Accounting Pronouncements Adopted in 2015

Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis.    In February 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2015-02, Consolidation: Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis, (“ASU 2015-02”) that requires companies to reevaluate all legal entities under revised consolidation guidance. The revised consolidation rules provide guidance for evaluating: i) limited partnerships and similar entities for consolidation ii) how decision maker or service provider fees affect the consolidation analysis, iii) how interests held by related parties affect the consolidation analysis, and iv) the consolidation analysis required for certain investment funds. The consolidation guidance also provides a scope exception for reporting entities with interests in legal entities that are required to comply with or operate in accordance with requirements similar to those in Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 for registered money market funds.

The Company early adopted ASU 2015-02 using the modified retrospective method with an effective adoption date of January 1, 2015. The modified retrospective method did not require the restatement of prior year periods. In connection with the adoption of ASU 2015-02, the Company reevaluated all of its investment products for consolidation. As of January 1, 2015, the Company deconsolidated all of its previously consolidated collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”) as its fee arrangements were no longer deemed to be variable interests and it held no other interests in these entities.

The adoption of the ASU also resulted in the consolidation of certain investment products that were not previously consolidated. Upon adoption, these products became consolidated variable interest entities (“VIEs”) as the Company is considered the party with both (i) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact its economic performance and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

The impact to the consolidated statement of financial condition upon adoption was primarily the deconsolidation of approximately $3.6 billion of assets and $3.6 billion of liabilities related to certain CLOs that the Company manages with an adjustment to appropriated retained earnings of $19 million. In addition, certain investment products previously accounted for as voting rights entities (“VREs”) became VIEs under the new accounting guidance and were consolidated.

Debt Issuance Costs.    In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs (“ASU 2015-03”). ASU 2015-03 requires debt issuance costs to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying value of the associated debt liability, consistent with the presentation of a debt discount. The Company early adopted ASU 2015-03 during 2015 on a retrospective basis, which required the restatement of prior periods. The adoption of ASU 2015-03 was not material to the consolidated financial statements.

Disclosures for Investments in Certain Entities that Calculate NAV per Share.    In May 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-07, Disclosures for Investments in Certain Entities That Calculate Net Asset Value per Share (or Its Equivalent) (“ASU 2015-07”). ASU 2015-07 removes the requirement to categorize within the fair value hierarchy all investments for which fair value is measured using the net asset value (“NAV”) per share practical expedient. The Company early adopted ASU 2015-07 during 2015 on a retrospective basis, which required the restatement of prior periods. As a result of the adoption, $647 million and $692 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, of NAV investments are no longer included in Level 2 and 3 within the fair value hierarchy.

Investments. Investments in Debt and Marketable Equity Securities. BlackRock classifies debt and marketable equity investments as trading, available-for-sale, or held-to-maturity based on the Company’s intent to sell the security or, for a debt security, the Company’s intent and ability to hold the debt security to maturity.

Trading securities are those investments that are purchased principally for the purpose of selling them in the near term. Trading securities are carried at fair value on the consolidated statements of financial condition with changes in fair value recorded in nonoperating income (expense) on the consolidated statements of income in the period of the change.

Held-to-maturity debt securities are purchased with the positive intent and ability to be held to maturity and are recorded at amortized cost on the consolidated statements of financial condition.

Available-for-sale securities are those securities that are not classified as trading or held-to-maturity. Available-for-sale securities are carried at fair value on the consolidated statements of financial condition with changes in fair value recorded in the accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) component of stockholders’ equity in the period of the change. Upon the disposition of an available-for-sale security, the Company reclassifies the gain or loss on the security from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) to nonoperating income (expense) on the consolidated statements of income.

Equity Method. For equity investments where BlackRock does not control the investee, and where it is not the primary beneficiary (“PB”) of a VIE, but can exert significant influence over the financial and operating policies of the investee, the Company follows the equity method of accounting. BlackRock’s share of the investee’s underlying net income or loss is recorded as net gain (loss) on investments within nonoperating income (expense) and as other revenue for certain strategic investments since such companies are considered to be an extension of BlackRock’s core business. BlackRock’s share of net income of the investee is recorded based upon the most current information available at the time, which may precede the date of the consolidated statement of financial condition. Distributions received from the investment reduce the Company’s carrying value of the investee and the cost basis if deemed to be a return of capital.

Cost Method. For nonmarketable equity investments where BlackRock neither controls nor has significant influence over the investee, the investments are accounted for using the cost method of accounting. Dividends received from the investment are recorded as dividend income within nonoperating income (expense).

Impairments of Investments. Management periodically assesses equity method, available-for-sale, held-to-maturity and cost investments for other-than-temporary impairment (“OTTI”). If an OTTI exists, an impairment charge is recorded in nonoperating income (expense) on the consolidated statements of the income.

For equity method, held-to-maturity and cost method investments, if circumstances indicate that an OTTI may exist, the investments are evaluated using market values, where available, or the expected future cash flows of the investment. If the Company determines an OTTI exists, an impairment charge is recognized for the excess of the carrying amount of the investment over its estimated fair value.

For available-for-sale securities, when the fair value is lower than cost, the Company considers, among other factors, the length of time the security has been in a loss position, the extent to which the security’s fair value is less than cost, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the security’s issuer and the Company’s ability and intent to hold the security for a length of time sufficient to allow for recovery of such unrealized losses. For equity securities, if the impairment is considered other-than-temporary, an impairment charge is recognized for the excess of the carrying amount of the investment over its fair value. For debt securities, the Company considers whether: (1) it has the intent to sell the security; (2) it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell the security before recovery; or (3) it expects to recover the entire amortized cost basis of the security. If the Company intends to sell the security or it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell the security, the entire difference between the amortized cost and fair value must be recognized in earnings.  If the Company does not intend to sell a security and it is not more likely than not that it will be required to sell the security but the security has suffered an impairment related to credit, the credit loss will be bifurcated from the total decline in value and recorded in earnings with the remaining portion recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income.

For the Company’s investments in CLOs, the Company reviews cash flow estimates over the life of each CLO investment.  On a quarterly basis, if the present value of the estimated future cash flows is lower than the carrying value of the investment and there is an adverse change in estimated cash flows, an impairment is considered to be other-than-temporary. An impairment charge is recognized for the excess of the carrying amount of the investment over its estimated fair value.

Money Market Fee Waivers.    The Company is currently voluntarily waiving a portion of its management fees on certain money market funds to ensure that they maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income (the “Yield Support waivers”). During 2015, these waivers resulted in a reduction of management fees of approximately $137 million. Approximately 50% of Yield Support waivers were offset by a reduction of BlackRock’s distribution and servicing costs paid to a financial intermediary. BlackRock has provided Yield Support waivers in prior periods and may increase or decrease the level of fee waivers in future periods.

Separate Account Collateral Assets Held and Liabilities Under Securities Lending Agreements.    The Company facilitates securities lending arrangements whereby securities held by separate accounts maintained by BlackRock Life Limited are lent to third parties under global master securities lending agreements. In exchange, the Company receives legal title to the collateral with minimum values generally ranging from approximately 102% to 112% of the value of the securities lent in order to reduce counterparty risk. The required collateral value is calculated on a daily basis. The global master securities lending agreements provide the Company the right to request additional collateral or, in the event of borrower default, the right to liquidate collateral. The securities lending transactions entered into by the Company are accompanied by an agreement that entitles the Company to request the borrower to return the securities at any time; therefore, these transactions are not reported as sales

Goodwill and Intangible Assets. Goodwill represents the cost of a business acquisition in excess of the fair value of the net assets acquired. The Company has determined that it has one reporting unit for goodwill impairment testing purposes, the consolidated BlackRock single operating segment, which is consistent with internal management reporting and management's oversight of operations. In its assessment of goodwill for impairment, the Company considers such factors as the book value and market capitalization of the Company.

On a quarterly basis, the Company considers if triggering events have occurred that may indicate a potential goodwill impairment. If a triggering event has occurred, the Company performs assessments, which may include reviews of significant valuation assumptions, to determine if goodwill may be impaired. The Company performs an impairment assessment of its goodwill at least annually as of July 31^st.

Intangible assets are comprised of indefinite-lived intangible assets and finite-lived intangible assets acquired in a business acquisition. The value of contracts to manage assets in proprietary open-end funds and collective trust funds and certain other commingled products without a specified termination date is generally classified as indefinite-lived intangible assets. The assignment of indefinite lives to such contracts primarily is based upon the following: (i) the assumption that there is no foreseeable limit on the contract period to manage these products; (ii) the Company expects to, and has the ability to, continue to operate these products indefinitely; (iii) the products have multiple investors and are not reliant on a single investor or small group of investors for their continued operation; (iv) current competitive factors and economic conditions do not indicate a finite life; and (v) there is a high likelihood of continued renewal based on historical experience. In addition, trade names/trademarks are considered indefinite-lived intangible assets when they are expected to generate cash flows indefinitely.

Indefinite-lived intangible assets and goodwill are not amortized. Finite-lived management contracts, which relate to acquired separate accounts and funds with a specified termination date, are amortized over their remaining useful lives.

The Company performs assessments to determine if any intangible assets are potentially impaired and whether the indefinite-lived and finite-lived classifications are still appropriate. The carrying value of finite-lived management contracts and their remaining useful lives are reviewed at least annually to determine if circumstances exist which may indicate a potential impairment or revisions to the amortization period. The Company performs impairment assessments of all of its intangible assets at least annually, as of July 31^st.

In evaluating whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of indefinite-lived intangibles is less than its carrying value, BlackRock assesses various significant qualitative factors, including assets under management (“AUM”), revenue basis points, projected AUM growth rates, operating margins, tax rates and discount rates. In addition, the Company considers other factors, including (i) macroeconomic conditions such as a deterioration in general economic conditions, limitations on accessing capital, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, or other developments in equity and credit markets; (ii) industry and market considerations such as a deterioration in the environment in which the entity operates, an increased competitive environment, a decline in market-dependent multiples or metrics, a change in the market for an entity’s services, or regulatory, legal or political developments; and (iii) entity-specific events, such as a change in management or key personnel, overall financial performance and litigation that could affect significant inputs used to determine the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset. If an indefinite-lived intangible is determined to be more likely than not impaired, then the fair value of the asset is compared with its carrying value and any excess of the carrying value over the fair value would be recognized as an expense in the period in which the impairment occurs.

For finite-lived intangible assets, if potential impairment circumstances are considered to exist, the Company will perform a recoverability test using an undiscounted cash flow analysis. Actual results could differ from these cash flow estimates, which could materially impact the impairment conclusion. If the carrying value of the asset is determined not to be recoverable based on the undiscounted cash flow test, the difference between the carrying value of the asset and its current fair value would be recognized as an expense in the period in which the impairment occurs.

Classification and Measurement of Redeemable Securities. The Company includes redeemable noncontrolling interests related to certain consolidated investment products in temporary equity on the consolidated statements of financial condition.

Revenue Recognition

Investment Advisory, Administration Fees and Securities Lending Revenue. Investment advisory and administration fees are recognized as the services are performed. Such fees are primarily based on pre-determined percentages of the market value of AUM or committed capital. Investment advisory and administration fees are affected by changes in AUM, including market appreciation or depreciation, foreign exchange translation and net inflows or outflows. Investment advisory and administration fees for investment funds are shown net of fees waived pursuant to contractual expense limitations of the funds or voluntary waivers.

The Company contracts with third parties and related parties for various mutual fund distribution and shareholder servicing to be performed on behalf of certain funds the Company manages. Such arrangements generally are priced as a portion of the management fee paid by the fund. In certain cases, the fund (primarily international funds) takes on the primary responsibility for payment for services such that the Company bears no credit risk to the third-party. The Company accounts for such retrocession arrangements in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 605-45, Revenue Recognition – Principal Agent Considerations, and records its management fees net of retrocessions. Retrocessions for 2015, 2014 and 2013 were $870 million, $891 million and $785 million, respectively, and were reflected net in investment advisory, administration fees and securities lending revenue on the consolidated statements of income.

The Company also earns revenue by lending securities as an agent on behalf of clients, primarily to brokerage institutions. Revenue is accounted for on an accrual basis. The revenue earned is shared between the Company and the funds or other third-party accounts managed by the Company from which the securities are borrowed.

Investment Advisory Performance Fees / Carried Interest. The Company receives investment advisory performance fees or incentive allocations from certain actively managed investment funds and certain separately managed accounts (“SMAs”). These performance fees are dependent upon exceeding specified relative or absolute investment return thresholds. Such fees are recorded upon completion of the measurement period, which varies by product or account, and could be monthly, quarterly, annually or longer.

In addition, the Company is allocated carried interest from certain alternative investment products upon exceeding performance thresholds. BlackRock may be required to reverse/return all, or part, of such carried interest allocations depending upon future performance of these funds. Therefore, BlackRock records carried interest subject to such clawback provisions in total investments or cash/cash of consolidated VIEs to the extent that it is distributed, on its consolidated statements of financial condition. Carried interest is recorded as performance fee revenue upon the earlier of the termination of the investment fund or when the likelihood of clawback is considered mathematically improbable.

The Company records a deferred carried interest liability to the extent it receives cash or capital allocations related to carried interest prior to meeting the revenue recognition criteria. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company had $143 million and $105 million, respectively, of deferred carried interest recorded in other liabilities/other liabilities of consolidated VIEs on the consolidated statements of financial condition. A portion of the deferred carried interest liability will be paid to certain employees.  The ultimate timing of the recognition of performance fee revenue, if any, for these products is unknown.

BlackRock Solutions and Advisory. BlackRock provides a variety of risk management, investment analytic, enterprise investment system and financial markets advisory services to financial institutions, pension funds, asset managers, foundations, consultants, mutual fund sponsors, real estate investment trusts and government agencies. These services are provided under the brand name BlackRock Solutions and include a wide array of risk management services, valuation of illiquid securities, disposition and workout assignments (including long-term portfolio liquidation assignments), strategic planning and execution, and enterprise investment system outsourcing to clients. Fees earned for BlackRock Solutions and advisory services are recorded as services are performed and are determined using some, or all, of the following methods: (i) percentages of various attributes of advisory AUM or value of positions on the Aladdin platform, (ii) fixed fees and (iii) performance fees if contractual thresholds are met. The fees earned for BlackRock Solutions and advisory services are recorded in BlackRock Solutions and advisory on the consolidated statements of income.

Other Revenue. The Company earns fees for transition management services comprised of commissions from acting as an introducing broker-dealer in buying and selling securities on behalf of the Company’s customers. Commissions related to transition management services are recorded on a trade-date basis as securities transactions occur and are reflected in other revenue on the consolidated statements of income.

The Company earns commissions revenue upon the sale of unit trusts and Class A mutual funds. Revenue is recorded at the time of the sale of the product.

Other revenue also includes equity method investment earnings related to certain strategic investments.

Distribution and Servicing Costs. Distribution and servicing costs include payments to third parties, primarily associated with distribution and servicing of client investments in certain BlackRock products. Distribution and servicing costs are expensed when incurred.

Direct Fund Expenses. Direct fund expenses, which are expensed as incurred, primarily consist of third-party nonadvisory expenses incurred by BlackRock related to certain funds for the use of certain index trademarks, reference data for certain indices, custodial services, fund administration, fund accounting, transfer agent services, shareholder reporting services, audit and tax services as well as other fund-related expenses directly attributable to the nonadvisory operations of the fund.

Foreign Exchange. Foreign currency transactions are recorded at the exchange rates prevailing on the dates of the transactions. Monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are subsequently remeasured into the functional currencies of the Company's subsidiaries at the rates prevailing at each balance sheet date. Gains and losses arising on remeasurement are included in general and administration expense on the consolidated statements of income.  Revenue and expenses are translated at average exchange rates during the period. Gains or losses resulting from translating foreign currency financial statements into U.S. dollars are included in accumulated other comprehensive income, a separate component of stockholders’ equity, on the consolidated statements of financial condition.

Earnings per Share (“EPS”). Basic EPS is calculated by dividing net income applicable to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS includes the determinants of basic EPS and common stock equivalents outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS is computed using the treasury stock method.

Due to the similarities in terms between BlackRock’s nonvoting participating preferred stock and the Company’s common stock, the Company considers its nonvoting participating preferred stock to be a common stock equivalent for purposes of EPS calculations. As such, the Company has included the outstanding nonvoting participating preferred stock in the calculation of average basic and diluted shares outstanding.

Fair Value Measurements.

Hierarchy of Fair Value Inputs.    The Company uses a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs. Assets and liabilities measured and reported at fair value are classified and disclosed in one of the following categories:

Level 1 Inputs:

Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the reporting date.

Level 2 Inputs:

Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities that are not active; quotes from pricing services or brokers for which the Company can determine that orderly transactions took place at the quoted price or that the inputs used to arrive at the price are observable; and inputs other than quoted prices that are observable, such as models or other valuation methodologies.

Level 3 Inputs:

Unobservable inputs for the valuation of the asset or liability, which may include nonbinding broker quotes. Level 3 assets include investments for which there is little, if any, market activity. These inputs require significant management judgment or estimation.

Significance of Inputs.    The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment and considers factors specific to the financial instrument.

Valuation Techniques.    The fair values of certain Level 3 assets and liabilities were determined using various methodologies as appropriate, including third-party pricing vendors, broker quotes and market and income approaches. Such quotes and modeled prices are evaluated for reasonableness through various procedures, including due diligence reviews of third-party pricing vendors, variance analyses, consideration of the current market environment and other analytical procedures.

A significant number of inputs used to value equity, debt securities and bank loans is sourced from third-party pricing vendors. Generally, prices obtained from pricing vendors are categorized as Level 1 inputs for identical securities traded in active markets and as Level 2 for other similar securities if the vendor uses observable inputs in determining the price. Annually, BlackRock’s internal valuation committee or other designated groups review both the valuation methodologies, including the general assumptions and methods used to value various asset classes, and operational processes with these vendors. On a quarterly basis, meetings are held with key vendors to identify any significant changes to the vendors’ processes.

In addition, quotes obtained from brokers generally are nonbinding and categorized as Level 3 inputs. However, if the Company is able to determine that market participants have transacted for the asset in an orderly manner near the quoted price or if the Company can determine that the inputs used by the broker are observable, the quote is classified as a Level 2 input.

Investments Measured at Net Asset Values.    As a practical expedient, the Company uses NAV as the fair value for certain investments. The inputs to value these investments may include BlackRock capital accounts for its partnership interests in various alternative investments, including distressed credit hedge funds, opportunistic funds, real estate and private equity funds, which may be adjusted by using the returns of certain market indices. The various partnerships generally are investment companies, which record their underlying investments at fair value based on fair value policies established by management of the underlying fund. Fair value policies at the underlying fund generally require the fund to utilize pricing/valuation information from third-party sources, including independent appraisals. However, in some instances, current valuation information for illiquid securities or securities in markets that are not active may not be available from any third-party source or fund management may conclude that the valuations that are available from third-party sources are not reliable. In these instances, fund management may perform model-based analytical valuations that may be used as an input to value these investments.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

Revenue from Contracts with Customers.    In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”). ASU 2014-09 outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2014-09, which is effective for the Company on January 1, 2018.

Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments. In September 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-16, Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments (“ASU 2015-16”).  Under ASU 2015-16, an acquirer must recognize, upon determination, adjustments to the original amounts recorded for a business acquisition that are identified during the one-year period following the acquisition date. Previously prior period information was required to be revised.  The Company adopted ASU 2015-16 prospectively on January 1, 2016 and will apply the ASU to any adjustments related to business acquisitions. 

Recognition and Measurement of Financial Instruments. In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities (“ASU 2016-01”).  ASU 2016-01 amends guidance on the classification and measurement of financial instruments, including significant revisions in accounting related to the classification and measurement of investments in equity securities and presentation of certain fair value changes for financial liabilities when the fair value option is elected.  ASU 2016-01 also amends certain disclosure requirements associated with the fair value of financial instruments.  The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2016-01, which is effective for the Company on January 1, 2018.

Leases. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to recognize assets and liabilities arising from most operating leases on the statement of financial position. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2016-02, which is effective for the Company on January 1, 2019.