Investment Company Act file number: 811-05133 Putnam High Income Bond Fund ------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter) One Post Office Square Boston, Massachusetts 02109 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Address of principal executive offices) Beth S. Mazor, Vice President Putnam High Income Bond Fund One Post Office Square Boston, Massachusetts 02109 Copy to: John W. Gerstmayr, Esq. Ropes & Gray LLP One International Place Boston, Massachusetts 02110 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name and address of agent for service) Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (617) 292-1000 Date of Fiscal year-end: 8/31/2005 Date of reporting period: 7/1/2004 - 6/30/2005 Item 1. Proxy Voting Record
Account Number: Putnam High Income Opportunities Trust
The following proxy voting record relates to Putnam High Income Opportunities Trust, which merged into Putnam High Income Bond Fund on January 24, 2005:
| ISSUER NAME | TICKER | CUSIP | MTG DATE | MTG TYPE | |||
| Proposal Type | Voted | Vote | For/Agnst Mgmt | ||||
| Alderwoods Group Inc | AWGI | 014383103 | 4/28/05 | Annual | |||
| 1.01 | Elect Lloyd E. Campbell | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.02 | Elect Anthony G. Eames | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.03 | Elect Charles M. Elson | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.04 | Elect David R. Hilty | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.05 | Elect Paul A. Houston | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.06 | Elect Olivia F. Kirtley | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.07 | Elect John S. Lacey | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.08 | Elect William R. Riedl | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.09 | Elect W. MacDonald Snow Jr | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 2.00 | Adopt employee stock purchase plan | MGMT | YES | AGNST | AGNST | ||
| 3.00 | Adopt Stock Incentive Plan | MGMT | YES | AGNST | AGNST | ||
| Arch Wireless Inc | AWIN | 039392709 | 11/8/04 | Special | |||
| 1.00 | Approve Merger/Acquisition | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| Celanese Corp | CE | 150870103 | 6/1/05 | Annual | |||
| 1.01 | Elect Hanns Ostmeier | MGMT | YES | WHOLD | AGNST | ||
| 1.02 | Elect James Quella | MGMT | YES | WHOLD | AGNST | ||
| 1.03 | Elect Daniel S. Sanders | MGMT | YES | WHOLD | AGNST | ||
| 2.00 | Ratify selection of auditors | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| Covad Communications Group | 3COVD | 222814204 | 6/9/05 | Annual | |||
| 1.01 | Elect Charles E. Hoffman | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.02 | Elect Charles McMinn | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 2.00 | Ratify selection of auditors | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| Crown Castle International Corp | CCI | 228227104 | 5/26/05 | Annual | |||
| 1.01 | Elect Dale N. Hatfield | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.02 | Elect Lee W. Hogan | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.03 | Elect Robert F. McKenzie | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.04 | Elect Robert E. Garrison II | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 2.00 | Ratify selection of auditors | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| Emmis Communications Corp | 291525202 | 6/13/05 | Special | ||||
| 1.00 | Amend authorized preferred stock | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| Globix Corp | 3GBXX | 37957F200 | 3/7/05 | Special | |||
| 1.00 | Approve common stock issuance | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| Approve merger/acquisition | |||||||
| 2.00 | Adjourn meeting | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| Globix Corp | 3GBXX | 37957F200 | 6/13/05 | Annual | |||
| 1.01 | Elect Peter K. Stevenson | MGMT | YES | WHOLD | AGNST | ||
| 1.02 | Elect Wayne Barr Jr. | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.03 | Elect Jose A. Cecin Jr. | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.04 | Elect Stephen E. Courter | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.05 | Elect John Forsgren | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.06 | Elect Peter L. Herzig | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.07 | Elect Steven Lampe | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.08 | Elect Steven G. Singer | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.09 | Elect Raymond L. Steele | MGMT | YES | WHOLD | AGNST | ||
| 2.00 | Ratify selection of auditors | MGMT | YES | ABSTAIN | AGNST | ||
| iPCS Inc | IPCX | 44980Y305 | 6/30/05 | Annual | |||
| 1.00 | Approve merger/acquisition | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 2.00 | Approve non-technical charter amendments | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 3.01 | Elect Timothy M. Yager | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 3.02 | Elect Timothy C. Babich | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 3.03 | Elect Donald L. Bell | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 3.04 | Elect Eugene I. Davis | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 3.05 | Elect Eric F. Ensor | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 3.06 | Elect James J. Gaffney | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 3.07 | Elect Kevin M. Roe | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 4.00 | Add shares to the 2004 Long Term Incentive Plan | MGMT | YES | AGNST | AGNST | ||
| 5.00 | Ratify selection of auditors | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| Knology Inc | KNOL | 499183804 | 5/24/05 | Annual | |||
| 1.01 | Elect Eugene I. Davis | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.02 | Elect Rodger L. Johnson | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.03 | Elect Campbell B. Lanier III | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| Leucadia National Corp | LUK | 527288104 | 5/17/05 | Annual | |||
| 1.01 | Elect Ian M. Cumming | MGMT | NO | ||||
| 1.02 | Elect Paul M. Dougan | MGMT | NO | ||||
| 1.03 | Elect Lawrence D. Glaubinger | MGMT | NO | ||||
| 1.04 | Elect Alan J. Hirschfield | MGMT | NO | ||||
| 1.05 | Elect James E. Jordan | MGMT | NO | ||||
| 1.06 | Elect Jeffrey C. Keil | MGMT | NO | ||||
| 1.07 | Elect Jesse Clyde Nichols III | MGMT | NO | ||||
| 1.08 | Elect Joseph S. Steinberg | MGMT | NO | ||||
| 2.00 | Increase authorized common stock | MGMT | NO | ||||
| 3.00 | Amend annual bonus plan | MGMT | NO | ||||
| 4.00 | Ratify selection of auditors | MGMT | NO | ||||
| PCI Chemicals Canada Inc | 693204AC3 | 6/24/05 | Annual | ||||
| 1.00 | The proposed amendments to the Indenture is to modify certain defined terms of the Indenture | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| Polymer Group Inc | 3POLGA | 731745204 | 5/18/05 | Annual | |||
| 1.01 | Elect Pedro A. Arias | MGMT | YES | WHOLD | AGNST | ||
| 1.02 | Elect Ramon Betolaza | MGMT | YES | WHOLD | AGNST | ||
| 1.03 | Elect Lap Wai Chan | MGMT | YES | WHOLD | AGNST | ||
| 1.04 | Elect William B. Hewitt | MGMT | YES | WHOLD | AGNST | ||
| 1.05 | Elect Eugene Linden | MGMT | YES | WHOLD | AGNST | ||
| 1.06 | Elect James A. Ovenden | MGMT | YES | WHOLD | AGNST | ||
| 1.07 | Elect James L. Schaeffer | MGMT | YES | WHOLD | AGNST | ||
| 1.08 | Elect Michael Watzky | MGMT | YES | WHOLD | AGNST | ||
| 2.00 | Amend Stock Incentive Plan | MGMT | YES | AGNST | AGNST | ||
| 3.00 | Adopt the Short Term Incentive compensation Plan | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 4.00 | Adopt the 2005 Stock Option Plan | MGMT | YES | AGNST | AGNST | ||
| Putnam Prime Money Market Fund | 746763432 | 11/11/04 | Special | ||||
| 1.01 | Elect Trustee J.A. Baxter | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.02 | Elect Trustee E.T. Kennan | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.03 | Elect Trustee C.B. Curtis | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.04 | Elect Trustee J.H. Mullin, III | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.05 | Elect Trustee M.R. Drucker | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.06 | Elect Trustee R.E. Patterson | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.07 | Elect Trustee C.E. Haldeman, Jr. | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.08 | Elect Trustee G. Putnam, III | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.09 | Elect Trustee J.A. Hill | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.10 | Elect Trustee A.J.C. Smith | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.11 | Elect Trustee R. J. Jackson | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.12 | Elect Trustee W.T. Stephens | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.13 | Elect Trustee P.L. Joskow | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.14 | Elect Trustee R.B. Worley | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 2.00 | Amend fund's fundamental investment restriction with respect to borrowing | MGMT | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||
| 2.01 | Amend fund's fundamental investment restriction with respect to making loans | MGMT | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||
| 2.02 | Amend fund's fundamental investment restriction with respect to diversification of investments | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 2.03 | Amend fund's fundamental investment restriction with respect to issuance of senior securities | MGMT | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||
| 2.04 | Amend fund's fundamental investment restriction with respect to purchasing or selling options, puts, calls, straddles and spreads | MGMT | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||
| 2.05 | Amend fund's fundamental investment restriction with respect to investments in commodities | MGMT | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||
| 3.00 | Amend fund's Agreement and Declaration of Trust | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| Rural Cellular Corp | 781904305 | 5/24/05 | Annual | ||||
| 1.01 | Elect Ann K. Newhall | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.02 | Elect George M. Revering | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.03 | Elect Don C. Swenson | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 2.00 | Ratify selection of auditors | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| Solectron Corp | SLR | 834182107 | 1/13/05 | Annual | |||
| 1.01 | Elect William A. Hasler | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.02 | Elect Michael R. Cannon | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.03 | Elect Richard A. D'Amore | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.04 | Elect H. Paulett Eberhart | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.05 | Elect Heinz K. Fridrich | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.06 | Elect William R. Graber | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.07 | Elect Paul R. Low | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.08 | Elect C. Wesley M. Scott | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.09 | Elect Cyril J. Yansouni | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 2.00 | Ratify selection of auditors | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| Sterling Chemicals Inc | 3SCHI | 859166100 | 4/15/05 | Annual | |||
| 1.05 | Elect Richard K. Crump | MGMT | YES | WHOLD | AGNST | ||
| 1.06 | Elect Marc S. Kirschner | MGMT | YES | WHOLD | AGNST | ||
| 1.07 | Elect Peter Ting Kai Wu | MGMT | YES | WHOLD | AGNST | ||
| 2.00 | Ratify selection of auditors | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 3.00 | Increase authorized common stock | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| Sun Healthcare Group Inc | SUNH | 866933401 | 5/19/05 | Annual | |||
| 1.01 | Elect Gregory S. Anderson | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.02 | Elect Tony M. Astorga | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.03 | Elect Christian K. Bement | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.04 | Elect Steven M. Looney | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.05 | Elect Richard K. Matros | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.06 | Elect Milton J. Walters | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 2.00 | Ratify selection of auditors | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| USA Mobility Inc | USMO | 90341G103 | 5/18/05 | Annual | |||
| 1.01 | Elect David Abrams | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.02 | Elect James V. Continenza | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.03 | Elect Nicholas A. Gallopo | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.04 | Elect Vincent D. Kelly | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.05 | Elect Brian O'Reilly | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.06 | Elect Matthew Oristano | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.07 | Elect William E. Redmond Jr. | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.08 | Elect Samme Thompson | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
| 1.09 | Elect Royce Yudkoff | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
ISSUER NAME | TICKER | CUSIP | MTG DATE | MTG TYPE | |||
|
|
|
| Proposal Type | Voted | Vote | For/Agnst Mgmt |
Putnam Prime Money Market Fund |
| 746763432 | 11/11/04 | Special | |||
1.01 | Elect Trustee J.A. Baxter | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
1.02 | Elect Trustee E.T. Kennan | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
1.03 | Elect Trustee C.B. Curtis | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
1.04 | Elect Trustee J.H. Mullin, III | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
1.05 | Elect Trustee M.R. Drucker | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
1.06 | Elect Trustee R.E. Patterson | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
1.07 | Elect Trustee C.E. Haldeman, Jr. | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
1.08 | Elect Trustee G. Putnam, III | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
1.09 | Elect Trustee J.A. Hill | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
1.10 | Elect Trustee A.J.C. Smith | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
1.11 | Elect Trustee R. J. Jackson | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
1.12 | Elect Trustee W.T. Stephens | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
1.13 | Elect Trustee P.L. Joskow | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
1.14 | Elect Trustee R.B. Worley | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
2.00 | Amend fund’s fundamental investment restriction with respect to borrowing | MGMT | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||
2.01 | Amend fund’s fundamental investment restriction with respect to making loans | MGMT | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||
2.02 | Amend fund’s fundamental investment restriction with respect to diversification of investments | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
2.03 | Amend fund’s fundamental investment restriction with respect to issuance of senior securities | MGMT | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||
2.04 | Amend fund’s fundamental investment restriction with respect to purchasing or selling options, puts, calls, straddles and spreads | MGMT | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||
2.05 | Amend fund’s fundamental investment restriction with respect to investments in commodities | MGMT | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||
3.00 | Amend fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust | MGMT | YES | FOR | FOR | ||
Any ballot marked 'Abstain' is considered to have been voted. Ballots marked 'Abstain' are considered to be have been voted against management's recommendation, regardless of whether the recommendation is 'For' or 'Against,' except where management has made no recommendation or has recommended that shareholders 'Abstain.'
Where management has recommended that shareholders 'Abstain' from voting on a ballot item: 1) a ballot market 'Abstain' is considered to have been voted for management's recommendation to 'Abstain' and 2) a ballot voted 'For" or 'Against' is considered to have been voted against management's recommendation to 'Abstain.'
Where management has made no recommendation on a ballot item, the abbreviation "N/A" is used to denote that there is no applicable recommendation compared to which a vote may be 'For' or 'Against' the recommendation of management.
SIGNATURES:
Pursuant to the requirements of 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.
Putnam High Income Bond Fund
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Registrant)
By /s/ Charles E. Porter, Executive Vice President, Associate Treasurer
and Principal Executive Officer
_______________________________________________________________________
(Signature & Title)
Date July 28, 2005