BlackRock Inc

MIL:1BLK

BlackRock is one of the world’s largest investment managers. It runs mutual funds, exchange-traded funds under the iShares brand, index funds, and active investment strategies that help people and institutions invest in stocks, bonds, and other assets. Its main customers are individual investors, financial advisors, retirement plans, banks, insurers, and large institutions that outsource part of their investing work. BlackRock makes money mainly by charging management fees on the assets it oversees. It also earns fees from performance-based products and from Aladdin, its portfolio risk and investment software platform, which it sells to other asset managers, banks, and asset owners. That gives the company a mix of recurring investment-fee income and technology subscription revenue. What makes BlackRock different is its role as both an asset manager and a financial technology provider. On the investing side, it offers low-cost index products and specialized funds that are used as building blocks in portfolios. On the technology side, Aladdin helps professional investors measure risk, trade, and manage portfolios, which makes BlackRock more than just a fund company.