PICK

About PICK

The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI ACWI Select Metals & Mining Producers ex Gold and Silver Investable Market Index (IMI) (the “Underlying Index”), which has been developed by MSCI Inc. (the “Index Provider” or “MSCI”) to measure the combined performance of equity securities of companies in both developed and emerging markets that are primarily involved in the extraction or production of diversified metals, the production of aluminum or steel, and in the mining of precious metals and minerals (excluding gold and silver). MSCI begins with the MSCI ACWI Investable Market Index (IMI), and then selects securities of companies that are primarily focused on extraction and production of aluminum, steel and diversified metals and mining. The Underlying Index excludes companies that are included in the MSCI ACWI Select Gold Miners Investable Market Index (IMI) and/or MSCI ACWI Select Silver Miners Investable Market Index (IMI). The Underlying Index includes large-, mid- and small-capitalization companies and may change over time. As of August 31, 2024, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the materials industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. As of August 31, 2024, the Underlying Index consisted of securities of companies in 30 countries or regions. The Fund, under normal market conditions, will invest at least 40% of its assets in issuers organized or located outside the U.S. or doing business outside the U.S. BFA uses an indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. The Fund does not try to “beat” the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. Indexing may eliminate the chance that the Fund will substantially outperform the Underlying Index but also may reduce some of the risks of active management, such as poor security selection. Indexing seeks to achieve lower costs and better after-tax performance by aiming to keep portfolio turnover low in comparison to actively managed investment companies. BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy to manage the Fund. “Representative sampling” is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to that of an applicable underlying index. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of an applicable underlying index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index. The Fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its Underlying Index and in investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the component securities of its Underlying Index (i.e., depositary receipts representing securities of the Underlying Index) and may invest up to 20% of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents, including shares of money market funds advised by BFA or its affiliates, as well as in securities not included in the Underlying Index, but which BFA believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Cash and cash equivalent investments associated with a derivative position will be treated as part of that position for the purposes of calculating the percentage of investments included in the Underlying Index. The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the Underlying Index before fees and expenses of the Fund. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund's total assets (including the value of any collateral received). The Underlying Index is sponsored by MSCI, which is independent of the Fund and BFA. The Index Provider determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index. Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.