16 BlackRock Statistics for 2023: What You Have To Know About The Investment Management Giant

Let’s face it: we could all benefit from asset management. BlackRock confirms this is true for regular people, investors, and entire institutions.

The investment megacorporation keeps growing stronger and more powerful year after year.

Its rise is so alarming that it made us collect key BlackRock statistics to shed some light on it.

From its inception to today’s controversies, it’s time we learned what precisely the top asset management company went through. Let’s start by getting familiar with the following:

Essential BlackRock Facts (Editor’s Choice):

• BlackRock is the world’s biggest asset manager, controlling around $10 trillion of people’s and institutions’ finances.
• The company was founded in 1988.
• Its co-founder and CEO, Larry Fink, is still the one who owns BlackRock.
• BlackRock owns Aladdin—a colossal portfolio management system that controls $21.6 trillion.
• The financial management giant has around 18,400 employees in 36 different countries.
• At the end of 2021, BlackRock had $7.36 billion in cash on hand.
• The company has at least 135 investment teams.

What Is BlackRock?

You may or may not have heard about what BlackRock does.

Either way, here’s some basic info on that before we carry on to more complex matters.

1. BlackRock is the largest asset manager globally, with assets under management (AUM) worth at least $10 trillion.

(Source: Business Insider)

BlackRock is not only the biggest manager, but it’s also the most consistent one. It’s been an asset manager from the very start, even before departing from The Blackstone Group.

The company became public in 1999, and, as such, there’s no literal BlackRock owner. Its AUM is estimated at $10 trillion—thus, it’s more valuable than the gross domestic product of nearly all countries worldwide (but China and the US).

2. BlackRock was founded in 1988.

(Source: Business Insider)

That’s why many describe it as a pretty young company, especially for its size. Seasoned veterans crawl around every corner of Wall Street, yet BlackRock seems to be more profitable. Perhaps the key lies in its exceptional strategy—it makes tremendous amounts of money managing investments for a good chunk of institutions.

BlackRock Executives

The company is notorious for having many founders, a large of whom are still in charge.

Yet, its CEO is the one that grabs the most attention by far.

3. Larry Fink is the company’s co-founder and chief executive officer.

(Source: Forbes)

Besides Fink, there are seven more BlackRock founders: Robert S. Kapito, Susan Wagner, Barbara Novick, Ben Golub, Hugh Frater, Ralph Schlosstein, and Keith Anderson. 

Larry Fink has been the CEO since its inception. He formerly worked at The First Boston Corporation as a managing director. Now, he is the 2,640th richest man in the world, with a net worth estimated at $1 billion.

4. Hillary Clinton allegedly considered hiring Fink in 2016.

(Source: Business Insider)

In addition to being known as the BlackRock CEO, Larry Fink is also notorious for hiring ex-Treasury Department employees. That could be what attracted Hillary Clinton’s attention. While a presidential candidate in 2016, she reportedly considered him to be in charge of the Treasury Department.

The rumors don’t stop there. He was also a potential target for the administration of President Joe Biden. True or not, Fink would have declined the offer anyway. At least that’s what he said before Bloomberg in 2020.

What Does BlackRock Own?

If you thought these were the only reasons behind the company’s popularity, you’re seriously mistaken.

It’s recognized not just because of its size or its story.

Let’s see what’s more there is to it:

5. BlackRock has acquired most of its competition over time.

(Source: Business Insider)

Like many others, this company succeeds in part because of how ruthless it is. So it won’t be an understatement to claim that, basically, BlackRock owns everything now. Whenever another successful asset management firm would appear, BlackRock would acquire it.

Most notable are the huge acquisitions it made in the last three years alone. In 2019, it bought eFront for $1.3 billion—a French startup that owns specific money management software. In other words, a competitor to Aladdin. In 2020, it bought Aperio, an investment provider from California, for around $1 billion.

6. BlackRock has employees in at least 36 countries.

(Source: BlackRock)

Another reason why BlackRock is undisputed at what it does is its reach. Statistics reported by BlackRock itself proudly state it has employees in 36 countries and that its services are available in 131 languages. Talk about a global reach!

7. Nearly half of BlackRock’s employees work outside of the US.

(Source: United States Securities and Exchange Commission)

The company employs many people outside of the US to further accentuate its interest in worldwide influence (read: dominance). A whole lot. According to their 2021 annual report, 50% of their employees were stationed somewhere else.

Besides (possibly) lower wages, the reason for this may lie in the variety of clients overseas. The company takes care of around 40% of all assets under management for them.

8. The BlackRock employee count is now at 18,400.

(Source: United States Securities and Exchange Commission)

Apparently, even the financial giant’s official web page couldn’t keep up with its rising numbers. It has listed “more than 13,000 talented professionals” for the longest time, which is far less than the actual number.

So who better to believe than the official annual report for 2021? Given the source’s authority and its more recent date, 18,400 is likely much closer to the truth.

9. BlackRock has 135 investment teams.

(Source: DMR)

BlackRock is notorious not just for making sound decisions entrepreneurial-wise. It boasts pretty high levels of professionalism, efficiency, and organization.

In 2018, it had more than 130 investment teams managing trillions and working around the clock. Chances are, this number is even higher now. One can only guess, though, as such info hasn’t been subsequently revealed.

BlackRock Revenue

It’s high time we talked about the firm’s revenue.

BlackRock manages a massive amount of other people’s money… but what about its own?

10. The BlackRock net worth is estimated at $69.15 billion.

(Source: GOBankingRates)

Even though BlackRock is a public company, there isn’t much info concerning its earnings and net worth. GOBankingRates estimated it at $69.15 billion. This is a February 2022 estimate, so it should be at least close. The same source puts its market cap at $123.91 billion.

11. BlackRock had annual revenue of $19.37 billion at the end of 2021.

(Source: DMR)

It was this same year that it soared the highest. For comparison, the financial giant’s annual revenue was “only” $16.2 billion in 2020! In the past, it was advancing at a much slower rate—the company’s 2013 revenue was $10.18 billion.

12. By the end of 2021, BlackRock had $7.36 billion in cash.

(Source: MacroTrends)

As the money can be withdrawn on relatively short notice, it’s expected that companies will have less cash on hand. A quick check of the latest BlackRock facts proves this is accurate—the corporation had $7.36 billion at the end of 2021.

It was left a bit short at the end of 2019, when it had $4.82 billion. In 2020, it almost doubled the amount, rising to $8.66 billion. Although it’s slightly lower now, it’s marked a 13.12% year-over-year increase.

13. BlackRock’s share price is $695.

(Source: Yahoo Finance)

Even though BlackRock isn't considered a good investment right now, its shares are not to be entirely underestimated. In the last 365 days, they’ve reached the highest value of $973.16. The lowest is pretty close to the current one ($660.15).

Despite current controversies, and given how BlackRock is too big to fall, shares will probably rise again. With the company’s ever-rising revenue, we can only see shares going up from here.

14. Aladdin is BlackRock’s portfolio management software, controlling $21.6 trillion in assets.

(Source: Business Insider)

The firm has been selling Asset, Liability, and Debt and Derivative Investment Network, or Aladdin for short, since 1999. It’s a complex system that helps with tracking portfolios and risk management.

Numerous BlackRock facts claim it’s so big that it supports even some of the world’s biggest companies. Apple, Microsoft, and Google are all using Aladdin’s services. So do their competitors, namely State Street Global Advisors and Vanguard. Even Japan uses the software—it has the most extensive government pension fund globally, worth approximately $1.5 trillion. The wildest part? The $21.6 trillion is the value of assets of just a third of the system’s clients.

What is ESG BlackRock?

You may have heard that BlackRock integrates ESG into its business.

However, what is ESG? And how good is BlackRock at following it?

15. Environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) criteria are company standards useful for investors.

(Source: Investopedia)

These comprise a way for BlackRock to see whether or not there is investment potential. Environmental criteria reveal how sustainable a company is. Social checks the relationship it has with its employees and clients. Governance dives into the firm's leadership, shareholder rights, etc.

16. Despite being a proponent of climate change matters, Fink’s company does not support shareholders on such requests.

(Source: Business Insider)

Yet another subject of significant controversies, BlackRock environmentalism, is questionable at best.

Fink believes everybody should disclose matters related to climate change. Despite that, the company’s majority doesn’t follow through and doesn’t support these disclosures in reality. That could undoubtedly pose an issue, especially since some of the biggest BlackRock competitors did.

Wrap Up

To say BlackRock is thriving would be an understatement. 

Although it’s rather young compared to other big names on Wall Street, the company is booming with success.

We hope these BlackRock statistics showed you its true size and colors.

In any case, they are, at the very least, a good reminder of the ruthless rules at play in this world.

Do you have what it takes to become a part of it?