rise to counterparty credit risk, as options written generally obligate the Fund, and not the counterparty, to perform. The Fund may be exposed to counterparty credit risk with respect to options written to the extent the Fund deposits collateral with its counterparty to a written option.
With exchange-traded futures and centrally cleared swaps, there is less counterparty credit risk to the Fund since the exchange or clearinghouse, as counterparty to such instruments, guarantees against a possible default. The clearinghouse stands between the buyer and the seller of the contract; therefore, credit risk is limited to failure of the clearinghouse. While offset rights may exist under applicable law, the Fund does not have a contractual right of offset against a clearing broker or clearinghouse in the event of a default (including the bankruptcy or insolvency). Additionally, credit risk exists in exchange-traded futures and centrally cleared swaps with respect to initial and variation margin that is held in a clearing broker’s customer accounts. While clearing brokers are required to segregate customer margin from their own assets, in the event that a clearing broker becomes insolvent or goes into bankruptcy and at that time there is a shortfall in the aggregate amount of margin held by the clearing broker for all its clients, typically the shortfall would be allocated on a pro rata basis across all the clearing broker’s customers, potentially resulting in losses to the Fund.
Concentration Risk: The Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in fixed-income securities and/or uses derivatives tied to the fixed-income markets. Changes in market interest rates or economic conditions may affect the value and/or liquidity of such investments. Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to the current period of historically low rates.
The Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in securities backed by commercial or residential mortgage loans or in issuers that hold mortgage and other asset-backed securities. Investment percentages in these securities are presented in the Schedule of Investments. Changes in economic conditions, including delinquencies and/or defaults on assets underlying these securities, can affect the value, income and/or liquidity of such positions.
| | |
NOTESTO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | | 29 |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
11. | CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS |
Transactions in capital shares for each class were as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Six Months Ended 06/30/20 | | | Year Ended 12/31/19 | |
| | Shares | | | Amount | | | Shares | | | Amount | |
Class I | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Shares sold | | | 449,416 | | | $ | 4,795,471 | | | | 306,520 | | | $ | 3,139,125 | |
Shares issued in reinvestment of distributions | | | 50,555 | | | | 537,832 | | | | 127,398 | | | | 1,295,840 | |
Shares redeemed | | | (447,930 | ) | | | (4,783,169 | ) | | | (736,860 | ) | | | (7,515,644 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net increase (decrease) | | | 52,041 | | | $ | 550,134 | | | | (302,942 | ) | | $ | (3,080,679 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | |
Class III | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Shares sold | | | 2,287,532 | | | $ | 24,261,048 | | | | 674,859 | | | $ | 6,868,096 | |
Shares issued in reinvestment of distributions | | | 7,354 | | | | 79,038 | | | | 7,647 | | | | 77,885 | |
Shares redeemed | | | (1,885,954 | ) | | | (20,364,929 | ) | | | (754,061 | ) | | | (7,692,662 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net increase (decrease) | | | 408,932 | | | $ | 3,975,157 | | | | (71,555 | ) | | $ | (746,681 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total Net Increase (Decrease) | | | 460,973 | | | $ | 4,525,291 | | | | (374,497 | ) | | $ | (3,827,360 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Fund through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that there were no subsequent events requiring adjustment or additional disclosure in the financial statements.
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30 | | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTTO SHAREHOLDERS |
Glossary of Terms Used in this Report
| | |
Currency |
| |
AUD | | Australian Dollar |
| |
BRL | | Brazilian Real |
| |
CAD | | Canadian Dollar |
| |
CLP | | Chilean Peso |
| |
COP | | Colombian Peso |
| |
EUR | | Euro |
| |
GBP | | British Pound |
| |
JPY | | Japanese Yen |
| |
KRW | | South Korean Won |
| |
MXN | | Mexican Peso |
| |
RUB | | New Russian Ruble |
| |
TRY | | Turkish Lira |
| |
TWD | | Taiwan New Dollar |
| |
USD | | United States Dollar |
| |
ZAR | | South African Rand |
| | |
Portfolio Abbreviations |
| |
BA | | Canadian Bankers Acceptances |
| |
BZDIOVER | | Overnight Brazil CETIP — Interbank Rate |
| |
LIBOR | | London Interbank Offered Rate |
| |
MXIBTIIE | | Mexico Interbank TIIE 28-Day |
| |
OTC | | Over-the-counter |
| |
TBA | | To-be-announced |
| | |
GLOSSARYOF TERMS USEDINTHIS REPORT | | 31 |
Disclosure of Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreements
The Board of Directors (the “Board,” the members of which are referred to as “Board Members”) of BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc. (the “Corporation”) met on April 7, 2020 (the “April Meeting”) and May 11-13, 2020 (the “May Meeting”) to consider the approval of the investment advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) between the Corporation, on behalf of BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Core V.I. Fund (the “Large Cap Core V.I. Fund”), BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Value V.I. Fund (the “Large Cap Value V.I. Fund”), BlackRock Advantage U.S. Total Market V.I. Fund (the “U.S. Total Market V.I. Fund”), BlackRock Basic Value V.I. Fund (the “Basic Value V.I. Fund”), BlackRock Capital Appreciation V.I. Fund (the “Capital Appreciation V.I. Fund”), BlackRock Equity Dividend V.I. Fund (the “Equity Dividend V.I. Fund”), BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund (the “Global Allocation V.I. Fund”), BlackRock Government Money Market V.I. Fund (the “Government Money Market V.I. Fund”), BlackRock International V.I. Fund (the “International V.I. Fund”), BlackRock International Index V.I. Fund (the “International Index V.I. Fund”), BlackRock 60/40 Target Allocation ETF V.I. Fund (the “60/40 Target Allocation ETF V.I. Fund”), BlackRock Large Cap Focus Growth V.I. Fund (the “Large Cap Focus Growth V.I. Fund”), BlackRock Managed Volatility V.I. Fund (the “Managed Volatility V.I. Fund”), BlackRock Small Cap Index V.I. Fund (the “Small Cap Index V.I. Fund”) and BlackRock S&P 500 Index V.I. Fund (the “S&P 500 Index V.I. Fund”) (each, a “Fund,” and collectively the “Funds”), each a series of the Corporation, and BlackRock Advisors, LLC (the “Manager”), the Corporation’s investment advisor. The Board also considered the approval of the sub-advisory agreements between the Manager and (a) BlackRock International Limited (“BIL”) with respect to International V.I. Fund and Managed Volatility V.I. Fund (the “BIL Sub-Advisory Agreements”); (b) BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited (“BNA”) with respect to Managed Volatility V.I. Fund (the “BNA Sub-Advisory Agreement”); and (c) BlackRock (Singapore) Limited (“BSL” and together with BIL and BNA, the “Sub-Advisors”) with respect to Managed Volatility V.I. Fund (the “BSL Sub-Advisory Agreement” and together with the BIL Sub-Advisory Agreements and the BNA Sub-Advisory Agreement, the “Sub-Advisory Agreements”). The Manager and the Sub-Advisors are referred to herein as “BlackRock.” The Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreements are referred to herein as the “Agreements.”
Activities and Composition of the Board
On the date of the May Meeting, the Board consisted of fourteen individuals, twelve of whom were not “interested persons” of the Corporation as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) (the “Independent Board Members”). The Board Members are responsible for the oversight of the operations of the Corporation and perform the various duties imposed on the directors of investment companies by the 1940 Act. The Independent Board Members have retained independent legal counsel to assist them in connection with their duties. The Chair of the Board is an Independent Board Member. The Board has established five standing committees: an Audit Committee, a Governance and Nominating Committee, a Compliance Committee, a Performance Oversight Committee and an Ad Hoc Topics Committee, each of which is chaired by an Independent Board Member and composed of Independent Board Members (except for the Ad Hoc Topics Committee, which also has one interested Board Member).
The Agreements
Consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Board considers the continuation of the Agreements on an annual basis. The Board has four quarterly meetings per year, each typically extending for two days, and additional in-person and telephonic meetings throughout the year, as needed. While the Board also has a fifth one-day meeting to consider specific information surrounding the renewal of the Agreements, the Board’s consideration entails a year-long deliberative process whereby the Board and its committees assess BlackRock’s services to the Funds. In particular, the Board assessed, among other things, the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to each Fund by BlackRock, BlackRock’s personnel and affiliates, including (as applicable): investment management services; accounting oversight; administrative and shareholder services; oversight of each Fund’s service providers; risk management and oversight; and legal, regulatory and compliance services. Throughout the year, including during the contract renewal process, the Independent Board Members were advised by independent legal counsel, and met with independent legal counsel in various executive sessions outside of the presence of BlackRock’s management.
During the year, the Board, acting directly and through its committees, considers information that is relevant to its annual consideration of the renewal of the Agreements, including the services and support provided by BlackRock to each Fund and its shareholders. BlackRock also furnished additional information to the Board in response to specific questions from the Board. This additional information is discussed further in the section titled “Board Considerations in Approving the Agreements.” Among the matters the Board considered were: (a) with respect to each Fund, investment performance for one-year, three-year, five-year, and/or since inception periods, as applicable, against peer funds, an applicable benchmark, and other performance metrics, as applicable, as well as BlackRock senior management’s and portfolio managers’ analyses of the reasons for any outperformance or underperformance relative to its peers, benchmarks, and other performance metrics, as applicable; (b) fees, including advisory, administration, if applicable, and other amounts paid to BlackRock and its affiliates by each Fund for services; (c) Fund operating expenses and how BlackRock allocates expenses to each Fund; (d) the resources devoted to, risk oversight of, and compliance reports relating to, implementation of each Fund’s investment objective, policies and restrictions, and meeting regulatory requirements; (e) BlackRock’s and the Corporation’s adherence to applicable compliance policies and procedures; (f) the nature, character and scope of non-investment management services provided by BlackRock and its affiliates and the estimated cost of such services; (g) BlackRock’s and other service providers’ internal controls and risk and compliance oversight mechanisms; (h) BlackRock’s implementation of the proxy voting policies approved by the Board; (i) the use of brokerage commissions and execution quality of portfolio transactions; (j) BlackRock’s implementation of the Corporation’s valuation and liquidity procedures; (k) an analysis of management fees for products with similar investment mandates across the open-end fund, exchange-traded fund (“ETF”), closed-end fund, sub-advised mutual fund, separately managed account, collective investment trust, and institutional separate account product channels, as applicable, and the similarities and differences between these products and the services provided as compared to each Fund; (l) BlackRock’s compensation methodology for its investment professionals and the incentives and accountability it creates, along with investment professionals’ investments in the fund(s) they manage; and (m) periodic updates on BlackRock’s business.
Board Considerations in Approving the Agreements
The Approval Process: Prior to the April Meeting, the Board requested and received materials specifically relating to the Agreements. The Independent Board Members are continuously engaged in a process with their independent legal counsel and BlackRock to review the nature and scope of the information provided to the Board to better assist its deliberations. The materials provided in connection with the April Meeting included, among other things: (a) information independently compiled and prepared by Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (“Broadridge”), based on either a Lipper classification or Morningstar category, regarding each Fund’s fees and expenses as compared with a peer group of funds as determined by Broadridge (“Expense Peers”) and the investment performance of each Fund as compared with a peer group of funds (“Performance Peers”); (b) information on the composition of the Expense Peers and Performance Peers, and a description of Broadridge’s methodology; (c) information on the estimated profits realized by BlackRock and its affiliates pursuant to the Agreements and a discussion of fall-out benefits to BlackRock and its affiliates; (d) a general analysis provided by BlackRock concerning investment management fees received in connection with other types of investment products, such as institutional accounts,
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DISCLOSURE OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT AND SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENTS | | |
Disclosure of Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreements (continued)
sub-advised mutual funds, ETFs, closed-end funds, open-end funds, and separately managed accounts under similar investment mandates, as well as the performance of such other products, as applicable; (e) a review of non-management fees; (f) the existence, impact and sharing of potential economies of scale, if any, with the Funds; (g) a summary of aggregate amounts paid by each Fund to BlackRock; (h) sales and redemption data regarding each Fund’s shares; and (i) various additional information requested by the Board as appropriate regarding BlackRock’s and each Fund’s operations.
At the April Meeting, the Board reviewed materials relating to its consideration of the Agreements. As a result of the discussions that occurred during the April Meeting, and as a culmination of the Board’s year-long deliberative process, the Board presented BlackRock with questions and requests for additional information. BlackRock responded to these questions and requests with additional written information in advance of the May Meeting.
At the May Meeting, the Board concluded its assessment of, among other things: (a) the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by BlackRock; (b) the investment performance of each Fund as compared to its Performance Peers and to other metrics, as applicable; (c) the advisory fee and the estimated cost of the services and estimated profits realized by BlackRock and its affiliates from their relationship with the Funds; (d) each Fund’s fees and expenses compared to its Expense Peers; (e) the existence and sharing of potential economies of scale; (f) any fall-out benefits to BlackRock and its affiliates as a result of BlackRock’s relationship with the Funds; and(g) other factors deemed relevant by the Board Members.
The Board also considered other matters it deemed important to the approval process, such as other payments made to BlackRock or its affiliates relating to securities lending and cash management, and BlackRock’s services related to the valuation and pricing of each Fund’s portfolio holdings. The Board noted the willingness of BlackRock personnel to engage in open, candid discussions with the Board. The Board did not identify any particular information as determinative, and each Board Member may have attributed different weights to the various items considered.
A. Nature, Extent and Quality of the Services Provided by BlackRock: The Board, including the Independent Board Members, reviewed the nature, extent and quality of services provided by BlackRock, including the investment advisory services and the resulting performance of each Fund. Throughout the year, the Board compared each Fund’s performance to the performance of a comparable group of mutual funds, relevant benchmark, and performance metrics, as applicable. The Board met with BlackRock’s senior management personnel responsible for investment activities, including the senior investment officers. The Board also reviewed the materials provided by each Fund’s portfolio management team discussing the Fund’s performance, investment strategies and outlook.
The Board considered, among other factors, with respect to BlackRock: the number, education and experience of investment personnel generally and each Fund’s portfolio management team; research capabilities; investments by portfolio managers in the funds they manage; portfolio trading capabilities; use of technology; commitment to compliance; credit analysis capabilities; risk analysis and oversight capabilities; and the approach to training and retaining portfolio managers and other research, advisory and management personnel. The Board also considered BlackRock’s overall risk management program, including the continued efforts of BlackRock and its affiliates to address cybersecurity risks and the role of BlackRock’s Risk & Quantitative Analysis Group. The Board engaged in a review of BlackRock’s compensation structure with respect to each Fund’s portfolio management team and BlackRock’s ability to attract and retain high-quality talent and create performance incentives.
In addition to investment advisory services, the Board considered the nature and quality of the administrative and other non-investment advisory services provided to each Fund. BlackRock and its affiliates provide the Funds with certain administrative, shareholder and other services (in addition to any such services provided to the Funds by third-parties) and officers and other personnel as are necessary for the operations of the Funds. In particular, BlackRock and its affiliates provide the Funds with administrative services including, among others: (i) responsibility for disclosure documents, such as the prospectus, the summary prospectus (as applicable), the statement of additional information and periodic shareholder reports; (ii) oversight of daily accounting and pricing; (iii) responsibility for periodic filings with regulators; (iv) overseeing and coordinating the activities of third-party service providers, including, among others, each Fund’s custodian, fund accountant, transfer agent, and auditor; (v) organizing Board meetings and preparing the materials for such Board meetings; (vi) providing legal and compliance support; (vii) furnishing analytical and other support to assist the Board in its consideration of strategic issues such as the merger, consolidation or repurposing of certain open-end funds; and (viii) performing or managing administrative functions necessary for the operation of each Fund, such as tax reporting, expense management, fulfilling regulatory filing requirements, overseeing each Fund’s distribution partners, and shareholder call center and other services. The Board reviewed the structure and duties of BlackRock’s fund administration, shareholder services, and legal & compliance departments and considered BlackRock’s policies and procedures for assuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
B. The Investment Performance of the Funds and BlackRock: The Board, including the Independent Board Members, also reviewed and considered the performance history of each Fund. In preparation for the April Meeting, the Board was provided with reports independently prepared by Broadridge, which included an analysis of each Fund’s performance as of December 31, 2019, as compared to its Performance Peers. Broadridge ranks funds in quartiles, ranging from first to fourth, where first is the most desirable quartile position and fourth is the least desirable. In connection with its review, the Board received and reviewed information regarding the investment performance of each Fund as compared to its Performance Peers and, with respect to 60/40 Target Allocation ETF V.I. Fund, Large Cap Focus Growth V.I. Fund, Capital Appreciation V.I. Fund, Large Cap Core V.I. Fund, Large Cap Value V.I. Fund, Global Allocation V.I. Fund, Basic Value V.I. Fund, U.S. Total Market V.I. Fund and International V.I. Fund, the respective Morningstar open-end fund category (“Morningstar Open-End Category”); with respect to Managed Volatility V.I. Fund, in light of the Fund’s outcome-oriented investment objective, certain performance metrics (“Outcome-Oriented Performance Metrics”); with respect to International Index V.I. Fund, Small Cap Index V.I. Fund and S&P 500 Index V.I. Fund, the performance of the Fund as compared with its benchmark; and, with respect to Government Money Market V.I. Fund, a weighted average benchmark of similar funds, as defined by BlackRock (“Benchmark Weighted Average”). The Board and its Performance Oversight Committee regularly review, and meet with Fund management to discuss, the performance of each Fund throughout the year.
In evaluating performance, the Board focused particular attention on funds with less favorable performance records. The Board also noted that while it found the data provided by Broadridge generally useful, it recognized the limitations of such data, including in particular, that notable differences may exist between a fund and its Performance Peers (for example, the investment objectives and strategies). Further, the Board recognized that the performance data reflects a snapshot of a period as of a particular date and that selecting a different performance period could produce significantly different results. The Board also acknowledged that long-term performance could be impacted by even one period of significant outperformance or underperformance, and that a single investment theme could have the ability to disproportionately affect long-term performance.
The Board noted that for each of the one-, three- and five-year periods reported, Equity Dividend V.I. Fund ranked in the first quartile against its Performance Peers.
The Board noted that for the one-, three-, and five-year periods reported, 60/40 Target Allocation ETF V.I. Fund ranked in the first, first and second quartiles, respectively, against its Morningstar Open-End Category. The Board noted that BlackRock believes that the Morningstar Open-End Category is an appropriate performance metric for the
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| | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
Disclosure of Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreements (continued)
Fund, and that BlackRock has explained its rationale for this belief to the Board.
The Board noted that for the one-, three- and five-year periods reported, International V.I. Fund ranked in the first, first and second quartiles, respectively, against its Morningstar Open-End Category. The Board noted that BlackRock believes that the Morningstar Open-End Category is an appropriate performance metric for the Fund, and that BlackRock has explained its rationale for this belief to the Board.
The Board noted that for the one-, three- and five-year periods reported, Large Cap Focus Growth V.I. Fund ranked in the second, first and first quartile, respectively, against its Morningstar Open-End Category. The Board noted that BlackRock believes that the Morningstar Open-End Category is an appropriate performance metric for the Fund, and that BlackRock has explained its rationale for this belief to the Board.
The Board noted that for each of the one-, three- and five-year periods reported, Global Allocation V.I. Fund ranked in the second quartile against its Morningstar Open-End Category. The Board noted that BlackRock believes that the Morningstar Open-End Category is an appropriate performance metric for the Fund, and that BlackRock has explained its rationale for this belief to the Board. The Board noted significant changes to the Fund’s portfolio management team under the senior leadership of BlackRock’s Global Fixed Income Chief Investment Officer and an expansion of resources.
The Board noted that for the one-, three- and five-year periods reported, Capital Appreciation V.I. Fund ranked in the third, first and first quartiles, respectively, against its Morningstar Open-End Category. The Board noted that BlackRock believes that the Morningstar Open-End Category is an appropriate performance metric for the Fund, and that BlackRock has explained its rationale for this belief to the Board. The Board and BlackRock reviewed the Fund’s underperformance relative to its Morningstar Open-End Category during the applicable periods.
The Board noted that for the one-, three- and five-year periods reported, Large Cap Core V.I. Fund ranked in the third, second and second quartiles, respectively against its Morningstar Open-End Category. The Board noted that BlackRock believes that the Morningstar Open-End Category is an appropriate performance metric for the Fund, and that BlackRock has explained its rationale for this belief to the Board. The Board and BlackRock reviewed the Fund’s underperformance relative to its Morningstar Open-End Category during the applicable periods.
The Board noted that for the one-, three- and five-year periods reported, Large Cap Value V.I. Fund ranked in the third, second and second quartiles, respectively, against its Morningstar Open-End Category. The Board noted that BlackRock believes that the Morningstar Open-End Category is an appropriate performance metric for the Fund, and that BlackRock has explained its rationale for this belief to the Board. The Board and BlackRock reviewed the Fund’s underperformance relative to its Morningstar Open-End Category during the applicable periods.
The Board noted that for the one-, three- and five-year periods reported, U.S. Total Market V.I. Fund ranked in the third, fourth and third quartiles, respectively against its Morningstar Open-End Category. The Board noted that BlackRock believes that the Morningstar Open-End Category is an appropriate performance metric for the Fund, and that BlackRock has explained its rationale for this belief to the Board. The Board and BlackRock reviewed the Fund’s underperformance relative to its Morningstar Open-End Category during the applicable periods.
The Board noted that for the one-, three- and five-year periods reported, Basic Value V.I. Fund ranked in the third, fourth and fourth quartiles, respectively, against its Morningstar Open-End Category. The Board noted that BlackRock believes that the Morningstar Open-End Category is an appropriate performance metric for the Fund, and that BlackRock has explained its rationale for this belief to the Board. The Board and BlackRock reviewed the Fund’s underperformance relative to its Morningstar Open-End Category during the applicable periods. The Board was informed that, among other things, longer-term performance was impacted by the investment team’s focus on value and related positioning in more volatile areas of the market.
The Board and BlackRock discussed BlackRock’s strategy for improving the Fund’s investment performance. Discussions covered topics such as performance attribution, the Fund’s investment personnel, and the resources appropriate to support the Fund’s investment processes.
The Board noted that for each of the one-and three-year periods reported, Government Money Market V.I. Fund outperformed its Benchmark Weighted Average. The Board noted that BlackRock believes that the Benchmark Weighted Average is an appropriate performance metric for the Fund, and that BlackRock has explained its rationale for this belief to the Board.
The Board reviewed and considered the Fund’s performance relative to Managed Volatility V.I. Fund’s Outcome-Oriented Performance Metrics including a total return target. The Board noted that for each of the one-, three- and five-year periods reported, the Fund underperformed its total return target. The Board noted that BlackRock believes that the Outcome-Oriented Performance Metrics are an appropriate performance metric for the Fund, and that BlackRock has explained its rationale for this belief to the Board. The Board and BlackRock reviewed the Fund’s underperformance relative to its total return target during the applicable periods.
The Board noted that for the one-year period reported, S&P 500 Index V.I. Fund’s net performance was within the tolerance range of its benchmark. The Board noted that BlackRock believes that net performance relative to the benchmark is an appropriate performance metric for the Fund, and that BlackRock has explained its rationale for this belief to the Board.
The Board noted that for the one-year period reported, International Index V.I. Fund’s net performance above the tolerance range of its benchmark. The Board noted that BlackRock believes that net performance relative to the benchmark is an appropriate performance metric for the Fund, and that BlackRock has explained its rationale for this belief to the Board. The Board and BlackRock reviewed the Fund’s above tolerance performance relative to its benchmark over the period.
The Board noted that for the one-year period reported, Small Cap Index V.I. Fund’s net performance was above the tolerance range of its benchmark. The Board noted that BlackRock believes that net performance relative to the benchmark is an appropriate performance metric for the Fund, and that BlackRock has explained its rationale for this belief to the Board. The Board and BlackRock reviewed the Fund’s above tolerance performance relative to its benchmark over the period.
C. Consideration of the Advisory/Management Fees and the Estimated Cost of the Services and Estimated Profits Realized by BlackRock and its Affiliates from their Relationship with the Funds: The Board, including the Independent Board Members, reviewed each Fund’s contractual management fee rate compared with those of its Expense Peers. The contractual management fee rate represents a combination of the advisory fee and any administrative fees, before taking into account any reimbursements or fee waivers. The Board also compared each Fund’s total expense ratio, as well as its actual management fee rate, to those of its Expense Peers. The total expense ratio represents a fund’s total net operating expenses, including any 12b-1 or non-12b-1 service fees. The total expense ratio gives effect to any expense
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DISCLOSURE OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT AND SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENTS | | |
Disclosure of Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreements (continued)
reimbursements or fee waivers, and the actual management fee rate gives effect to any management fee reimbursements or waivers. The Board considered the services provided and the fees charged by BlackRock and its affiliates to other types of clients with similar investment mandates, as applicable, including institutional accounts and sub-advised mutual funds (including mutual funds sponsored by third parties).
The Board received and reviewed statements relating to BlackRock’s financial condition. The Board reviewed BlackRock’s profitability methodology and was also provided with an estimated profitability analysis that detailed the revenues earned and the expenses incurred by BlackRock for services provided to each Fund. The Board reviewed BlackRock’s estimated profitability with respect to each Fund and other funds the Board currently oversees for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to available aggregate estimated profitability data provided for the prior two years. The Board reviewed BlackRock’s estimated profitability with respect to certain other U.S. fund complexes managed by BlackRock and/or its affiliates. The Board reviewed BlackRock’s assumptions and methodology of allocating expenses in the estimated profitability analysis, noting the inherent limitations in allocating costs among various advisory products. The Board recognized that profitability may be affected by numerous factors including, among other things, fee waivers and expense reimbursements by BlackRock, the types of funds managed, precision of expense allocations and business mix. The Board thus recognized that calculating and comparing profitability at the individual fund level is difficult.
The Board noted that, in general, individual fund or product line profitability of other advisors is not publicly available. The Board reviewed BlackRock’s overall operating margin, in general, compared to that of certain other publicly traded asset management firms. The Board considered the differences between BlackRock and these other firms, including the contribution of technology at BlackRock, BlackRock’s expense management, and the relative product mix.
The Board considered whether BlackRock has the financial resources necessary to attract and retain high quality investment management personnel to perform its obligations under the Agreements and to continue to provide the high quality of services that is expected by the Board. The Board further considered factors including but not limited to BlackRock’s commitment of time, assumption of risk, and liability profile in servicing the Funds, including in contrast to what is required of BlackRock with respect to other products with similar investment mandates across the open-end fund, ETF, closed-end fund, sub-advised mutual fund, separately managed account, collective investment trust, and institutional separate account product channels, as applicable.
The Board noted that Large Cap Core V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the first quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio each ranked in the first quartile relative to the Fund’s Expense Peers. The Board further noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis.
The Board noted that Small Cap Index V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the first quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio each ranked in the first quartile relative to the Fund’s Expense Peers. The Board also noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis.
The Board noted that S&P 500 Index V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the first quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio each ranked in the first quartile relative to the Fund’s Expense Peers. The Board also noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis.
The Board noted that International Index V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the first quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio each ranked in the first quartile relative to the Fund’s Expense Peers. The Board also noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis.
The Board noted that Basic Value V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the first quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio ranked in the first and second quartiles, respectively, relative to the Fund’s Expense Peers. The Board further noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis.
BlackRock has reviewed with the Board that the varying fee structure for fund of funds can limit the value of management fee comparisons. The Board noted that 60/40 Target Allocation ETF V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the first quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio ranked in the first and second quartiles, respectively, relative to the Fund’s Expense Peers. Additionally, the Board noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis.
The Board noted that Capital Appreciation V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the first quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio ranked in the first and second quartiles, respectively, relative to the Fund’s Expense Peers. The Board further noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis.
The Board noted that Equity Dividend V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the first quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio ranked in the first and second quartiles, respectively, relative to the Fund’s Expense Peers. The Board further noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis.
The Board noted that International V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the first quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio ranked in the second and fourth quartiles, respectively, relative to the Fund’s Expense Peers. The Board further noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis. In addition, the Board noted that BlackRock and the Board agreed to a lower contractual expense cap, on a class-by-class basis. After discussions between the Board, including Independent Board Members, and BlackRock, the Board and BlackRock agreed to a continuation of the contractual cap.
The Board noted that Managed Volatility V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the first quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio ranked in the third and second quartiles, respectively, relative to the Fund’s Expense Peers. The Board further noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis.
The Board noted that Global Allocation V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the second quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio each ranked in the second quartile relative to the Fund’s Expense Peers. The Board further noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis.
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| | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
Disclosure of Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreements (continued)
The Board noted that Large Cap Focus Growth V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the second quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio ranked in the second and fourth quartiles, respectively, relative to the Fund’s Expense Peers. The Board further noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis.
The Board noted that Government Money Market V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the third quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio each ranked in the first quartile relative to the Fund’s Expense Peers. The Board further noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis.
The Board noted that U.S. Total Market V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the third quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio each ranked in the first quartile relative to the Fund’s Expense Peers. The Board further noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis.
The Board noted that the Large Cap Value V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the fourth quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio each ranked in the first quartile relative to the Fund’s Expense Peers. Additionally, the Board noted that BlackRock had voluntarily agreed to waive a portion of the advisory fee payable by the Fund. The Board further noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis.
With respect to Large Cap Core V.I. Fund, Large Cap Value V.I. Fund, U.S. Total Market V.I. Fund, Basic Value V.I. Fund, Capital Appreciation V.I. Fund, Equity Dividend V.I. Fund, Global Allocation V.I. Fund, Government Money Market V.I. Fund, International V.I. Fund, 60/40 Target Allocation ETF V.I. Fund, Large Cap Focus Growth V.I. Fund and Managed Volatility V.I. Fund, the Board noted that each Fund has an advisory fee arrangement that includes breakpoints that adjust the fee rate downward as the size of the pertinent Fund increases above certain contractually specified levels. The Board noted that if the size of the pertinent Fund were to decrease, the Fund could lose the benefit of one or more breakpoints.
With respect to Large Cap Core V.I. Fund, Large Cap Value V.I. Fund, U.S. Total Market V.I. Fund, Basic Value V.I. Fund, Capital Appreciation V.I. Fund, Equity Dividend V.I. Fund, Global Allocation V.I. Fund, International V.I. Fund, International Index V.I. Fund, Large Cap Focus Growth V.I. Fund, Managed Volatility V.I. Fund, Small Cap Index V.I. Fund and S&P 500 Index V.I. Fund, the Board noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on certain operational and recordkeeping fees for each Fund on a class-by-class basis.
D. Economies of Scale: The Board, including the Independent Board Members, considered the extent to which economies of scale might be realized as the assets of the Funds increase, including the existence of fee waivers and/or expense caps, as applicable, noting that any contractual fee waivers and contractual expense caps had been approved by the Board. In its consideration, the Board further considered the continuation and/or implementation of fee waivers and/or expense caps, as applicable. The
Board also considered the extent to which each Fund benefits from such economies of scale in a variety of ways and whether there should be changes in the advisory fee rate or breakpoint structure in order to enable the Funds to more fully participate in these economies of scale. The Board considered each Fund’s asset levels and whether the current fee schedule was appropriate.
E. Other Factors Deemed Relevant by the Board Members: The Board, including the Independent Board Members, also took into account other ancillary or “fall-out” benefits that BlackRock or its affiliates may derive from BlackRock’s respective relationships with the Funds, both tangible and intangible, such as BlackRock’s ability to leverage its investment professionals who manage other portfolios and its risk management personnel, an increase in BlackRock’s profile in the investment advisory community, and the engagement of BlackRock’s affiliates as service providers to the Funds, including for administrative, distribution, securities lending and cash management services. The Board also considered BlackRock’s overall operations and its efforts to expand the scale of, and improve the quality of, its operations. The Board also noted that, subject to applicable law, BlackRock may use and benefit from third-party research obtained by soft dollars generated by certain registered fund transactions to assist in managing all or a number of its other client accounts.
In connection with its consideration of the Agreements, the Board also received information regarding BlackRock’s brokerage and soft dollar practices. The Board received reports from BlackRock which included information on brokerage commissions and trade execution practices throughout the year.
The Board noted the competitive nature of the open-end fund marketplace, and that shareholders are able to redeem their Fund shares if they believe that the pertinent Fund’s fees and expenses are too high or if they are dissatisfied with the performance of the Fund.
Conclusion
The Board, including the Independent Board Members, unanimously approved the continuation of (i) the Advisory Agreement between the Manager and the Corporation, on behalf of each Fund, (ii) the BIL Sub-Advisory Agreements between the Manager and BIL with respect to International V.I. Fund and Managed Volatility V.I. Fund, (iii) the BNA Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Manager and BNA with respect to Managed Volatility V.I. Fund and (iv) BSL Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Manager and BSL with respect to Managed Volatility V.I. Fund, each for a one-year term ending June 30, 2021. Based upon its evaluation of all of the aforementioned factors in their totality, as well as other information, the Board, including the Independent Board Members, was satisfied that the terms of the Agreements were fair and reasonable and in the best interest of each Fund, as pertinent, and its shareholders. In arriving at its decision to approve the Agreements, the Board did not identify any single factor or group of factors as all-important or controlling, but considered all factors together, and different Board Members may have attributed different weights to the various factors considered. The Independent Board Members were also assisted by the advice of independent legal counsel in making this determination.
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DISCLOSURE OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT AND SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENTS | | |
Disclosure of Investment Advisory Agreement
The Board of Directors (the “Board,” the members of which are referred to as “Board Members”) of BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc. (the “Company”) met on April 16, 2020 (the “April Meeting”) and May 20-21, 2020 (the “May Meeting”) to consider the approval of the investment advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement” or the “Agreement”) between the Company, on behalf of BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (the “High Yield V.I. Fund”), BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund (the “Total Return V.I. Fund”) and BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund (the “U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund” and together with the High Yield V.I. Fund and the Total Return V.I. Fund, the “Funds” and each, a “Fund”), and BlackRock Advisors, LLC (the “Manager” or “BlackRock”), each Fund’s investment advisor.
Activities and Composition of the Board
On the date of the May Meeting, the Board consisted of ten individuals, eight of whom were not “interested persons” of the
Company as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) (the “Independent Board Members”). The Board Members are responsible for the oversight of the operations of each Fund and perform the various duties imposed on the directors of investment companies by the 1940 Act. The Independent Board Members have retained independent legal counsel to assist them in connection with their duties. The Co-Chairs of the Board are Independent Board Members. The Board has established five standing committees: an Audit Committee, a Governance and Nominating Committee, a Compliance Committee, a Performance Oversight Committee and an Executive Committee, each of which is chaired by an Independent Board Member and composed of Independent Board Members (except for the Executive Committee, which also has one interested Board Member).
The Agreement
Consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Board considers the continuation of the Agreement on an annual basis. The Board has four quarterly meetings per year, each typically extending for two days, and additional in-person and telephonic meetings throughout the year, as needed. While the Board also has a fifth one-day meeting to consider specific information surrounding the renewal of the Agreement, the Board’s consideration entails a year-long deliberative process whereby the Board and its committees assess BlackRock’s services to each Fund. In particular, the Board assessed, among other things, the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to each Fund by BlackRock, BlackRock’s personnel and affiliates, including (as applicable): investment management services; accounting oversight; administrative and shareholder services; oversight of each Fund’s service providers; risk management and oversight; and legal, regulatory and compliance services. Throughout the year, including during the contract renewal process, the Independent Board Members were advised by independent legal counsel, and met with independent legal counsel in various executive sessions outside of the presence of BlackRock’s management.
During the year, the Board, acting directly and through its committees, considers information that is relevant to its annual consideration of the renewal of the Agreement, including the services and support provided by BlackRock to each Fund and its shareholders. BlackRock also furnished additional information to the Board in response to specific questions from the Board. This additional information is discussed further in the section titled “Board Considerations in Approving the Agreement.” Among the matters the Board considered were: (a) investment performance for one-year, three-year, five-year, and/or since inception periods, as applicable, against peer funds, applicable benchmarks, and other performance metrics, as applicable, as well as BlackRock senior management’s and portfolio managers’ analyses of the reasons for any outperformance or underperformance relative to its peers, benchmarks, and other performance metrics, as applicable; (b) fees, including advisory, administration, if applicable, and other amounts paid to BlackRock and its affiliates by each Fund for services; (c) Fund operating expenses and how BlackRock allocates expenses to each Fund; (d) the resources devoted to, risk oversight of, and compliance reports relating to, implementation of each Fund’s investment objective, policies and restrictions, and meeting regulatory requirements; (e) BlackRock’s and each Fund’s adherence to applicable compliance policies and procedures; (f) the nature, character and scope of non-investment management services provided by BlackRock and its affiliates and the estimated cost of such services; (g) BlackRock’s and other service providers’ internal controls and risk and compliance oversight mechanisms; (h) BlackRock’s implementation of the proxy voting policies approved by the Board; (i) execution quality of portfolio transactions; (j) BlackRock’s implementation of each Fund’s valuation and liquidity procedures; (k) an analysis of management fees for products with similar investment mandates across the open-end fund, exchange-traded fund (“ETF”), closed-end fund, sub-advised mutual fund, separately managed account, collective investment trust, and institutional separate account product channels, as applicable, and the similarities and differences between these products and the services provided as compared to each Fund; (l) BlackRock’s compensation methodology for its investment professionals and the incentives and accountability it creates, along with investment professionals’ investments in the fund(s) they manage; and (m) periodic updates on BlackRock’s business.
Board Considerations in Approving the Agreement
The Approval Process: Prior to the April Meeting, the Board requested and received materials specifically relating to the Agreement. The Independent Board Members are continuously engaged in a process with their independent legal counsel and BlackRock to review the nature and scope of the information provided to the Board to better assist its deliberations. The materials provided in connection with the April Meeting included, among other things: (a) information independently compiled and prepared by Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (“Broadridge”), based on either a Lipper classification or Morningstar category, regarding each Fund’s fees and expenses as compared with a peer group of funds as determined by Broadridge (“Expense Peers”) and the investment performance of each Fund as compared with a peer group of funds (“Performance Peers”); (b) information on the composition of the Expense Peers and Performance Peers and a description of Broadridge’s methodology; (c) information on the estimated profits realized by BlackRock and its affiliates pursuant to the Agreement and a discussion of fall-out benefits to BlackRock and its affiliates; (d) a general analysis provided by BlackRock concerning investment management fees received in connection with other types of investment products, such as institutional accounts, sub-advised mutual funds, ETFs, closed-end funds, open-end funds, and separately managed accounts, under similar investment mandates, as well as the performance of such other products, as applicable; (e) a review of non-management fees; (f) the existence, impact and sharing of potential economies of scale, if any, with each Fund; (g) a summary of aggregate amounts paid by each Fund to BlackRock; (h) sales and redemption data regarding each Fund’s shares; and (i) various additional information requested by the Board as appropriate regarding BlackRock’s and each Fund’s operations.
At the April Meeting, the Board reviewed materials relating to its consideration of the Agreement. As a result of the discussions that occurred during the April Meeting, and as a culmination of the Board’s year-long deliberative process, the Board presented BlackRock with questions and requests for additional information. BlackRock responded to these questions and requests with additional written information in advance of the May Meeting. Topics covered included: (a) the methodology for measuring estimated fund profitability; (b) economies of scale; (c) fund expenses and potential fee waivers; and (d) differences in services provided and management fees between open-end funds and other product channels.
At the May Meeting, the Board concluded its assessment of, among other things: (a) the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by BlackRock; (b) the investment performance of each Fund as compared to its Performance Peers and to other metrics, as applicable; (c) the advisory fee and the estimated cost of the services and
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Disclosure of Investment Advisory Agreement (continued)
estimated profits realized by BlackRock and its affiliates from their relationship with each Fund; (d) each Fund’s fees and expenses compared to its Expense Peers; (e) the existence and sharing of potential economies of scale; (f) any fall-out benefits to BlackRock and its affiliates as a result of BlackRock’s relationship with each Fund; and (g) other factors deemed relevant by the Board Members.
The Board also considered other matters it deemed important to the approval process, such as other payments made to BlackRock or its affiliates relating to securities lending and cash management, and BlackRock’s services related to the valuation and pricing of Fund portfolio holdings. The Board noted the willingness of BlackRock’s personnel to engage in open, candid discussions with the Board. The Board did not identify any particular information as determinative, and each Board Member may have attributed different weights to the various items considered.
A. Nature, Extent and Quality of the Services Provided by BlackRock: The Board, including the Independent Board Members, reviewed the nature, extent and quality of services provided by BlackRock, including the investment advisory services, and the resulting performance of each Fund. Throughout the year, the Board compared Fund performance to the performance of a comparable group of mutual funds, relevant benchmarks, and performance metrics, as applicable. The Board met with BlackRock’s senior management personnel responsible for investment activities, including the senior investment officers. The Board also reviewed the materials provided by each Fund’s portfolio management team discussing each Fund’s performance, investment strategies and outlook.
The Board considered, among other factors, with respect to BlackRock: the number, education and experience of investment personnel generally and each Fund’s portfolio management team; research capabilities; investments by portfolio managers in the funds they manage; portfolio trading capabilities; use of technology; commitment to compliance; credit analysis capabilities; risk analysis and oversight capabilities; and the approach to training and retaining portfolio managers and other research, advisory and management personnel. The Board also considered BlackRock’s overall risk management program, including the continued efforts of BlackRock and its affiliates to address cybersecurity risks and the role of BlackRock’s Risk & Quantitative Analysis Group. The Board engaged in a review of BlackRock’s compensation structure with respect to each Fund’s portfolio management team and BlackRock’s ability to attract and retain high-quality talent and create performance incentives.
In addition to investment advisory services, the Board considered the nature and quality of the administrative and other non-investment advisory services provided to each Fund. BlackRock and its affiliates provide each Fund with certain administrative, shareholder and other services (in addition to any such services provided to each Fund by third-parties) and officers and other personnel as are necessary for the operations of each Fund. In particular, BlackRock and its affiliates provide each Fund with administrative services including, among others: (i) responsibility for disclosure documents, such as the prospectus, the summary prospectus (as applicable), the statement of additional information and periodic shareholder reports; (ii) oversight of daily accounting and pricing; (iii) responsibility for periodic filings with regulators; (iv) overseeing and coordinating the activities of third-party service providers including, among others, each Fund’s custodian, fund accountant, transfer agent, and auditor; (v) organizing Board meetings and preparing the materials for such Board meetings; (vi) providing legal and compliance support; (vii) furnishing analytical and other support to assist the Board in its consideration of strategic issues such as the merger, consolidation or repurposing of certain open-end funds; and (viii) performing or managing administrative functions necessary for the operation of each Fund, such as tax reporting, expense management, fulfilling regulatory filing requirements, overseeing each Fund’s distribution partners, and shareholder call center and other services. The Board reviewed the structure and duties of BlackRock’s fund administration, shareholder services, and legal & compliance departments and considered BlackRock’s policies and procedures for assuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
B. The Investment Performance of each Fund and BlackRock: The Board, including the Independent Board Members, also reviewed and considered the performance history of each Fund. In preparation for the April Meeting, the Board was provided with reports independently prepared by Broadridge, which included an analysis of each Fund’s performance as of December 31, 2019, as compared to its Performance Peers. Broadridge ranks funds in quartiles, ranging from first to fourth, where first is the most desirable quartile position and fourth is the least desirable. In connection with its review, the Board received and reviewed information regarding the investment performance of each Fund as compared to its Performance Peers and the respective Morningstar open-end fund category (“Morningstar Open-End Category”). The Board and its Performance Oversight Committee regularly review and meet with Fund management to discuss the performance of each Fund throughout the year.
In evaluating performance, the Board focused particular attention on funds with less favorable performance records. The Board also noted that while it found the data provided by Broadridge generally useful, it recognized the limitations of such data, including in particular, that notable differences may exist between a fund and its Performance Peers (for example, the investment objectives and strategies). Further, the Board recognized that the performance data reflects a snapshot of a period as of a particular date and that selecting a different performance period could produce significantly different results. The Board also acknowledged that long-term performance could be impacted by even one period of significant outperformance or underperformance, and that a single investment theme could have the ability to disproportionately affect long-term performance.
The Board noted that for each of the one-, three- and five-year periods reported, the High Yield V.I. Fund ranked in the first quartile against its Morningstar Open-End Category. The Board noted that BlackRock believes that the Morningstar Open-End Category is an appropriate performance metric for the High Yield V.I. Fund, and that BlackRock has explained its rationale for this belief to the Board.
The Board noted that for the one-, three- and five-year periods reported, the Total Return V.I. Fund ranked in the second, second, and third quartiles, respectively, against its Morningstar Open-End Category. The Board noted that BlackRock believes that the Morningstar Open-End Category is an appropriate performance metric for the Total Return V.I. Fund, and that BlackRock has explained its rationale for this belief to the Board. The Board and BlackRock reviewed the Total Return V.I. Fund’s underperformance relative to its Morningstar Open-End Category during the applicable period.
The Board noted that for the one-, three- and five-year periods reported, the U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund ranked in the second, third and third quartiles, respectively, against its Morningstar Open-End Category. The Board noted that BlackRock believes that the Morningstar Open-End Category is an appropriate performance metric for the U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund, and that BlackRock has explained its rationale for this belief to the Board. The Board and BlackRock reviewed the U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund’s underperformance relative to its Morningstar Open-End Category during the applicable periods.
C. Consideration of the Advisory/Management Fees and the Estimated Cost of the Services and Estimated Profits Realized by BlackRock and its Affiliates from their Relationship with each Fund: The Board, including the Independent Board Members, reviewed each Fund’s contractual management fee rate compared with those of its Expense Peers. The contractual management fee rate represents a combination of the advisory fee and any administrative fees, before taking into account any reimbursements or fee waivers. The Board also compared each Fund’s total expense ratio, as well as its actual management fee rate, to those of its Expense Peers. The total expense ratio represents a fund’s total net operating expenses, including any 12b-1 or non-12b-1 service fees. The total expense ratio gives effect to any expense reimbursements or fee waivers, and the actual management fee rate gives effect to any management fee reimbursements or waivers. The Board considered the services
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DISCLOSURE OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT | | |
Disclosure of Investment Advisory Agreement (continued)
provided and the fees charged by BlackRock and its affiliates to other types of clients with similar investment mandates, as applicable, including institutional accounts and sub-advised mutual funds (including mutual funds sponsored by third parties).
The Board received and reviewed statements relating to BlackRock’s financial condition. The Board reviewed BlackRock’s profitability methodology and was also provided with an estimated profitability analysis that detailed the revenues earned and the expenses incurred by BlackRock for services provided to each Fund. The Board reviewed BlackRock’s estimated profitability with respect to each Fund and other funds the Board currently oversees for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to available aggregate estimated profitability data provided for the prior two years. The Board reviewed BlackRock’s estimated profitability with respect to certain other U.S. fund complexes managed by the Manager and/or its affiliates. The Board reviewed BlackRock’s assumptions and methodology of allocating expenses in the estimated profitability analysis, noting the inherent limitations in allocating costs among various advisory products. The Board recognized that profitability may be affected by numerous factors including, among other things, fee waivers and expense reimbursements by the Manager, the types of funds managed, precision of expense allocations and business mix. The Board thus recognized that calculating and comparing profitability at the individual fund level is difficult.
The Board noted that, in general, individual fund or product line profitability of other advisors is not publicly available. The Board reviewed BlackRock’s overall operating margin, in general, compared to that of certain other publicly traded asset management firms. The Board considered the differences between BlackRock and these other firms, including the contribution of technology at BlackRock, BlackRock’s expense management, and the relative product mix.
The Board considered whether BlackRock has the financial resources necessary to attract and retain high quality investment management personnel to perform its obligations under the Agreement and to continue to provide the high quality of services that is expected by the Board. The Board further considered factors including but not limited to BlackRock’s commitment of time, assumption of risk, and liability profile in servicing each Fund, including in contrast to what is required of BlackRock with respect to other products with similar investment mandates across the open-end fund, ETF, closed-end fund, sub-advised mutual fund, separately managed account, collective investment trust, and institutional separate account product channels, as applicable.
The Board noted that the High Yield V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the first quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio each ranked in the first quartile, relative to the High Yield V.I. Fund’s Expense Peers. The Board also noted that the High Yield V.I. Fund has an advisory fee arrangement that includes breakpoints that adjust the fee rate downward as the aggregate assets of the High Yield V.I. Fund, combined with the assets of the Total Return V.I. Fund, increase above certain contractually specified levels. The Board noted that if the size of the High Yield V.I. Fund or the Total Return V.I. Fund were to decrease, the High Yield V.I. Fund could lose the benefit of one or more breakpoints. The Board further noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the High Yield V.I. Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the High Yield V.I. Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis. Additionally, the Board noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on certain operational and recordkeeping fees for the High Yield V.I. Fund on a class-by-class basis.
The Board noted that the Total Return V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the second quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio each ranked in the first quartile, relative to the Total Return V.I. Fund’s Expense Peers. The Board also noted that the Total Return V.I. Fund has an advisory fee arrangement that includes breakpoints that adjust the fee rate downward as the aggregate assets of the Total Return V.I. Fund, combined with the assets of the High Yield V.I. Fund, increase above certain contractually specified levels. The Board noted that if the size of the Total Return V.I. Fund or the High Yield V.I Fund were to decrease, the Total Return V.I. Fund could lose the benefit of one or more breakpoints. The Board further noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the Total Return V.I. Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the Total Return V.I. Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis. Additionally, the Board noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on certain operational and recordkeeping fees for the Total Return V.I. Fund on a class-by-class basis.
The Board noted that the U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the first quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio ranked in the first and third quartiles, respectively, relative to the U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund’s Expense Peers. The Board also noted that the U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund has an advisory fee arrangement that includes breakpoints that adjust the fee rate downward as the size of the U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund increases above certain contractually specified levels. The Board noted that if the size of the U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund were to decrease, the U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund could lose the benefit of one or more breakpoints. The Board further noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis. Additionally, the Board noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on certain operational and recordkeeping fees for the U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund on a class-by-class basis. In addition, the Board noted that BlackRock has voluntarily agreed to waive a portion of the advisory fee payable by the U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund. An advisory fee waiver has been in effect since 2016, that amount of which may have varied from time to time. After discussion between the Board, including the Independent Board Members, and BlackRock, the Board and BlackRock agreed to a continuation of the current 26 basis point voluntary advisory fee waiver.
D. Economies of Scale: The Board, including the Independent Board Members, considered the extent to which economies of scale might be realized as the assets of each Fund increase, including the existence of fee waivers and/or expense caps, as applicable, noting that any contractual fee waivers and contractual expense caps had been approved by the Board. In its consideration, the Board further considered the continuation and/or implementation of fee waivers and/or expense caps, as applicable. The Board also considered the extent to which each Fund benefits from such economies of scale in a variety of ways, and whether there should be changes in the advisory fee rate or breakpoint structure in order to enable each Fund to more fully participate in these economies of scale. The Board considered each Fund’s asset levels and whether the current fee schedule was appropriate.
E. Other Factors Deemed Relevant by the Board Members: The Board, including the Independent Board Members, also took into account other ancillary or “fall out” benefits that BlackRock or its affiliates may derive from BlackRock’s respective relationships with each Fund, both tangible and intangible, such as BlackRock’s ability to leverage its investment professionals who manage other portfolios and its risk management personnel, an increase in BlackRock’s profile in the investment advisory community, and the engagement of BlackRock’s affiliates as service providers to each Fund, including for administrative, distribution, securities lending and cash management services. The Board also considered BlackRock’s overall operations and its efforts to expand the scale of, and improve the quality of, its operations. The Board also noted that, subject to applicable law, BlackRock may use and benefit from third-party research obtained by soft dollars generated by certain registered fund transactions to assist in managing all or a number of its other client accounts.
In connection with its consideration of the Agreement, the Board also received information regarding BlackRock’s brokerage and soft dollar practices. The Board received reports from BlackRock which included information on brokerage commissions and trade execution practices throughout the year.
The Board noted the competitive nature of the open-end fund marketplace, and that shareholders are able to redeem their Fund shares if they believe that each Fund’s fees
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Disclosure of Investment Advisory Agreement (continued)
and expenses are too high or if they are dissatisfied with the performance of each Fund.
Conclusion
The Board, including the Independent Board Members, unanimously approved the continuation of the Advisory Agreement between the Manager and the Company, on behalf of each Fund, for a one-year term ending June 30, 2021. Based upon its evaluation of all of the aforementioned factors in their totality, as well as other information, the Board, including the Independent Board Members, was satisfied that the terms of the Agreement were fair and reasonable and in the best interest of each Fund and its shareholders. In arriving at its decision to approve the Agreement, the Board did not identify any single factor or group of factors as all-important or controlling, but considered all factors together, and different Board Members may have attributed different weights to the various factors considered. The Independent Board Members were also assisted by the advice of independent legal counsel in making this determination.
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DISCLOSURE OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT | | |
Disclosure of Sub-Advisory Agreements
The Board of Directors (the “Board,” and the members of which are referred to as “Board Members”) of BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc. (the “Company”), on behalf of its series BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund (the “Fund”), met in person on February 19, 2020 (the “February Meeting”) to consider the initial approval of the sub-advisory agreement (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”) between BlackRock Advisors, LLC (the “Manager”), the Fund’s investment advisor, and BlackRock International Limited, with respect to the Fund. The Sub-Advisory Agreement was substantially similar to the sub-advisory agreements previously approved with respect to certain other portfolios in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex.
On the date of the February Meeting, the Board consisted of ten individuals, eight of whom were not “interested persons” of the Company as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) (the “Independent Board Members”). Pursuant to the 1940 Act, the Board is required to consider the initial approval of the Sub-Advisory Agreement.
At the February Meeting, the Board reviewed materials relating to its consideration of the proposed Sub-Advisory Agreement. The Fund’s investment advisory agreement with the Manager was most recently approved by the Board at in-person meetings on May 1, 2019 (the “May Meeting”) and June 5-6, 2019 (the “June Meeting”). A discussion of the basis for the Board’s approval of this agreement at the May and June Meetings is included in the Fund’s semi-annual shareholder report for the reporting period ended June 30, 2019. The factors considered by the Board at the February Meeting in connection with approval of the proposed Sub-Advisory Agreement were substantially the same as the factors considered at the May and June Meetings.
Following discussion, all the Board Members present at the February Meeting, including all the Independent Board Members present, approved the Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Manager and BlackRock International Limited, with respect to the Fund for a two-year term beginning on the effective date of the Sub-Advisory Agreement. Based upon its evaluation of all of the aforementioned factors in their totality, the Board, including the Independent Board Members, was satisfied that the terms of the Sub-Advisory Agreement were fair and reasonable and in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders. In arriving at its decision to approve the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Board did not identify any single factor or group of factors as all-important or controlling, but considered all factors together, and different Board Members may have attributed different weights to the various factors considered. The Independent Board Members were also assisted by the advice of independent legal counsel in making this determination.
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| | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
Disclosure of Sub-Advisory Agreements (continued)
The Board of Directors (the “Board,” and the members of which are referred to as “Board Members”) of BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc. (the “Company”), on behalf of its series BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund (the “Fund”), met on April 16, 2020 (the “April Meeting”) to consider the initial approval of the sub-advisory agreement (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”) between BlackRock Advisors, LLC (the “Manager”), the Fund’s investment advisor, and BlackRock International Limited, with respect to the Fund. The Sub-Advisory Agreement was substantially similar to the sub-advisory agreements previously approved with respect to certain other portfolios in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex.
On the date of the April Meeting, the Board consisted of ten individuals, eight of whom were not “interested persons” of the Company as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) (the “Independent Board Members”). Pursuant to the 1940 Act, the Board is required to consider the initial approval of the Sub-Advisory Agreement.
At the April Meeting, the Board reviewed materials relating to its consideration of the proposed Sub-Advisory Agreement. The Fund’s investment advisory agreement with the Manager was most recently approved by the Board at in-person meetings on May 1, 2019 (the “May Meeting”) and June 5-6, 2019 (the “June Meeting”). A discussion of the basis for the Board’s approval of this agreement at the May and June Meetings is included in the Fund’s semi-annual shareholder report for the reporting period ended June 30, 2019. The factors considered by the Board at the April Meeting in connection with approval of the proposed Sub-Advisory Agreement were substantially the same as the factors considered at the May and June Meetings.
Following discussion, all the Board Members present at the April Meeting, including all the Independent Board Members present, approved the Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Manager and BlackRock International Limited, with respect to the Fund for a two-year term beginning on the effective date of the Sub-Advisory Agreement.
Based upon its evaluation of all of the aforementioned factors in their totality, the Board, including the Independent Board Members, was satisfied that the terms of the Sub-Advisory Agreement were fair and reasonable and in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders. In arriving at its decision to approve the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Board did not identify any single factor or group of factors as all-important or controlling, but considered all factors together, and different Board Members may have attributed different weights to the various factors considered. The Independent Board Members were also assisted by the advice of independent legal counsel in making this determination.
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DISCLOSURE OF SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENTS | | |
Director and Officer Information
BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc.
Mark Stalnecker, Chair of the Board and Director
Bruce R. Bond, Director
Susan J. Carter, Director
Collette Chilton, Director
Neil A. Cotty, Director
Lena G. Goldberg, Director
Henry R. Keizer, Director
Cynthia A. Montgomery, Director
Donald C. Opatrny, Director
Joseph P. Platt, Director
Kenneth L. Urish, Director
Claire A. Walton, Director
Robert Fairbairn, Director
John M. Perlowski, Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
Jennifer McGovern, Vice President
Neal J. Andrews, Chief Financial Officer
Jay M. Fife, Treasurer
Charles Park, Chief Compliance Officer
Lisa Belle, Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer
Janey Ahn, Secretary
Investment Adviser and Administrator
BlackRock Advisors, LLC
Wilmington, DE 19809
Sub-Advisers
BlackRock International Limited (a)
Edinburgh, EH3 8BL
United Kingdom
BlackRock Asset Management
North Asia Limited (b)
Hong Kong
BlackRock (Singapore) Limited (b)
079912 Singapore
Accounting Agent
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
New York, NY 10179
Transfer Agent
BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.
Wilmington, DE 19809
Custodians
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (c)
New York, NY 10179
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (d)
Boston, MA 02109
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Boston, MA 02116
Distributor
BlackRock Investments, LLC
New York, NY 10022
Legal Counsel
Sidley Austin LLP
New York, NY 10019
Address of the Funds
100 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, DE 19809
(a) | For BlackRock International V.I. Fund and BlackRock Managed Volatility V.I. Fund. |
(b) | For BlackRock Managed Volatility V.I. Fund. |
(c) | For BlackRock 60/40 Target Allocation ETF V.I. Fund, BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Core V.I. Fund, BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Value V.I. Fund, BlackRock Advantage U.S. Total Market V.I. Fund, BlackRock Basic Value V.I. Fund, BlackRock Capital Appreciation V.I. Fund, BlackRock Equity Dividend V.I. Fund, BlackRock Government Money Market V.I. Fund, BlackRock International Index V.I. Fund, BlackRock Managed Volatility V.I. Fund, BlackRock S&P 500 Index V.I. Fund and BlackRock Small Cap Index V.I. Fund. |
(d) | For BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund, BlackRock International V.I. Fund and BlackRock Large Cap Focus Growth V.I. Fund. |
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| | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
Trustee and Officer Information
BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc.
Richard E. Cavanagh, Co-Chair of the Board and Director
Karen P. Robards, Co-Chair of the Board and Director
Michael J. Castellano, Director
Cynthia L. Egan, Director
Frank J. Fabozzi, Director
R. Glenn Hubbard, Director
W. Carl Kester, Director
Catherine A. Lynch, Director
Robert Fairbairn, Director
John M. Perlowski, Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
Jennifer McGovern, Vice President
Neal J. Andrews, Chief Financial Officer
Jay M. Fife, Treasurer
Charles Park, Chief Compliance Officer Lisa Belle, Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer
Janey Ahn, Secretary
Effective February 19, 2020, Henry Gabbay resigned as a Director of the Company.
Investment Adviser and Administrator
BlackRock Advisors, LLC
Wilmington, DE 19809
Sub-Advisers
BlackRock International Limited (a)
Edinburgh, EH3 8BL
United Kingdom
BlackRock (Singapore) Limited (b)
079912 Singapore
Accounting Agent
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
New York, NY 10179
Transfer Agent
BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.
Wilmington, DE 19809
Custodian
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
New York, NY 10179
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Boston, MA 02116
Distributor
BlackRock Investments, LLC
New York, NY 10022
Legal Counsel
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
New York, NY 10019
Address of the Funds
100 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, DE 19809
(a) | For BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund, BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund and BlackRock U.S. Government Bond V.I. Fund. |
(b) | For BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund. |
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DIRECTORAND OFFICER INFORMATION | | |
Additional Information
General Information
Householding
The Funds will mail only one copy of shareholder documents, including prospectuses, annual and semi-annual reports and proxy statements, to shareholders with multiple accounts at the same address. This practice is commonly called “householding” and is intended to reduce expenses and eliminate duplicate mailings of shareholder documents. Mailings of your shareholder documents may be householded indefinitely unless you instruct us otherwise. If you do not want the mailing of these documents to be combined with those for other members of your household, please call the Funds at (800) 441-7762.
Availability of Quarterly Schedule of Investments
The Funds (except BlackRock Government Money Market V.I. Fund) file their complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to their reports on Form N-PORT. The Funds’ Forms N-PORT are available on the SEC’s website at sec.gov.
The BlackRock Government Money Market V.I. Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC each month on Form N-MFP. The Fund’s reports on Form N-MFP are available on the SEC’s website at sec.gov. The Fund makes portfolio holdings available to shareholders on its website at blackrock.com.
Availability of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures
A description of the policies and procedures that the Funds use to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities is available upon request and without charge (1) by calling (800) 441-7762; (2) at blackrock.com/prospectus/insurance; and (3) on the SEC’s website at sec.gov.
Availability of Proxy Voting Record
Information about how the Funds voted proxies relating to securities held in the Funds’ portfolios during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available upon request and without charge (1) at blackrock.com/prospectus/insurance; or by calling (800) 441-7762 and (2) on the SEC’s website at sec.gov.
BlackRock’s Mutual Fund Family
BlackRock offers a diverse lineup of open-end mutual funds crossing all investment styles and managed by experts in equity, fixed-income and tax-exempt investing. Visit blackrock.com for more information.
Shareholder Privileges
Account Information
Call us at (800) 441-7762 from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM ET on any business day to get information about your account balances, recent transactions and share prices. You can also visit blackrock.com for more information.
Automatic Investment Plans
Investor class shareholders who want to invest regularly can arrange to have $50 or more automatically deducted from their checking or savings account and invested in any of the BlackRock funds.
Systematic Withdrawal Plans
Investor class shareholders can establish a systematic withdrawal plan and receive periodic payments of $50 or more from their BlackRock funds, as long as their account balance is at least $10,000.
Retirement Plans
Shareholders may make investments in conjunction with Traditional, Rollover, Roth, Coverdell, Simple IRAs, SEP IRAs and 403(b) Plans.
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| | 2020 BLACKROCK SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS |
Additional Information (continued)
BlackRock Privacy Principles
BlackRock is committed to maintaining the privacy of its current and former fund investors and individual clients (collectively, “Clients”) and to safeguarding their non-public personal information. The following information is provided to help you understand what personal information BlackRock collects, how we protect that information and why in certain cases we share such information with select parties.
If you are located in a jurisdiction where specific laws, rules or regulations require BlackRock to provide you with additional or different privacy-related rights beyond what is set forth below, then BlackRock will comply with those specific laws, rules or regulations.
BlackRock obtains or verifies personal non-public information from and about you from different sources, including the following: (i) information we receive from you or, if applicable, your financial intermediary, on applications, forms or other documents; (ii) information about your transactions with us, our affiliates, or others; (iii) information we receive from a consumer reporting agency; and (iv) from visits to our websites.
BlackRock does not sell or disclose to non-affiliated third parties any non-public personal information about its Clients, except as permitted by law or as is necessary to respond to regulatory requests or to service Client accounts. These non-affiliated third parties are required to protect the confidentiality and security of this information and to use it only for its intended purpose.
We may share information with our affiliates to service your account or to provide you with information about other BlackRock products or services that may be of interest to you. In addition, BlackRock restricts access to non-public personal information about its Clients to those BlackRock employees with a legitimate business need for the information. BlackRock maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that are designed to protect the non-public personal information of its Clients, including procedures relating to the proper storage and disposal of such information.
Want to know more?
blackrock.com | 800-441-7762
This report is only for distribution to shareholders of the Funds of BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc. and BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc. Past performance results shown in this report should not be considered a representation of future performance. Investment return and principal value of non-money market fund shares will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. You could lose money by investing in the Funds. Although BlackRock Government Money Market V.I. Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in BlackRock Government Money Market V.I. Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. BlackRock Government Money Market V.I. Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund at any time. Performance data quoted represents past performance and does not guarantee future results. Total return information assumes reinvestment of all distributions. Current performance may be higher or lower than the performance data quoted. For current month-end performance information, call (800) 626-1960. BlackRock Government Money Market V.I. Fund’s current 7-day yield more closely reflects the current earnings of the Fund than the total returns quoted. Statements and other information herein are as dated and are subject to change.
VS-6/20-SAR
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![LOGO](https://capedge.com/proxy/N-CSRS/0001193125-20-234124/g59680g42l24.jpg) | | ![LOGO](https://capedge.com/proxy/N-CSRS/0001193125-20-234124/g59680leaf.jpg) |
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Item 2 – | | Code of Ethics – Not Applicable to this semi-annual report |
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Item 3 – | | Audit Committee Financial Expert – Not Applicable to this semi-annual report |
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Item 4 – | | Principal Accountant Fees and Services – Not Applicable to this semi-annual report |
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Item 5 – | | Audit Committee of Listed Registrant – Not Applicable |
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Item 6 – | | Investments |
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| | (a) The registrant’s Schedule of Investments is included as part of the Report to Stockholders filed under Item 1 of this Form. |
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| | (b) Not Applicable due to no such divestments during the semi-annual period covered since the previous Form N-CSR filing. |
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Item 7 – | | Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies – Not Applicable |
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Item 8 – | | Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies – Not Applicable |
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Item 9 – | | Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers – Not Applicable |
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Item 10 – | | Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders –There have been no material changes to these procedures. |
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Item 11 – | | Controls and Procedures |
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| | (a) The registrant’s principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, have concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”)) are effective as of a date within 90 days of the filing of this report based on the evaluation of these controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. |
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| | (b) There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act) that occurred during the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting. |
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Item 12 – | | Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment |
| | Companies – Not Applicable |
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Item 13 – | | Exhibits attached hereto |
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| | (a)(1) – Code of Ethics – Not Applicable to this semi-annual report |
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| | (a)(2) – Section 302 Certifications are attached |
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| | (a)(3) – Not Applicable |
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
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BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc. | | |
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By: | | /s/ John M. Perlowski | | |
| | John M. Perlowski |
| | Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) of |
| | BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc. |
Date: August 28, 2020
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
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By: | | /s/ John M. Perlowski | | |
| | John M. Perlowski |
| | Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) of |
| | BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc. |
Date: August 28, 2020
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By: | | /s/ Neal J. Andrews | | |
| | Neal J. Andrews |
| | Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer) of |
| | BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc. |
Date: August 28, 2020
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