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December 1, 2012
(as revised May 24, 2013)
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2012 Summary Prospectus
iShares MSCI EAFE Index Fund
EFA• NYSE• ARCA
Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund’s prospectus, which contains more
information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund’s prospectus (including amendments and supplements) and other information about the Fund, including the Fund’s statement of additional information and shareholder report,
online at http://us.ishares.com/prospectus. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) or by sending an e-mail request to iSharesETFs@blackrock.com, or from your financial professional. The Fund’s
prospectus and statement of additional information, both dated December 1, 2012, as amended and supplemented from time to time, are incorporated by reference into (legally made a part of) this Summary Prospectus.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed
upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
iSHARES
®
MSCI EAFE INDEX FUND
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Ticker: EFA
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Stock Exchange: NYSE Arca
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Investment Objective
The iShares MSCI EAFE Index Fund (the “Fund”) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI EAFE
®
Index (the “Underlying Index”).
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you own shares of
the Fund. The investment advisory agreement between iShares Trust (the “Trust”) and BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”) (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) provides that BFA will pay all operating expenses of the Fund,
except interest expenses, taxes, brokerage expenses, future distribution fees or expenses, and extraordinary expenses.
You may also incur usual and
customary brokerage commissions when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the example that follows:
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Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(ongoing expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investments)
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Management
Fees
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Distribution and
Service (12b-1)
Fees
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Other
Expenses
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Total Annual
Fund
Operating
Expenses
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0.34%
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None
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None
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0.34%
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Example.
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of owning shares of the Fund with the cost of investing in
other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
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1 Year
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3 Years
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5 Years
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10 Years
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$35
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$109
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$191
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$431
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Portfolio Turnover.
The Fund may pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or
“turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund
Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 5% of the average value of its portfolio.
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Principal Investment Strategies
The Underlying Index has been developed by MSCI Inc. (“MSCI”) as an equity benchmark for its international stock performance. The Underlying Index includes stocks from Europe, Australasia and the Far East
and, as of June 30, 2012, consisted of the following 22 developed market country indexes or regions: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand,
Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Components primarily include consumer staples, financial and industrials companies. The components of the Underlying Index, and the degree to which these components
represent certain industries, may change over time.
BFA uses a “passive” or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment
objective. Unlike many investment companies, 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 keeping 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 the 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 the Underlying Index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index.
The Fund generally invests at least 90% of its assets in securities of the Underlying Index and in depositary receipts representing securities of the Underlying
Index. The Fund may invest the remainder of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents, including 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.
The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of
the Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received).
The Underlying Index is sponsored by an organization (the “Index
Provider”) that 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.
The Fund’s Index Provider is MSCI.
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
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of industries, which may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, 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.
Summary of Principal Risks
As with any investment, you could
lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value per
share (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective.
Asset Class Risk.
Securities in
the Underlying Index or in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets or other asset classes.
Concentration Risk.
To the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in a particular issuer, region, country, market, industry or asset
class, the Fund may be susceptible to loss due to adverse occurrences affecting that issuer, region, country, market, industry or asset class.
Consumer Staples Sector Risk.
The consumer staples sector may be affected by marketing campaigns, changes in consumer demands, government regulations
and changes in commodity prices.
Currency Risk
.
Because the Fund’s NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund’s NAV
could decline if the currency of a non-U.S. market in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar.
Equity Securities
Risk
.
Equity securities are subject to changes in value and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes.
Financial
Sector Risk
.
Performance of companies in the financial sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, and
decreased liquidity in credit markets. This sector has experienced significant losses in the recent past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements and of recent or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the sector
as a whole cannot be predicted.
Geographic Risk
.
A natural or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund
invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region.
Index-Related Risk.
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its
investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions are likely to have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index.
Industrials Sector Risk.
The industrials sector may be affected by changes in
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the supply and demand for products and services, product obsolescence, claims for environmental damage or product liability and general economic conditions, among other factors.
Issuer Risk
.
Fund performance depends on the performance of individual securities to which the Fund has exposure. Changes in the financial
condition or credit rating of an issuer of those securities may cause the value of the securities to decline.
Management Risk
.
As
the Fund may not fully replicate the Underlying Index, it is subject to the risk that BFA’s investment management strategy may not produce the intended results.
Market Risk
.
The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.
Market Trading Risk
.
The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares, losses
from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. ANY OF THESE FACTORS, AMONG OTHERS, MAY LEAD TO THE FUND’S SHARES TRADING AT A PREMIUM OR DISCOUNT TO NAV.
Non-U.S. Securities Risk
.
Investments in the securities of non-U.S. issuers are subject to the risks associated with investing in those
non-U.S. markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The Fund may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a non-U.S. issuer or market. The Fund is specifically exposed to
Asian Economic Risk
and
European Economic Risk
.
Passive Investment Risk
.
The Fund is not actively managed and BFA does not attempt to take
defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets.
Privatization Risk
.
Some countries in which the Fund
invests have privatized, or have begun the process of privatizing, certain entities and industries. Privatized entities may lose money or be re-nationalized.
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk
.
The Fund invests in countries whose economies are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact
on the Fund’s investments. The Fund is specifically exposed to
Asian Economic Risk
and
European Economic Risk.
Risk of
Investing in Japan
.
The Japanese economy may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political and social instability, which could have a negative impact on Japanese securities. In addition, Japan is subject to the risk of
natural disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons and tsunamis, which could negatively affect the value of the Fund’s investments.
Risk of Investing in the United Kingdom
.
The Fund’s investment in British issuers may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency,
security, and economic risk specific to the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom has one of the largest economies in Europe, and the United States and other European countries are substantial trading partners of the United Kingdom. As a result, the
British economy may be impacted by changes to the economic health of the United States and other
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European countries. The British economy, along with certain other European Union (“EU”) economies, experienced a significant economic slowdown during the recent financial crisis;
certain British financial institutions were severely under-capitalized and required government intervention to survive.
Securities Lending Risk.
The Fund may engage in securities lending. Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund may lose money because the borrower of the Fund’s loaned securities fails to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. The Fund
could also lose money in the event of a decline in the value of the collateral provided for loaned securities or a decline in the value of any investments made with cash collateral. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the
Fund.
Security Risk
.
Some countries and regions in which the Fund invests have experienced security concerns. Incidents involving a
country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in these markets and may adversely affect their economies and the Fund’s investments.
Tracking Error Risk
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Tracking error is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the Underlying Index. Tracking error may
occur because of differences between the securities held in the Fund’s portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs, the Fund’s holding of cash, differences in timing of the accrual of
dividends, changes to the Underlying Index or the need to meet various regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual
market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not.
Valuation Risk
.
The sale price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index,
particularly for securities that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. In addition, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able
to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.
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Performance Information
The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund has performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. Both assume that all dividends and distributions have
been reinvested in the Fund. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Supplemental information about the Fund’s performance is shown under the heading
Total Return
Information
in the
Supplemental Information
section of the Fund’s prospectus (the “Prospectus”).
Year by Year Returns
1
(Years Ended
December 31)
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The Fund’s total return for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 was
10.06%.
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The best calendar quarter return during the periods shown above was 25.45% in the 2nd quarter of 2009; the worst was -20.51%
in the 3rd quarter of 2008.
Updated performance information is available at www.iShares.com or by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free).
Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2011)
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One Year
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Five Years
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Ten Years
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(Inception Date: 8/14/2001)
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Return Before Taxes
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-12.18
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-4.78
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4.58
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Return After Taxes on Distributions
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-12.40
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%
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-4.98
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4.28
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Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
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-7.10
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%
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-3.76
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%
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4.07
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MSCI EAFE Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
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-12.14
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%
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-4.72
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%
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4.67
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%
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After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact
of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors who hold shares through tax-deferred
arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”). Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sales of Fund shares are calculated assuming that an investor has sufficient capital gains of the same character
from other investments to offset any capital losses from the sale of Fund shares. As a result, Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sales of Fund shares may exceed Fund returns before taxes and/or returns after taxes on distributions.
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Management
Investment Adviser.
BlackRock Fund Advisors.
Portfolio
Managers.
Rene Casis, Diane Hsiung, Jennifer Hsui and Greg Savage (the “Portfolio Managers”) are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Portfolio Manager supervises a portfolio management team.
Mr. Casis, Ms. Hsiung, Ms. Hsui and Mr. Savage have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since 2010, 2008, 2012 and 2008, respectively.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund is an
exchange-traded fund (commonly referred to as an “ETF”). Individual Fund shares may only be purchased and sold on a national securities exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Fund shares is based on market price, and because ETF
shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). The Fund will only issue or redeem shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 600,000 shares or multiples
thereof (“Creation Units”) to authorized participants who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor. The Fund generally will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a designated portfolio of securities (and an
amount of cash) that the Fund specifies each day.
Tax Information
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), BFA or other related companies may pay the intermediary
for marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. These payments may create a
conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
For more information visit www.iShares.com or call 1-800-474-2737
Investment Company Act
File No.: 811-09729
IS-SP-EFA-0513
