BlackRock Health Sciences Trust invests in healthcare companies and looks for investment appreciation alongside income. Option writing stopped being a principal strategy in November 2025, so older option-driven results should not be treated as the same playbook.
Business
Healthcare equity CEF
Listing
BME · New York Stock Exchange
Reporting period
2026-06-30
Dividend schedule
Monthly
How the business works
Company dividends add income, but changes in healthcare share values and realized gains are central to this equity fund. NAV and cash paid together tell more than a bond-style income coverage number.
Extras are shown separately and are not assumed to repeat.
Reported earnings
Each measure shown separately, per share
Net investment income$0.07
Jan 1, 2026 to Jun 30, 2026
$0.00$0.07
Distribution yield7.07%Sourced distributions divided by dated market priceReported annual income yield0.32%Reported net investment income $0.1300 per share for 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31, divided by approved 2025-12-31 market price $41.1300. Excludes capital gains; historical, not a current yield or forecast.Reported annual investment income$0.13Per share for 2025 FY. Excludes investment gains.Annual dividend$3.15Current regular payment annualized per share
Reported earnings and sources
Reported earnings for the latest four periods. Compare the same earnings measure across periods; different measures are not added together.
Cash distributions are the total paid per share during each reporting period, including any gains or return of capital. Period lengths may differ, so compare the dates before comparing amounts. Short periods are not annualized.
NAV change excludes distributions. Reported NAV total return includes reinvestment and is copied from the fund statement, not estimated by adding cash distributions to the NAV change.
How to read BME income
Dividends received after fund expenses help explain recurring income. Realized gains and return of capital are separate sources of distributions.
Watch dividend changes in the holdings and NAV over time. A high distribution rate does not guarantee stable capital.
Income and distributions
Income and cash distributions per share for the same dated periods. Shorter periods are kept separate and are not annualized. Dividends received after fund expenses help explain recurring income. Realized gains and return of capital are separate sources of distributions.
First-half 2026 net investment income was $0.07 per share, only 4.46% of distributions. That does not capture the investment gains central to BME's current equity strategy, so an income-only coverage verdict would be misleading.
Portfolio dividends and realized investment results contribute to distributions after expenses. Capital appreciation is an important objective; option writing was removed as a principal strategy on November 10, 2025.
The earnings available to shareholders depend on the cash generated by these activities after operating and financing costs. Portfolio gains, financing proceeds and recurring income should be evaluated separately.
The portfolio information checked September 11, 2026 reports effective leverage of 0.15%.
Financing can increase earning assets, but its cost reduces income available to common shareholders. When borrowing costs rise or portfolio income falls, the distribution can become harder to sustain.
BlackRock Health Sciences Trust reported $0.0700 per share for 2026-01-01 through 2026-06-30, measured as Fund net investment income per common share; actual reporting period, not annualized.
Actual per-share reporting period, without annualisation. Net investment income, realized gains, unrealized changes and cash distributions are different measures. This comparison is not the Fly High forward Dividend Coverage Ratio.
Losses or weaker cash generation in healthcare and life-sciences investments can reduce the resources available for future distributions.
Watch for changes in the underlying exposure and the next reported results before treating the current payment as evidence of continuing earnings support.
A maintained payment can exceed investment results. Review NAV and reported income together rather than treating distribution yield as total return.
Watch for changes in the underlying exposure and the next reported results before treating the current payment as evidence of continuing earnings support.
Follow investment gains, NAV and distribution sources in the next report. Look for whether capital value and cash paid move together under the post-2025 strategy.
Net asset value (NAV)
NAV per share$46.28Sep 29, 2026Market price$44.62Sep 29, 2026PREMIUM / DISCOUNT TO NAV3.59% discountCalculated from the displayed same-date values.
NAV is the fund's assets minus liabilities, divided by shares outstanding. All values are USD per share.
CEFConnect current common-share NAV and closing market price, both dated 2026-09-29. The published premium or discount agrees with the calculation within source rounding. Older audited NAV history remains unchanged.
Follow investment gains, NAV and distribution sources in the next report. Look for whether capital value and cash paid move together under the post-2025 strategy.
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U.S. federal · Tax year 2025
Dividend tax treatment
The company's 2025 estimate shows mainly capital-gain distributions and return of capital. The mix can change from year to year.
Ordinary, nonqualified
0%
Qualified dividends
3.52%
Capital-gain distributions
73.03%
Return of capital
23.46%
This 2025 estimate gives you a useful sense of where the cash may land for tax purposes. It may differ from the final forms. Think of it as a guide to the year, then use your own tax statement for the final split.
The company calls this breakdown an estimate. The company explicitly calls these amounts estimates and says they are not for tax reporting. Actual tax character depends on each shareholder's Form 1099-DIV. Never mark these rows final. Your Form 1099-DIV may show a different final mix. See the company's estimate.
Tax year: 2025.
Tax details and source
Total ordinary dividends (includes qualified)
3.52%
Section 199A portion (within ordinary dividends)
Not confirmed
Exempt-interest distributions
Not confirmed
Reporting form
Form 1099-DIV
Source date
Not stated
Qualified dividends are included in total ordinary dividends. Section 199A is a separate designation within ordinary dividends, not extra income or qualified dividend income.
Your account type, holding period and circumstances affect treatment. Use your broker’s tax statement for filing. Return of capital generally reduces cost basis; amounts beyond basis can be taxable. IRS dividend guidance.
