BlackRock holds only 6% of Boeing’s outstanding shares, and even these shares are not truly owned by BlackRock but held in a fiduciary capacity for its funds and ETFs. While BlackRock undoubtedly wields significant influence by exercising voting rights on behalf of these funds, it is increasingly facing legal challenges from lawyers representing the actual investors in those funds.
Some legal experts argue that BlackRock’s commitment to DEI initiatives has negatively impacted the value of companies it oversees—potentially diminishing the returns of the funds it manages as a fiduciary. This opens the door for shareholder lawsuits, questioning whether BlackRock’s policies serve the best financial interests of its investors.
I think it is the voting of the woke financial institutions that places the DEI believers on the boards of these companies. Maybe a few huge lawsuit settlements will change that.