MFS INTERMEDIATE HIGH INCOME FUND N-CSR
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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-CSR

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF

REGISTERED MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

Investment Company Act file number 811-05567

MFS INTERMEDIATE HIGH INCOME FUND

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

500 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

Susan S. Newton

Massachusetts Financial Services Company

500 Boylston Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02116

(Name and address of agents for service)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (617) 954-5000

Date of fiscal year end: November 30

Date of reporting period: November 30, 2011


Table of Contents
ITEM 1. REPORTS TO STOCKHOLDERS.


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

MFS® Intermediate High Income Fund

 

LOGO

 

 

ANNUAL REPORT

November 30, 2011

 

CIH-ANN


Table of Contents

MFS® INTERMEDIATE HIGH INCOME FUND

New York Stock Exchange Symbol: CIF

 

Letter from the Chairman and CEO     1   
Portfolio composition     2   
Management review     4   
Performance summary     6   
Investment objective, principal investment strategies and risks of the fund     8   
Portfolio managers’ profiles     10   
Dividend reinvestment and cash purchase plan     11   
Portfolio of investments     12   
Statement of assets and liabilities     28   
Statement of operations     29   
Statements of changes in net assets     30   
Statement of cash flows     31   
Financial highlights     32   
Notes to financial statements     34   
Report of independent registered public accounting firm     47   
Results of shareholder meeting     48   
Trustees and officers     49   
Board review of investment advisory agreement     55   
Proxy voting policies and information     60   
Quarterly portfolio disclosure     60   
Further information     60   
Federal tax information     60   
MFS® privacy notice     61   
Contact information    back cover   

 

 

 

 

NOT FDIC INSURED Ÿ MAY LOSE VALUE Ÿ NO BANK GUARANTEE


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LOGO

 

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO

 

Dear Shareholders:

We are indeed living through some volatile times. Economic uncertainty is everywhere, as it seems no place in the world has been unmoved by crisis. We have seen a devastating earthquake and tsunami that have led to disruptions in the Japanese markets and supply chains. Protests have

changed the face of the Middle East and left in their wake lingering tensions and resultant higher oil prices. We have seen debt limits tested in Europe and the United States and policymakers grappling to craft often unpopular monetary and fiscal responses at a time when consumers and businesses struggle with what appears to be a slowing global economy. On top of all of that, we have seen long-term U.S. debt lose its Standard & Poor’s AAA rating and the long-term debt ratings of 15 eurozone nations put on negative watch.

When markets become volatile, managing risk becomes a top priority for investors and their advisors. At MFS® risk management is foremost in our minds in all market climates. Our analysts and portfolio managers keep risks firmly in mind when evaluating securities. Additionally, we have a team of quantitative analysts that measures and assesses the risk profiles of our portfolios and securities on an ongoing basis. The chief investment risk officer, who oversees the team, reports directly to the firm’s president and chief investment officer so the risk associated with each portfolio can be assessed objectively and independently of the portfolio management team.

As always, we continue to be mindful of the many economic challenges faced at the local, national, and international levels. It is in times such as these that we want to remind investors of the merits of maintaining a long-term view, adhering to basic investing principles such as asset allocation and diversification, and working closely with their advisors to research and identify appropriate investment opportunities.

Respectfully,

LOGO

Robert J. Manning

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

MFS Investment Management®

January 13, 2012

The opinions expressed in this letter are subject to change, may not be relied upon for investment advice, and no forecasts can be guaranteed.

 

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PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION

 

Portfolio structure (i)

LOGO

 

Top five industries (i)  
Energy Independent     11.2%   
Medical & Health Technology & Services     7.8%   
Broadcasting     7.6%   
Utilities-Electric Power     7.0%   
Gaming & Lodging     6.5%   
Composition including fixed income credit quality (a)(i)  
A     0.1%   
BBB     7.6%   
BB     40.9%   
B     59.8%   
CCC     22.7%   
CC     0.8%   
C     0.3%   
Not Rated     0.6%   
Non-Fixed Income     1.5%   
Cash & Other     (34.3)%   
Portfolio facts (i)  
Average Duration (d)     6.2   
Average Effective Maturity (m)     7.1 yrs.   
 

 

 

(a) For all securities other than those specifically described below, ratings are assigned to underlying securities utilizing ratings from Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard & Poor’s rating agencies and applying the following hierarchy: If all three agencies provide a rating, the middle rating (after dropping the highest and lowest ratings) is assigned; if two of the three agencies rate a security, the lower of the two is assigned. Ratings are shown in the S&P and Fitch scale (e.g., AAA). All ratings are subject to change. Not Rated includes fixed income securities, including fixed income futures, which have not been rated by any rating agency. Non-Fixed Income includes equity securities (including convertible bonds and equity derivatives) and commodities. Cash & Other includes cash, other assets less liabilities, offsets to derivative positions, and short-term securities. The fund may not hold all of these instruments. The fund is not rated by these agencies.

 

(d) Duration is a measure of how much a bond’s price is likely to fluctuate with general changes in interest rates, e.g., if rates rise 1.00%, a bond with a 5-year duration is likely to lose about 5.00% of its value due to the interest rate move.

 

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Portfolio Composition – continued

 

 

(i) For purposes of this presentation, the components include the market value of securities, and reflect the impact of the equivalent exposure of derivative positions. These amounts may be negative from time to time. The bond component will include any accrued interest amounts. Equivalent exposure is a calculated amount that translates the derivative position into a reasonable approximation of the amount of the underlying asset that the portfolio would have to hold at a given point in time to have the same price sensitivity that results from the portfolio’s ownership of the derivative contract. When dealing with derivatives, equivalent exposure is a more representative measure of the potential impact of a position on portfolio performance than market value. Where the fund holds convertible bonds, these are treated as part of the equity portion of the portfolio.

 

(m) In determining an instrument’s effective maturity for purposes of calculating the fund’s dollar-weighted average effective maturity, MFS uses the instrument’s stated maturity or, if applicable, an earlier date on which MFS believes it is probable that a maturity-shortening device (such as a put, pre-refunding or prepayment) will cause the instrument to be repaid. Such an earlier date can be substantially shorter than the instrument’s stated maturity.

From time to time “Cash & Other Net Assets” may be negative due to borrowings for leverage transactions, timing of cash receipts, and/or equivalent exposure from any derivative holdings.

Percentages are based on net assets as of 11/30/11.

The portfolio is actively managed and current holdings may be different.

 

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MANAGEMENT REVIEW

Summary of Results

The MFS Intermediate High Income Fund (the “fund”) is a closed-end fund investing primarily in high-yield fixed income securities in lower-rated categories.

For the twelve months ended November 30, 2011, shares of the fund provided a total return of 4.19%, at net asset value. This compares with a return of 4.09% for the fund’s benchmark, the Barclays Capital U.S. High-Yield Corporate Bond 2% Issuer Capped Index. Effective September 15, 2011 the Barclays Capital U.S. High-Yield Corporate Bond 2% Issuer Capped Index replaced the Barclays Capital U.S. High-Yield Corporate Bond Index as the fund’s primary benchmark. The Barclays Capital U.S. High-Yield Corporate Bond Index generated a return of 4.12% over the reporting period.

Market Environment

Early in the period, the U.S. Federal Reserve (the Fed) responded to weak economic growth by loosening monetary policy further. More easing by the Fed improved market sentiment and drove risk-asset prices markedly higher. The December 2010 agreement on a surprisingly large (relative to expectations) expansionary U.S. fiscal package also boosted sentiment. During the subsequent several months, the renewed positive market sentiment, coupled with better indications of global macroeconomic activity, pushed many asset valuations to post-crisis highs. At the same time, the yields of the perceived “safest” global sovereign credits rose, indicating a renewed risk-seeking environment.

However, towards the middle of the period, a weakening macroeconomic backdrop and renewed concerns over peripheral euro zone sovereign debt caused a flight-to-quality move that pushed high-quality sovereign bond yields lower. In the U.S., concerns about sovereign debt default and the long-term sustainability of the trend in U.S. fiscal policy resulted in one agency downgrading U.S. credit quality. Amidst this turmoil, global equity markets declined sharply. As a result of these developments, global consumer and producer sentiment indicators fell precipitously and highly-rated sovereign bond yields hit multi-decade lows. Towards the end of the reporting period, uncertainty in financial markets spiked higher as markets more seriously contemplated the possible failure of the euro zone.

Contributors to Performance

The fund’s return from yield, which was greater than that of the Barclays Capital U.S. High-Yield Corporate Bond Index, was a major driver of positive relative performance. Yield curve (y) positioning in the U.S., particularly our greater exposure to shifts in the long end of the yield curve (centered around maturities of 10 years or more), was another positive factor for the fund’s results.

A greater exposure to corporate bonds in the industrial sector also contributed to strong relative results. Security selection was another area of relative

 

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Management Review – continued

 

strength. Individual securities that were among the fund’s top relative contributors included the debt of financial services firm Banc of America, insurance firm American International Group, payment processing company First Data (h), and funeral, cremation and cemetery services provider Service Corporation International.

The fund employs leverage which has been created through the use of loan agreements with a bank. To the extent that investments are purchased through the use of leverage, the fund’s net asset value will increase or decrease at a greater rate than a comparable unleveraged fund. During the reporting period, the fund’s use of leverage enhanced its absolute positive returns.

Detractors from Performance

A greater exposure to “B” and “CCC” rated (r) bonds, which underperformed higher-rated securities during the reporting period detracted from relative returns. The fund’s greater exposure to corporate bonds in the finance sector also hindered relative results. Individual bond holdings that were among the fund’s top relative detractors for the reporting period included the debt of aircraft manufacturer Hawker Beechcraft, cement producer Cemex, automotive financial services and insurance products provider Ally Financial, and wireless telecommunications company Wind Acquisition Finance.

Respectfully,

 

William Adams   David Cole
Portolio Manager   Portolio Manager

Note to Shareholders: Effective May 1, 2011, William Adams replaced John Addeo as a co-manager of the fund.

 

(h) Security was not held in the portfolio at period end.
(r) Bonds rated “BBB”, “Baa”, or higher are considered investment grade; bonds rated “BB”, “Ba”, or below are considered non-investment grade. The source for bond quality ratings is Moody’s Investors Service, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch, Inc. and are applied using the following hierarchy: If all three agencies provide a rating, the middle rating (after dropping the highest and lowest ratings) is assigned; if two of the three agencies rate a security, the lower of the two is assigned. Ratings are shown in the S&P and Fitch scale (e.g., AAA). For securities which are not rated by any of the three agencies, the security is considered Not Rated.
(y) A yield curve graphically depicts the yields of different maturity bonds of the same credit quality and type; a normal yield curve is upward sloping, with short-term rates lower than long-term rates.

The views expressed in this report are those of the portfolio managers only through the end of the period of the report as stated on the cover and do not necessarily reflect the views of MFS or any other person in the MFS organization. These views are subject to change at any time based on market or other conditions, and MFS disclaims any responsibility to update such views. These views may not be relied upon as investment advice or an indication of trading intent on behalf of any MFS portfolio. References to specific securities are not recommendations of such securities, and may not be representative of any MFS portfolio’s current or future investments.

 

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PERFORMANCE SUMMARY THROUGH 11/30/11

The following chart represents the fund’s historical performance in comparison to its benchmark(s). Investment return and principal value will fluctuate, and shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost; current performance may be lower or higher than quoted. The performance shown does not reflect the deduction of taxes, if any, that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or the sale of fund shares. Performance data shown represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results.

Price Summary for MFS Intermediate High Income Fund

 

 

Year Ended 11/30/11

 

              Date        Price     
   Net Asset Value        11/30/11         $2.84  
            11/30/10         $3.02  
   New York Stock Exchange Price        11/30/11         $2.85  
            6/01/11  (high) (t)       $3.12  
            10/04/11  (low) (t)       $2.55  
              11/30/10         $3.01    

Total Returns vs Benchmarks

 

Year Ended 11/30/11

 

       
   MFS Intermediate High Income Fund at       
  

New York Stock Exchange Price (r)

     4.90%  
  

Net Asset Value (r)

     4.19%  
   Barclays Capital U.S. High-Yield Corporate Bond 2% Issuer Capped Index (f)(y)      4.09%  
     Barclays Capital U.S. High-Yield Corporate Bond Index (f)(y)      4.12%    
(f) Source: FactSet Research Systems Inc.

 

(r) Includes reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions.

 

(t) For the period December 1, 2010 through November 30, 2011.

 

(y) Effective 9/15/11, the primary benchmark changed from Barclays Capital U.S. High-Yield Corporate Bond Index to Barclays Capital U.S. High-Yield Corporate Bond 2% Issuer Capped Index.

Benchmark Definitions

Barclays Capital U.S. High-Yield Corporate Bond 2% Issuer Capped Index – a component of the Barclays Capital U.S. High-Yield Corporate Bond Index,

 

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Performance Summary – continued

 

which measures performance of non-investment grade, fixed rate debt. The index limits the maximum exposure to any one issuer to 2%.

Barclays Capital U.S. High-Yield Corporate Bond Index – a market capitalization-weighted index that measures the performance of non-investment grade, fixed rate debt. Eurobonds and debt issues from countries designated as emerging markets (e.g., Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, etc.) are excluded.

It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

Notes to Performance Summary

The fund’s shares may trade at a discount or premium to net asset value. Shareholders do not have the right to cause the fund to repurchase their shares at net asset value. When fund shares trade at a premium, buyers pay more than the net asset value underlying fund shares, and shares purchased at a premium would receive less than the amount paid for them in the event of the fund’s liquidation. As a result, the total return that is calculated based on the net asset value and New York Stock Exchange price can be different.

The fund’s monthly distributions may include a return of capital to shareholders to the extent that distributions are in excess of the fund’s net investment income and net capital gains, determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations. Distributions that are treated for federal income tax purposes as a return of capital will reduce each shareholder’s basis in his or her shares and, to the extent the return of capital exceeds such basis, will be treated as gain to the shareholder from a sale of shares. Returns of shareholder capital have the effect of reducing the fund’s assets and increasing the fund’s expense ratio.

Performance results do not include adjustments made for financial reporting purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and may differ from amounts reported in the financial highlights.

From time to time the fund may receive proceeds from litigation settlements, without which performance would be lower.

 

In accordance with Section 23(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the fund hereby gives notice that it may from time to time repurchase shares of the fund in the open market at the option of the Board of Trustees and on such terms as the Trustees shall determine.

 

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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, PRINCIPAL

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

OF THE FUND

Investment Objective

The fund’s investment objective is to seek high current income, but may also consider capital appreciation. The fund’s objective may be changed without shareholder approval.

Principal Investment Strategies

MFS (Massachusetts Financial Services Company, the fund’s investment adviser) normally invests at least 80% of the fund’s net assets, including borrowings for investment purposes, in high income debt instruments.

MFS may invest the fund’s assets in other types of debt instruments and equity securities.

MFS may invest up to 100% of the fund’s assets in less than investment grade quality debt instruments (lower quality debt instruments).

MFS may invest the fund’s assets in foreign securities.

The fund’s dollar-weighted average effective maturity will normally be between three and ten years. In determining an instrument’s effective maturity, MFS uses the instrument’s stated maturity or, if applicable, an earlier date on which MFS believes it is probable that a maturity-shortening device (such as a call, put, pre-refunding, prepayment or redemption provision, or an adjustable coupon) will cause the instrument to be repaid. Such an earlier date can be substantially shorter than the instrument’s stated maturity.

While MFS may use derivatives for any investment purpose, to the extent MFS uses derivatives, MFS expects to use derivatives primarily to increase or decrease exposure to a particular market, segment of the market, or security, to increase or decrease interest rate or currency exposure, or as alternatives to direct investments.

MFS uses a bottom-up investment approach to buying and selling investments for the fund. Investments are selected primarily based on fundamental analysis of individual issuers and/or instruments in light of issuers’ financial condition and market, economic, political, and regulatory conditions. Factors considered for debt instruments may include the instrument’s credit quality, collateral characteristics and indenture provisions and the issuer’s management ability, capital structure, leverage, and ability to meet its current obligations. Factors considered for equity securities may include analysis of an issuer’s earnings, cash flows, competitive position, and management ability. Quantitative models that systematically evaluate the structure of a debt instrument and its features or the valuation, price and earnings momentum, earnings quality and other factors of the issuer of an equity security may also be considered.

 

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Investment Objective, Principal Investment Strategies and Risks of the Fund – continued

 

The fund may use leverage by borrowing up to 33 1/3% of the fund’s assets, including borrowings for investment purposes, and investing the proceeds pursuant to its investment strategies. If approved by the fund’s Board of Trustees, the fund may use leverage by other methods.

MFS may engage in active and frequent trading in pursuing the fund’s principal investment strategies.

In response to market, economic, political, or other conditions, MFS may depart from the fund’s principal investment strategies by temporarily investing for defensive purposes.

Principal Risks

The fund may not achieve its objective and/or you could lose money on your investment in the fund.

Investments in debt instruments may decline in value as the result of increases in interest rates, declines in the credit quality of the issuer, borrower, counterparty or underlying assets, or changes in economic, political, issuer-specific, or other conditions. Certain types of debt instruments can be more sensitive to these factors and therefore more volatile.

Investments in foreign markets can involve greater risk and volatility than U.S. investments because of adverse market, economic, political, regulatory, geopolitical, or other conditions.

Investments in derivatives can be used to take both long and short positions, be highly volatile, result in leverage (which can magnify losses), and involve risks in addition to the risks of the underlying indicator(s) on which the derivative is based, such as counterparty and liquidity risk.

Investments in lower-quality debt instruments can be more volatile and have greater risk of default than higher-quality debt instruments.

The market price of common shares of the fund will be based on factors such as the supply and demand for common shares in the market and general market, economic, political or regulatory conditions. Whether shareholders will realize gains or losses upon the sale of common shares of the fund will depend on the market price of common shares at the time of the sale, not on the fund’s net asset value. The market price may be lower or higher than the fund’s net asset value. Shares of closed-end funds frequently trade at a discount or premium to their net asset value.

Leverage involves investment exposure in an amount exceeding the initial investment. Leverage can cause increased volatility by magnifying gains or losses.

Please see the fund’s registration statement for further information regarding these and other risk considerations. A copy of the fund’s registration statement on Form N-2 is available on the EDGAR database on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Internet Web site at http://sec.gov.

 

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PORTFOLIO MANAGERS’ PROFILES

 

William Adams     Investment Officer of MFS; employed in the investment management area of MFS since 2009. Portfolio Manager of the Fund since May 2011.
David Cole     Investment Officer of MFS; employed in the investment management area of MFS since 2004. Portfolio Manager of the fund since June 2007.

 

 

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DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT AND

CASH PURCHASE PLAN

The fund offers a Dividend Reinvestment and Cash Purchase Plan (the “Plan”) that allows common shareholders to reinvest either all of the distributions paid by the fund or only the long-term capital gains. Generally, purchases are made at the market price unless that price exceeds the net asset value (the shares are trading at a premium). If the shares are trading at a premium, purchases will be made at a price of either the net asset value or 95% of the market price, whichever is greater. You can also buy shares on a quarterly basis in any amount $100 and over. The Plan Agent will purchase shares under the Cash Purchase Plan on the 15th of January, April, July, and October or shortly thereafter.

If shares are registered in your own name, new shareholders will automatically participate in the Plan, unless you have indicated that you do not wish to participate. If your shares are in the name of a brokerage firm, bank, or other nominee, you can ask the firm or nominee to participate in the Plan on your behalf. If the nominee does not offer the Plan, you may wish to request that your shares be re-registered in your own name so that you can participate. There is no service charge to reinvest distributions, nor are there brokerage charges for shares issued directly by the fund. However, when shares are bought on the New York Stock Exchange or otherwise on the open market, each participant pays a pro rata share of the transaction expenses, including commissions. Dividends and capital gains distributions are taxable whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares – the automatic reinvestment of distributions does not relieve you of any income tax that may be payable (or required to be withheld) on the distributions.

You may withdraw from the Plan at any time by going to the Plan Agent’s website at www.computershare.com, by calling 1-800-637-2304 any business day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time or by writing to the Plan Agent at P.O. Box 43078, Providence, RI 02940 - 3078. Please have available the name of the fund and your account number. For certain types of registrations, such as corporate accounts, instructions must be submitted in writing. Please call for additional details. When you withdraw from the Plan, you can receive the value of the reinvested shares in one of three ways: your full shares will be held in your account, the Plan Agent will sell your shares and send the proceeds to you, or you may transfer your full shares to your investment professional who can hold or sell them. Additionally, the Plan Agent will sell your fractional shares and send the proceeds to you.

If you have any questions or for further information or a copy of the Plan, contact the Plan Agent Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (the Transfer Agent for the fund) at 1-800-637-2304, at the Plan Agent’s website at www.computershare.com, or by writing to the Plan Agent at P.O. Box 43078, Providence, RI 02940 - 3078.

 

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PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS

11/30/11

The Portfolio of Investments is a complete list of all securities owned by your fund. It is categorized by broad-based asset classes.

 

Bonds - 129.3%                 
Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Aerospace - 2.5%                 
BE Aerospace, Inc., 8.5%, 2018    $ 315,000      $ 340,200   
Bombardier, Inc., 7.5%, 2018 (n)      405,000        430,311   
Bombardier, Inc., 7.75%, 2020 (n)      95,000        101,650   
CPI International, Inc., 8%, 2018      250,000        213,125   
Hawker Beechcraft Acquisition Co. LLC, 8.5%, 2015      346,000        86,500   
Heckler & Koch GmbH, 9.5%, 2018 (z)    EUR 115,000        95,806   
Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc., 7.125%, 2021 (n)    $ 195,000        191,100   
    

 

 

 
             $ 1,458,692   
Apparel Manufacturers - 1.3%                 
Hanesbrands, Inc., 8%, 2016    $ 165,000      $ 177,788   
Hanesbrands, Inc., 6.375%, 2020      100,000        98,875   
Hanesbrands, Inc., FRN, 3.769%, 2014      131,000        130,345   
Phillips-Van Heusen Corp., 7.375%, 2020      335,000        355,938   
    

 

 

 
             $ 762,946   
Asset-Backed & Securitized - 1.8%                 
Banc of America Commercial Mortgage, Inc., FRN, 6.437%, 2051 (z)    $ 450,000      $ 204,643   
Citigroup Commercial Mortgage Trust, FRN, 5.885%, 2049      275,000        99,567   
G-Force LLC, CDO, “A2”, 4.83%, 2036 (z)      116,993        111,143   
JPMorgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Corp., “B”, FRN, 5.931%, 2049      250,617        100,247   
JPMorgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Corp., “C”, FRN, 5.931%, 2049      404,598        138,251   
JPMorgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Corp., “C”, FRN, 6.256%, 2051      155,000        59,620   
JPMorgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Corp., “D”, FRN, 5.931%, 2049      1,169,622        294,745   
Wachovia Bank Commercial Mortgage Trust, FRN, 5.874%, 2047      250,000        46,725   
Wachovia Bank Commercial Mortgage Trust, FRN, 5.934%, 2047      175,000        27,790   
    

 

 

 
             $ 1,082,731   
Automotive - 5.0%                 
Accuride Corp., 9.5%, 2018    $ 445,000      $ 418,856   
Allison Transmission, Inc., 7.125%, 2019 (n)      245,000        230,913   
Chrysler Group LLC/CG Co-Issuer, Inc., 8.25%, 2021 (n)      200,000        168,000   
Ford Motor Co., 7.45%, 2031      280,000        328,300   
Ford Motor Credit Co. LLC, 8%, 2014      125,000        134,406   

 

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Portfolio of Investments – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Automotive - continued                 
Ford Motor Credit Co. LLC, 12%, 2015    $ 960,000      $ 1,168,330   
General Motors Financial Co., Inc., 6.75%, 2018 (n)      180,000        179,397   
Jaguar Land Rover PLC, 8.125%, 2021 (n)      195,000        184,275   
Lear Corp., 8.125%, 2020      120,000        129,600   
    

 

 

 
             $ 2,942,077   
Basic Industry - 0.4%                 
Trimas Corp., 9.75%, 2017    $ 215,000      $ 228,975   
Broadcasting - 6.9%                 
Allbritton Communications Co., 8%, 2018    $ 255,000      $ 242,250   
AMC Networks, Inc., 7.75%, 2021 (n)      136,000        143,820   
Clear Channel Communications, Inc., 9%, 2021      223,000        183,975   
EH Holding Corp., 7.625%, 2021 (n)      215,000        211,238   
Gray Television, Inc., 10.5%, 2015      130,000        120,900   
Inmarsat Finance PLC, 7.375%, 2017 (n)      330,000        337,425   
Intelsat Bermuda Ltd., 11.25%, 2017      250,000        230,000   
Intelsat Jackson Holdings Ltd., 9.5%, 2016      335,000        349,238   
Intelsat Jackson Holdings Ltd., 11.25%, 2016      280,000        291,200   
LBI Media, Inc., 8.5%, 2017 (z)      150,000        90,000   
Liberty Media Corp., 8.5%, 2029      215,000        208,819   
Local TV Finance LLC, 9.25%, 2015 (p)(z)      268,809        252,680   
Newport Television LLC, 13%, 2017 (n)(p)      162,257        139,451   
Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc., 8.875%, 2017      80,000        80,800   
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., 9.25%, 2017 (n)      125,000        134,063   
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., 8.375%, 2018      40,000        40,500   
SIRIUS XM Radio, Inc., 13%, 2013 (n)      110,000        124,300   
SIRIUS XM Radio, Inc., 8.75%, 2015 (n)      220,000        238,700   
SIRIUS XM Radio, Inc., 7.625%, 2018 (n)      170,000        175,100   
Univision Communications, Inc., 6.875%, 2019 (n)      240,000        222,600   
Univision Communications, Inc., 7.875%, 2020 (n)      150,000        141,750   
Univision Communications, Inc., 8.5%, 2021 (n)      135,000        111,375   
    

 

 

 
             $ 4,070,184   
Brokerage & Asset Managers - 1.0%                 
E*TRADE Financial Corp., 7.875%, 2015    $ 260,000      $ 258,700   
E*TRADE Financial Corp., 12.5%, 2017      300,000        339,000   
    

 

 

 
             $ 597,700   
Building - 2.5%                 
Associated Materials LLC, 9.125%, 2017    $ 50,000      $ 42,311   
Building Materials Holding Corp., 6.875%, 2018 (n)      165,000        165,825   
Building Materials Holding Corp., 7%, 2020 (n)      115,000        119,025   

 

13


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Building - continued                 
Building Materials Holding Corp., 6.75%, 2021 (n)    $ 100,000      $ 99,500   
CEMEX S.A., 9.25%, 2020      375,000        255,000   
Masonite International Corp., 8.25%, 2021 (n)      130,000        122,200   
Nortek, Inc., 10%, 2018 (n)      120,000        111,600   
Nortek, Inc., 8.5%, 2021 (n)      245,000        201,513   
Owens Corning, 9%, 2019      220,000        259,503   
Roofing Supply Group LLC/Roofing Supply Finance, Inc., 8.625%, 2017 (n)      85,000        83,938   
    

 

 

 
             $ 1,460,415   
Business Services - 2.0%                 
Ceridian Corp., 12.25%, 2015 (p)    $ 95,000      $ 74,336   
iGate Corp., 9%, 2016 (n)      289,000        289,000   
Interactive Data Corp., 10.25%, 2018      275,000        294,250   
Iron Mountain, Inc., 8.375%, 2021      220,000        231,000   
SunGard Data Systems, Inc., 10.25%, 2015      197,000        202,910   
SunGard Data Systems, Inc., 7.375%, 2018      100,000        98,500   
    

 

 

 
             $ 1,189,996   
Cable TV - 6.1%                 
Bresnan Broadband Holdings LLC, 8%, 2018 (n)    $ 60,000      $ 60,750   
Cablevision Systems Corp., 8.625%, 2017      375,000        391,875   
Cablevision Systems Corp., 8%, 2020      70,000        71,050   
CCH II LLC, 13.5%, 2016      285,000        328,461   
CCO Holdings LLC, 7.875%, 2018      355,000        367,869   
CCO Holdings LLC, 8.125%, 2020      400,000        422,000   
Cequel Communications Holdings, 8.625%, 2017 (n)      120,000        122,100   
CSC Holdings LLC, 8.5%, 2014      255,000        282,731   
EchoStar Corp., 7.125%, 2016      160,000        164,400   
Insight Communications Co., Inc., 9.375%, 2018 (n)      200,000        226,250   
Mediacom LLC, 9.125%, 2019      205,000        213,713   
ONO Finance ll PLC, 10.875%, 2019 (n)      150,000        124,500   
Telenet Finance Luxembourg, 6.375%, 2020 (n)    EUR  100,000        125,804   
UPCB Finance III Ltd., 6.625%, 2020 (n)    $ 354,000        338,070   
Videotron LTEE, 6.875%, 2014      67,000        67,251   
Virgin Media Finance PLC, 9.5%, 2016      200,000        219,000   
Ziggo Bond Co. B.V., 8%, 2018 (n)    EUR 85,000        111,074   
    

 

 

 
             $ 3,636,898   
Chemicals - 5.1%                 
Celanese U.S. Holdings LLC, 6.625%, 2018    $ 335,000      $ 350,075   
Hexion U.S. Finance Corp./Hexion Nova Scotia Finance, 8.875%, 2018      465,000        419,663   
Hexion U.S. Finance Corp./Hexion Nova Scotia Finance, 9%, 2020      60,000        47,100   

 

14


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Chemicals - continued                 
Huntsman International LLC, 8.625%, 2021    $ 285,000      $ 289,275   
Lyondell Chemical Co., 8%, 2017      34,000        36,890   
Lyondell Chemical Co., 11%, 2018      439,476        473,535   
LyondellBasell Industries, Inc., 6%, 2021 (z)      275,000        280,500   
Momentive Performance Materials, Inc., 12.5%, 2014      455,000        477,750   
Momentive Performance Materials, Inc., 11.5%, 2016      260,000        185,900   
Nalco Co., 8.25%, 2017      55,000        61,463   
Polypore International, Inc., 7.5%, 2017      255,000        261,375   
Solutia, Inc., 7.875%, 2020      145,000        154,425   
    

 

 

 
             $ 3,037,951   
Computer Software - 1.0%                 
Lawson Software, Inc., 11.5%, 2018 (n)    $ 300,000      $ 285,750   
Syniverse Holdings, Inc., 9.125%, 2019      275,000        281,875   
    

 

 

 
             $ 567,625   
Computer Software - Systems - 1.6%                 
Audatex North America, Inc., 6.75%, 2018 (n)    $ 140,000      $ 141,050   
CDW LLC, 8.5%, 2019 (n)      305,000        286,700   
CDW LLC/CDW Finance Corp., 12.535%, 2017      95,000        94,050   
DuPont Fabros Technology, Inc., REIT, 8.5%, 2017      350,000        369,250   
Eagle Parent, Inc., 8.625%, 2019 (n)      95,000        88,113   
    

 

 

 
             $ 979,163   
Conglomerates - 2.2%                 
Amsted Industries, Inc., 8.125%, 2018 (n)    $ 330,000      $ 343,200   
Dynacast International LLC, 9.25%, 2019 (z)      200,000        186,500   
Griffon Corp., 7.125%, 2018      365,000        352,225   
Tomkins LLC/Tomkins, Inc., 9%, 2018      373,000        402,840   
    

 

 

 
             $ 1,284,765   
Consumer Products - 1.6%                 
Easton-Bell Sports, Inc., 9.75%, 2016    $ 145,000      $ 155,513   
Elizabeth Arden, Inc., 7.375%, 2021      220,000        229,350   
Jarden Corp., 7.5%, 2020      195,000        207,919   
Libbey Glass, Inc., 10%, 2015      131,000        139,515   
Visant Corp., 10%, 2017      235,000        216,200   
    

 

 

 
             $ 948,497   
Consumer Services - 1.7%                 
Realogy Corp., 11.5%, 2017    $ 170,000      $ 129,625   
Service Corp. International, 6.75%, 2015      25,000        26,563   
Service Corp. International, 7%, 2017      785,000        839,950   
    

 

 

 
             $ 996,138   

 

15


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Containers - 2.1%                 
Exopack Holding Corp., 10%, 2018 (z)    $ 155,000      $ 153,450   
Graham Packaging Co. LP/GPC Capital Corp., 9.875%, 2014      175,000        177,188   
Greif, Inc., 6.75%, 2017      350,000        364,000   
Packaging Dynamics Corp., 8.75%, 2016 (z)      65,000        64,350   
Reynolds Group, 8.75%, 2016 (n)      100,000        103,250   
Reynolds Group, 7.125%, 2019 (n)      225,000        219,938   
Reynolds Group, 8.25%, 2021 (n)      125,000        106,250   
Sealed Air Corp., 8.125%, 2019 (n)      40,000        42,400   
Sealed Air Corp., 8.375%, 2021 (n)      40,000        42,700   
    

 

 

 
             $ 1,273,526   
Defense Electronics - 0.7%                 
Ducommun, Inc., 9.75%, 2018 (n)    $ 166,000      $ 170,980   
ManTech International Corp., 7.25%, 2018      145,000        148,625   
MOOG, Inc., 7.25%, 2018      90,000        91,575   
    

 

 

 
             $ 411,180   
Electrical Equipment - 0.2%                 
Avaya, Inc., 9.75%, 2015    $ 155,000      $ 121,286   
Electronics - 0.9%                 
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., 9.25%, 2018 (n)    $ 225,000      $ 234,563   
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., 8.05%, 2020      85,000        76,925   
Sensata Technologies B.V., 6.5%, 2019 (n)      255,000        247,350   
    

 

 

 
             $ 558,838   
Energy - Independent - 10.9%                 
ATP Oil & Gas Corp., 11.875%, 2015    $ 245,000      $ 161,700   
Berry Petroleum Co., 10.25%, 2014      150,000        169,500   
Bill Barrett Corp., 9.875%, 2016      160,000        175,200   
Bill Barrett Corp., 7.625%, 2019      65,000        67,111   
Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc., 8.625%, 2018 (z)      40,000        39,400   
Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc., 8.625%, 2018      155,000        153,836   
Chaparral Energy, Inc., 8.875%, 2017      320,000        326,400   
Chesapeake Energy Corp., 6.875%, 2020      85,000        89,250   
Concho Resources, Inc., 8.625%, 2017      110,000        119,075   
Concho Resources, Inc., 6.5%, 2022      225,000        229,500   
Connacher Oil & Gas Ltd., 8.5%, 2019 (n)      210,000        161,700   
Continental Resources, Inc., 8.25%, 2019      165,000        182,325   
Denbury Resources, Inc., 8.25%, 2020      225,000        244,406   
Energy XXI Gulf Coast, Inc., 9.25%, 2017      285,000        292,125   
EXCO Resources, Inc., 7.5%, 2018      355,000        328,375   
Harvest Operations Corp., 6.875%, 2017 (n)      345,000        345,000   

 

16


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Energy - Independent - continued                 
Hilcorp Energy I/Hilcorp Finance Co., 8%, 2020 (n)    $ 70,000      $ 73,675   
Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp., 8.125%, 2019 (z)      95,000        96,425   
Laredo Petroleum, Inc., 9.5%, 2019 (n)      170,000        176,163   
LINN Energy LLC, 6.5%, 2019 (n)      100,000        95,000   
LINN Energy LLC, 8.625%, 2020      55,000        57,475   
LINN Energy LLC, 7.75%, 2021      174,000        174,000   
Newfield Exploration Co., 6.625%, 2014      155,000        156,550   
Newfield Exploration Co., 6.625%, 2016      90,000        92,475   
Newfield Exploration Co., 6.875%, 2020      120,000        126,000   
OGX Petroleo e Gas Participacoes S.A., 8.5%, 2018 (n)      402,000        381,900   
Pioneer Natural Resources Co., 7.5%, 2020      200,000        231,977   
QEP Resources, Inc., 6.875%, 2021      410,000        434,600   
Quicksilver Resources, Inc., 9.125%, 2019      135,000        141,581   
Range Resources Corp., 8%, 2019      185,000        205,350   
SandRidge Energy, Inc., 8%, 2018 (n)      515,000        494,400   
SM Energy Co., 6.5%, 2021 (z)      120,000        120,000   
Swift Energy Co., 7.875%, 2022 (z)      115,000        112,700   
Whiting Petroleum Corp., 6.5%, 2018      215,000        222,525   
    

 

 

 
             $ 6,477,699   
Engineering - Construction - 0.3%                 
B-Corp. Merger Sub, Inc., 8.25%, 2019 (n)    $ 185,000      $ 168,350   
Entertainment - 1.5%                 
AMC Entertainment, Inc., 8.75%, 2019    $ 250,000      $ 252,500   
AMC Entertainment, Inc., 9.75%, 2020      160,000        145,600   
Cinemark USA, Inc., 8.625%, 2019      380,000        408,500   
NAI Entertainment Holdings LLC, 8.25%, 2017 (n)      90,000        93,825   
    

 

 

 
             $ 900,425   
Financial Institutions - 6.1%                 
CIT Group, Inc., 5.25%, 2014 (n)    $ 250,000      $ 245,000   
CIT Group, Inc., 7%, 2017      1,195,000        1,183,050   
CIT Group, Inc., 6.625%, 2018 (n)      274,000        277,425   
Credit Acceptance Corp., 9.125%, 2017      135,000        138,036   
Credit Acceptance Corp., 9.125%, 2017 (z)      55,000        56,100   
GMAC, Inc., 8%, 2031      35,000        33,250   
International Lease Finance Corp., 8.75%, 2017      300,000        302,250   
International Lease Finance Corp., 7.125%, 2018 (n)      246,000        250,920   
Nationstar Mortgage LLC, 10.875%, 2015      465,000        467,325   
SLM Corp., 8.45%, 2018      80,000        79,759   
SLM Corp., 8%, 2020      410,000        400,775   
Springleaf Finance Corp., 6.9%, 2017      240,000        161,400   
    

 

 

 
             $ 3,595,290   

 

17


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Food & Beverages - 2.6%                 
ARAMARK Corp., 8.5%, 2015    $ 430,000      $ 440,750   
B&G Foods, Inc., 7.625%, 2018      205,000        212,944   
Constellation Brands, Inc., 7.25%, 2016      180,000        197,100   
Pinnacle Foods Finance LLC, 9.25%, 2015      330,000        337,425   
Pinnacle Foods Finance LLC, 10.625%, 2017      65,000        67,275   
Pinnacle Foods Finance LLC, 8.25%, 2017      50,000        50,875   
TreeHouse Foods, Inc., 7.75%, 2018      215,000        230,319   
    

 

 

 
             $ 1,536,688   
Forest & Paper Products - 2.1%                 
Boise, Inc., 8%, 2020    $ 225,000      $ 236,813   
Cascades, Inc., 7.75%, 2017      205,000        199,361   
Georgia-Pacific Corp., 8%, 2024      155,000        195,715   
Graphic Packaging Holding Co., 7.875%, 2018      125,000        133,125   
Millar Western Forest Products Ltd., 8.5%, 2021 (z)      40,000        30,400   
Smurfit Kappa Group PLC, 7.75%, 2019 (n)    EUR  120,000        162,856   
Tembec Industries, Inc., 11.25%, 2018    $ 135,000        136,350   
Xerium Technologies, Inc., 8.875%, 2018 (z)      155,000        133,300   
    

 

 

 
             $ 1,227,920   
Gaming & Lodging - 6.3%                 
Ameristar Casinos, Inc., 7.5%, 2021    $ 160,000      $ 160,000   
Boyd Gaming Corp., 7.125%, 2016      270,000        230,850   
FelCor Lodging LP, REIT, 6.75%, 2019      95,000        88,350   
Firekeepers Development Authority, 13.875%, 2015 (n)      335,000        378,131   
Fontainebleau Las Vegas Holdings LLC, 10.25%, 2015 (a)(d)(n)      695,000        434   
GWR Operating Partnership LLP, 10.875%, 2017      135,000        144,450   
Harrah’s Operating Co., Inc., 11.25%, 2017      365,000        379,600   
Harrah’s Operating Co., Inc., 10%, 2018      164,000        100,040   
Harrah’s Operating Co., Inc., 10%, 2018      90,000        57,600   
Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., 6.75%, 2016      195,000        200,606   
MGM Mirage, 10.375%, 2014      40,000        44,800   
MGM Mirage, 6.625%, 2015      70,000        66,150   
MGM Mirage, 7.5%, 2016      35,000        33,381   
MGM Resorts International, 11.375%, 2018      405,000        436,388   
MGM Resorts International, 9%, 2020      170,000        185,300   
Penn National Gaming, Inc., 8.75%, 2019      357,000        383,775   
Seven Seas Cruises S. de R.L., 9.125%, 2019 (n)      165,000        168,506   
Wyndham Worldwide Corp., 6%, 2016      170,000        184,806   
Wyndham Worldwide Corp., 7.375%, 2020      170,000        188,848   
Wynn Las Vegas LLC, 7.75%, 2020      315,000        339,413   
    

 

 

 
             $ 3,771,428   

 

18


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Health Maintenance Organizations - 0.2%                 
AMERIGROUP Corp., 7.5%, 2019    $ 140,000      $ 143,500   
Industrial - 1.5%                 
Altra Holdings, Inc., 8.125%, 2016    $ 115,000      $ 119,313   
Dematic S.A., 8.75%, 2016 (z)      200,000        194,000   
Hillman Group, Inc., 10.875%, 2018      140,000        141,400   
Hillman Group, Inc., 10.875%, 2018 (z)      35,000        35,350   
Hyva Global B.V., 8.625%, 2016 (n)      200,000        172,000   
Mueller Water Products, Inc., 7.375%, 2017      49,000        42,936   
Mueller Water Products, Inc., 8.75%, 2020      158,000        167,678   
    

 

 

 
             $ 872,677   
Insurance - 1.8%                 
American International Group, Inc., 8.175% to 2038, FRN to 2068    $ 110,000      $ 97,075   
ING Capital Funding Trust III, FRN, 3.968%, 2049      80,000        57,214   
ING Groep N.V., 5.775% to 2015, FRN to 2049      410,000        274,700   
MetLife, Inc., 9.25% to 2038, FRN to 2068 (n)      600,000        669,750   
    

 

 

 
             $ 1,098,739   
Insurance - Property & Casualty - 1.8%                 
Liberty Mutual Group, Inc., 10.75% to 2038, FRN to 2088 (n)    $ 330,000      $ 397,650   
USI Holdings Corp., 9.75%, 2015 (z)      320,000        302,400   
XL Group PLC, 6.5% to 2017, FRN to 2049      475,000        368,125   
    

 

 

 
             $ 1,068,175   
Machinery & Tools - 1.6%                 
Case Corp., 7.25%, 2016    $ 90,000      $ 95,400   
Case New Holland, Inc., 7.875%, 2017      525,000        574,875   
CNH Capital LLC, 6.25%, 2016 (z)      65,000        64,838   
Rental Service Corp., 9.5%, 2014      35,000        35,438   
RSC Equipment Rental, Inc., 8.25%, 2021      170,000        161,500   
    

 

 

 
             $ 932,051   
Major Banks - 0.5%                 
Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC, 7.648% to 2031, FRN to 2049    $ 365,000      $ 240,900   
Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC, 6.99% to 2017, FRN to 2049 (a)(d)(n)      100,000        61,000   
    

 

 

 
             $ 301,900   
Medical & Health Technology & Services - 7.6%                 
Beagle Acquisition Corp., 11%, 2019 (n)    $ 95,000      $ 97,850   
Biomet, Inc., 10.375%, 2017 (p)      85,000        91,163   
Biomet, Inc., 11.625%, 2017      435,000        465,450   

 

19


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Medical & Health Technology & Services - continued                 
Davita, Inc., 6.375%, 2018    $ 440,000      $ 432,300   
Davita, Inc., 6.625%, 2020      105,000        103,163   
Emergency Medical Services Corp., 8.125%, 2019 (z)      80,000        78,600   
Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA, 9%, 2015 (n)      165,000        183,563   
HCA, Inc., 8.5%, 2019      665,000        718,200   
HCA, Inc., 7.5%, 2022      180,000        177,300   
Health Management Associates, Inc., 7.375%, 2020 (z)      90,000        90,563   
HealthSouth Corp., 8.125%, 2020      390,000        381,225   
Teleflex, Inc., 6.875%, 2019      275,000        278,094   
Tenet Healthcare Corp., 9.25%, 2015      140,000        144,725   
United Surgical Partners International, Inc., 8.875%, 2017      95,000        94,288   
United Surgical Partners International, Inc., 9.25%, 2017 (p)      125,000        124,375   
Universal Health Services, Inc., 7%, 2018      130,000        130,650   
Universal Hospital Services, Inc., 8.5%, 2015 (p)      400,000        403,000   
Vanguard Health Systems, Inc., 0%, 2016      2,000        1,280   
Vanguard Health Systems, Inc., 8%, 2018      295,000        280,250   
VWR Funding, Inc., 10.25%, 2015 (p)      237,062        244,174   
    

 

 

 
             $ 4,520,213   
Metals & Mining - 4.0%                 
AK Steel Corp., 7.625%, 2020    $ 190,000      $ 172,900   
Arch Coal, Inc., 7%, 2019 (n)      165,000        160,875   
Arch Coal, Inc., 7.25%, 2020      110,000        107,800   
Cloud Peak Energy, Inc., 8.25%, 2017      380,000        400,900   
Cloud Peak Energy, Inc., 8.5%, 2019      225,000        240,750   
Consol Energy, Inc., 8%, 2017      170,000        181,050   
Consol Energy, Inc., 8.25%, 2020      110,000        118,250   
Fortescue Metals Group Ltd., 6.875%, 2018 (n)      50,000        45,875   
Fortescue Metals Group Ltd., 8.25%, 2019 (n)      165,000        161,906   
Novelis, Inc., 8.375%, 2017      110,000        114,400   
Novelis, Inc., 8.75%, 2020      60,000        63,300   
Peabody Energy Corp., 7.375%, 2016      350,000        378,875   
Peabody Energy Corp., 6%, 2018 (z)      110,000        109,863   
Peabody Energy Corp., 6.25%, 2021 (z)      110,000        110,825   
    

 

 

 
             $ 2,367,569   
Natural Gas - Distribution - 0.1%                 
Ferrellgas LP/Ferrellgas Finance Corp., 6.5%, 2021    $ 70,000      $ 60,025   
Natural Gas - Pipeline - 3.2%                 
Atlas Pipeline Partners LP, 8.75%, 2018    $ 200,000      $ 207,000   
Atlas Pipeline Partners LP/Finance Corp., 8.75%, 2018 (z)      45,000        46,350   

 

20


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Natural Gas - Pipeline - continued                 
Colorado Interstate Gas Co., 6.8%, 2015    $ 91,000      $ 104,855   
Crosstex Energy, Inc., 8.875%, 2018      235,000        250,275   
El Paso Corp., 7%, 2017      185,000        201,094   
El Paso Corp., 7.75%, 2032      395,000        453,263   
Energy Transfer Equity LP, 7.5%, 2020      290,000        300,150   
Enterprise Products Partners LP, 8.375% to 2016, FRN to 2066      249,000        262,695   
Enterprise Products Partners LP, 7.034% to 2018, FRN to 2068      67,000        69,261   
    

 

 

 
             $ 1,894,943   
Network & Telecom - 4.0%                 
CenturyLink, Inc., 7.6%, 2039    $ 58,000      $ 54,549   
Cincinnati Bell, Inc., 8.75%, 2018      530,000        471,700   
Citizens Communications Co., 9%, 2031      110,000        96,800   
Frontier Communications Corp., 8.25%, 2017      65,000        63,294   
Frontier Communications Corp., 8.125%, 2018      345,000        329,475   
Frontier Communications Corp., 8.5%, 2020      115,000        109,250   
Qwest Communications International, Inc., 7.125%, 2018 (n)      315,000        322,088   
Qwest Communications International, Inc., “B”, 7.5%, 2014      250,000        251,563   
Qwest Corp., 7.5%, 2014      145,000        158,775   
Windstream Corp., 8.125%, 2018      45,000        45,900   
Windstream Corp., 7.75%, 2020      375,000        365,625   
Windstream Corp., 7.75%, 2021      100,000        98,500   
    

 

 

 
             $ 2,367,519   
Oil Services - 1.5%                 
Chesapeake Energy Corp., 6.625%, 2019 (n)    $ 85,000      $ 83,831   
Edgen Murray Corp., 12.25%, 2015      165,000        146,438   
Expro Finance Luxembourg, 8.5%, 2016 (n)      190,000        163,400   
McJunkin Red Man Holding Corp., 9.5%, 2016      160,000        157,600   
Pioneer Drilling Co., 9.875%, 2018      230,000        237,188   
Pioneer Drilling Co., 9.875%, 2018 (z)      35,000        36,094   
Unit Corp., 6.625%, 2021      50,000        49,500   
    

 

 

 
             $ 874,051   
Other Banks & Diversified Financials - 1.4%                 
Capital One Financial Corp., 10.25%, 2039    $ 220,000      $ 228,250   
Groupe BPCE S.A., 12.5% to 2019, FRN to 2049 (n)      125,000        117,481   
LBG Capital No.1 PLC, 7.875%, 2020 (n)      210,000        159,600   
Santander UK PLC, 8.963% to 2030, FRN to 2049      383,000        344,700   
    

 

 

 
             $ 850,031   
Pharmaceuticals - 0.5%                 
Capsugel FinanceCo. SCA, 9.875%, 2019 (n)    EUR  200,000      $ 268,740   

 

21


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Portfolio of Investments – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Pollution Control - 0.3%                 
WCA Waste Corp., 7.5%, 2019 (n)    $ 170,000      $ 164,050   
Printing & Publishing - 0.6%                 
American Media, Inc., 13.5%, 2018 (z)    $ 28,207      $ 21,860   
Morris Publishing Group LLC, 10%, 2014      79,437        61,166   
Nielsen Finance LLC, 11.5%, 2016      97,000        110,580   
Nielsen Finance LLC, 7.75%, 2018      165,000        174,488   
    

 

 

 
             $ 368,094   
Railroad & Shipping - 0.7%                 
Kansas City Southern de Mexico S.A. de C.V., 6.125%, 2021    $ 90,000      $ 92,250   
Kansas City Southern Railway, 8%, 2015      310,000        329,763   
    

 

 

 
             $ 422,013   
Real Estate - 1.2%                 
CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc., 11.625%, 2017    $ 180,000      $ 205,650   
CNL Lifestyle Properties, Inc., REIT, 7.25%, 2019      80,000        72,200   
Entertainment Properties Trust, REIT, 7.75%, 2020      200,000        213,000   
Kennedy Wilson, Inc., 8.75%, 2019 (n)      115,000        111,263   
MPT Operating Partnership LP, REIT, 6.875%, 2021      130,000        128,700   
    

 

 

 
             $ 730,813   
Retailers - 4.1%                 
Academy Ltd., 9.25%, 2019 (n)    $ 95,000      $ 92,625   
Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corp., 10%, 2019 (n)      210,000        202,125   
J. Crew Group, Inc., 8.125%, 2019      130,000        119,438   
Limited Brands, Inc., 6.9%, 2017      125,000        132,813   
Limited Brands, Inc., 6.95%, 2033      175,000        160,563   
Neiman Marcus Group, Inc., 10.375%, 2015      300,000        310,374   
QVC, Inc., 7.375%, 2020 (n)      125,000        132,813   
Rite Aid Corp., 9.375%, 2015      150,000        137,250   
Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc., 10.5%, 2016      275,000        289,440   
Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc., 6.875%, 2019 (z)      110,000        112,475   
Toys “R” Us Property Co. II LLC, 8.5%, 2017      330,000        337,425   
Toys “R” Us, Inc., 10.75%, 2017      280,000        301,700   
Yankee Aquisition Corp., 8.5%, 2015      45,000        44,888   
YCC Holdings LLC/Yankee Finance, Inc., 10.25%, 2016 (p)      90,000        78,750   
    

 

 

 
             $ 2,452,679   
Specialty Stores - 0.5%                 
Michaels Stores, Inc., 11.375%, 2016    $ 125,000      $ 131,250   
Michaels Stores, Inc., 7.75%, 2018      155,000        151,513   
    

 

 

 
             $ 282,763   

 

22


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Portfolio of Investments – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Telecommunications - Wireless - 5.2%                 
Clearwire Corp., 12%, 2015 (n)    $ 370,000      $ 312,650   
Cricket Communications, Inc., 7.75%, 2016      135,000        134,661   
Cricket Communications, Inc., 7.75%, 2020      85,000        66,725   
Crown Castle International Corp., 9%, 2015      215,000        233,810   
Crown Castle International Corp., 7.125%, 2019      345,000        370,013   
Digicel Group Ltd., 8.25%, 2017 (n)      235,000        231,475   
Digicel Group Ltd., 10.5%, 2018 (n)      100,000        99,500   
MetroPCS Wireless, Inc., 7.875%, 2018      155,000        149,575   
MetroPCS Wireless, Inc., 6.625%, 2020      40,000        34,900   
NII Holdings, Inc., 10%, 2016      160,000        181,600   
NII Holdings, Inc., 8.875%, 2019      5,000        5,300   
NII Holdings, Inc., 7.625%, 2021      100,000        101,500   
Sprint Capital Corp., 6.875%, 2028      140,000        97,650   
Sprint Nextel Corp., 6%, 2016      170,000        135,575   
Sprint Nextel Corp., 8.375%, 2017      310,000        265,825   
Sprint Nextel Corp., 9%, 2018 (z)      100,000        100,750   
Wind Acquisition Finance S.A., 11.75%, 2017 (n)      450,000        388,125   
Wind Acquisition Finance S.A., 7.25%, 2018 (n)      210,000        183,225   
    

 

 

 
             $ 3,092,859   
Telephone Services - 0.4%                 
Cogent Communications Group, Inc., 8.375%, 2018 (n)    $ 100,000      $ 102,000   
Level 3 Financing, Inc., 9.375%, 2019      155,000        156,550   
    

 

 

 
             $ 258,550   
Transportation - 0.1%                 
Navios South American Logistics, Inc., 9.25%, 2019 (n)    $ 81,000      $ 70,571   
Transportation - Services - 3.4%                 
ACL I Corp., 10.625%, 2016 (n)(p)    $ 158,531      $ 121,315   
AE Escrow Corp., 9.75%, 2020 (n)      95,000        95,000   
Aguila American Resources Ltd., 7.875%, 2018 (n)      300,000        285,000   
American Petroleum Tankers LLC, 10.25%, 2015      156,000        159,120   
Atlas Airlines, Inc. Pass-Through Certificates, “A-1”, 7.2%, 2019      99,783        92,798   
Atlas Airlines, Inc. Pass-Through Certificates, “B”, 7.68%, 2014      103,447        93,102   
Commercial Barge Line Co., 12.5%, 2017      355,000        376,300   
Hertz Corp., 7.5%, 2018      130,000        130,325   
Hertz Corp., 7.375%, 2021      90,000        89,100   
Navios Maritime Acquisition Corp., 8.625%, 2017      260,000        197,600   
Navios Maritime Holdings, Inc., 8.875%, 2017      125,000        121,250   
Swift Services Holdings, Inc., 10%, 2018      275,000        286,000   
    

 

 

 
             $ 2,046,910   

 

23


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Portfolio of Investments – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Utilities - Electric Power - 6.7%                 
AES Corp., 8%, 2017    $ 390,000      $ 419,250   
Atlantic Power Corp., 9%, 2018 (z)      95,000        93,811   
Calpine Corp., 8%, 2016 (n)      415,000        440,936   
Calpine Corp., 7.875%, 2020 (n)      215,000        223,061   
Covanta Holding Corp., 7.25%, 2020      220,000        225,187   
Dolphin Subsidiary ll, Inc., 7.25%, 2021 (n)      135,000        142,088   
Dynegy Holdings, Inc., 7.5%, 2015 (a)      58,000        40,890   
Edison Mission Energy, 7%, 2017      265,000        166,288   
EDP Finance B.V., 6%, 2018 (n)      175,000        142,889   
Enel Finance International S.A., 6%, 2039 (n)      100,000        79,258   
Energy Future Holdings Corp., 10%, 2020      270,000        276,750   
Energy Future Holdings Corp., 10%, 2020      590,000        607,700   
GenOn Energy, Inc., 9.5%, 2018      75,000        75,750   
GenOn Energy, Inc., 9.875%, 2020      475,000        471,438   
NRG Energy, Inc., 7.375%, 2017      105,000        109,200   
NRG Energy, Inc., 8.25%, 2020      395,000        389,075   
Texas Competitive Electric Holdings Co. LLC, 11.5%, 2020 (n)      125,000        103,750   
    

 

 

 
             $ 4,007,321   
Total Bonds (Identified Cost, $80,131,216)            $ 76,804,139   
Preferred Stocks - 0.8%                 
Other Banks & Diversified Financials - 0.8%                 
Ally Financial, Inc., 7% (n)      100      $ 70,056   
Ally Financial, Inc., “A”, 8.5%      16,135        279,942   
GMAC Capital Trust I, 8.125%      5,675        107,825   
Total Preferred Stocks (Identified Cost, $634,287)            $ 457,823   
Floating Rate Loans (g)(r) - 0.5%                 
Aerospace - 0.1%                 
Hawker Beechcraft Acquisition Co. LLC, Term Loan, 10.5%, 2014    $ 103,344      $ 82,675   
Broadcasting - 0.2%                 
Local TV Finance LLC, Term Loan B, 2.26%, 2013    $ 13,140      $ 12,615   
New Young Broadcasting Holding Co., Inc., Term Loan, 8%, 2015      92,724        91,565   
    

 

 

 
             $ 104,180   
Financial Institutions - 0.1%                 
Springleaf Finance Corp., Term Loan, 5.5%, 2017    $ 80,705      $ 70,281   
Utilities - Electric Power - 0.1%                 
Dynegy Holdings, Inc., CoalCo. Term Loan, 9.25%, 2016    $ 23,130      $ 23,043   

 

24


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Portfolio of Investments – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Floating Rate Loans (g)(r) - continued                 
Utilities - Electric Power - continued                 
Dynegy Holdings, Inc., GasCo. Term Loan, 9.25%, 2016    $ 34,695      $ 34,799   
    

 

 

 
             $ 57,842   
Total Floating Rate Loans (Identified Cost, $336,046)            $ 314,978   
Convertible Preferred Stocks - 0.1%                 
Automotive - 0.1%                 
General Motors Co., 4.75% (Identified Cost, $145,500)      2,910      $ 99,347   
Common Stocks - 0.4%                 
Automotive - 0.0%                 
Accuride Corp. (a)      4,099      $ 25,045   
Broadcasting - 0.2%                 
New Young Broadcasting Holding Co., Inc. (a)      42      $ 113,400   
Printing & Publishing - 0.2%                 
American Media Operations, Inc. (a)      7,229      $ 85,953   
Special Products & Services - 0.0%                 
Mark IV Industries LLC, Common Units, “A” (a)      207      $ 8,591   
Total Common Stocks (Identified Cost, $431,915)            $ 232,989   
      Strike Price      First Exercise                 
          
Warrants - 0.2%                                   
Broadcasting - 0.2%                                   
New Young Broadcasting Holding Co., Inc. (1 share for 1 warrant)
(Identified Cost, $71,909) (a)
   $ 0.01         7/14/10         38      $ 102,600   
Money Market Funds - 1.6%                             
MFS Institutional Money Market Portfolio, 0.1%,
at Cost and Net Asset Value (v)
                  961,314      $ 961,314   
Total Investments (Identified Cost, $82,712,187)                        $ 78,973,190   
Other Assets, Less Liabilities - (32.9)%                          (19,562,065
Net Assets - 100.0%                        $ 59,411,125   

 

(a) Non-income producing security.

 

(d) In default. Interest and/or scheduled principal payment(s) have been missed.

 

 

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Portfolio of Investments – continued

 

(g) The rate shown represents a weighted average coupon rate on settled positions at period end, unless otherwise indicated.

 

(n) Securities exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. These securities may be sold in the ordinary course of business in transactions exempt from registration, normally to qualified institutional buyers. At period end, the aggregate value of these securities was $18,411,530, representing 31.0% of net assets.

 

(p) Payment-in-kind security.

 

(r) Remaining maturities of floating rate loans may be less than stated maturities shown as a result of contractual or optional prepayments by the borrower. Such prepayments cannot be predicted with certainty. These loans may be subject to restrictions on resale. Floating rate loans generally have rates of interest which are determined periodically by reference to a base lending rate plus a premium.

 

(v) Underlying affiliated fund that is available only to investment companies managed by MFS. The rate quoted is the annualized seven-day yield of the fund at period end.

 

(z) Restricted securities are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933 and are subject to legal restrictions on resale. These securities generally may be resold in transactions exempt from registration or to the public if the securities are subsequently registered. Disposal of these securities may involve time-consuming negotiations and prompt sale at an acceptable price may be difficult. The fund holds the following restricted securities:

 

Restricted Securities    Acquisition
Date
   Cost      Value  
American Media, Inc., 13.5%, 2018    12/22/10      $28,622         $21,860   
Atlantic Power Corp., 9%, 2018    10/26/11      92,616         93,811   
Atlas Pipeline Partners LP/Finance Corp., 8.75%, 2018    11/16/11      46,570         46,350   
Banc of America Commercial Mortgage, Inc., FRN, 6.437%, 2051    6/19/08      328,843         204,643   
CNH Capital LLC, 6.25%, 2016    11/01/11      65,000         64,838   
Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc., 8.625%, 2018    11/14/11      39,403         39,400   
Credit Acceptance Corp., 9.125%, 2017    2/28/11      57,959         56,100   
Dematic S.A., 8.75%, 2016    4/19/11      202,706         194,000   
Dynacast International LLC, 9.25%, 2019    7/12/11-7/15/11      202,479         186,500   
Emergency Medical Services Corp., 8.125%, 2019    5/13/11      80,000         78,600   
Exopack Holding Corp., 10%, 2018    5/25/11      155,326         153,450   
G-Force LLC, CDO, “A2”, 4.83%, 2036    1/20/11      113,570         111,143   
Health Management Associates, Inc., 7.375%, 2020    11/08/11-11/16/11      90,187         90,563   
Heckler & Koch GmbH, 9.5%, 2018    5/10/11      162,660         95,806   
Hillman Group, Inc., 10.875%, 2018    3/11/11      38,001         35,350   
Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp., 8.125%, 2019    11/18/11      95,000         96,425   
LBI Media, Inc., 8.5%, 2017    7/18/07      148,349         90,000   
Local TV Finance LLC, 9.25%, 2015    5/02/07-2/16/11      269,868         252,680   
LyondellBasell Industries, Inc., 6%, 2021    11/04/11      275,000         280,500   
Millar Western Forest Products Ltd., 8.5%, 2021    7/27/11-8/15/11      32,879         30,400   
Packaging Dynamics Corp., 8.75%, 2016    1/25/11-2/01/11      65,716         64,350   
Peabody Energy Corp., 6%, 2018    11/07/11      110,000         109,863   
Peabody Energy Corp., 6.25%, 2021    11/07/11      110,000         110,825   
Pioneer Drilling Co., 9.875%, 2018    11/15/11      35,349         36,094   

 

26


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Portfolio of Investments – continued

 

Restricted Securities - continued    Acquisition
Date
   Cost      Value  
SM Energy Co., 6.5%, 2021    11/03/11-11/04/11      $121,008         $ 120,000   
Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc., 6.875%, 2019    11/03/11      110,000         112,475   
Sprint Nextel Corp., 9%, 2018    11/04/11-11/07/11      100,478         100,750   
Swift Energy Co., 7.875%, 2022    11/15/11      114,030         112,700   
USI Holdings Corp., 9.75%, 2015    4/26/07-9/13/07      317,939         302,400   
Xerium Technologies, Inc., 8.875%, 2018    5/20/11      155,000         133,300   
Total Restricted Securities            $3,425,176   
% of Net Assets            5.8%   

The following abbreviations are used in this report and are defined:

 

CDO   Collateralized Debt Obligation
FRN   Floating Rate Note. Interest rate resets periodically and may not be the rate reported at period end.
PLC   Public Limited Company
REIT   Real Estate Investment Trust

Abbreviations indicate amounts shown in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. All amounts are stated in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated. A list of abbreviations is shown below:

 

EUR   Euro

Derivative Contracts at 11/30/11

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts at 11/30/11

 

Type   Currency   Counterparty   Contracts
to
Deliver/
Receive
    Settlement
Date Range
  In
Exchange
for
    Contracts at
Value
    Net
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 
Asset Derivatives                                 
SELL   EUR   Barclays Bank PLC     360,060      1/12/12   $ 489,572      $ 484,008      $ 5,564   
SELL   EUR   Credit Suisse Group     333,246      1/12/12     452,178        447,962        4,216   
             

 

 

 
              $ 9,780   
             

 

 

 
Liability Derivatives                                 
BUY   EUR   Goldman Sachs International     72,029      1/12/12   $ 97,337      $ 96,824      $ (513
             

 

 

 

At November 30, 2011, the trust had sufficient cash and/or securities to cover any commitments under these derivative contracts.

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Statements

 

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

At 11/30/11

This statement represents your fund’s balance sheet, which details the assets and liabilities comprising the total value of the fund.

 

Assets         

Investments-

  

Non-affiliated issuers, at value (identified cost, $81,750,873)

     $78,011,876   

Underlying affiliated funds, at cost and value

     961,314   

Total investments, at value (identified cost, $82,712,187)

     $78,973,190   

Cash

     404,592   

Receivables for

  

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts

     9,780   

Investments sold

     558,206   

Interest and dividends

     1,778,062   

Other assets

     4,668   

Total assets

     $81,728,498   
Liabilities         

Notes payable

     $22,000,000   

Payables for

  

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts

     513   

Investments purchased

     179,463   

Payable to affiliates

  

Investment adviser

     25,530   

Transfer agent and dividend disbursing costs

     936   

Payable for independent Trustees’ compensation

     2,700   

Accrued interest expense

     43,273   

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     64,958   

Total liabilities

     $22,317,373   

Net assets

     $59,411,125   
Net assets consist of         

Paid-in capital

     $78,722,950   

Unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments and translation of assets and liabilities in foreign currencies

     (3,729,998

Accumulated net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency transactions

     (15,888,387

Undistributed net investment income

     306,560   

Net assets

     $59,411,125   

Shares of beneficial interest outstanding

     20,918,754   

Net asset value per share (net assets of
$59,411,125 / 20,918,754 shares of beneficial interest outstanding)

     $2.84   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Statements

 

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

Year ended 11/30/11

This statement describes how much your fund earned in investment income and accrued in expenses. It also describes any gains and/or losses generated by fund operations.

 

Net investment income         

Income

  

Interest

     $6,665,254   

Dividends

     45,215   

Dividends from underlying affiliated funds

     3,576   

Foreign taxes withheld

     (268

Total investment income

     $6,713,777   

Expenses

  

Management fee

     $701,449   

Transfer agent and dividend disbursing costs

     19,593   

Administrative services fee

     19,346   

Independent Trustees’ compensation

     14,306   

Stock exchange fee

     23,761   

Custodian fee

     13,189   

Interest expense

     290,668   

Shareholder communications

     32,398   

Auditing fees

     70,408   

Legal fees

     4,897   

Miscellaneous

     21,332   

Total expenses

     $1,211,347   

Fees paid indirectly

     (65

Reduction of expenses by investment adviser

     (66,633

Net expenses

     $1,144,649   

Net investment income

     $5,569,128   
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency transactions         

Realized gain (loss) (identified cost basis)

  

Investment transactions

     $702,552   

Futures contracts

     (65,519

Foreign currency transactions

     (50,804

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency transactions

     $586,229   

Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

  

Investments

     $(3,594,950

Futures contracts

     (2,535

Translation of assets and liabilities in foreign currencies

     30,451   

Net unrealized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency translation

     $(3,567,034

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency

     $(2,980,805

Change in net assets from operations

     $2,588,323   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Statements

 

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

These statements describe the increases and/or decreases in net assets resulting from operations, any distributions, and any shareholder transactions.

 

     Years ended 11/30  
     2011      2010  
Change in net assets              
From operations                  

Net investment income

     $5,569,128         $5,949,438   

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign
currency transactions

     586,229         (45,832

Net unrealized gain (loss) on investments and foreign
currency translation

     (3,567,034      5,960,461   

Change in net assets from operations

     $2,588,323         $11,864,067   
Distributions declared to shareholders                  

From net investment income

     $(6,390,463      $(5,568,497

Change in net assets from fund share transactions

     $121,235         $112,557   

Total change in net assets

     $(3,680,905      $6,408,127   
Net assets                  

At beginning of period

     63,092,030         56,683,903   

At end of period (including undistributed net investment
income of $306,560 and $726,925, respectively)

     $59,411,125         $63,092,030   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

Year ended 11/30/11

This statement provides a summary of cash flows from investment activity for the fund.

 

Cash flows from operating activities:         

Net increase in net assets from operations

     $2,588,323   
Adjustments to reconcile change in net assets from operations to net cash provided by operating activities:         

Purchase of investment securities

     (60,699,524

Proceeds from disposition of investment securities

     61,559,957   

Proceeds from futures

     (65,519

Proceeds from disposition of short-term investments, net

     248,275   

Realized gain/loss on investments

     (702,552

Realized gain/loss on futures transactions

     65,519   

Unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments

     3,594,950   

Unrealized appreciation/depreciation on foreign currency contracts

     (30,429

Net amortization/accretion of income

     52,438   

Decrease in dividends and interest receivable

     77,449   

Increase in accrued expenses and other liabilities

     3,545   

Decrease in payable for daily variation margin on open futures contracts

     (1,500

Decrease in restricted cash

     11,200   

Decrease in other assets

     1,653   

Net cash provided by operating activities

     $6,703,785   
Cash flows from financing activities:         

Distributions paid in cash

     (6,269,252

Decrease in interest payable

     (45,669

Net cash used by financing activities

     $(6,314,921

Net increase in cash

     $388,864   
Cash:         

Beginning of period

     $15,728   

End of period

     $404,592   

Supplementary disclosure of cash flow information: cash paid during the year for interest $336,337.

  

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Statements

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the fund’s financial performance for the past 5 years. Certain information reflects financial results for a single fund share. The total returns in the table represent the rate by which an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the fund share class (assuming reinvestment of all distributions) held for the entire period.

 

     Years ended 11/30  
     2011     2010     2009     2008     2007  

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $3.02        $2.72        $1.72        $3.47        $3.64   
Income (loss) from investment operations                                   

Net investment income (d)

     $0.27        $0.29        $0.28        $0.33        $0.29   

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on
investments and foreign currency

     (0.14     0.28        1.01        (1.76     (0.18

Total from investment operations

     $0.13        $0.57        $1.29        $(1.43     $0.11   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                                   

From net investment income

     $(0.31     $(0.27     $(0.29     $(0.32     $(0.28

Net increase from repurchase of capital shares

     $—        $—        $0.00 (w)      $0.00 (w)      $—   

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $2.84        $3.02        $2.72        $1.72        $3.47   

Per share market value, end of period

     $2.85        $3.01        $2.42        $1.35        $2.97   

Total return at market value (%)

     4.90        36.61        107.88        (48.49     (6.95

Total return at net asset value (%) (j)(r)(s)(x)

     4.19        21.94        83.39        (43.83     3.34   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                        

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     1.92        2.31        2.85        3.55        3.35   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     1.81        1.88        2.16        2.81        3.24   

Net investment income

     8.83        9.85        12.69        10.80        7.97   

Portfolio turnover

     60        57        45        62        90   

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $59,411        $63,092        $56,684        $35,926        $72,833   

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

     Years ended 11/30  
     2011      2010      2009      2008      2007  
Supplemental Ratios (%):                                             

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after expense reductions and excluding interest expense (f)

     1.35         1.03         1.08         1.01         1.04   
Senior Securities:                                             

Total notes payable outstanding (000 omitted)

     $22,000         $22,000         $21,000         $17,000         $28,500   

Asset coverage per $1,000 of indebtedness (k)

     $3,701         $3,868         $3,699         $3,113         $3,556   
(d) Per share data is based on average shares outstanding.
(f) Ratios do not reflect reductions from fees paid indirectly, if applicable.
(j) Total return at net asset value is calculated using the net asset value of the fund, not the publicly traded price and therefore may be different than the total return at market value.
(k) Calculated by subtracting the trust’s total liabilities (not including notes payable) from the trust’s total assets and dividing this number by the notes payable outstanding and then multiplying by 1,000.
(r) Certain expenses have been reduced without which performance would have been lower.
(s) From time to time the fund may receive proceeds from litigation settlements, without which performance would be lower.
(w) Per share amount was less than $0.01.
(x) The net asset values per share and total returns have been calculated on net assets which include adjustments made in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles required at period end for financial reporting purposes.

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

(1)   Business and Organization

MFS Intermediate High Income Fund (the fund) is organized as a Massachusetts business trust and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as a closed-end management investment company.

 

(2)   Significant Accounting Policies

General – The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. In the preparation of these financial statements, management has evaluated subsequent events occurring after the date of the fund’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities through the date that the financial statements were issued. The fund invests in high-yield securities rated below investment grade. Investments in high-yield securities involve greater degrees of credit and market risk than investments in higher-rated securities and tend to be more sensitive to economic conditions. The fund invests in foreign securities. Investments in foreign securities are vulnerable to the effects of changes in the relative values of the local currency and the U.S. dollar and to the effects of changes in each country’s legal, political, and economic environment.

Investment Valuations – Debt instruments and floating rate loans (other than short-term instruments), including restricted debt instruments, are generally valued at an evaluated or composite bid as provided by a third-party pricing service. Equity securities, including restricted equity securities, are generally valued at the last sale or official closing price as provided by a third-party pricing service on the market or exchange on which they are primarily traded. Equity securities, for which there were no sales reported that day, are generally valued at the last quoted daily bid quotation as provided by a third-party pricing service on the market or exchange on which such securities are primarily traded. Equity securities held short, for which there were no sales reported for that day, are generally valued at the last quoted daily ask quotation as provided by a third-party pricing service on the market or exchange on which such securities are primarily traded. Short-term instruments with a maturity at issuance of 60 days or less generally are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. Exchange-traded options are generally valued at the last sale or official closing price as provided by a third-party pricing service on the exchange on which such options are primarily traded. Exchange-traded options for which there were no sales reported that day are generally valued at the last daily bid quotation as

 

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provided by a third-party pricing service on the exchange on which such options are primarily traded. Options not traded on an exchange are generally valued at a broker/dealer bid quotation. Foreign currency options are generally valued at valuations provided by a third-party pricing service. Futures contracts are generally valued at last posted settlement price as provided by a third-party pricing service on the market on which they are primarily traded. Futures contracts for which there were no trades that day for a particular position are generally valued at the closing bid quotation as provided by a third-party pricing service on the market on which such futures contracts are primarily traded. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are generally valued at the mean of bid and asked prices for the time period interpolated from rates provided by a third-party pricing service for proximate time periods. Open-end investment companies are generally valued at net asset value per share. Securities and other assets generally valued on the basis of information from a third-party pricing service may also be valued at a broker/dealer bid quotation. Values obtained from third-party pricing services can utilize both transaction data and market information such as yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics, and other market data. The values of foreign securities and other assets and liabilities expressed in foreign currencies are converted to U.S. dollars using the mean of bid and asked prices for rates provided by a third-party pricing service.

The Board of Trustees has delegated primary responsibility for determining or causing to be determined the value of the fund’s investments (including any fair valuation) to the adviser pursuant to valuation policies and procedures approved by the Board. If the adviser determines that reliable market quotations are not readily available, investments are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the adviser in accordance with such procedures under the oversight of the Board of Trustees. Under the fund’s valuation policies and procedures, market quotations are not considered to be readily available for most types of debt instruments and floating rate loans and many types of derivatives. These investments are generally valued at fair value based on information from third-party pricing services. In addition, investments may be valued at fair value if the adviser determines that an investment’s value has been materially affected by events occurring after the close of the exchange or market on which the investment is principally traded (such as foreign exchange or market) and prior to the determination of the fund’s net asset value, or after the halting of trading of a specific security where trading does not resume prior to the close of the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded. The adviser generally relies on third-party pricing services or other information (such as the correlation with price movements of similar securities in the same or other markets; the type, cost and investment

 

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characteristics of the security; the business and financial condition of the issuer; and trading and other market data) to assist in determining whether to fair value and at what value to fair value an investment. The value of an investment for purposes of calculating the fund’s net asset value can differ depending on the source and method used to determine value. When fair valuation is used, the value of an investment used to determine the fund’s net asset value may differ from quoted or published prices for the same investment. There can be no assurance that the fund could obtain the fair value assigned to an investment if it were to sell the investment at the same time at which the fund determines its net asset value per share.

Various inputs are used in determining the value of the fund’s assets or liabilities. These inputs are categorized into three broad levels. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, an investment’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The fund’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers factors specific to the investment. Level 1 includes unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Level 2 includes other significant observable market-based inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speed, and credit risk). Level 3 includes unobservable inputs, which may include the adviser’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments. Other financial instruments are derivative instruments not reflected in total investments, such as forward foreign currency exchange contracts. The following is a summary of the levels used as of November 30, 2011 in valuing the fund’s assets or liabilities:

 

Investments at Value    Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  
Equity Securities      $512,160         $294,646         $85,953         $892,759   
Corporate Bonds              66,262,760                 66,262,760   
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities              971,588                 971,588   
Asset-Backed Securities (including CDOs)              111,143                 111,143   
Foreign Bonds              9,458,648                 9,458,648   
Floating Rate Loans              314,978                 314,978   
Mutual Funds      961,314                         961,314   
Total Investments      $1,473,474         $77,413,763         $85,953         $78,973,190   
Other Financial Instruments                            
Forward Currency Contracts      $—         $9,267         $—         $9,267   

For further information regarding security characteristics, see the Portfolio of Investments.

 

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The following is a reconciliation of level 3 assets for which significant unobservable inputs were used to determine fair value. The fund’s policy is to recognize transfers between the levels as of the end of the period. The table presents the activity of level 3 securities held at the beginning and the end of the period.

 

     Equity
Securities
    

Fixed Income

Securities

     Total  
Balance as of 11/30/10      $—         $0         $0   

Realized gain (loss)

             (69,900      (69,900

Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

             69,900         69,900   

Sales

             0         0   

Transfers into level 3

     85,953                 85,953   
Balance as of 11/30/11      $85,953         $—         $85,953   

The net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) from investments still held as level 3 at November 30, 2011 is $0.

Foreign Currency Translation – Purchases and sales of foreign investments, income, and expenses are converted into U.S. dollars based upon currency exchange rates prevailing on the respective dates of such transactions or on the reporting date for foreign denominated receivables and payables. Gains and losses attributable to foreign currency exchange rates on sales of securities are recorded for financial statement purposes as net realized gains and losses on investments. Gains and losses attributable to foreign exchange rate movements on receivables, payables, income and expenses are recorded for financial statement purposes as foreign currency transaction gains and losses. That portion of both realized and unrealized gains and losses on investments that results from fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates is not separately disclosed.

Derivatives – The fund uses derivatives for different purposes, primarily to increase or decrease exposure to a particular market or segment of the market, or security, to increase or decrease interest rate or currency exposure, or as alternatives to direct investments. Derivatives are used for hedging or non-hedging purposes. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains. When the fund uses derivatives as an investment to increase market exposure, or for hedging purposes, gains and losses from derivative instruments may be substantially greater than the derivative’s original cost.

The derivative instruments used by the fund were purchased options, futures contracts, and forward foreign currency exchange contracts. The fund’s period end derivatives, as presented in the Portfolio of Investments and the associated Derivative Contract Tables generally are indicative of the volume of its derivative activity during the period.

 

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The following table presents, by major type of derivative contract, the fair value, on a gross basis, of the asset and liability components of derivatives held by the fund at November 30, 2011 as reported in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities:

 

        Fair Value  
Risk   Derivative Contracts   Asset Derivatives     Liability Derivatives  
Foreign Exchange   Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts     $9,780        $(513

The following table presents, by major type of derivative contract, the realized gain (loss) on derivatives held by the fund for the year ended November 30, 2011 as reported in the Statement of Operations:

 

Risk   

Futures

Contracts

     Foreign
Currency
Transactions
     Investment
Transactions
(Purchased
Options)
 
Interest Rate      $(65,519      $—         $—   
Foreign Exchange              (66,089        
Equity                      58,791   
Total      $(65,519      $(66,089      $58,791   

The following table presents, by major type of derivative contract, the change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on derivatives held by the fund for the year ended November 30, 2011 as reported in the Statement of Operations:

 

Risk   

Futures

Contracts

    

Translation

of Assets and
Liabilities in

Foreign

Currencies

     Investments
(Purchased
Options)
 
Interest Rate      $(2,535      $—         $—   
Foreign Exchange              30,429           
Equity                      16,074   
Total      $(2,535      $30,429         $16,074   

Derivative counterparty credit risk is managed through formal evaluation of the creditworthiness of all potential counterparties. On certain over-the-counter derivatives, the fund attempts to reduce its exposure to counterparty credit risk whenever possible by entering into an International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) Master Agreement on a bilateral basis with each of the counterparties with whom it undertakes a significant volume of transactions. The ISDA Master Agreement gives each party to the agreement the right to terminate all transactions traded under such agreement if there is a certain deterioration in the credit quality of the other party. The ISDA Master Agreement gives the fund the right, upon an event of default by

 

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the applicable counterparty or a termination of the agreement, to close out all transactions traded under such agreement and to net amounts owed under each transaction to one net amount payable by one party to the other. This right to close out and net payments across all transactions traded under the ISDA Master Agreement could result in a reduction of the fund’s credit risk to such counterparty equal to any amounts payable by the fund under the applicable transactions, if any. However, absent an event of default by the counterparty or a termination of the agreement, the ISDA Master Agreement does not result in an offset of reported amounts of assets and liabilities in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities across transactions between the fund and the applicable counterparty.

Collateral requirements differ by type of derivative. Collateral or margin requirements are set by the broker or exchange clearing house for exchange traded derivatives (i.e., futures and exchange-traded options) while collateral terms are contract specific for over-the-counter traded derivatives (i.e., forward foreign currency exchange contracts, swaps and over-the-counter options). For derivatives traded under an ISDA Master Agreement, the collateral requirements are netted across all transactions traded under such agreement and one amount is posted from one party to the other to collateralize such obligations. Cash collateral that has been pledged to cover obligations of the fund under derivative contracts, if any, will be reported separately on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as restricted cash. Securities collateral pledged for the same purpose, if any, is noted in the Portfolio of Investments.

Purchased Options – The fund purchased call options for a premium. Purchased call options entitle the holder to buy a specified number of shares or units of a particular security, currency or index at a specified price at a specified date or within a specified period of time. Purchasing call options may be used to hedge against an anticipated increase in the dollar cost of securities or currency to be acquired or to increase the fund’s exposure to an underlying instrument.

The premium paid is initially recorded as an investment in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. That investment is subsequently marked-to-market daily with the difference between the premium paid and the market value of the purchased option being recorded as unrealized appreciation or depreciation. Premiums paid for purchased call options which have expired are treated as realized losses on investments in the Statement of Operations. Upon the exercise or closing of a purchased call option, the premium paid is added to the cost of the security or financial instrument.

The risk in purchasing an option is that the fund pays a premium whether or not the option is exercised. The fund’s maximum risk of loss due to counterparty credit risk is limited to the market value of the option. For

 

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over-the-counter options, this risk is mitigated in cases where there is an ISDA Master Agreement between the fund and the counterparty providing for netting as described above and for posting of collateral by the counterparty to the fund to cover the fund’s exposure to the counterparty under such ISDA Master Agreement.

Futures Contracts – The fund entered into futures contracts which may be used to hedge against or obtain broad market, interest rate or currency exposure. A futures contract represents a commitment for the future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a specified date.

Upon entering into a futures contract, the fund is required to deposit with the broker, either in cash or securities, an initial margin in an amount equal to a certain percentage of the notional amount of the contract. Subsequent payments (variation margin) are made or received by the fund each day, depending on the daily fluctuations in the value of the contract, and are recorded for financial statement purposes as unrealized gain or loss by the fund until the contract is closed or expires at which point the gain or loss on futures is realized.

The fund bears the risk of interest rates, exchange rates or securities prices moving unexpectedly, in which case, the fund may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the futures contracts and may realize a loss. While futures may present less counterparty risk to the fund since the contracts are exchange traded and the exchange’s clearinghouse guarantees payments to the broker, there is still counterparty credit risk due to the insolvency of the broker. The fund’s maximum risk of loss due to counterparty credit risk is equal to the margin posted by the fund to the broker plus any gains or minus any losses on the outstanding futures contracts.

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts – The fund entered into forward foreign currency exchange contracts for the purchase or sale of a specific foreign currency at a fixed price on a future date. These contracts may be used to hedge the fund’s currency risk or for non-hedging purposes. For hedging purposes, the fund may enter into contracts to deliver or receive foreign currency that the fund will receive from or use in its normal investment activities. The fund may also use contracts to hedge against declines in the value of foreign currency denominated securities due to unfavorable exchange rate movements. For non-hedging purposes, the fund may enter into contracts with the intent of changing the relative exposure of the fund’s portfolio of securities to different currencies to take advantage of anticipated exchange rate changes.

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are adjusted by the daily exchange rate of the underlying currency and any unrealized gains or losses are recorded as a receivable or payable for forward foreign currency exchange

 

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contracts until the contract settlement date. On contract settlement date, any gain or loss on the contract is recorded as realized gains or losses on foreign currency transactions.

Risks may arise upon entering into these contracts from unanticipated movements in the value of the contract and from the potential inability of counterparties to meet the terms of their contracts. Generally, the fund’s maximum risk due to counterparty credit risk is the unrealized gain on the contract due to the use of Continuous Linked Settlement, an industry accepted settlement system. This risk is mitigated in cases where there is an ISDA Master Agreement between the fund and the counterparty providing for netting as described above and for posting of collateral by the counterparty to the fund to cover the fund’s exposure to the counterparty under such ISDA Master Agreement.

Loans and Other Direct Debt Instruments – The fund invests in loans and loan participations or other receivables. These investments may include standby financing commitments, including revolving credit facilities, which obligate the fund to supply additional cash to the borrower on demand. Loan participations involve a risk of insolvency of the lending bank or other financial intermediary.

Statement of Cash Flows – Information on financial transactions which have been settled through the receipt or disbursement of cash is presented in the Statement of Cash Flows. The cash amount shown in the Statement of Cash Flows is the amount included within the fund’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities and includes cash on hand at its custodian bank and does not include any short term investments.

Indemnifications – Under the fund’s organizational documents, its officers and Trustees may be indemnified against certain liabilities and expenses arising out of the performance of their duties to the fund. Additionally, in the normal course of business, the fund enters into agreements with service providers that may contain indemnification clauses. The fund’s maximum exposure under these agreements is unknown as this would involve future claims that may be made against the fund that have not yet occurred.

Investment Transactions and Income – Investment transactions are recorded on the trade date. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. All premium and discount is amortized or accreted for financial statement purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The fund earns certain fees in connection with its floating rate loan purchasing activities. These fees are in addition to interest payments earned and may include amendment fees, commitment fees, facility fees, consent fees, and prepayment fees. Commitment fees are recorded on an accrual basis as income in the accompanying financial statements. Dividends received in cash are

 

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recorded on the ex-dividend date. Certain dividends from foreign securities will be recorded when the fund is informed of the dividend if such information is obtained subsequent to the ex-dividend date. Dividend and interest payments received in additional securities are recorded on the ex-dividend or ex-interest date in an amount equal to the value of the security on such date. Debt obligations may be placed on non-accrual status or set to accrue at a rate of interest less than the contractual coupon when the collection of all or a portion of interest has become doubtful. Interest income for those debt obligations may be further reduced by the write-off of the related interest receivables when deemed uncollectible.

The fund may receive proceeds from litigation settlements. Any proceeds received from litigation involving portfolio holdings are reflected in the Statement of Operations in realized gain/loss if the security has been disposed of by the fund or in unrealized gain/loss if the security is still held by the fund. Any other proceeds from litigation not related to portfolio holdings are reflected as other income in the Statement of Operations.

Fees Paid Indirectly – The fund’s custody fee may be reduced according to an arrangement that measures the value of cash deposited with the custodian by the fund. This amount, for the year ended November 30, 2011, is shown as a reduction of total expenses on the Statement of Operations.

Tax Matters and Distributions – The fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company, as defined under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, and to distribute all of its taxable income, including realized capital gains. As a result, no provision for federal income tax is required. The fund’s federal tax returns for the prior three fiscal years remain subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service. Foreign taxes have been accrued by the fund in the accompanying financial statements.

Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Income and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Certain capital accounts in the financial statements are periodically adjusted for permanent differences in order to reflect their tax character. These adjustments have no impact on net assets or net asset value per share. Temporary differences which arise from recognizing certain items of income, expense, gain or loss in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes will reverse at some time in the future. Distributions in excess of net investment income or net realized gains are temporary overdistributions for financial statement purposes resulting from differences in the recognition or classification of income or distributions for financial statement and tax purposes.

 

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During the year ended November 30, 2011, there were no significant adjustments due to differences between book and tax accounting.

The tax character of distributions declared to shareholders for the last two fiscal years is as follows:

 

     11/30/11      11/30/10  
Ordinary income (including any short-term capital gains)      $6,390,463         $5,568,497   

The federal tax cost and the tax basis components of distributable earnings were as follows:

 

As of 11/30/11       
Cost of investments      $82,773,677   
Gross appreciation      1,797,669   
Gross depreciation      (5,598,156
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)      $(3,800,487
Undistributed ordinary income      386,910   
Capital loss carryforwards      (15,561,383
Post-October capital loss deferral      (265,514
Other temporary differences      (71,351

As of November 30, 2011, the fund had capital loss carryforwards available to offset future realized gains. Such losses expire as follows:

 

11/30/13      $(71,539
11/30/14      (2,075,017
11/30/16      (5,956,332
11/30/17      (6,983,828
11/30/18      (474,667
Total      $(15,561,383

 

(3)   Transactions with Affiliates

Investment Adviser – The fund has an investment advisory agreement with MFS to provide overall investment management and related administrative services and facilities to the fund. The management fee is computed daily and paid monthly at an annual rate of 0.65% of the fund’s average daily net assets. The fund pays the adviser a monthly fee equal to 20% of the fund’s leverage income after deducting the expenses of leveraging (“Net leverage income”); provided, however, if the fund’s net leverage income is less than zero, the adviser pays the fund the percentage indicated of the fund’s net leverage income.

The management fee incurred for the year ended November 30, 2011 was equivalent to an annual effective rate of 1.11% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

The investment adviser has agreed in writing to pay a portion of the fund’s total annual operating expenses, exclusive of interest, taxes, extraordinary expenses, brokerage and transaction costs and investment-related expenses,

 

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such that the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed 1.34% annually of the fund’s average daily net assets. This written agreement will continue until modified by the fund’s Board of Trustees, but such agreement will continue at least until November 30, 2012. For the year ended November 30, 2011 this reduction amounted to $66,369 and is reflected as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations.

Transfer Agent – The fund engages Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (“Computershare”) as the sole transfer agent for the fund. MFS Service Center, Inc. (MFSC) monitors and supervises the activities of Computershare for an agreed upon fee approved by the Board of Trustees. For the year ended November 30, 2011, these fees paid to MFSC amounted to $5,678.

Administrator – MFS provides certain financial, legal, shareholder communications, compliance, and other administrative services to the fund. Under an administrative services agreement, the fund partially reimburses MFS the costs incurred to provide these services. The fund is charged an annual fixed amount of $17,500 plus a fee based on average daily net assets. The administrative services fee incurred for the year ended November 30, 2011 was equivalent to an annual effective rate of 0.0307% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

Trustees’ and Officers’ Compensation – The fund pays compensation to independent Trustees in the form of a retainer, attendance fees, and additional compensation to Board and Committee chairpersons. The fund does not pay compensation directly to Trustees or officers of the fund who are also officers of the investment adviser, all of whom receive remuneration for their services to the fund from MFS. Certain officers and Trustees of the fund are officers or directors of MFS and MFSC.

Deferred Trustee Compensation – Prior to MFS’ appointment as investment adviser to the fund, the fund’s former independent Trustees participated in a Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Former Colonial Trustees Plan” or “Plan”). The fund’s current independent Trustees are not allowed to defer compensation under the Former Colonial Trustees Plan. Amounts deferred under the Plan are invested in shares of certain non-MFS funds selected by the former independent Trustees as notional investments. Deferred amounts represent an unsecured obligation of the fund until distributed in accordance with the Plan. Included in other assets and payable for independent Trustees’ compensation on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities is $2,690 of deferred Trustees’ compensation. There is no current year expense associated with the Former Colonial Trustees Plan.

Other – This fund and certain other funds managed by MFS (the funds) have entered into services agreements (the Agreements) which provide for payment of fees by the funds to Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC in return for

 

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the provision of services of an Independent Chief Compliance Officer (ICCO) and Assistant ICCO, respectively, for the funds. The ICCO and Assistant ICCO are officers of the funds and the sole members of Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC, respectively. The funds can terminate the Agreements with Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC at any time under the terms of the Agreements. For the year ended November 30, 2011, the aggregate fees paid by the fund to Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC were $544 and are included in miscellaneous expense on the Statement of Operations. MFS has agreed to reimburse the fund for a portion of the payments made by the fund in the amount of $264, which is shown as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations. Additionally, MFS has agreed to bear all expenses associated with office space, other administrative support, and supplies provided to the ICCO and Assistant ICCO.

The fund invests in the MFS Institutional Money Market Portfolio which is managed by MFS and seeks a high level of current income consistent with preservation of capital and liquidity. Income earned on this investment is included in dividends from underlying affiliated funds on the Statement of Operations. This money market fund does not pay a management fee to MFS.

 

(4)   Portfolio Securities

Purchases and sales of investments, other than U.S. Government securities, purchased option transactions, and short-term obligations, aggregated $48,792,953 and $49,477,100 respectively.

 

(5)   Shares of Beneficial Interest

The fund’s Declaration of Trust permits the Trustees to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest. The Trustees have authorized the repurchase by the fund of up to 10% annually of its own shares of beneficial interest. During the years ended November 30, 2011 and November 30, 2010, the fund did not repurchase any shares. Transactions in fund shares were as follows:

 

    

Year ended

11/30/11

    

Year ended

11/30/10

 
     Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  
Shares issued to shareholders in
reinvestment of distributions
     41,921         $121,235         38,924         $112,557   

 

(6)   Loan Agreement

The fund has a credit agreement with a bank for a revolving secured line of credit that can be drawn upon up to $30,000,000. At November 30, 2011, the fund had outstanding borrowings under this agreement in the amount of $22,000,000, which are secured by a lien on the fund’s assets. The loan’s carrying value on the fund’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities approximates its fair value. This credit agreement matures on January 13, 2012. Subsequent

 

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to the fiscal year end, the Trustees approved the renewal of the revolving secured line of credit up to the amount of $30,000,000 on substantially similar terms for an additional 365 day period. Borrowing under this agreement can be made for liquidity or leverage purposes. Interest is charged at a rate per annum equal to LIBOR plus an agreed upon spread or an alternate rate, at the option of the borrower, stated as the greater of Overnight LIBOR or the Federal Funds Rate each plus an agreed upon spread. The fund previously had a Term Loan with a bank in the amount of $10,000,000 which matured on January 18, 2011. In addition, the fund previously had a credit agreement with a bank for a revolving secured line of credit that could be drawn up to $20,000,000; this agreement also matured on January 18, 2011. Each of these arrangements was replaced by the existing credit agreement. The fund incurred interest expense in the amount of $290,668 during the period in connection with each of these loan agreements. The fund also incurred a commitment fee of $8,611 based on the average daily unused portion of the revolving line of credit which is reported in miscellaneous expense on the Statement of Operations. For the year ended November 30, 2011, the average loan balance was $20,794,521 at a weighted average annual interest rate of 1.40%. The fund is subject to certain covenants including, but not limited to, requirements with respect to asset coverage, portfolio diversification and liquidity.

 

(7)   Transactions in Underlying Affiliated Funds-Affiliated Issuers

An affiliated issuer may be considered one in which the fund owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities, or a company which is under common control. For the purposes of this report, the fund assumes the following to be affiliated issuers:

 

Underlying Affiliated Funds    Beginning
Shares/Par
Amount
    

Acquisitions

Shares/Par

Amount

    

Dispositions

Shares/Par
Amount

    

Ending

Shares/Par

Amount

 
MFS Institutional Money
Market Portfolio
     1,209,589         24,573,025         (24,821,300      961,314   
Underlying Affiliated Funds   

Realized

Gain (Loss)

    

Capital Gain

Distributions

    

Dividend

Income

    

Ending

Value

 
MFS Institutional Money
Market Portfolio
     $—         $—         $3,576         $961,314   

 

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Trustees and Shareholders of MFS Intermediate High Income Fund:

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of MFS Intermediate High Income Fund (the Fund), including the portfolio of investments, as of November 30, 2011, and the related statements of operations and cash flows for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended. These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement. We were not engaged to perform an audit of the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements and financial highlights, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of November 30, 2011, by correspondence with the Fund’s custodian and brokers or by other appropriate auditing procedures where replies from brokers were not received. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of MFS Intermediate High Income Fund at November 30, 2011, the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

LOGO

Boston, Massachusetts

January 13, 2012

 

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RESULTS OF SHAREHOLDER MEETING

(unaudited)

At the annual meeting of shareholders of MFS Intermediate High Income Fund, which was held on October 5, 2011, the following actions were taken:

Item 1: To elect the following individuals as Trustees:

 

     Number of Shares  

Nominee

   For      Withheld Authority  
William R. Gutow      16,885,442.839         803,523.721   
Michael Hegarty      16,940,691.839         748,274.721   
John P. Kavanaugh      16,885,864.649         803,101.911   
Robert W. Uek      16,813,040.496         875,926.064   

 

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TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS — IDENTIFICATION AND BACKGROUND

The Trustees and officers of the Trust, as of January 1, 2012, are listed below, together with their principal occupations during the past five years. (Their titles may have varied during that period.) The address of each Trustee and officer is 500 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116.

 

Name, Age

 

Position(s)
Held

with Fund

 

Trustee/Officer

Since (h)

 

Term

Expiring

 

Principal Occupations
During

the Past Five Years

 

Other

Directorships (j)

INTERESTED TRUSTEES

Robert J. Manning (k)

(age 48)

  Trustee   February 2004   2013   Massachusetts Financial Services Company, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Director; President (until December 2009); Chief Investment Officer (until July 2010)   N/A
INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES

David H. Gunning

(age 69)

  Trustee and Chair of Trustees   January 2004   2012   Retired; Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (mining products and service provider), Vice Chairman/Director (until May 2007)   Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (welding equipment manufacturer), Director; Development Alternatives, Inc. (consulting), Director/Non-Executive Chairman; Portman Limited (mining), Director (until 2008)

Robert E. Butler

(age 70)

  Trustee   January 2006   2012   Consultant – investment company industry regulatory and compliance matters   N/A

Maureen R. Goldfarb

(age 56)

  Trustee   January 2009   2013   Private investor   N/A

 

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Trustees and Officers – continued

 

Name, Age

 

Position(s)
Held

with Fund

 

Trustee/Officer

Since (h)

 

Term

Expiring

 

Principal Occupations
During

the Past Five Years

 

Other

Directorships (j)

William R. Gutow

(age 70)

  Trustee   December 1993   2014   Private investor and real estate consultant; Capitol Entertainment Management Company (video franchise), Vice Chairman   Atlantic Coast Tan (tanning salons), Vice Chairman (until 2007); Texas Donuts (donut franchise), Vice Chairman (until 2010)

Michael Hegarty

(age 67)

  Trustee   December 2004   2014   Private investor   N/A

John P. Kavanaugh

(age 57)

  Trustee   January 2009   2014   Private investor; The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., Vice President and Chief Investment Officer (until 2006); Allmerica Investment Trust, Allmerica Securities Trust and Opus Investment Trust (investment companies), Chairman, President and Trustee (until 2006)   N/A

J. Dale Sherratt

(age 73)

  Trustee   June 1989   2012   Insight Resources, Inc. (acquisition planning specialists), President; Wellfleet Investments (investor in health care companies), Managing General Partner   N/A

Laurie J. Thomsen

(age 54)

  Trustee   March 2005   2013   Private investor; New Profit, Inc. (venture philanthropy), Executive Partner (until 2010)   The Travelers Companies (property and casualty insurance), Director

Robert W. Uek

(age 70)

  Trustee   January 2006   2014   Consultant to investment company industry   N/A

 

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Trustees and Officers – continued

 

Name, Age

 

Position(s)
Held

with Fund

 

Trustee/Officer

Since (h)

 

Term

Expiring

 

Principal Occupations
During

the Past Five Years

 

Other

Directorships (j)

OFFICERS

John M. Corcoran (k)

(age 46)

  President   October 2008   N/A   Massachusetts Financial Services Company, Senior Vice President (since October 2008); State Street Bank and Trust (financial services provider), Senior Vice President, (until September 2008)   N/A

Christopher R. Bohane (k)

(age 37)

  Assistant
Secretary and Assistant Clerk
  July 2005   N/A   Massachusetts Financial Services Company, Vice President and Senior Counsel   N/A

Kino Clark (k)

(age 43)

 

Assistant

Treasurer

  January 2012   N/A  

Massachusetts Financial

Services Company,

Assistant Vice President

  N/A

Ethan D. Corey (k)

(age 48)

  Assistant
Secretary and Assistant Clerk
  July 2005   N/A   Massachusetts Financial Services Company, Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel   N/A

David L. DiLorenzo (k)

(age 43)

  Treasurer   July 2005   N/A   Massachusetts Financial Services Company, Vice President   N/A

 

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Trustees and Officers – continued

 

Name, Age

 

Position(s)
Held

with Fund

 

Trustee/Officer

Since (h)

 

Term

Expiring

 

Principal Occupations
During

the Past Five Years

 

Other

Directorships (j)

Robyn L. Griffin

(age 36)

  Assistant
Independent
Chief Compliance
Officer
  August 2008   N/A   Griffin Compliance LLC (provider of compliance services), Principal (since August 2008); State Street Corporation (financial services provider), Mutual Fund Administration Assistant Vice President (October 2006 – July 2008); Liberty Mutual Group (insurance), Personal Market Assistant Controller (April 2006 – October 2006); Deloitte & Touche LLP (professional services firm   N/A

Brian E. Langenfeld (k)

(age 38)

  Assistant
Secretary and Assistant Clerk
  June 2006   N/A   Massachusetts Financial Services Company, Vice President and Senior Counsel   N/A

Ellen Moynihan (k)

(age 54)

  Assistant
Treasurer
  April 1997   N/A   Massachusetts Financial Services Company, Senior Vice President   N/A

Susan S. Newton (k)

(age 61)

  Assistant
Secretary and Assistant Clerk
  May 2005   N/A   Massachusetts Financial Services Company, Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel   N/A

Susan A. Pereira (k)

(age 41)

  Assistant
Secretary and Assistant Clerk
  July 2005   N/A   Massachusetts Financial Services Company, Vice President and Senior Counsel   N/A

Mark N. Polebaum (k)

(age 59)

  Secretary and
Clerk
  January 2006   N/A   Massachusetts Financial Services Company, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary   N/A

 

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Trustees and Officers – continued

 

Name, Age

 

Position(s)
Held

with Fund

 

Trustee/Officer

Since (h)

 

Term

Expiring

 

Principal Occupations
During

the Past Five Years

 

Other

Directorships (j)

Frank L. Tarantino

(age 67)

  Independent
Chief Compliance Officer
  June 2004   N/A   Tarantino LLC (provider of compliance services), Principal   N/A

Richard S. Weitzel (k)

(age 41)

  Assistant Secretary and Assistant Clerk   October 2007   N/A   Massachusetts Financial Services Company, Vice President and Assistant General Counsel   N/A

James O. Yost (k)

(age 51)

  Deputy Treasurer   September 1990   N/A   Massachusetts Financial Services Company, Senior Vice President   N/A

 

(h) Date first appointed to serve as Trustee/officer of an MFS fund. Each Trustee has served continuously since appointment unless indicated otherwise. For the period from December 15, 2004 until February 22, 2005, Mr. Manning served as Advisory Trustee. For the period October 2008, until January 2012, Mr. Corcoran served as Treasurer of the Funds. Prior to January 2012, Messrs. DiLorenzo and Yost served as Assistant Treasurers of the Funds.
(j) Directorships or trusteeships of companies required to report to the Securities and Exchange Commission (i.e., “public companies”).
(k) “Interested person” of the Trust within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (referred to as the 1940 Act), which is the principal federal law governing investment companies like the fund, as a result of position with MFS. The address of MFS is 500 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116.

The Trust holds annual shareholder meetings for the purpose of electing Trustees, and Trustees are elected for fixed terms. The Board of Trustees is currently divided into three classes, each having a term of three years which term expires on the date of the third annual meeting following the election to office of the Trustee’s class. Each year the term of one class expires. Each Trustee and officer will serve until next elected or his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.

Messrs. Butler, Kavanaugh, and Uek and Ms. Thomsen are members of the Fund’s Audit Committee.

Each of the Fund’s Trustees and officers holds comparable positions with certain other funds of which MFS or a subsidiary is the investment adviser or distributor, and, in the case of the officers, with certain affiliates of MFS. As of January 1, 2012, the Trustees served as board members of 131 funds within the MFS Family of Funds.

 

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The Statement of Additional Information for the Fund includes further information about the Trustees and is available without charge upon request by calling 1-800-225-2606.

 

 

Investment Adviser   Custodian
Massachusetts Financial Services Company   State Street Bank and Trust
500 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116-3741   1 Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111-2900
Portfolio Managers   Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
William Adams   Ernst & Young LLP
David Cole   200 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116

 

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BOARD REVIEW OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

The Investment Company Act of 1940 requires that both the full Board of Trustees and a majority of the non-interested (“independent”) Trustees, voting separately, annually approve the continuation of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement with MFS. The Trustees consider matters bearing on the Fund and its advisory arrangements at their meetings throughout the year, including a review of performance data at each regular meeting. In addition, the independent Trustees met several times over the course of three months beginning in May and ending in July, 2011 (“contract review meetings”) for the specific purpose of considering whether to approve the continuation of the investment advisory agreement for the Fund and the other investment companies that the Board oversees (the “MFS Funds”). The independent Trustees were assisted in their evaluation of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement by independent legal counsel, from whom they received separate legal advice and with whom they met separately from MFS during various contract review meetings. The independent Trustees were also assisted in this process by the MFS Funds’ Independent Chief Compliance Officer, a full-time senior officer appointed by and reporting to the independent Trustees.

In connection with their deliberations regarding the continuation of the investment advisory agreement, the Trustees, including the independent Trustees, considered such information and factors as they believed, in light of the legal advice furnished to them and their own business judgment, to be relevant. The investment advisory agreement for the Fund was considered separately, although the Trustees also took into account the common interests of all MFS Funds in their review. As described below, the Trustees considered the nature, quality, and extent of the various investment advisory, administrative, and shareholder services performed by MFS under the existing investment advisory agreement and other arrangements with the Fund.

In connection with their contract review meetings, the Trustees received and relied upon materials that included, among other items: (i) information provided by Lipper Inc., an independent third party, on the investment performance (based on net asset value) of the Fund for various time periods ended December 31, 2010 and the investment performance (based on net asset value) of a group of funds with substantially similar investment classifications/objectives (the “Lipper performance universe”), (ii) information provided by Lipper Inc. on the Fund’s advisory fees and other expenses and the advisory fees and other expenses of comparable funds identified by Lipper Inc. (the “Lipper expense group”), (iii) information provided by MFS on the advisory fees of comparable portfolios of other clients of MFS, including institutional separate accounts and other clients, (iv) information as to whether and to what

 

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extent applicable expense waivers, reimbursements or fee “breakpoints” are observed for the Fund, (v) information regarding MFS’ financial results and financial condition, including MFS’ and certain of its affiliates’ estimated profitability from services performed for the Fund and the MFS Funds as a whole, and compared to MFS’ institutional business, (vi) MFS’ views regarding the outlook for the mutual fund industry and the strategic business plans of MFS, (vii) descriptions of various functions performed by MFS for the Funds, such as compliance monitoring and portfolio trading practices, and (viii) information regarding the overall organization of MFS, including information about MFS’ senior management and other personnel providing investment advisory, administrative and other services to the Fund and the other MFS Funds. The comparative performance, fee and expense information prepared and provided by Lipper Inc. was not independently verified and the independent Trustees did not independently verify any information provided to them by MFS.

The Trustees’ conclusion as to the continuation of the investment advisory agreement was based on a comprehensive consideration of all information provided to the Trustees and not the result of any single factor. Some of the factors that figured particularly in the Trustees’ deliberations are described below, although individual Trustees may have evaluated the information presented differently from one another, giving different weights to various factors. It is also important to recognize that the fee arrangements for the Fund and other MFS Funds are the result of years of review and discussion between the independent Trustees and MFS, that certain aspects of such arrangements may receive greater scrutiny in some years than in others, and that the Trustees’ conclusions may be based, in part, on their consideration of these same arrangements during the course of the year and in prior years.

In June 2007, shareholders approved an investment advisory agreement between the Fund and MFS. Effective June 30, 2007, in connection with the consummation of the asset purchase agreement between MFS and Columbia Management Advisors LLC, MFS assumed investment management responsibilities for the Fund.

Based on information provided by Lipper Inc., the Trustees reviewed the Fund’s total return investment performance as well as the performance of peer groups of funds over various time periods. The Trustees placed particular emphasis on the total return performance of the Fund’s common shares in comparison to the performance of funds in its Lipper performance universe over the three-year period ended December 31, 2010, which the Trustees believed was a long enough period to reflect differing market conditions. The total return performance of the Fund’s common shares ranked 11th out of a total of 36 funds in the Lipper performance universe for this three-year period

 

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(a ranking of first place out of the total number of funds in the performance universe indicating the best performer and a ranking of last place out of the total number of funds in the performance universe indicating the worst performer). The total return performance of the Fund’s common shares ranked 11th out of a total of 36 funds for the one-year period and 7th out of a total of 31 funds for the five-year period ended December 31, 2010. Given the size of the Lipper performance universe and information previously provided by MFS regarding differences between the Fund and other funds in its Lipper performance universe, the Trustees also reviewed the Fund’s performance in comparison to the Barclays Capital U.S. High-Yield Corporate Bond Index. The Fund out-performed the Barclays Capital U.S. High Yield Corporate Bond Index for the one-year period ended December 31, 2010 (20.2% total return for the Fund versus 15.1% total return for the benchmark) and under-performed the Barclays Capital U.S. High-Yield Corporate Bond Index for each of the three- and five-year periods ended December 31, 2010 (three-year: 7.9% total return for the Fund versus 10.4% total return for the benchmark; five-year: 7.3% total return for the Fund versus 8.9% total return for the benchmark). Because of the passage of time, these performance results are likely to differ from the performance results for more recent periods, including those shown elsewhere in this report.

In the course of their deliberations, the Trustees took into account information provided by MFS in connection with the contract review meetings, as well as during investment review meetings conducted with portfolio management personnel during the course of the year regarding the Fund’s performance. After reviewing these and related factors, the Trustees concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions regarding the investment advisory agreement, that they were satisfied with MFS’ responses and efforts relating to investment performance.

In assessing the reasonableness of the Fund’s advisory fee, the Trustees considered, among other information, the Fund’s advisory fee and the total expense ratio of the Fund’s common shares as a percentage of average daily net assets and the advisory fee and total expense ratios of peer groups of funds based on information provided by Lipper Inc. The Trustees considered that MFS currently observes an expense limitation for the Fund, which may not be changed without the Trustees’ approval. The Trustees also considered that, according to the Lipper data (which takes into account any fee reductions or expense limitations that were in effect during the Fund’s last fiscal year), the Fund’s effective advisory fee rate and the Fund’s total expense ratio were each lower than the Lipper expense group median.

The Trustees also considered the advisory fees charged by MFS to institutional accounts. In comparing these fees, the Trustees considered information

 

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provided by MFS as to the generally broader scope of services provided by MFS to the Fund in comparison to institutional accounts and the impact on MFS and expenses associated with the more extensive regulatory regime to which the Fund is subject in comparison to institutional accounts.

The Trustees considered that, as a closed-end fund, the Fund is unlikely to experience meaningful asset growth. As a result, the Trustees did not view the potential for realization of economies of scale as the Fund’s assets grow to be a material factor in their deliberations. The Trustees noted that they would consider economies of scale in the future in the event the Fund experiences significant asset growth, such as through an offering of preferred shares (which is not currently contemplated), or a material increase in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

The Trustees also considered information prepared by MFS relating to MFS’ costs and profits with respect to the Fund, the MFS Funds considered as a group, and other investment companies and accounts advised by MFS, as well as MFS’ methodologies used to determine and allocate its costs to the MFS Funds, the Fund and other accounts and products for purposes of estimating profitability.

After reviewing these and other factors described herein, the Trustees concluded, within the context of their overall conclusions regarding the investment advisory agreement, that the advisory fees charged to the Fund represent reasonable compensation in light of the services being provided by MFS to the Fund.

In addition, the Trustees considered MFS’ resources and related efforts to continue to retain, attract and motivate capable personnel to serve the Fund. The Trustees also considered current and developing conditions in the financial services industry, including the presence of large and well-capitalized companies which are spending, and appear to be prepared to continue to spend, substantial sums to engage personnel and to provide services to competing investment companies. In this regard, the Trustees also considered the financial resources of MFS and its ultimate parent, Sun Life Financial Inc. The Trustees also considered the advantages and possible disadvantages to the Fund of having an adviser that also serves other investment companies as well as other accounts.

The Trustees also considered the nature, quality, cost, and extent of administrative services provided to the Fund by MFS under agreements other than the investment advisory agreement. The Trustees also considered the nature, extent and quality of certain other services MFS performs or arranges for on the Fund’s behalf, which may include securities lending programs, directed expense payment programs, class action recovery programs, and MFS’ interaction with third-party service providers, principally custodians and

 

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sub-custodians. The Trustees concluded that the various non-advisory services provided by MFS and its affiliates on behalf of the Funds were satisfactory.

The Trustees also considered benefits to MFS from the use of the Fund’s portfolio brokerage commissions, if applicable, to pay for investment research and various other factors. Additionally, the Trustees considered so-called “fall-out benefits” to MFS such as reputational value derived from serving as investment manager to the Fund.

Based on their evaluation of factors that they deemed to be material, including those factors described above, the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the independent Trustees, concluded that the Fund’s investment advisory agreement with MFS should be continued for an additional one-year period, commencing August 1, 2011.

A discussion regarding the Board’s most recent review and renewal of the fund’s Investment Advisory Agreement with MFS is available by clicking on the fund’s name under “Closed End Funds” in the “Products and Performance” section of the MFS Web site (mfs.com).

 

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PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND INFORMATION

A general description of the MFS funds’ proxy voting policies and procedures is available without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-225-2606, by visiting the Proxy Voting section of mfs.com or by visiting the SEC’s Web site at http://www.sec.gov.

Information regarding how the fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 is available without charge by visiting the Proxy Voting section of mfs.com or by visiting the SEC’s Web site at http://www.sec.gov.

QUARTERLY PORTFOLIO DISCLOSURE

The fund will file a complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. A shareholder can obtain the quarterly portfolio holdings report at mfs.com. The fund’s Form N-Q is also available on the EDGAR database on the Commission’s Internet Web site at http://www.sec.gov, and may be reviewed and copied at the:

Public Reference Room

Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, NE, Room 1580

Washington, D.C. 20549

Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330. Copies of the Fund’s Form N-Q also may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov or by writing the Public Reference Section at the above address.

FURTHER INFORMATION

From time to time, MFS may post important information about the fund or the MFS funds on the MFS web site (mfs.com). This information is available by visiting the “News & Commentary” section of mfs.com or by clicking on the fund’s name under “Closed End Funds” in the “Products and Performance” section of mfs.com.

FEDERAL TAX INFORMATION (unaudited)

The fund will notify shareholders of amounts for use in preparing 2011 income tax forms in January 2012.

 

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FACTS   WHAT DOES MFS DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?   LOGO

 

Why?   Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.

 

What?  

The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:

 

•Social Security number and account balances

•Account transactions and transaction history

•Checking account information and wire transfer instructions

 

When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

 

How?   All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons MFS chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.

 

Reasons we can share your personal information   Does MFS share?   Can you limit
this sharing?

For our everyday business purposes –

such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus

  Yes   No

For our marketing purposes –

to offer our products and services to you

  No   We don’t share
For joint marketing with other financial companies   No   We don’t share

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes –

information about your transactions and experiences

  No   We don’t share

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes –

information about your creditworthiness

  No   We don’t share
For nonaffiliates to market to you   No   We don’t share

 

Questions?   Call 800-225-2606 or go to mfs.com.

 

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Who we are
Who is providing this notice?   MFS Funds, MFS Investment Management, MFS Institutional Advisors, Inc., MFS Fund Distributors, Inc., MFS Heritage Trust Company, and MFS Service Center, Inc.

 

What we do
How does MFS protect my personal information?   To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include procedural, electronic, and physical safeguards for the protection of the personal information we collect about you.
How does MFS
collect my personal information?
 

We collect your personal information, for example, when you

 

•open an account or provide account information

•direct us to buy securities or direct us to sell your securities

•make a wire transfer

 

We also collect your personal information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates and other companies.

Why can’t I limit all sharing?  

Federal law gives you the right to limit only

 

•sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes – information about your creditworthiness

•affiliates from using your information to market to you

•sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

 

State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.

 

Definitions
Affiliates  

Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

 

•MFS does not share personal information with affiliates, except for everyday business purposes as described on page one of this notice.

Nonaffiliates  

Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

 

•MFS does not share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you.

Joint Marketing  

A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.

 

•MFS doesnt jointly market.

 

 

Other important information
If you own an MFS product or receive an MFS service in the name of a third party such as a bank or broker-dealer, their privacy policy may apply to you instead of ours.

 

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CONTACT US

Transfer agent, Registrar, and

Dividend Disbursing Agent

Call

1-800-637-2304

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time

Write

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

P.O. Box 43078

Providence, RI 02940-3078

 

New York Stock Exchange Symbol: CIF

 

LOGO


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ITEM 2. CODE OF ETHICS.

The Registrant has adopted a Code of Ethics pursuant to Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and as defined in Form N-CSR that applies to the Registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial and accounting officer. During the period covered by this report, the Registrant has not amended any provision in its Code of Ethics (the “Code”) that relates to an element of the Code’s definitions enumerated in paragraph (b) of Item 2 of this Form N-CSR. During the period covered by this report, the Registrant did not grant a waiver, including an implicit waiver, from any provision of the Code.

A copy of the Code of Ethics is filed as an exhibit to this Form N-CSR.

 

ITEM 3. AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT.

Messrs. Robert E. Butler, John P. Kavanaugh and Robert W. Uek and Ms. Laurie J. Thomsen, members of the Audit Committee, have been determined by the Board of Trustees in their reasonable business judgment to meet the definition of “audit committee financial expert” as such term is defined in Form N-CSR. In addition, Messrs. Butler, Kavanaugh and Uek and Ms. Thomsen are “independent” members of the Audit Committee (as such term has been defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission in regulations implementing Section 407 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002). The Securities and Exchange Commission has stated that the designation of a person as an audit committee financial expert pursuant to this Item 3 on the Form N-CSR does not impose on such a person any duties, obligations or liability that are greater than the duties, obligations or liability imposed on such person as a member of the Audit Committee and the Board of Trustees in the absence of such designation or identification.

 

ITEM 4. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES.

Items 4(a) through 4(d) and 4(g):

The Board of Trustees has appointed Ernst & Young LLP (“E&Y”) to serve as independent accountants to the Registrant (hereinafter the “Registrant” or the “Fund”). The tables below set forth the audit fees billed to the Fund as well as fees for non-audit services provided to the Fund and/or to the Fund’s investment adviser, Massachusetts Financial Services Company (“MFS”), and to various entities either controlling, controlled by, or under common control with MFS that provide ongoing services to the Fund (“MFS Related Entities”).

For the fiscal years ended November 30, 2011 and 2010, audit fees billed to the Fund by E&Y were as follows:

 

     Audit Fees  
     2011      2010  

Fees billed by E&Y:

     

MFS Intermediate High Income Fund

     49,860         49,327   


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For the fiscal years ended November 30, 2011 and 2010, fees billed by E&Y for audit-related, tax and other services provided to the Fund and for audit-related, tax and other services provided to MFS and MFS Related Entities were as follows:

 

     Audit-Related Fees1      Tax Fees2      All Other Fees3  
     2011      2010      2011      2010      2011      2010  

Fees billed by E&Y:

                 

To MFS Intermediate High Income Fund

     10,110         10,000         9,618         9,456         0         0   

To MFS and MFS Related Entities of MFS Intermediate High Income Fund*

     0         0         0         0         0         0   

 

     2011      2010  

Aggregate fees for non-audit services:

     

To MFS Intermediate High Income Fund, MFS and MFS Related Entities#

     357,239         253,585   

 

* This amount reflects the fees billed to MFS and MFS Related Entities for non-audit services relating directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Fund (portions of which services also related to the operations and financial reporting of other funds within the MFS Funds complex).
# This amount reflects the aggregate fees billed by E&Y for non-audit services rendered to the Fund and for non-audit services rendered to MFS and the MFS Related Entities.
1 

The fees included under “Audit-Related Fees” are fees related to assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of financial statements, but not reported under “Audit Fees,” including accounting consultations, agreed-upon procedure reports, attestation reports, comfort letters and internal control reviews.

2 

The fees included under “Tax Fees” are fees associated with tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning, including services relating to the filing or amendment of federal, state or local income tax returns, regulated investment company qualification reviews and tax distribution and analysis.

3 

The fees under “All Other Fees” are fees for products and services provided by E&Y other than those reported under “Audit Fees,” “Audit-Related Fees” and “Tax Fees”.

 

Item 4(e)(1):

Set forth below are the policies and procedures established by the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees relating to the pre-approval of audit and non-audit related services:

To the extent required by applicable law, pre-approval by the Audit Committee of the Board is needed for all audit and permissible non-audit services rendered to the Fund and


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all permissible non-audit services rendered to MFS or MFS Related Entities if the services relate directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Registrant. Pre-approval is currently on an engagement-by-engagement basis. In the event pre-approval of such services is necessary between regular meetings of the Audit Committee and it is not practical to wait to seek pre-approval at the next regular meeting of the Audit Committee, pre-approval of such services may be referred to the Chair of the Audit Committee for approval; provided that the Chair may not pre-approve any individual engagement for such services exceeding $50,000 or multiple engagements for such services in the aggregate exceeding $100,000 between such regular meetings of the Audit Committee. Any engagement pre-approved by the Chair between regular meetings of the Audit Committee shall be presented for ratification by the entire Audit Committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

Item 4(e)(2):

None, or 0%, of the services relating to the Audit-Related Fees, Tax Fees and All Other Fees paid by the Fund and MFS and MFS Related Entities relating directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Registrant disclosed above were approved by the audit committee pursuant to paragraphs (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X (which permits audit committee approval after the start of the engagement with respect to services other than audit, review or attest services, if certain conditions are satisfied).

Item 4(f): Not applicable.

Item 4(h): The Registrant’s Audit Committee has considered whether the provision by a Registrant’s independent registered public accounting firm of non-audit services to MFS and MFS Related Entities that were not pre-approved by the Committee (because such services were provided prior to the effectiveness of SEC rules requiring pre-approval or because such services did not relate directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Registrant) was compatible with maintaining the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm as the Registrant’s principal auditors.

 

ITEM 5. AUDIT COMMITTEE OF LISTED REGISTRANTS.

The Registrant has an Audit Committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The members of the Audit Committee are Messrs. Robert E. Butler, John P. Kavanaugh, and Robert W. Uek and Ms. Laurie J. Thomsen.

 

ITEM 6. SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

A schedule of investments of the Registrant is included as part of the report to shareholders of the Registrant under Item 1 of this Form N-CSR.

 

ITEM 7. DISCLOSURE OF PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES.

MASSACHUSETTS FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY


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PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

February 1, 2011

Massachusetts Financial Services Company, MFS Institutional Advisors, Inc., MFS International (UK) Limited, MFS Heritage Trust Company, and MFS’ other subsidiaries that perform discretionary investment management activities (collectively, “MFS”) have adopted proxy voting policies and procedures, as set forth below (“MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures”), with respect to securities owned by the clients for which MFS serves as investment adviser and has the power to vote proxies, including the registered investment companies sponsored by MFS (the “MFS Funds”). References to “clients” in these policies and procedures include the MFS Funds and other clients of MFS, such as funds organized offshore, sub-advised funds and separate account clients, to the extent these clients have delegated to MFS the responsibility to vote proxies on their behalf under the MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures.

The MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures include:

 

  A. Voting Guidelines;

 

  B. Administrative Procedures;

 

  C Records Retention; and

 

  D. Reports.

 

A. VOTING GUIDELINES

 

  1. General Policy; Potential Conflicts of Interest

MFS’ policy is that proxy voting decisions are made in what MFS believes to be the best long-term economic interests of MFS’ clients, and not in the interests of any other party or in MFS’ corporate interests, including interests such as the distribution of MFS Fund shares and institutional client relationships.

In developing these proxy voting guidelines, MFS reviews corporate governance issues and proxy voting matters that are presented for shareholder vote by either management or shareholders of public companies. Based on the overall principle that all votes cast by MFS on behalf of its clients must be in what MFS believes to be the best long-term economic interests of such clients, MFS has adopted proxy voting guidelines, set forth below, that govern how MFS generally will vote on specific matters presented for shareholder vote.


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As a general matter, MFS votes consistently on similar proxy proposals across all shareholder meetings. However, some proxy proposals, such as certain excessive executive compensation, environmental, social and governance matters, are analyzed on a case-by-case basis in light of all the relevant facts and circumstances of the proposal. Therefore, MFS may vote similar proposals differently at different shareholder meetings based on the specific facts and circumstances of the issuer or the terms of the proposal. In addition, MFS also reserves the right to override the guidelines with respect to a particular proxy proposal when such an override is, in MFS’ best judgment, consistent with the overall principle of voting proxies in the best long-term economic interests of MFS’ clients.

MFS also generally votes consistently on the same matter when securities of an issuer are held by multiple client accounts, unless MFS has received explicit voting instructions to vote differently from a client for its own account. From time to time, MFS may also receive comments on the MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures from its clients. These comments are carefully considered by MFS when it reviews these guidelines and revises them as appropriate.

These policies and procedures are intended to address any potential material conflicts of interest on the part of MFS or its subsidiaries that are likely to arise in connection with the voting of proxies on behalf of MFS’ clients. If such potential material conflicts of interest do arise, MFS will analyze, document and report on such potential material conflicts of interest (see Sections B.2 and D below), and shall ultimately vote the relevant proxies in what MFS believes to be the best long-term economic interests of its clients. The MFS Proxy Voting Committee is responsible for monitoring and reporting with respect to such potential material conflicts of interest.

MFS is also a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment. In developing these guidelines, MFS considered environmental, social and corporate governance issues in light of MFS’ fiduciary obligation to vote proxies in the best long-term economic interest of its clients.

 

  2. MFS’ Policy on Specific Issues

Election of Directors

MFS believes that good governance should be based on a board with at least a simple majority of directors who are “independent” of management, and whose key committees (e.g., compensation, nominating, and audit committees) are comprised entirely of “independent” directors. While MFS generally supports the board’s nominees in uncontested or non-contentious elections, we will not support a nominee to a board of a U.S. issuer if, as a result of such nominee being elected to


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the board, the board would be comprised of a majority of members who are not “independent” or, alternatively, the compensation, nominating (including instances in which the full board serves as the compensation or nominating committee) or audit committees would include members who are not “independent.”

MFS will also not support a nominee to a board if we can determine that he or she failed to attend at least 75% of the board and/or relevant committee meetings in the previous year without a valid reason stated in the proxy materials or other company communications. In addition, MFS may not support all nominees standing for re-election to a board if we can determine: (1) the board or its compensation committee has re-priced or exchanged underwater stock options since the last annual meeting of shareholders and without shareholder approval; (2) the board or relevant committee has not taken adequately responsive action to a majority-approved shareholder proposal that MFS has supported; or (3) the board has implemented a poison pill without shareholder approval since the last annual meeting, (including those related to net-operating loss carryforwards).

MFS may not support certain board nominees of U.S. issuers under certain circumstances where MFS deems compensation to be egregious due to pay-for-performance issues and/or poor pay practices. Please see the section below titled “MFS’ Policy on Specific Issues - Advisory Votes on Compensation” for further details.

MFS evaluates a contested or contentious election of directors on a case-by-case basis considering the long-term financial performance of the company relative to its industry, management’s track record, the qualifications of all nominees, and an evaluation of what each side is offering shareholders.

Majority Voting and Director Elections

MFS votes for reasonably crafted proposals calling for directors to be elected with an affirmative majority of votes cast and/or the elimination of the plurality standard for electing directors (including binding resolutions requesting that the board amend the company’s bylaws), provided the proposal includes a carve-out for a plurality voting standard when there are more director nominees than board seats (e.g., contested elections) (“Majority Vote Proposals”). MFS considers voting against Majority Vote Proposals if the company has adopted, or has proposed to adopt in the proxy statement, formal corporate governance principles that present a meaningful alternative to the majority voting standard and provide an adequate response to both new nominees as well as incumbent nominees who fail to receive a majority of votes cast. MFS believes that a company’s election policy should address the specific circumstances at that company. In determining whether the issuer has a meaningful alternative to the majority voting standard, MFS considers whether a company’s election policy articulates the following


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elements to address each director nominee who fails to receive an affirmative majority of votes cast in an election:

 

   

Establish guidelines for the process by which the company determines the status of nominees who fail to receive an affirmative majority of votes cast and disclose the guidelines in the annual proxy statement;

 

   

Guidelines should include a reasonable timetable for resolution of the nominee’s status and a requirement that the resolution be disclosed together with the reasons for the resolution;

 

   

Vest management of the process in the company’s independent directors, other than the nominee in question; and

 

   

Outline the range of remedies that the independent directors may consider concerning the nominee.

Classified Boards

MFS generally supports proposals to declassify a board (e.g. a board in which only one-third of board members is elected each year) for all issuers other than for certain closed-end investment companies. MFS generally opposes proposals to classify a board for issuers other than for certain closed-end investment companies.

Stock Plans

MFS opposes stock option programs and restricted stock plans that provide unduly generous compensation for officers, directors or employees, or that could result in excessive dilution to other shareholders. As a general guideline, MFS votes against restricted stock, stock option, non-employee director, omnibus stock plans and any other stock plan if all such plans for a particular company involve potential dilution, in the aggregate, of more than 15%. However, MFS will also vote against stock plans that involve potential dilution, in aggregate, of more than 10% at U.S. issuers that are listed in the Standard and Poor’s 100 index as of December 31 of the previous year.


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MFS also opposes stock option programs that allow the board or the compensation committee to re-price underwater options or to automatically replenish shares without shareholder approval. MFS also votes against stock option programs for officers, employees or non-employee directors that do not require an investment by the optionee, that give “free rides” on the stock price, or that permit grants of stock options with an exercise price below fair market value on the date the options are granted. MFS will consider proposals to exchange existing options for newly issued options, restricted stock or cash on a case-by-case basis, taking into account certain factors, including, but not limited to, whether there is a reasonable value-for-value exchange and whether senior executives are excluded from participating in the exchange.

MFS supports the use of a broad-based employee stock purchase plans to increase company stock ownership by employees, provided that shares purchased under the plan are acquired for no less than 85% of their market value and do not result in excessive dilution.

Shareholder Proposals on Executive Compensation

MFS believes that competitive compensation packages are necessary to attract, motivate and retain executives. However, MFS also recognizes that certain executive compensation practices can be “excessive” and not in the best, long-term economic interest of a company’s shareholders. We believe that the election of an issuer’s board of directors (as outlined above), votes on stock plans (as outlined above) and advisory votes on pay (as outlined below) are typically the most effective mechanisms to express our view on a company’s compensation practices.

MFS generally opposes shareholder proposals that seek to set rigid restrictions on executive compensation as MFS believes that compensation committees should retain some flexibility to determine the appropriate pay package for executives. Although we support linking executive stock option grants to a company’s performance, MFS also opposes shareholder proposals that mandate a link of performance-based options to a specific industry or peer group stock index. MFS generally supports reasonably crafted shareholder proposals that (i) require the issuer to adopt a policy to recover the portion of performance-based bonuses and awards paid to senior executives that were not earned based upon a significant negative restatement of earnings unless the company already has adopted a satisfactory policy on the matter, or (ii) expressly prohibit the backdating of stock options.

Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation


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MFS will analyze advisory votes on executive compensation on a case-by-case basis. MFS will vote against an advisory vote on executive compensation if MFS determines that the issuer has adopted excessive executive compensation practices and will vote in favor of an advisory vote on executive compensation if MFS has not determined that the issuer has adopted excessive executive compensation practices. Examples of excessive executive compensation practices may include, but are not limited to, a pay-for-performance disconnect, employment contract terms such as guaranteed bonus provisions, unwarranted pension payouts, backdated stock options, overly generous hiring bonuses for chief executive officers, unnecessary perquisites, or the potential reimbursement of excise taxes to an executive in regards to a severance package. In cases where MFS (i) votes against consecutive advisory pay votes, or (ii) determines that a particularly egregious excessive executive compensation practice has occurred, then MFS may also vote against certain board nominees. MFS may also vote against certain board nominees if an advisory pay vote for a U.S. issuer is not on the agenda and the company has not implemented the advisory vote frequency supported by a plurality of shareholders.

MFS generally supports proposals to include an advisory shareholder vote on an issuer’s executive compensation practices on an annual basis.

“Golden Parachutes”

From time to time, MFS may evaluate a separate, advisory vote on severance packages or “golden parachutes” to certain executives at the same time as a vote on a proposed merger or acquisition. MFS will support an advisory vote on a severance package on a on a case-by-case basis, and MFS may vote against the severance package regardless of whether MFS supports the proposed merger or acquisition.

Shareholders of companies may also submit proxy proposals that would require shareholder approval of severance packages for executive officers that exceed certain predetermined thresholds. MFS votes in favor of such shareholder proposals when they would require shareholder approval of any severance package for an executive officer that exceeds a certain multiple of such officer’s annual compensation that is not determined in MFS’ judgment to be excessive.

Anti-Takeover Measures

In general, MFS votes against any measure that inhibits capital appreciation in a stock, including proposals that protect management from action by shareholders. These types of proposals take many forms, ranging from “poison pills” and “shark repellents” to super-majority requirements.

MFS generally votes for proposals to rescind existing “poison pills” and proposals that would require shareholder approval to adopt prospective “poison


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pills,” unless the company already has adopted a clearly satisfactory policy on the matter. MFS may consider the adoption of a prospective “poison pill” or the continuation of an existing “poison pill” if we can determine that the following two conditions are met: (1) the “poison pill” allows MFS clients to hold an aggregate position of up to 15% of a company’s total voting securities (and of any class of voting securities); and (2) either (a) the “poison pill” has a term of not longer than five years, provided that MFS will consider voting in favor of the “poison pill” if the term does not exceed seven years and the “poison pill” is linked to a business strategy or purpose that MFS believes is likely to result in greater value for shareholders; or (b) the terms of the “poison pill” allow MFS clients the opportunity to accept a fairly structured and attractively priced tender offer (e.g. a “chewable poison pill” that automatically dissolves in the event of an all cash, all shares tender offer at a premium price). MFS will also consider on a case-by-case basis proposals designed to prevent tenders which are disadvantageous to shareholders such as tenders at below market prices and tenders for substantially less than all shares of an issuer.

MFS will consider any poison pills designed to protect a company’s net-operating loss carryforwards on a case-by-case basis, weighing the accounting and tax benefits of such a pill against the risk of deterring future acquisition candidates.

Reincorporation and Reorganization Proposals

When presented with a proposal to reincorporate a company under the laws of a different state, or to effect some other type of corporate reorganization, MFS considers the underlying purpose and ultimate effect of such a proposal in determining whether or not to support such a measure. MFS generally votes with management in regards to these types of proposals, however, if MFS believes the proposal is in the best long-term economic interests of its clients, then MFS may vote against management (e.g. the intent or effect would be to create additional inappropriate impediments to possible acquisitions or takeovers).

Issuance of Stock

There are many legitimate reasons for the issuance of stock. Nevertheless, as noted above under “Non-Salary Compensation Programs,” when a stock option plan (either individually or when aggregated with other plans of the same company) would substantially dilute the existing equity (e.g. by approximately 10-15% as described above), MFS generally votes against the plan. In addition, MFS typically votes against proposals where management is asking for authorization to issue common or preferred stock with no reason stated (a “blank check”) because the unexplained authorization could work as a potential anti-takeover device. MFS may also vote against the authorization or issuance of common or preferred stock if MFS determines that the requested authorization is excessive and not warranted.


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Repurchase Programs

MFS supports proposals to institute share repurchase plans in which all shareholders have the opportunity to participate on an equal basis. Such plans may include a company acquiring its own shares on the open market, or a company making a tender offer to its own shareholders.

Cumulative Voting

MFS opposes proposals that seek to introduce cumulative voting and for proposals that seek to eliminate cumulative voting. In either case, MFS will consider whether cumulative voting is likely to enhance the interests of MFS’ clients as minority shareholders. In our view, shareholders should provide names of qualified candidates to a company’s nominating committee, which, in our view, should be comprised solely of “independent” directors.

Written Consent and Special Meetings

The right to call a special meeting or act by written consent can be a powerful tool for shareholders. As such, MFS supports proposals requesting the right for shareholders who hold at least 10% of the issuer’s outstanding stock to call a special meeting. MFS also supports proposals requesting the right for shareholders to act by written consent.

Independent Auditors

MFS believes that the appointment of auditors for U.S. issuers is best left to the board of directors of the company and therefore supports the ratification of the board’s selection of an auditor for the company. Some shareholder groups have submitted proposals to limit the non-audit activities of a company’s audit firm or prohibit any non-audit services by a company’s auditors to that company. MFS opposes proposals recommending the prohibition or limitation of the performance of non-audit services by an auditor, and proposals recommending the removal of a company’s auditor due to the performance of non-audit work for the company by its auditor. MFS believes that the board, or its audit committee, should have the discretion to hire the company’s auditor for specific pieces of non-audit work in the limited situations permitted under current law.

Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) Issues

MFS believes that a company’s ESG practices may have an impact on the company’s long-term economic financial performance and will generally support proposals relating to ESG issues that MFS believes are in the best long-term economic interest of the company’s shareholders. For those ESG proposals for


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which a specific policy has not been adopted, MFS considers such ESG proposals on a case-by-case basis. As a result, it may vote similar proposals differently at various shareholder meetings based on the specific facts and circumstances of such proposal.

MFS generally supports proposals that seek to remove governance structures that insulate management from shareholders (i.e., anti-takeover measures) or that seek to enhance shareholder rights. Many of these governance-related issues, including compensation issues, are outlined within the context of the above guidelines. In addition, MFS typically supports proposals that require an issuer to reimburse successful dissident shareholders (who are not seeking control of the company) for reasonable expenses that such dissident incurred in soliciting an alternative slate of director candidates. MFS also generally supports reasonably crafted shareholder proposals requesting increased disclosure around the company’s use of collateral in derivatives trading. MFS typically does not support proposals to separate the chairman and CEO positions as we believe that the most beneficial leadership structure of a company should be determined by the company’s board of directors. For any governance-related proposal for which an explicit guideline is not provided above, MFS will consider such proposals on a case-by-case basis and will support such proposals if MFS believes that it is in the best long-term economic interest of the company’s shareholders.

MFS generally supports proposals that request disclosure on the impact of environmental issues on the company’s operations, sales, and capital investments. However, MFS may not support such proposals based on the facts and circumstances surrounding a specific proposal, including, but not limited to, whether (i) the proposal is unduly costly, restrictive, or burdensome, (ii) the company already provides publicly-available information that is sufficient to enable shareholders to evaluate the potential opportunities and risks that environmental matters pose to the company’s operations, sales and capital investments, or (iii) the proposal seeks a level of disclosure that exceeds that provided by the company’s industry peers. MFS will analyze all other environmental proposals on a case-by-case basis and will support such proposals if MFS believes such proposal is in the best long-term economic interest of the company’s shareholders.

MFS will analyze social proposals on a case-by-case basis. MFS will support such proposals if MFS believes that such proposal is in the best long-term economic interest of the company’s shareholders. Generally, MFS will support shareholder proposals that (i) seek to amend a company’s equal employment opportunity policy to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; and (ii) request additional disclosure regarding a company’s political contributions (unless the company already provides publicly-available information that is sufficient to enable shareholders to evaluate the potential opportunities and risks that such contributions pose to the company’s operations, sales and capital investments).


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The laws of various states or countries may regulate how the interests of certain clients subject to those laws (e.g. state pension plans) are voted with respect to social issues. Thus, it may be necessary to cast ballots differently for certain clients than MFS might normally do for other clients.

Foreign Issuers

MFS generally supports the election of a director nominee standing for re-election in uncontested or non-contentious elections unless it can be determined that (1) he or she failed to attend at least 75% of the board and/or relevant committee meetings in the previous year without a valid reason given in the proxy materials; (2) since the last annual meeting of shareholders and without shareholder approval, the board or its compensation committee has re-priced underwater stock options; or (3) since the last annual meeting, the board has either implemented a poison pill without shareholder approval or has not taken responsive action to a majority shareholder approved resolution recommending that the “poison pill” be rescinded. Also, certain markets outside of the U.S. have adopted best practice guidelines relating to corporate governance matters (e.g. the United Kingdom’s Corporate Governance Code). Many of these guidelines operate on a “comply or explain” basis. As such, MFS will evaluate any explanations by companies relating to their compliance with a particular corporate governance guideline on a case-by-case basis and may vote against the board nominees or other relevant ballot item if such explanation is not satisfactory.

MFS generally supports the election of auditors, but may determine to vote against the election of a statutory auditor in certain markets if MFS reasonably believes that the statutory auditor is not truly independent.

Some international markets have also adopted mandatory requirements for all companies to hold shareholder votes on executive compensation. MFS will not support such proposals if MFS determines that a company’s executive compensation practices are excessive, considering such factors as the specific market’s best practices that seek to maintain appropriate pay-for-performance alignment and to create long-term shareholder value.

Many other items on foreign proxies involve repetitive, non-controversial matters that are mandated by local law. Accordingly, the items that are generally deemed routine and which do not require the exercise of judgment under these guidelines (and therefore voted with management) for foreign issuers include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) receiving financial statements or other reports from the board; (ii) approval of declarations of dividends; (iii) appointment of shareholders to sign board meeting minutes; (iv) discharge of management and supervisory boards; and (v) approval of share repurchase programs (absent any anti-takeover concerns). MFS will evaluate all other items on proxies for foreign companies in the context of the guidelines described above, but will generally vote


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against an item if there is not sufficient information disclosed in order to make an informed voting decision.

In accordance with local law or business practices, many foreign companies or custodians prevent the sales of shares that have been voted for a certain period beginning prior to the shareholder meeting and ending on the day following the meeting (“share blocking”). Depending on the country in which a company is domiciled, the blocking period may begin a stated number of days prior or subsequent to the meeting (e.g. one, three or five days) or on a date established by the company. While practices vary, in many countries the block period can be continued for a longer period if the shareholder meeting is adjourned and postponed to a later date. Similarly, practices vary widely as to the ability of a shareholder to have the “block” restriction lifted early (e.g. in some countries shares generally can be “unblocked” up to two days prior to the meeting whereas in other countries the removal of the block appears to be discretionary with the issuer’s transfer agent). Due to these restrictions, MFS must balance the benefits to its clients of voting proxies against the potentially serious portfolio management consequences of a reduced flexibility to sell the underlying shares at the most advantageous time. For companies in countries with share blocking periods or in markets where some custodians may block shares, the disadvantage of being unable to sell the stock regardless of changing conditions generally outweighs the advantages of voting at the shareholder meeting for routine items. Accordingly, MFS will not vote those proxies in the absence of an unusual, significant vote that outweighs the disadvantage of being unable to sell the stock.

In limited circumstances, other market specific impediments to voting shares may limit our ability to cast votes, including, but not limited to, late delivery of proxy materials, power of attorney and share re-registration requirements, or any other unusual voting requirements. In these limited instances, MFS votes securities on a best efforts basis in the context of the guidelines described above.

 

B. ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

 

  1. MFS Proxy Voting Committee

The administration of these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures is overseen by the MFS Proxy Voting Committee, which includes senior personnel from the MFS Legal and Global Investment Support Departments. The Proxy Voting Committee does not include individuals whose primary duties relate to client relationship management, marketing, or sales. The MFS Proxy Voting Committee:

 

  a. Reviews these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures at least annually and recommends any amendments considered to be necessary or advisable;


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  b. Determines whether any potential material conflict of interest exists with respect to instances in which MFS (i) seeks to override these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures; (ii) votes on ballot items not governed by these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures; (iii) evaluates an excessive executive compensation issue in relation to the election of directors; or (iv) requests a vote recommendation from an MFS portfolio manager or investment analyst (e.g. mergers and acquisitions); and

 

  c. Considers special proxy issues as they may arise from time to time.

 

  2. Potential Conflicts of Interest

The MFS Proxy Voting Committee is responsible for monitoring potential material conflicts of interest on the part of MFS or its subsidiaries that could arise in connection with the voting of proxies on behalf of MFS’ clients. Due to the client focus of our investment management business, we believe that the potential for actual material conflict of interest issues is small. Nonetheless, we have developed precautions to assure that all proxy votes are cast in the best long-term economic interest of shareholders.1 Other MFS internal policies require all MFS employees to avoid actual and potential conflicts of interests between personal activities and MFS’ client activities. If an employee identifies an actual or potential conflict of interest with respect to any voting decision, then that employee must recuse himself/herself from participating in the voting process. Additionally, with respect to decisions concerning all Non-Standard Votes, as defined below, MFS will review the securities holdings reported by investment professionals that participate in such decisions to determine whether such person has a direct economic interest in the decision, in which case such person shall not further participate in making the decision. Any significant attempt by an employee of MFS or its subsidiaries to unduly influence MFS’ voting on a particular proxy matter should also be reported to the MFS Proxy Voting Committee.

In cases where proxies are voted in accordance with these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures, no material conflict of interest will be deemed to exist. In cases where (i) MFS is considering overriding these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures, (ii) matters presented for vote are not governed by these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures, (iii) MFS evaluates a potentially excessive executive compensation issue in relation to the election of directors or advisory pay or severance package vote, or (iv) a vote recommendation is requested from an MFS portfolio manager or investment analyst (e.g. mergers and acquisitions) (collectively, “Non-Standard Votes”); the MFS Proxy Voting Committee will follow these procedures:

 

 

1 

For clarification purposes, note that MFS votes in what we believe to be the best, long-term economic interest of our clients entitled to vote at the shareholder meeting, regardless of whether other MFS clients hold “short” positions in the same issuer.


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  a. Compare the name of the issuer of such proxy against a list of significant current (i) distributors of MFS Fund shares, and (ii) MFS institutional clients (the “MFS Significant Client List”);

 

  b. If the name of the issuer does not appear on the MFS Significant Client List, then no material conflict of interest will be deemed to exist, and the proxy will be voted as otherwise determined by the MFS Proxy Voting Committee;

 

  c. If the name of the issuer appears on the MFS Significant Client List, then the MFS Proxy Voting Committee will be apprised of that fact and each member of the MFS Proxy Voting Committee will carefully evaluate the proposed vote in order to ensure that the proxy ultimately is voted in what MFS believes to be the best long-term economic interests of MFS’ clients, and not in MFS’ corporate interests; and

 

  d. For all potential material conflicts of interest identified under clause (c) above, the MFS Proxy Voting Committee will document: the name of the issuer, the issuer’s relationship to MFS, the analysis of the matters submitted for proxy vote, the votes as to be cast and the reasons why the MFS Proxy Voting Committee determined that the votes were cast in the best long-term economic interests of MFS’ clients, and not in MFS’ corporate interests. A copy of the foregoing documentation will be provided to MFS’ Conflicts Officer.

The members of the MFS Proxy Voting Committee are responsible for creating and maintaining the MFS Significant Client List, in consultation with MFS’ distribution and institutional business units. The MFS Significant Client List will be reviewed and updated periodically, as appropriate.

From time to time, certain MFS Funds (the “top tier fund”) may own shares of other MFS Funds (the “underlying fund”). If an underlying fund submits a matter to a shareholder vote, the top tier fund will generally vote its shares in the same proportion as the other shareholders of the underlying fund. If there are no other shareholders in the top tier fund, the top tier fund will vote in what MFS believes to be in the top tier fund’s best long-term economic interest.

 

  3. Gathering Proxies

Most proxies received by MFS and its clients originate at Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (“Broadridge”). Broadridge and other service providers, on behalf of custodians, send proxy related material to the record holders of the shares beneficially owned by MFS’ clients, usually to the client’s proxy voting administrator or, less


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commonly, to the client itself. This material will include proxy ballots reflecting the shareholdings of Funds and of clients on the record dates for such shareholder meetings, as well as proxy materials with the issuer’s explanation of the items to be voted upon.

MFS, on behalf of itself and certain of its clients (including the MFS Funds) has entered into an agreement with an independent proxy administration firm pursuant to which the proxy administration firm performs various proxy vote related administrative services such as vote processing and recordkeeping functions. Except as noted below, the proxy administration firm for MFS and its clients, including the MFS Funds, is Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc. (“ISS”). The proxy administration firm for MFS Development Funds, LLC is Glass, Lewis & Co., Inc. (“Glass Lewis”; Glass Lewis and ISS are each hereinafter referred to as the “Proxy Administrator”).

The Proxy Administrator receives proxy statements and proxy ballots directly or indirectly from various custodians, logs these materials into its database and matches upcoming meetings with MFS Fund and client portfolio holdings, which are input into the Proxy Administrator’s system by an MFS holdings data-feed. Through the use of the Proxy Administrator system, ballots and proxy material summaries for all upcoming shareholders’ meetings are available on-line to certain MFS employees and members of the MFS Proxy Voting Committee.

It is the responsibility of the Proxy Administrator and MFS to monitor the receipt of ballots. When proxy ballots and materials for clients are received by the Proxy Administrator, they are input into the Proxy Administrator’s on-line system. The Proxy Administrator then reconciles a list of all MFS accounts that hold shares of a company’s stock and the number of shares held on the record date by these accounts with the Proxy Administrator’s list of any upcoming shareholder’s meeting of that company. If a proxy ballot has not been received, the Proxy Administrator contacts the custodian requesting the reason as to why a ballot has not been received.

 

  4. Analyzing Proxies

Proxies are voted in accordance with these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures. The Proxy Administrator, at the prior direction of MFS, automatically votes all proxy matters that do not require the particular exercise of discretion or judgment with respect to these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures as determined by MFS. With respect to proxy matters that require the particular exercise of discretion or judgment, the MFS Proxy Voting Committee considers and votes on those proxy matters. MFS also receives research and recommendations from the Proxy Administrator which it may take into account in deciding how to vote. MFS uses the research of ISS to identify (i) circumstances in which a board may have approved excessive executive compensation, (ii) environmental and social proposals that warrant consideration or (iii) circumstances in which a non-U.S. company is not in compliance with local


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governance best practices. In those situations where the only MFS fund that is eligible to vote at a shareholder meeting has Glass Lewis as its Proxy Administrator, then we will rely on research from Glass Lewis to identify such issues. Representatives of the MFS Proxy Voting Committee review, as appropriate, votes cast to ensure conformity with these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures.

As a general matter, portfolio managers and investment analysts have little or no involvement in most votes taken by MFS. This is designed to promote consistency in the application of MFS’ voting guidelines, to promote consistency in voting on the same or similar issues (for the same or for multiple issuers) across all client accounts, and to minimize the potential that proxy solicitors, issuers, or third parties might attempt to exert inappropriate influence on the vote. In limited types of votes (e.g. mergers and acquisitions, capitalization matters, potentially excessive executive compensation issues, or shareholder proposals relating to environmental and social issues), a representative of MFS Proxy Voting Committee may consult with or seek recommendations from MFS portfolio managers or investment analysts.2 However, the MFS Proxy Voting Committee would ultimately determine the manner in which all proxies are voted.

As noted above, MFS reserves the right to override the guidelines when such an override is, in MFS’ best judgment, consistent with the overall principle of voting proxies in the best long-term economic interests of MFS’ clients. Any such override of the guidelines shall be analyzed, documented and reported in accordance with the procedures set forth in these policies.

 

  5. Voting Proxies

In accordance with its contract with MFS, the Proxy Administrator also generates a variety of reports for the MFS Proxy Voting Committee, and makes available on-line various other types of information so that the MFS Proxy Voting Committee may review and monitor the votes cast by the Proxy Administrator on behalf of MFS’ clients.

 

  6. Securities Lending

From time to time, the MFS Funds or other pooled investment vehicles sponsored by MFS may participate in a securities lending program. In the event MFS or its agent receives timely notice of a shareholder meeting for a U.S. security, MFS and its agent will attempt to recall any securities on loan before the meeting’s record date so that MFS will be entitled to vote these shares. However, there may be instances in which MFS is unable to timely recall securities on loan

 

2  From time to time, due to travel schedules and other commitments, an appropriate portfolio manager or research analyst may not be available to provide a vote recommendation. If such a recommendation cannot be obtained within a reasonable time prior to the cut-off date of the shareholder meeting, the MFS Proxy Voting Committee may determine to abstain from voting.


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for a U.S. security, in which cases MFS will not be able to vote these shares. MFS will report to the appropriate board of the MFS Funds those instances in which MFS is not able to timely recall the loaned securities. MFS generally does not recall non-U.S. securities on loan because there may be insufficient advance notice of proxy materials, record dates, or vote cut-off dates to allow MFS to timely recall the shares in certain markets. As a result, non-U.S. securities that are on loan will not generally be voted. If MFS receives timely notice of what MFS determines to be an unusual, significant vote for a non-U.S. security whereas MFS shares are on loan, and determines that voting is in the best long-term economic interest of shareholders, then MFS will attempt to timely recall the loaned shares.

 

  7. Engagement

The MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures are available on www.mfs.com and may be accessed by both MFS’ clients and the companies in which MFS’ clients invest. From time to time, MFS may determine that it is appropriate and beneficial for representatives from the MFS Proxy Voting Committee to engage in a dialogue or written communication with a company or other shareholders regarding certain matters on the company’s proxy statement that are of concern to shareholders, including environmental, social and governance matters. A company or shareholder may also seek to engage with representatives of the MFS Proxy Voting Committee in advance of the company’s formal proxy solicitation to review issues more generally or gauge support for certain contemplated proposals.

 

C. RECORDS RETENTION

MFS will retain copies of these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures in effect from time to time and will retain all proxy voting reports submitted to the Board of Trustees and Board of Managers of the MFS Funds for the period required by applicable law. Proxy solicitation materials, including electronic versions of the proxy ballots completed by representatives of the MFS Proxy Voting Committee, together with their respective notes and comments, are maintained in an electronic format by the Proxy Administrator and are accessible on-line by the MFS Proxy Voting Committee. All proxy voting materials and supporting documentation, including records generated by the Proxy Administrator’s system as to proxies processed, including the dates when proxy ballots were received and submitted, and the votes on each company’s proxy issues, are retained as required by applicable law.

 

D. REPORTS

MFS Funds


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MFS publicly discloses the proxy voting records of the MFS Funds on an annual basis, as required by law. MFS will also report the results of its voting to the Board of Trustees and Board of Managers of the MFS Funds. These reports will include: (i) a summary of how votes were cast (including advisory votes on pay and “golden parachutes”) ; (ii) a summary of votes against management’s recommendation; (iii) a review of situations where MFS did not vote in accordance with the guidelines and the rationale therefore; (iv) a review of the procedures used by MFS to identify material conflicts of interest and any matters identified as a material conflict of interest; (v) a review of these policies and the guidelines; (vi) a report and impact assessment of instances in which the recall of loaned securities of a U.S. issuer was unsuccessful; and (vii) as necessary or appropriate, any proposed modifications thereto to reflect new developments in corporate governance and other issues. Based on these reviews, the Trustees and Managers of the MFS Funds will consider possible modifications to these policies to the extent necessary or advisable.

All MFS Advisory Clients

MFS may publicly disclose the proxy voting records of certain clients or the votes it casts with respect to certain matters as required by law. At any time, a report can also be printed by MFS for each client who has requested that MFS furnish a record of votes cast. The report specifies the proxy issues which have been voted for the client during the year and the position taken with respect to each issue and, upon request, may identify situations where MFS did not vote in accordance with the MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures.

Except as described above, MFS generally will not divulge actual voting practices to any party other than the client or its representatives because we consider that information to be confidential and proprietary to the client. However, as noted above, MFS may determine that it is appropriate and beneficial to engage in a dialogue with a company regarding certain matters. During such dialogue with the company, MFS may disclose the vote it intends to cast in order to potentially effect positive change at a company in regards to environmental, social or governance issues.

 

ITEM 8. PORTFOLIO MANAGERS OF CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES.

General. Information regarding the portfolio manager(s) of the MFS Intermediate High Income Fund (the “Fund”) is set forth below.


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Portfolio Manager

  

Primary Role

  

Since

  

Title and Five Year History

David P. Cole

   Portfolio Manager    2007    Investment Officer of MFS; employed in the investment area of MFS since 2004.

William J. Adams

   High Yield Corporate Debt Securities Portfolio Manager    May 2011    Investment Officer of MFS; employed in the investment area of MFS since 2009, Credit Analyst at MFS from 1997 to 2005.

Compensation.

Portfolio manager compensation is reviewed annually. As of December 31, 2010, portfolio manager total cash compensation is a combination of base salary and performance bonus:

Base Salary – Base salary represents a smaller percentage of portfolio manager total cash compensation than performance bonus.

Performance Bonus – Generally, the performance bonus represents more than a majority of portfolio manager total cash compensation.

The performance bonus is based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative factors, generally with more weight given to the former and less weight given to the latter.

The quantitative portion is based on the pre-tax performance of assets managed by the portfolio manager over one-, three-, and five-year periods relative to peer group universes and/or indices (“benchmarks”). As of December 31, 2010, the following benchmarks were used to measure performance for the Fund:

 

Portfolio Manager    Benchmark(s)
David P. Cole    Barclay’s Capital High Yield Index

Additional or different benchmarks, including versions of indices and custom indices may also be used. Primary weight is given to portfolio performance over a three-year time period with lesser consideration given to portfolio performance over one-year and five-year periods (adjusted as appropriate if the portfolio manager has served for less than five years).

The qualitative portion is based on the results of an annual internal peer review process (conducted by other portfolio managers, analysts, and traders) and management’s assessment of overall portfolio manager contributions to investor relations and the investment process (distinct from fund and other account performance).

Portfolio managers also typically benefit from the opportunity to participate in the MFS Equity Plan. Equity interests and/or options to acquire equity interests in MFS or its parent company are awarded by management, on a discretionary basis, taking into account tenure at MFS, contribution to the investment process, and other factors.

Finally, portfolio managers also participate in benefit plans (including a defined contribution plan and health and other insurance plans) and programs available generally to other employees of MFS. The percentage such benefits represent of any portfolio


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manager’s compensation depends upon the length of the individual’s tenure at MFS and salary level, as well as other factors.

Ownership of Fund Shares. The following table shows the dollar range of equity securities of the Fund beneficially owned by the Fund’s portfolio manager(s) as of the fund’s fiscal year ended November 30, 2011. The following dollar ranges apply:

N. None

A. $1 - $10,000

B. $10,001 - $50,000

C. $50,001 - $100,000

D. $100,001 - $500,000

E. $500,001 - $1,000,000

F. Over $1,000,000

 

Name of Portfolio Manager

   Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in Fund

David P. Cole

   N

William J. Adams

   N

Other Accounts. In addition to the Fund, the Fund’s portfolio manager is named as a portfolio manager of certain other accounts managed or subadvised by MFS or an affiliate, the number and assets of which, as of the fund’s fiscal year ended November 30, 2011

 

     Registered Investment
Companies
     Other Pooled
Investment Vehicles
   Other Accounts

Name

   Number of
Accounts*
     Total
Assets*
     Number of
Accounts
     Total
Assets
   Number of
Accounts
     Total
Assets

David P. Cole

     13       $ 4.2 billion         3       $786.3 million      0       N/A

William J. Adams

     14       $ 4.3 billion         5       1.4 billion      0       N/A

 

* Includes the Fund.

Advisory fees are not based upon performance of any of the accounts identified in the table above.

Potential Conflicts of Interest.

The Adviser seeks to identify potential conflicts of interest resulting from a portfolio manager’s management of both the Fund and other accounts, and has adopted policies and procedures designed to address such potential conflicts.

The management of multiple funds and accounts (including proprietary accounts) gives rise to potential conflicts of interest if the funds and accounts have different objectives and strategies, benchmarks, time horizons and fees as a portfolio manager must allocate his or her time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts. In certain instances there are securities which are suitable for the Fund’s portfolio as well as for accounts of the


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Adviser or its subsidiaries with similar investment objectives. The Fund’s trade allocation policies may give rise to conflicts of interest if the Fund’s orders do not get fully executed or are delayed in getting executed due to being aggregated with those of other accounts of the Adviser or its subsidiaries. A portfolio manager may execute transactions for another fund or account that may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments. Investments selected for funds or accounts other than the Fund may outperform investments selected for the Fund.

When two or more clients are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the securities are allocated among clients in a manner believed by the Adviser to be fair and equitable to each. It is recognized that in some cases this system could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security as far as the Fund is concerned. In most cases, however, the Adviser believes that the Fund’s ability to participate in volume transactions will produce better executions for the Fund.

The Adviser and/or a portfolio manager may have a financial incentive to allocate favorable or limited opportunity investments or structure the timing of investments to favor accounts other than the Fund, for instance, those that pay a higher advisory fee and/or have a performance adjustment and/or include an investment by the portfolio manager.

 

ITEM 9. PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS.

MFS Intermediate High Income Fund

 

Period

   (a) Total number
of Shares
Purchased
     (b)
Average
Price
Paid per
Share
     (c) Total
Number of
Shares
Purchased as
Part of Publicly
Announced
Plans or
Programs
     (d) Maximum
Number (or
Approximate
Dollar Value) of
Shares that May
Yet Be Purchased
under the Plans
or Programs
 

12/01/10-12/31/10

     0         N/A         0         2,085,481   

1/01/11-1/31/11

     0         N/A         0         2,085,481   

2/01/11-2/28/11

     0         N/A         0         2,085,481   

3/01/11-3/31/11

     0         N/A         0         2,087,683   

4/01/11-4/30/11

     0         N/A         0         2,087,683   

5/01/11-5/31/11

     0         N/A         0         2,087,683   

6/01/11-6/30/11

     0         N/A         0         2,087,683   

7/01/11-7/31/11

     0         N/A         0         2,087,683   

8/01/11-8/31/11

     0         N/A         0         2,087,683   

9/01/11-9/30/11

     0         N/A         0         2,087,683   

10/01/11-10/31/11

     0         N/A         0         2,087,683   

11/01/11-11/30/11

     0         N/A         0         2,087,683   
  

 

 

       

 

 

    

Total

     0            0      
  

 

 

       

 

 

    

Note: The Board of Trustees approves procedures to repurchase shares annually. The notification to shareholders of the program is part of the semi-annual and annual


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reports sent to shareholders. These annual programs begin on March 1st of each year. The programs conform to the conditions of Rule 10b-18 of the securities Exchange Act of 1934 and limit the aggregate number of shares that may be purchased in each annual period (March 1 through the following February 28) to 10% of the Registrant’s outstanding shares as of the first day of the plan year (March 1). The aggregate number of shares available for purchase for the March 1, 2011 plan year is 2,087,683.

 

ITEM 10. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS.

There were no material changes to the procedures by which shareholders may send recommendations to the Board for nominees to the Registrant’s Board since the Registrant last provided disclosure as to such procedures in response to the requirements of Item 407 (c)(2)(iv) of Regulation S-K or this Item.

 

ITEM 11. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

 

(a) Based upon their evaluation of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”)) as conducted within 90 days of the filing date of this Form N-CSR, the registrant’s principal financial officer and principal executive officer have concluded that those disclosure controls and procedures provide reasonable assurance that the material information required to be disclosed by the registrant on this report is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms.

 

(b) There were no changes in the registrant’s internal controls over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Act) that occurred during the second fiscal quarter covered by the report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.


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ITEM 12. EXHIBITS.

(a) File the exhibits listed below as part of this form. Letter or number the exhibits in the sequence indicated.

(1) Any code of ethics, or amendment thereto, that is the subject of the disclosure required by Item 2, to the extent that the registrant intends to satisfy the Item 2 requirements through filing of an exhibit: Code of Ethics attached hereto.

(2) A separate certification for each principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the registrant as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the Act (17 CFR 270.30a-2): Attached hereto.

(3)Any written solicitation to purchase securities under Rule 23c-1 under the Act sent or given during the period covered by the report by or on behalf of the Registrant to 10 or more persons. Not applicable.

(b) If the report is filed under Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, provide the certifications required by Rule 30a-2(b) under the Act (17 CFR 270.30a-2(b)), Rule 13a-14(b) or Rule 15d-14(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13a-14(b) or 240.15d-14(b)) and Section 1350 of Chapter 63 of Title 18 of the United States Code (18 U.S.C. 1350) as an exhibit. A certification furnished pursuant to this paragraph will not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78r), or otherwise subject to the liability of that section. Such certification will not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, except to the extent that the registrant specifically incorporates it by reference: Attached hereto.


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Notice

A copy of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended, of the Registrant is on file with the Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and notice is hereby given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the Registrant by an officer of the Registrant as an officer and not individually and the obligations of or arising out of this instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees or shareholders individually, but are binding only upon the assets and property of the respective constituent series of the Registrant.


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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Registrant MFS INTERMEDIATE HIGH INCOME FUND

 

By (Signature and Title)*    JOHN M. CORCORAN
  John M. Corcoran, President

Date: January 13, 2012

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

By (Signature and Title)*    JOHN M. CORCORAN
  John M. Corcoran, President (Principal Executive Officer)

Date: January 13, 2012

 

By (Signature and Title)*    DAVID L. DILORENZO
 

David L. DiLorenzo, Treasurer

(Principal Financial Officer

and Accounting Officer)

Date: January 13, 2012

 

* Print name and title of each signing officer under his or her signature.