Featured White Papers
- CRM your salespeople will love (Oracle)
- PCI DSS therapy for the smaller retailer (McAfee)
- Choosing the best CRM for your organization (Oracle)
Business Services Industry
Dividend Dates and Distribution Amounts Announced for Certain BlackRock Closed-End Funds
Business Wire, June 2, 2008
NEW YORK -- Certain BlackRock closed-end funds announced distributions today as detailed below.
Several of the municipal closed-end funds announced dividend reductions, which take into account the funds' earning potential and level of undistributed net investment income. For several of the funds with dividend reductions, large undistributed net investment income balances have allowed the funds to pay out distributions greater than their earnings. These dividend reductions were made in order to better align the funds with their current earnings rates.
BlackRock Insured Municipal 2008 Term Trust, Inc. (NYSE:BRM), BlackRock California Insured Municipal 2008 Term Trust, Inc. (NYSE:BFC), BlackRock Florida Insured Municipal 2008 Term Trust (NYSE:BRF), and BlackRock New York Insured Municipal 2008 Term Trust, Inc. (NYSE:BLN) are among the municipal closed-end funds reducing dividends. BRM, BFC, BRF and BLN are term trusts maturing in December 2008. These dividend reductions reflect the funds' projected earnings potential as well as the funds' primary objective of returning initial offering price to investors at maturity.
In terms of taxable funds, BlackRock Senior High Income Fund, Inc. (NYSE:ARK), BlackRock Global Floating Rate Income Trust (NYSE:BGT), BlackRock Limited Duration Income Trust (NYSE:BLW), and BlackRock Diversified Income Strategies Fund, Inc. (NYSE:DVF) announced dividend reductions. These dividend reductions take into account the funds' earnings potential and the effect of decreasing interest rates on floating rate securities held by the funds.
BlackRock Preferred and Equity Advantage Trust (NYSE:BTZ) also announced a dividend reduction. This reduction takes into account the Trust's earnings potential and the current market environment for preferreds and equities. Given these factors and the portfolio management team's views, the portfolio is reallocating a portion of its assets away from equities and into preferreds in an attempt to better meet the Trust's investment objective of seeking current income, current gains and capital appreciation.
Details are as follows:
[TABLE OMITTED] [TABLE OMITTED] [TABLE OMITTED] [TABLE OMITTED] [TABLE OMITTED] [TABLE OMITTED] [TABLE OMITTED] [TABLE OMITTED] [TABLE OMITTED]
(*)In order to comply with the requirements of Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the funds noted posted a Section 19 notice to the DTC bulletin board and sent out to their registered shareholders a Section 19 notice with the previous dividend payment. This notice was not for tax reporting purposes and was provided only for informational purposes. This information can be found in the "Closed-End Funds" section of www.blackrock.com.
About BlackRock
BlackRock is one of the world's largest publicly traded investment management firms. At March 31, 2008, BlackRock's AUM was $1.364 trillion. The firm manages assets on behalf of institutions and individuals worldwide through a variety of equity, fixed income, cash management and alternative investment products. In addition, a growing number of institutional investors use BlackRock Solutions([R])investment system, risk management and financial advisory services. Headquartered in New York City, as of March 31, 2008, the firm has approximately 5,600 employees in 19 countries and a major presence in key global markets, including the U.S., Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at www.blackrock.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release, and other statements that BlackRock may make, may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, with respect to BlackRock's future financial or business performance, strategies or expectations. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or phrases such as "trend," "potential," "opportunity," "pipeline," "believe," "comfortable," "expect," "anticipate," "current," "intention," "estimate," "position," "assume," "outlook," "continue," "remain," "maintain," "sustain," "seek," "achieve," and similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "would," "should," "could," "may" or similar expressions.
BlackRock cautions that forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and BlackRock assumes no duty to and does not undertake to update forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements and future results could differ materially from historical performance.
The following factors, among others, could cause actual events to differ materially from forward-looking statements or historical performance: (1) the introduction, withdrawal, success and timing of business initiatives and strategies; (2) changes in political, economic or industry conditions, the interest rate environment or financial and capital markets, which could result in changes in demand for products or services or in the value of assets under management; (3) the relative and absolute investment performance of BlackRock's investment products; (4) the impact of increased competition; (5) the impact of future acquisitions or divestitures; (6) the unfavorable resolution of legal proceedings; (7) the extent and timing of any share repurchases; (8) the impact, extent and timing of technological changes and the adequacy of intellectual property protections; (9) the impact of legislative and regulatory actions and reforms and regulatory, supervisory or enforcement actions of government agencies relating to BlackRock, Merrill Lynch or PNC; (10) terrorist activities and international hostilities, which may adversely affect the general economy, domestic and local financial and capital markets; (11) the ability to attract and retain highly talented professionals; (12) the impact of changes to tax legislation; (13) BlackRock's ability to successfully integrate the MLIM and Quellos businesses with its existing business; (14) the ability of BlackRock to effectively manage the former MLIM and Quellos assets along with its historical assets under management; and (15) BlackRock may elect to provide support to its products from time to time.