061_NCSR.htm

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 -05133)

Exact name of registrant as specified in charter: Putnam High Income Securities Fund

Address of principal executive offices: One Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02109

Name and address of agent for service:  Beth S. Mazor, Vice President 
  One Post Office Square 
  Boston, Massachusetts 02109 
 
Copy to:  John W. Gerstmayr, Esq. 
  Ropes & Gray LLP 
  One International Place 
  Boston, Massachusetts 02110 
 
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:  (617) 292-1000 

Date of fiscal year end: August 31, 2006

Date of reporting period: September 1, 2005— February 28, 2006

Item 1. Report to Stockholders:

The following is a copy of the report transmitted to stockholders pursuant to Rule 30e-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940:




What makes Putnam different?


In 1830, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Justice Samuel Putnam established The Prudent Man Rule, a legal foundation for responsible money management.

THE PRUDENT MAN RULE

All that can be required of a trustee to invest is that he shall conduct himself faithfully and exercise a sound discretion. He is to observe how men of prudence, discretion, and intelligence manage their own affairs, not in regard to speculation, but in regard to the permanent disposition of their funds, considering the probable income, as well as the probable safety of the capital to be invested.


A time-honored tradition in money management

Since 1937, our values have been rooted in a profound sense of responsibility for the money entrusted to us.

A prudent approach to investing

We use a research-driven team approach to seek consistent, dependable, superior investment results over time, although there is no guarantee a fund will meet its objectives.

Funds for every investment goal

We offer a broad range of mutual funds and other financial products so investors and their financial representatives can build diversified portfolios.

A commitment to doing what’s right for investors

We have stringent investor protections and provide a wealth of information about the Putnam funds.

Industry-leading service

We help investors, along with their financial representatives, make informed investment decisions with confidence.


Putnam
High Income
Securities Fund

2| 28| 06
Semiannual Report

Message from the Trustees    2 
About the fund    4 
Report from the fund managers    7 
Performance  13 
Your fund’s management  16 
Terms and definitions  19 
Trustee approval of management contract  20 
Other information for shareholders  27 
Financial statements  29 

Cover photograph: © Richard H. Johnson


Message from the Trustees

Dear Fellow Shareholder

In the early months of 2006, we have seen a continuation of generally benign economic conditions. Inflationary pressures remain modest, with no strong indications that higher energy costs are causing a general increase in prices of goods and services, and the unemployment rate remains below 5% (and well below its 40-year average of 6%). Corporate profitability — the most important factor influencing the prices of common stocks — has remained exceptionally strong. In the fourth quarter of 2005, after-tax profits of all U.S. corporations reached 8.1% of gross domestic product (GDP) — their largest share of GDP since tracking of corporate profits began in 1947. Nevertheless, the slowdown in the housing market as mortgage rates rise causes us some concern, and we are aware that it could contribute to setbacks in the stock market, even as the general economic environment remains supportive for investments.

While the Federal Reserve Board (the Fed) has remained committed to its program of measured interest-rate increases, there have been signs that the end of this tightening cycle might not be far away. We consider it fortunate that the Fed’s new Chairman, Ben Bernanke, like his predecessor Alan Greenspan, regards the Fed’s role in pursuing both price stability and economic growth as essential to encouraging investment.

Although there is no guarantee a fund will achieve its objectives, we believe that the professional research, diversification, and active management that mutual funds provide continue to make them an intelligent choice for investors. We want you to know that Putnam Investments, under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Ed Haldeman, continues to focus on delivering consistent, dependable, superior investment performance over time.

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In the following pages, members of your fund’s management team discuss the fund’s performance and strategies, and their outlook for the months ahead. We thank you for your support of the Putnam funds.



Putnam High Income Securities Fund: opportunities
from high-yield bonds and convertibles

The average investor may think of bonds as government-sponsored securities that offer relatively low risk and less volatility than the stock market. However, high-yield corporate bonds and convertible securities, the types of investments held by Putnam High Income Securities Fund, are different. Both are issued by companies rather than the government. Moreover, high-yield corporates and convertibles can offer greater returns than other bonds — but carry a greater potential for risk, such as the risk of corporate default or periodic illiquidity.

High-yield bonds are issued by companies that are deemed to be less than investment-grade status (rated below Baa), which means their issuing companies are considered more likely to default on their loans than higher-rated counterparts. High-yield bond prices tend to follow individual companies’ fundamentals as well as interest-rate levels. While lower-rated corporate bonds may carry higher risk, they typically provide potentially higher levels of yield to compensate investors for that risk. That is why extensive research based on credit analysis is vital to identifying better high-yield issuers with a lower risk of default.

What sets convertible securities apart is a unique built-in option that allows the investor to exchange — or convert — the bond for a fixed number of shares of stock of the issuer. Convertible securities pay interest like most bonds, and the amount does not change as the underlying stock’s price increases or decreases. Issuers range from large, well-known S&P 500 corporations to small, rapidly growing companies to those in cyclically depressed industries such as airlines, autos, and utilities.



Building a portfolio of high-yield bonds and convertible securities with the appropriate balance of risk and return potential requires intensive research and analysis. In the case of Putnam High Income Securities Fund, Putnam’s global equity and credit research analysts conduct rigorous research to determine the true worth of the issuing company’s business. The fund’s portfolio team then constructs a portfolio that it believes offers the best return potential without undue risk.

Lower-rated bonds may offer higher yields in return for more risk. Mutual funds that invest in bonds are subject to certain risks, including interest-rate risk, credit risk, and inflation risk. As interest rates rise, the prices of bonds fall. Long-term bonds are more exposed to interest-rate risk than short-term bonds. Unlike bonds, bond funds have ongoing fees and expenses. The fund’s shares trade on a stock exchange at market prices, which may be higher or lower than the fund’s net asset value.

The “busted” convertible

One kind of security in which your fund may invest is the “busted” convertible. “Busted” refers to a security whose underlying stock price has fallen signifi-cantly below the conversion price. It becomes much less sensitive to the volatility of the underlying stock and is more bond-like, responding to interest-rate changes. A busted convertible may pay a higher yield than other convertibles, but may also carry a higher level of risk. (Some companies in this situation may eventually default on their bonds.)

The objective of buying a busted convertible is to take advantage of a company’s eventual turnaround despite present challenges. For example, a company undergoing management turmoil may draw negative investor reactions, causing its stock price to tumble. However, if intensive research determines that the management crisis is likely to be resolved, the fund manager could buy the security at a steep discount. The goal is to sell it at a higher premium once the situation is corrected and the price of the security recovers.



Putnam High Income Securities Fund seeks high current income and, as a secondary objective, capital appreciation by investing in a portfolio of high-yielding convertible and nonconvertible securities with potential for capital appreciation.

Highlights

For the six months ended February 28, 2006, Putnam High Income Securities Fund had total returns of 3.97% at net asset value (NAV) and 4.29% at market price.

The fund’s primary benchmark, the Merrill Lynch All-Convertibles Speculative Quality Index, returned 4.98% . The fund’s secondary benchmark, the JP Morgan Developed High Yield Index, returned 1.97% .

The average return for the fund’s Lipper category, Convertible Securities Funds (closed-end), was 4.17% .

Additional fund performance, comparative performance, and Lipper data can be found in the performance section beginning on page 13.

Performance

It is important to note that a fund’s performance at market price may differ from its results at NAV. Although market price performance generally reflects investment results, it may also be influenced by several other factors, including changes in investor perceptions of the fund or its investment advisor, market conditions, fluctuations in supply and demand for the fund’s shares, and changes in fund distributions.

Total return for periods ended 2/28/06

Since the fund's inception (7/9/87), average annual return is 10.14% at NAV and 9.13% at market price.

  Average annual return  Cumulative return 
  NAV  Market price  NAV  Market price 

 
10 years  8.63%  6.98%  128.88%  96.33% 

5 years  11.02  7.01  68.66  40.31 

3 years  16.15  12.38  56.71  41.91 

1 year  6.69  7.16  6.69  7.16 

6 months      3.97  4.29 


Data is historical. Past performance does not guarantee future results. More recent returns may be less or more than those shown. Investment return, net asset value, and market price will fluctuate and you may have a gain or a loss when you sell your shares. Performance assumes reinvestment of distributions and does not account for taxes.

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Report from the fund managers

The period in review

Your fund continued to deliver positive results during the first half of its fiscal year, although the weaker performance of high-yield bonds relative to convertible securities caused the fund’s return at NAV to lag results for its primary benchmark and the average return of its Lipper peer group. A generally positive equity market provided a favorable backdrop for both high-yield convertibles and bonds, since these securities tend to be influenced more by fundamentals supportive of common stocks and less by interest-rate trends. However, the bankruptcies of several high-profile issuers muted results in the high-yield bond market. Your fund had minimal exposure to these issuers because of its focus on the higher-quality area of the high-yield universe and its avoidance of companies that exhibited substantial credit risk.

Market overview

The prices of convertible securities are influenced primarily by two key factors: credit spreads, or the difference in yield between higher- and lower-quality bonds, and the direction of the broad equity market. During the second half of the fiscal year ended August 31, 2005, there was a sharp correction in the convertible market. The major credit rating agencies downgraded the debt issued by Ford and General Motors to below investment grade, causing credit spreads to widen quickly. However, thanks to a fundamentally healthy economy, the market was able to absorb this disruption and yields remained low by historical standards. In addition, the equity market generated moderately positive results during the current fiscal period and performed particularly well during the fall of 2005 and in January of 2006. As a result, throughout the first half of the fund’s 2006 fiscal year, the market environment for convertibles was noticeably stronger than it had been during the prior period.

The story was rather different in the high-yield bond market. The market essentially ran in place during the first four months of the period. The impact of generally solid corporate financial results was offset by the bankruptcies of several

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high-profile bond issuers, including Delta and Northwest Airlines in September, auto parts maker Delphi in October, and independent power producer Calpine in December. By January, however, the tide had turned and the high-yield market ended the period with improved results. Positive influences included continuing strong business fundamentals, persistent signs of economic growth, fewer deals coming to market following earlier heavy issuance, and improved market liquidity.

Strategy overview

Your fund invests mainly in a combination of convertible securities and high-yield corporate bonds, relying on our analysis of individual securities to identify what we consider to be the most attractive opportunities. After more than two years of a strong rally in both convertibles and high-yield bonds, new opportunities to add yield with lower-quality bonds have become relatively scarce. During the period, we continued to add higher-quality convertibles from industries that were experiencing short-term weakness, such as insurance companies and airlines. We also avoided problematic situations such as the Calpine bankruptcy, and did not invest in any General Motors (GM) convertibles until the securities, along with GM’s common stock, declined sharply in price. This particular investment illustrates our thinking about the attractiveness of “busted” convertibles.

Market sector performance   
These indexes provide an overview of performance in different market sectors for the   
six months ended 2/28/06.   

 
Bonds   
Merrill Lynch All-Convertibles Speculative Quality Index   
(high-yield U.S. convertible securities)  4.98% 

JP Morgan Developed High Yield Index (high-yield corporate bonds)  1.97% 

Lehman Aggregate Bond Index (broad bond market)  –0.11% 

Lehman Global Aggregate Bond Index (international bonds)  –1.92% 

Equities   
S&P 500 Index (broad stock market)  5.93% 

Russell 2000 Index (small-company stocks)  10.24% 

MSCI EAFE Index (international stocks)  15.14% 


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On the high-yield bond side of the portfolio, we maintained our bias toward bonds from the higher-quality tiers of the high-yield debt market. We believe this strategy, which has been in place since the second half of fiscal 2005, is appropriate given our view of where the market is in the current credit cycle. High-yield bond spreads have narrowed to the point that investors are not being well compensated for the additional risk they assume when choosing a lower-quality investment. In addition, we are positioning the portfolio somewhat defensively to guard against the possibility of slower economic growth. If the economy does slow, high-yield bonds with higher credit ratings are likely to perform better on a relative basis than lower-rated issues. Overall, our plan is to maintain a diversified portfolio, targeting issuers that appear to have a sustainable competitive advantage within their industry, solid capital structures, and the ability to generate sufficient levels of cash flow.

Your fund’s holdings

One of your fund’s best-performing convertible investments during the period was American Airlines. Despite higher fuel costs, well-positioned airlines are benefiting from improved economic conditions, which have led to stronger demand for air travel and from



higher airfares that have resulted, in part, from fuel surcharges. Initially, we invested in American Airlines’ convertible because it offered a high current yield. By the end of the period, we sold out of the position at a price above par (or face) value because the price of the convertible had moved up in step with the price of American Airlines’ common stock.

The fund also benefited from a large position in Titan International, a manufacturer of wheels and tires for off-road use. Management tendered a formal buyout proposal and, although the proposal had not been approved by the end of the fiscal period, the convertible’s price advanced as a result of this activity.

As noted earlier, we avoided GM’s convertible securities until they “busted” — i.e., until prices dropped substantially. When we did invest, we purchased a security with a very short maturity. By the end of the period, this position had generated a nice gain for the fund.

Convertible holdings that detracted from performance included MeriStar, a real estate investment trust (REIT) that operates full-service hotels and resorts. The REIT was the subject of a takeover during the period. The convertible we held was trading at a substantial premium to conversion value (i.e., the value of the convertible if converted into common stock). Because the takeover price was closer to the common stock

Top holdings

This table shows the fund's top holdings, and the percentage of the fund's net assets that each comprised, as of 2/28/06. The fund's holdings will change over time.

Holding (percent of fund's net assets)  Security information  Sector 

Convertible Securities     
Northrop Grumman Corp. (2.1%)  Ser. B, $7.00 cum. cv. pfd.  Capital goods 

General Motors Corp. (1.7%)  Ser. A, $1.13 cv. pfd.  Consumer cyclicals 

Schering-Plough Corp. (1.4%)  $3.00 cv. pfd.  Health care 

Nash Finch Co. (1.3%)  Cv. sr. sub. notes stepped-coupon  Consumer staples 
  1.631% (zero %, 3/15/13), 2035   

FelCor Lodging Trust, Inc. (1.3%)  Ser. A, $1.95 cum. cv. pfd.  Financial 

Corporate Bonds and Notes     
Ford Motor Credit Corp. (0.4%)  Notes 7.875%, 2010  Consumer cyclicals 

DirecTV Holdings, LLC (0.4%)  Company guaranty 6.375%, 2015  Consumer staples 

Novelis, Inc. (0.3%)  144A sr. notes 7.75%, 2015  Basic materials 

CCH I, LLC (0.3%)  144A secd. notes 11%, 2015  Consumer staples 

Whiting Petroleum Corp. (0.3%)  144A sr. sub. notes 7%, 2014  Energy 


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price than the convertible price, the fund’s position declined in value once the takeover was announced. The position remained in the fund at the end of the period, awaiting final closure of the deal.

The fund’s investment in Great Plains Energy, a public utility, also declined during the period. The company’s energy consulting business has suffered as a result of high natural gas prices. We are maintaining this position as we believe the company has the potential to rebound if natural gas prices remain stable or move lower.

Strong performers from the high-yield bond portion of the portfolio included Decrane Aircraft Holdings, an aircraft parts supplier. Decrane’s bond prices rebounded from depressed levels as the company enjoyed a surge in demand from customers in the corporate aircraft industry.

Disappointments among high-yield bond holdings included Charter Communications, the fourth-largest cable TV operator in the United States. The firm’s securities underperformed in light of the intensifying competitive threats from satellite TV and from the merger of AT&T and BellSouth, which was announced shortly after the period ended.

Please note that the holdings discussed in this report may not have been held by the fund for the entire period. Portfolio composition is subject to review in accordance with the fund’s investment strategy and may vary in the future.

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The outlook for your fund

The following commentary reflects anticipated developments that could affect your fund over the next six months, as well as your management team’s plans for responding to them.

Our strategy in the convertibles market over the balance of the fiscal year will be to continue to focus on high-yielding issues that are more sensitive to movements in the underlying common stock. We also plan to continue trying to avoid companies that exhibit significant credit risk. After a period of sustained economic expansion, which is where the United States currently finds itself in the business cycle, companies that carry substantial credit risk are typically in extremely poor financial condition.

As to the high-yield bond market, we would characterize our current outlook as neutral. While the business fundamentals of many high-yield issuers are solid, the technical, or supply and demand, condition of the market is in flux. The number of new issues coming to market has been fewer than in earlier periods but also larger in size. At the same time, investor demand, as determined by asset flows, has been volatile. Finally, high-yield spreads relative to investment-grade bonds are tight relative to historical averages, indicating that the market as a whole is somewhat overvalued. Consequently, we believe returns will be generated mainly through yield rather than capital appreciation over the near term.

The views expressed in this report are exclusively those of Putnam Management. They are not meant as investment advice.

Lower-rated bonds may offer higher yields in return for more risk. Mutual funds that invest in bonds are subject to certain risks, including interest-rate risk, credit risk, and inflation risk. As interest rates rise, the prices of bonds fall. Long-term bonds are more exposed to interest-rate risk than short-term bonds. Unlike bonds, bond funds have ongoing fees and expenses. The fund’s shares trade on a stock exchange at market prices, which may be higher or lower than the fund’s net asset value.

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Your fund’s performance

This section shows your fund’s performance during the first half of its fiscal year, which ended February 28, 2006. In accordance with regulatory requirements for mutual funds, we also include performance for the most recent calendar quarter-end. Performance should always be considered in light of a fund’s investment strategy. Data represents past performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. More recent returns may be less or more than those shown. Investment return, net asset value, and market price will fluctuate, and you may have a gain or a loss when you sell your shares.

Fund performance     
Total return for periods ended 2/28/06     

 
  NAV  Market price 

Annual average     
Life of fund (since 7/9/87)  10.14%  9.13% 

10 years  128.88  96.33 
Annual average  8.63  6.98 

5 years  68.66  40.31 
Annual average  11.02  7.01 

3 years  56.71  41.91 
Annual average  16.15  12.38 

1 year  6.69  7.16 

6 months  3.97  4.29 

 
Performance assumes reinvestment of distributions and does not account for taxes.   

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Comparative index returns

For periods ended 2/28/06

      Lipper 
  Merrill Lynch  JP Morgan  Convertible 
  All-Convertibles  Developed  Securities Funds 
  Speculative  High Yield  (closed-end) 
  Quality Index  Index  category average‡ 

 
Annual average       
Life of fund (since 7/9/87)  — *  —†  9.03% 

10 years  145.02%  94.30%  100.89 
Annual average  9.38  6.87  7.18 

5 years  42.57  49.11  26.60 
Annual average  7.35  8.32  4.65 

3 years  60.80  42.70  40.43 
Annual average  17.16  12.58  11.88 

1 year  6.92  3.50  6.71 

6 months  4.98  1.97  4.17 


Index and Lipper results should be compared to fund performance at net asset value.

* The Merrill Lynch All-Convertibles Speculative Quality Index began operations on 1/5/95.

† The JP Morgan Developed High Yield Index began operations on 12/31/94.

‡ Over the 6-month and 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year periods ended 2/28/06, there were 11, 11, 7, 6, and 6 funds, respectively, in this Lipper category.

Fund price and distribution information

For the six-month period ended 2/28/06

Distributions*     

Number  6   

Income  $0.2658   

Capital gains     

Total  $0.2658   

Share value:  NAV  Market price 
8/31/05  $8.69  $7.80 

2/28/06  8.73  7.86 

Current yield (end of period)     
Current dividend rate†  6.09%  6.76% 


* Dividend sources are estimated and may vary based on final tax calculations after the fund's fiscal year-end.

† Most recent distribution, excluding capital gains, annualized and divided by NAV or market price at end of period.

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Fund performance for most recent calendar quarter   
Total return for periods ended 3/31/06     

 
  NAV  Market price 

Annual average     
Life of fund (since 7/9/87)  10.15%  9.12% 

10 years  131.69  95.98 
Annual average  8.77  6.96 

5 years  73.12  66.03 
Annual average  11.60  10.67 

3 years  56.81  41.15 
Annual average  16.18  12.17 

1 year  10.38  13.29 

6 months  5.16  5.49 


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Your fund’s management

Your fund is managed by the members of the Putnam Large-Cap Value and Core Fixed-Income High-Yield teams. David King and Robert Salvin are Portfolio Leaders of your fund. The Portfolio Leaders coordinate the team’s management of the fund.

For a complete listing of the members of the Putnam Large-Cap Value and Core Fixed-Income High-Yield teams, including those who are not Portfolio Leaders or Portfolio Members of your fund, visit Putnam’s Individual Investor Web site at www.putnam.com.

Fund ownership by the Portfolio Leaders

The table below shows how much the fund’s current Portfolio Leaders have invested in the fund (in dollar ranges). Information shown is as of February 28, 2006, and February 28, 2005.

      $1 –  $10,001 –  $50,001 –  $100,001 –  $500,001 –  $1,000,001 
  Year   $0 $10,000  $50,000  $100,000  $500,000  $1,000,000  and over 

 
David King  2006             

Portfolio Leader  2005             

Robert Salvin  2006             

Portfolio Leader  2005             


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Fund manager compensation

The total 2005 fund manager compensation that is attributable to your fund is approximately $90,000. This amount includes a portion of 2005 compensation paid by Putnam Management to the fund managers listed in this section for their portfolio management responsibilities, calculated based on the fund assets they manage taken as a percentage of the total assets they manage. The compensation amount also includes a portion of the 2005 compensation paid to the Group Chief Investment Officer of the fund’s broader investment category for his oversight responsibilities, calculated based on the fund assets he oversees taken as a percentage of the total assets he oversees. This amount does not include compensation of other personnel involved in research, trading, administration, systems, compliance, or fund operations; nor does it include non-compensation costs. These percentages are determined as of the fund’s fiscal period-end. For personnel who joined Putnam Management during or after 2005, the calculation reflects annualized 2005 compensation or an estimate of 2006 compensation, as applicable.

Other Putnam funds managed by the Portfolio Leaders

David King is also a Portfolio Leader of Putnam Convertible Income-Growth Trust and Putnam New Value Fund. He is also a Portfolio Member of The Putnam Fund for Growth and Income.

Robert Salvin is also a Portfolio Member of Putnam Convertible Income-Growth Trust, Putnam High Yield Advantage Fund, Putnam High Yield Trust, and Putnam Managed High Yield Trust.

David King and Robert Salvin may also manage other accounts and variable trust funds advised by Putnam Management or an affiliate.

Changes in your fund’s Portfolio Leader and Portfolio Members

During the year ended February 28, 2006, Portfolio Member Robert Salvin became a Portfolio Leader of the fund.

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Fund ownership by Putnam’s Executive Board

The table below shows how much the members of Putnam’s Executive Board have invested in the fund (in dollar ranges). Information shown is as of February 28, 2006, and February 28, 2005.

        $1 –  $10,001 –  $50,001–  $100,001 
  Year    $0 $10,000  $50,000  $100,000  and over 

 
Philippe Bibi  2006           

Chief Technology Officer  2005           

Joshua Brooks  2006           

Deputy Head of Investments  2005           

William Connolly  2006           

Head of Retail Management  N/A             

Kevin Cronin  2006           

Head of Investments  2005           

Charles Haldeman, Jr.  2006           

President and CEO  2005           

Amrit Kanwal  2006           

Chief Financial Officer  2005           

Steven Krichmar  2006           

Chief of Operations  2005           

Francis McNamara, III  2006           

General Counsel  2005           

Richard Robie, III  2006           

Chief Administrative Officer  2005           

Edward Shadek  2006           

Deputy Head of Investments  2005           

Sandra Whiston  2006           

Head of Institutional Management  N/A             


N/A indicates the individual was not a member of Putnam’s Executive Board as of 2/28/05.

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Terms and definitions

Important terms

Total return shows how the value of the fund's shares changed over time, assuming you held the shares through the entire period and reinvested all distributions in the fund.

Net asset value (NAV) is the value of all your fund's assets, minus any liabilities, divided by the number of outstanding shares.

Market price is the current trading price of one share of the fund. Market prices are set by transactions between buyers and sellers on exchanges such as the American Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange.

Comparative indexes

JP Morgan Developed High Yield Index is an unmanaged index of high-yield fixed-income securities issued in developed countries.

Lehman Aggregate Bond Index is an unmanaged index of U.S. investment-grade fixed-income securities.

Lehman Global Aggregate Bond Index is an unmanaged index of global investment-grade fixed-income securities.

Merrill Lynch All-Convertibles Speculative Quality Index is an unmanaged index of high-yield U.S. convertible securities.

Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) EAFE Index is an unmanaged index of equity securities from developed countries in Western Europe, the Far East, and Australasia.

Russell 2000 Index is an unmanaged index of the 2,000 smallest companies in the Russell 3000 Index.

S&P 500 Index is an unmanaged index of common stock performance.

Indexes assume reinvestment of all distributions and do not account for fees. Securities and performance of a fund and an index will differ. You cannot invest directly in an index.

Lipper is a third-party industry-ranking entity that ranks mutual funds. Its rankings do not reflect sales charges. Lipper rankings are based on total return at net asset value relative to other funds that have similar current investment styles or objectives as determined by Lipper. Lipper may change a fund's category assignment at its discretion. Lipper category averages reflect performance trends for funds within a category.

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Trustee approval of
management contract

General conclusions

The Board of Trustees of the Putnam funds oversees the management of each fund and, as required by law, determines annually whether to approve the continuance of your fund’s management contract with Putnam Management and its sub-management contract with Putnam Management’s affiliate, Putnam Investments Limited (“PIL”). In this regard, the Board of Trustees, with the assistance of its Contract Committee consisting solely of Trustees who are not “interested persons” (as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”)) of the Putnam funds (the “Independent Trustees”), requests and evaluates all information it deems reasonably necessary under the circumstances. Over the course of several months beginning in March and ending in June 2005, the Contract Committee met five times to consider the information provided by Putnam Management and other information developed with the assistance of the Board’s independent counsel and independent staff. The Contract Committee reviewed and discussed key aspects of this information with all of the Independent Trustees. Upon completion of this review, the Contract Committee recommended and the Independent Trustees approved the continuance of your fund’s management contract and sub-management contract, effective July 1, 2005. Because PIL is an affiliate of Putnam Management and Putnam Management remains fully responsible for all services provided by PIL, the Trustees have not evaluated PIL as a separate entity and all subsequent references to Putnam Management below should be deemed to include reference to PIL as necessary or appropriate in the context.

This approval was based on the following conclusions:

That the fee schedule currently in effect for your fund, subject to certain changes noted below, represents reasonable compensation in light of the nature and quality of the services being provided to the fund, the fees paid by competitive funds and the costs incurred by Putnam Management in providing such services, and


That such fee schedule represents an appropriate sharing between fund shareholders and Putnam Management of such economies of scale as may exist in the management of the fund at current asset levels.

These conclusions were based on a comprehensive consideration of all information provided to the Trustees and were not the result of any single factor. Some of the factors that figured particularly in the Trustees’ deliberations and how the Trustees considered these factors are described below, although individual Trustees may have evaluated the information presented differently, giving different weights to various factors. It is also important to recognize that the fee arrangements for your fund and the other Putnam funds are the result of many years of review and discussion between the Independent Trustees and Putnam Management, that certain aspects of such arrangements may receive greater scrutiny in some years than others, and that the Trustees’ conclusions may be based, in part, on their consideration of these same arrangements in prior years.

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Model fee schedules and categories; total expenses

The Trustees’ review of the management fees and total expenses of the Putnam funds focused on three major themes:

Consistency. The Trustees, working in cooperation with Putnam Management, have developed and implemented a series of model fee schedules for the Putnam funds designed to ensure that each fund’s management fee is consistent with the fees for similar funds in the Putnam family of funds and compares favorably with fees paid by competitive funds sponsored by other investment advisors. Under this approach, each Putnam fund is assigned to one of several fee categories based on a combination of factors, including competitive fees and perceived difficulty of management, and a common fee schedule is implemented for all funds in a given fee category. The Trustees reviewed the model fee schedule then in effect for your fund, including fee levels and breakpoints, and the assignment of the fund to a particular fee category under this structure. (“Breakpoints” refer to reductions in fee rates that apply to additional assets once specified asset levels are reached.)

Since their inception, Putnam’s closed-end funds have generally had management fees that are higher than those of Putnam’s open-end funds pursuing comparable investment strategies. These differences ranged from five to 20 basis points. The Trustees reexamined this matter and recommended that these differences be conformed to a uniform five basis points. As a result, the Trustees approved a reduction in the management fees for your fund. At a meeting on January 13, 2006, the Trustees approved an amended management contract for your fund to memorialize the fee arrangements agreed to in June 2005. Under the new fee schedule, the fund pays a quarterly fee to Putnam Management at the following rates:

0.70% of the first $500 million of the fund’s average weekly assets (as described below
under “Approval of Amended and Restated Management Contract in July 2005”);
0.60% of the next $500 million;
0.55% of the next $500 million;
0.50% of the next $5 billion;
0.475% of the next $5 billion;
0.455% of the next $5 billion;
0.44% of the next $5 billion;
0.43% of the next $5 billion;
0.42% of the next $5 billion;
0.41% of the next $5 billion;
0.40% of the next $5 billion;
0.39% of the next $5 billion;
0.38% of the next $5 billion; and
0.37% thereafter.

21


The new fee schedule for your fund resulted in lower management fees paid, as a percentage of the fund's average weekly assets, by common shareholders.

Competitiveness. The Trustees also reviewed comparative fee and expense information for competitive funds, which indicated that, in a custom peer group of competitive funds selected by Lipper Inc., your fund ranked in the 33rd percentile in management fees and in the 33rd percentile in total expenses as of December 31, 2004 (the first percentile being the least expensive funds and the 100th percentile being the most expensive funds). The Trustees expressed their intention to monitor this information closely to ensure that fees and expenses of the Putnam funds continue to meet evolving competitive standards.


Economies of scale. The Trustees concluded that the fee schedule currently in effect for your fund, which as of January 1, 2006, reflects the changes noted above, represents an appropriate sharing of economies of scale at current asset levels. The Trustees examined the existing breakpoint structure of the Putnam funds’ management fees in light of competitive industry practices. The Trustees considered various possible modifications to the Putnam funds’ current breakpoint structure, but ultimately concluded that the current breakpoint structure continues to serve the interests of fund shareholders. Accordingly, the Trustees continue to believe that the fee schedules currently in effect for the funds, taking into account the changes noted above, represent an appropriate sharing of economies of scale at current asset levels.

In connection with their review of the management fees and total expenses of the Putnam funds, the Trustees also reviewed the costs of the services to be provided and profits to be realized by Putnam Management and its affiliates from the relationship with the funds. This information included trends in revenues, expenses and profitability of Putnam Management and its affiliates relating to the investment management and distribution services provided to the funds. In this regard, the Trustees also reviewed an analysis of Putnam Management’s revenues, expenses and profitability with respect to the funds’ management contracts, allocated on a fund-by-fund basis.

Investment performance

The quality of the investment process provided by Putnam Management represented a major factor in the Trustees’ evaluation of the quality of services provided by Putnam Management under your fund’s management contract. The Trustees were assisted in their review of the funds’ investment process and performance by the work of the Investment Oversight Committees of the Trustees, which meet on a regular monthly basis with the funds’ portfolio teams throughout the year. The Trustees concluded that Putnam Management generally provides a high-quality investment process — as measured by the experience and skills of the individuals assigned to the management of fund portfolios, the resources made available to such personnel, and in general the ability of Putnam Management to attract and retain high-quality personnel — but also recognize that this does not guarantee favorable investment results for every fund in every time period. The Trustees considered the investment performance of each fund over multiple time

22


periods and considered information comparing the fund’s performance with various benchmarks and with the performance of competitive funds. The Trustees noted the satisfactory investment performance of many Putnam funds. They also noted the disappointing investment performance of certain funds in recent years and continued to discuss with senior management of Putnam Management the factors contributing to such underperformance and actions being taken to improve performance. The Trustees recognized that, in recent years, Putnam Management has made significant changes in its investment personnel and processes and in the fund product line to address areas of underperformance. The Trustees indicated their intention to continue to monitor performance trends to assess the effectiveness of these changes and to evaluate whether additional remedial changes are warranted.

In the case of your fund, the Trustees considered that your fund’s common share cumulative total return performance at net asset value was in the following percentiles of its Lipper Inc. peer group (Lipper Convertible Securities Funds (closed-end)) for the one-, three-, and five-year periods ended December 31, 2004 (the first percentile being the best-performing funds and the 100th percentile being the worst-performing funds):

One-year period  Three-year period  Five-year period 

        36th            12th          12th 

(Because of the passage of time, these performance results may differ from the performance results for more recent periods shown elsewhere in this report. Over the one-, three-, and five-year periods ended December 31, 2004, there were 13, 8, and 8 funds, respectively, in your fund’s Lipper peer group.* Past performance is no guarantee of future performance.)

As a general matter, the Trustees believe that cooperative efforts between the Trustees and Putnam Management represent the most effective way to address investment performance problems. The Trustees believe that investors in the Putnam funds have, in effect, placed their trust in the Putnam organization, under the oversight of the funds’ Trustees, to make appropriate decisions regarding the management of the funds. Based on the responsiveness of Putnam Management in the recent past to Trustee concerns about investment performance, the Trustees believe that it is preferable to seek change within Putnam Management to address performance shortcomings. In the Trustees’ view, the alternative of terminating a management contract and engaging a new investment advisor for an underperforming fund would entail significant disruptions and would not provide any greater assurance of improved investment performance.

* The percentile rankings for your fund’s common share annualized total return performance in the Lipper Convertible Securities Funds (closed-end) category for the one-, five-, and ten-year periods ended March 31, 2006, were 75%, 15%, and 15%, respectively. Over the one-, five-, and ten-year periods ended March 31, 2006, the fund ranked 9th out of 11, 1st out of 6, and 1st out of 6 funds, respectively. Note that this more recent information was not available when the Trustees approved the continuance of your fund’s management contract.

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Brokerage and soft-dollar allocations; other benefits

The Trustees considered various potential benefits that Putnam Management may receive in connection with the services it provides under the management contract with your fund. These include principally benefits related to brokerage and soft-dollar allocations, whereby a portion of the commissions paid by a fund for brokerage is earmarked to pay for research services that may be utilized by a fund’s investment advisor, subject to the obligation to seek best execution. The Trustees believe that soft-dollar credits and other potential benefits associated with the allocation of fund brokerage, which pertains mainly to funds investing in equity securities, represent assets of the funds that should be used for the benefit of fund shareholders. This area has been marked by significant change in recent years. In July 2003, acting upon the Contract Committee’s recommendation, the Trustees directed that allocations of brokerage to reward firms that sell fund shares be discontinued no later than December 31, 2003. In addition, commencing in 2004, the allocation of brokerage commissions by Putnam Management to acquire research services from third-party service providers has been significantly reduced, and continues at a modest level only to acquire research that is customarily not available for cash. The Trustees will continue to monitor the allocation of the funds’ brokerage to ensure that the principle of “best price and execution” remains paramount in the portfolio trading process.

The Trustees’ annual review of your fund’s management contract also included the review of your fund’s custodian and investor servicing agreements with Putnam Fiduciary Trust Company, which provide benefits to affiliates of Putnam Management.

Comparison of retail and institutional fee schedules

The information examined by the Trustees as part of their annual contract review has included for many years information regarding fees charged by Putnam Management and its affiliates to institutional clients such as defined benefit pension plans, college endowments, etc. This information included comparison of such fees with fees charged to the funds, as well as a detailed assessment of the differences in the services provided to these two types of clients. The Trustees observed, in this regard, that the differences in fee rates between institutional clients and the mutual funds are by no means uniform when examined by individual asset sectors, suggesting that differences in the pricing of investment management services to these types of clients reflect to a substantial degree historical competitive forces operating in separate market places. The Trustees considered the fact that fee rates across all asset sectors are higher on average for mutual funds than for institutional clients, as well as the differences between the services that Putnam Management provides to the Putnam funds and those that it provides to institutional clients of the firm, but have not relied on such comparisons to any significant extent in concluding that the management fees paid by your fund are reasonable.

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Approval of Amended and Restated Management Contract in July 2005

In July 2005, the Trustees, including the Independent Trustees of your fund, approved an amendment to your fund’s management contract to take into account investment leverage in calculating management fees. The Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, have concluded that it would be in the best interest of your fund and its common shareholders to compensate Putnam Management on the basis of its “average weekly assets,” rather than its net assets. “Average weekly assets” is defined as the difference (as measured on a weekly basis) between the fund’s total assets (including assets attributable to leverage for investment purposes) and its total liabilities (excluding liabilities attributable to leverage for investment purposes). This formulation effectively allows for Putnam Management to receive management fees on leveraged assets. As your fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust prohibits the issuance of preferred shares, for all practical purposes the only form of investment leverage available would be borrowing. In the course of their evaluation, the Trustees considered the benefit to your fund from the additional investment management services that Putnam Management would perform in connection with a leveraged investment strategy, as well as the amount of compensation Putnam Management would receive under the proposed fee structure.

The Trustees noted that the amendment would align the fee arrangements for your fund with those of other closed-end Putnam funds that currently engage in leverage for investment purposes. Furthermore, the Trustees were advised by Putnam Management that it is a customary and widespread practice in the closed-end fund industry to structure leveraged products in a manner that compensates advisors for their management of the assets acquired through leverage.

In evaluating the incentives and potential conflicts of interest created by an average weekly assets-based fee, the Trustees considered that the asset coverage restrictions under the 1940 Act, as well as other legal requirements, limit the extent to which an advisor can expose a fund to additional risk through leverage. Furthermore, the Trustees considered the advantages of a management fee reduction mechanism that is included in the amended contract, which reduces the management fee dollar for dollar (subject to a specified maximum reduction) where the costs of carrying investment leverage outweigh the benefits (in terms of net income and short-term capital gains) to common shareholders from managing additional investment assets. In the event that your fund actually engages in leverage, the Trustees will have the opportunity, through regular reports from Putnam Management prepared in connection with the fee reduction mechanism described above, to continue monitoring the conflict of interest between Putnam Management and your fund.

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The Trustees approved the changes to your fund’s management contract in principle at a meeting held on April 15, 2005, and further confirmed their approval in principle by written consent of a majority of the Trustees (including a majority of the Independent Trustees) dated May 18, 2005. Shareholders of your fund approved the amended and restated management contract at the fund’s annual meeting of shareholders on July 14, 2005. The Trustees confirmed their action by written consent at an in-person meeting as required under the 1940 Act prior to the execution of the amended management contract.

The Trustees also approved conforming changes to the sub-management contract between Putnam Management and PIL with respect to your fund, to provide for PIL’s fee to be calculated on the basis of the fund’s average weekly assets. The fee paid under the sub-management contract is paid by Putnam Management and not by your fund. Under the circumstances, the changes to the sub-management contract did not require shareholder approval.

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Other information
for shareholders

Important notice regarding share repurchase program

In October 2005, the Trustees of your fund authorized Putnam Investments to implement a repurchase program on behalf of your fund, which would allow your fund to repurchase up to 5% of its outstanding shares over the 12 months ending October 6, 2006. In March 2006, the Trustees approved an expansion of this repurchase program to allow the fund to repurchase a total of up to 10% of its outstanding shares over the same period.

Important notice regarding delivery of shareholder documents

In accordance with SEC regulations, Putnam sends a single copy of annual and semiannual shareholder reports, prospectuses, and proxy statements to Putnam shareholders who share the same address. If you prefer to receive your own copy of these documents, please call Putnam at 1-800-225-1581, and Putnam will begin sending individual copies within 30 days.

Proxy voting

Putnam is committed to managing our mutual funds in the best interests of our shareholders. The Putnam funds’ proxy voting guidelines and procedures, as well as information regarding how your fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the 12-month period ended June 30, 2005, are available on the Putnam Individual Investor Web site, www.putnam.com/individual, and on the SEC’s Web site, www.sec.gov. If you have questions about finding forms on the SEC’s Web site, you may call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. You may also obtain the Putnam funds’ proxy voting guidelines and procedures at no charge by calling Putnam’s Shareholder Services at 1-800-225-1581.

Fund portfolio holdings

The fund will file a complete schedule of its portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. Shareholders may obtain the fund’s Forms N-Q on the SEC’s Web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, the fund’s Forms N-Q may be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. You may call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for information about the SEC’s Web site or the operation of the Public Reference Room.

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Recent change to investment policy

In February 2006, the Trustees of your fund approved a change to the fund’s investment policies. Effective April 30, 2006, the fund will no longer be required to invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets in fixed-income securities rated below investment grade (below BBB as rated by Standard & Poor’s or Baa by Moody’s).

As a result, the fund’s management team will have greater flexibility (although the team may choose not to utilize this flexibility) to pursue the fund’s objectives across a broader spectrum of credit quality. The fund’s management team believes that it is possible under current conditions to raise the credit quality of the fund’s portfolio without compromising the fund’s yield or primary investment objective of seeking high current income, particularly in light of the fund’s considerable exposure to convertible securities — an investment universe in which “high yield” and “low credit ratings” currently are not synonymous. In addition, a portfolio with higher credit quality generally offers shareholders greater protection against risk of loss, which serves the fund’s secondary objective of capital appreciation.

The removal of this investment restriction did not change the fund’s objectives and did not require shareholder approval.

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Financial statements

A guide to financial statements

These sections of the report, as well as the accompanying Notes, constitute the fund’s financial statements.

The fund’s portfolio lists all the fund’s investments and their values as of the last day of the reporting period. Holdings are organized by asset type and industry sector, country, or state to show areas of concentration and diversification.

Statement of assets and liabilities shows how the fund’s net assets and share price are determined. All investment and noninvestment assets are added together. Any unpaid expenses and other liabilities are subtracted from this total. The result is divided by the number of shares to determine the net asset value per share, which is calculated separately for each class of shares. (For funds with preferred shares, the amount subtracted from total assets includes the liquidation preference of preferred shares.)

Statement of operations shows the fund’s net investment gain or loss. This is done by first adding up all the fund’s earnings — from dividends and interest income — and subtracting its operating expenses to determine net investment income (or loss). Then, any net gain or loss the fund realized on the sales of its holdings — as well as any unrealized gains or losses over the period — is added to or subtracted from the net investment result to determine the fund’s net gain or loss for the fiscal period.

Statement of changes in net assets shows how the fund’s net assets were affected by the fund’s net investment gain or loss, by distributions to shareholders, and by changes in the number of the fund’s shares. It lists distributions and their sources (net investment income or realized capital gains) over the current reporting period and the most recent fiscal year-end. The distributions listed here may not match the sources listed in the Statement of operations because the distributions are determined on a tax basis and may be paid in a different period from the one in which they were earned. Dividend sources are estimated at the time of declaration. Actual results may vary. Any non-taxable return of capital cannot be determined until final tax calculations are completed after the end of the fund’s fiscal year.

Financial highlights provide an overview of the fund’s investment results, per-share distributions, expense ratios, net investment income ratios, and portfolio turnover in one summary table, reflecting the five most recent reporting periods. In a semiannual report, the highlight table also includes the current reporting period. For open-end funds, a separate table is provided for each share class.

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The fund’s portfolio 2/28/06 (Unaudited)         

 
 
 
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (41.9%)*         

    Principal amount    Value 
 
Advertising and Marketing Services (0.3%)         
Affinion Group, Inc. 144A company         
guaranty 10 1/8s, 2013    $ 420,000  $  405,300 
Lamar Media Corp. company guaranty 7 1/4s, 2013    130,000    134,063 
        539,363 

 
Automotive (2.2%)         
ArvinMeritor, Inc. notes 8 3/4s, 2012    95,000    93,100 
Dana Corp. notes 5.85s, 2015    65,000    39,813 
Delco Remy International, Inc. company         
guaranty 11s, 2009    4,000    1,820 
Ford Motor Co. notes 7.45s, 2031    340,000    241,400 
Ford Motor Credit Corp. bonds 7 3/8s, 2011    360,000    324,649 
Ford Motor Credit Corp. notes 7 7/8s, 2010    910,000    841,629 
General Motors Acceptance Corp. bonds 8s, 2031    565,000    515,979 
General Motors Acceptance Corp. notes 7 3/4s, 2010    555,000    523,065 
General Motors Acceptance Corp. notes 6 7/8s, 2012    140,000    124,739 
General Motors Acceptance Corp. notes 6 3/4s, 2014    285,000    251,780 
General Motors Acceptance Corp. notes 5 1/8s, 2008    135,000    123,523 
Hertz Corp. 144A sr. notes 8 7/8s, 2014    185,000    193,325 
Meritor Automotive, Inc. notes 6.8s, 2009    145,000    142,100 
Tenneco Automotive, Inc. company guaranty 8 5/8s, 2014    175,000    174,125 
Tenneco Automotive, Inc. sec. notes Ser. B, 10 1/4s, 2013    275,000    304,511 
TRW Automotive Inc. sr. notes 9 3/8s, 2013    200,000    217,000 
TRW Automotive Inc. sr. sub. notes 11s, 2013    185,000    207,663 
        4,320,221 

 
Basic Materials (4.4%)         
Abitibi-Consolidated Finance LP company         
guaranty 7 7/8s, 2009    2,000    1,945 
AK Steel Corp. company guaranty 7 7/8s, 2009    20,000    19,450 
BCP Crystal US Holdings Corp.         
sr. sub. notes 9 5/8s, 2014    170,000    190,188 
Century Aluminum Co. company guaranty 7 1/2s, 2014    80,000    83,200 
Chaparral Steel Co. company guaranty 10s, 2013    270,000    298,350 
Chesapeake Corp. sr. sub. notes 7s, 2014  EUR  135,000    145,484 
Cognis Holding GmbH & Co. 144A         
sr. notes 9 1/2s, 2014 (Germany)  EUR  275,000    367,003 
Compass Minerals International, Inc. sr. disc.         
notes stepped-coupon Ser. B, zero % (12s,         
6/1/08), 2013 ††    $  65,000    57,850 
Compass Minerals International, Inc.         
sr. notes stepped-coupon zero % (12 3/4s,         
12/15/07), 2012 ††    310,000    288,300 
Crystal US Holdings, LLC sr. disc.         
notes stepped-coupon Ser. A, zero % (10s,         
10/1/09), 2014 ††    360,000    281,700 

30


CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (41.9%)* continued         

    Principal amount    Value 
 
Basic Materials continued         
Equistar Chemicals LP/Equistar Funding Corp.         
company guaranty 10 1/8s, 2008    $ 352,000  $  378,400 
Gerdau Ameristeel Corp. sr. notes 10 3/8s, 2011 (Canada)    240,000    263,700 
Graphic Packaging International Corp         
sr. notes 8 1/2s, 2011    15,000    15,075 
Hercules, Inc. company guaranty 6 3/4s, 2029    180,000    176,400 
Huntsman, LLC company guaranty 11 5/8s, 2010    97,000    110,580 
Huntsman, LLC company guaranty 11 1/2s, 2012    53,000    60,553 
Ineos Group Holdings PLC 144A bonds 7 7/8s,         
2016 (United Kingdom)  EUR  150,000    178,547 
Innophos, Inc. 144A sr. sub. notes 8 7/8s, 2014    $  425,000    437,750 
Ispat Inland ULC sec. notes 9 3/4s, 2014    300,000    341,250 
Jefferson Smurfit Corp. company guaranty 8 1/4s, 2012    24,000    23,460 
Jefferson Smurfit Corp. company guaranty 7 1/2s, 2013    150,000    140,250 
JSG Holding PLC 144A sr. notes 11 1/2s,         
2015 (Ireland) ‡‡  EUR  111,715    135,107 
Lyondell Chemical Co. company guaranty 10 1/2s, 2013    $ 270,000    301,725 
Lyondell Chemical Co. notes Ser. A, 9 5/8s, 2007    65,000    67,275 
MDP Acquisitions PLC sr. notes 9 5/8s, 2012 (Ireland)    310,000    324,725 
Metals USA, Inc. 144A sec. notes 11 1/8s, 2015    160,000    172,000 
Nalco Co. sr. sub. notes 9s, 2013  EUR  190,000    246,884 
Nalco Co. sr. sub. notes 8 7/8s, 2013    $ 180,000    188,550 
Nell AF S.a.r.l. 144A sr. notes 8 3/8s, 2015 (Luxembourg)    265,000    266,325 
Nell AF S.a.r.l. 144A sr. notes 8 3/8s, 2015 (Luxembourg)  EUR  50,000    61,393 
NewPage Corp. sec. notes 10s, 2012    $ 360,000    376,200 
Norske Skog Canada, Ltd. sr. notes 7 3/8s, 2014 (Canada)    280,000    257,600 
Novelis, Inc. 144A sr. notes 7 3/4s, 2015    605,000    586,850 
PCI Chemicals Canada sec. sr. notes 10s, 2008 (Canada)    98,714    103,403 
PQ Corp. 144A company guaranty 7 1/2s, 2013    265,000    254,400 
Rockwood Specialties Group, Inc. company         
guaranty 7 5/8s, 2014  EUR  310,000    383,594 
Smurfit Capital Funding PLC debs. 7 1/2s, 2025 (Ireland)    $ 45,000    41,400 
Steel Dynamics, Inc. company guaranty 9 1/2s, 2009    180,000    188,550 
Sterling Chemicals, Inc. sec. notes 10s, 2007 ‡‡    17,046    16,236 
Stone Container Corp. sr. notes 9 3/4s, 2011    225,000    231,469 
Stone Container Corp. sr. notes 8 3/8s, 2012    95,000    93,100 
Stone Container Finance company guaranty 7 3/8s,         
2014 (Canada)    115,000    106,663 
Ucar Finance, Inc. company guaranty 10 1/4s, 2012    120,000    127,800 
United States Steel Corp. sr. notes 9 3/4s, 2010    154,000    167,090 
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp. sr. notes 6s, 2010 ‡‡    12,983    10,321 
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp. sr. notes 5s, 2011 ‡‡    23,885    18,989 
        8,587,084 

 
Building Materials (0.9%)         
Associated Materials, Inc. company guaranty 9 3/4s, 2012    230,000    228,850 
Building Materials Corp. company guaranty 8s, 2008    70,000    71,050 
Goodman Global Holding Co., Inc. sr. notes FRN         
Ser. B, 7.491s, 2012    60,000    61,050 

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CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (41.9%)* continued         

    Principal amount   Value 
 
Building Materials continued         
Goodman Global Holding Co., Inc.         
sr. sub. notes 7 7/8s, 2012    $ 240,000  $  234,600 
Jacuzzi Brands, Inc. sec. notes 9 5/8s, 2010    100,000    108,000 
NTK Holdings, Inc. sr. disc. notes zero %, 2014    270,000    189,000 
Texas Industries, Inc. sr. unsecd. notes 7 1/4s, 2013    300,000    310,500 
THL Buildco, Inc. (Nortek Holdings, Inc.)         
sr. sub. notes 8 1/2s, 2014    460,000    458,850 
        1,661,900 

 
Capital Goods (4.3%)         
Aero Invest 1 SA 144A company guaranty FRN         
10.634s, 2015 (Luxembourg) ‡‡  EUR  369,826    451,340 
Allied Waste North America, Inc. company         
guaranty Ser. B, 8 1/2s, 2008    $  293,000    309,115 
Allied Waste North America, Inc. sec.         
notes Ser. B, 5 3/4s, 2011    30,000    28,725 
Amsted Industries, Inc. 144A sr. notes 10 1/4s, 2011    420,000    455,700 
Argo-Tech Corp. sr. notes 9 1/4s, 2011    165,000    174,900 
BE Aerospace, Inc. sr. notes 8 1/2s, 2010    321,000    345,075 
Blount, Inc. sr. sub. notes 8 7/8s, 2012    160,000    168,000 
Browning-Ferris Industries, Inc. debs. 7.4s, 2035    65,000    60,125 
Browning-Ferris Industries, Inc.         
sr. notes 6 3/8s, 2008    140,000    140,000 
Covalence Specialty Materials Corp. 144A         
sr. sub. notes 10 1/4s, 2016    295,000    305,694 
Crown Americas, LLC/Crown Americas Capital Corp.         
144A sr. notes 7 5/8s, 2013    340,000    354,450 
Crown Cork & Seal Co. Inc. debs. 8s, 2023    90,000    87,750 
Decrane Aircraft Holdings Co. company         
guaranty zero %, 2008 (acquired 7/23/04, cost $78,000) ‡    238,000    157,080 
DRS Technologies, Inc. company guaranty 6 5/8s, 2016    115,000    115,575 
Earle M. Jorgensen Co. sec. notes 9 3/4s, 2012    414,000    449,190 
Greenbrier Companies, Inc. company guaranty 8 3/8s, 2015    125,000    131,250 
Greenbrier Companies, Inc. 144A sr. notes 8 3/8s, 2015    95,000    99,750 
Hexcel Corp. sr. sub. notes 6 3/4s, 2015    55,000    55,138 
Invensys, PLC notes 9 7/8s, 2011 (United Kingdom)    15,000    15,525 
L-3 Communications Corp. company guaranty 7 5/8s, 2012    100,000    104,750 
L-3 Communications Corp. company guaranty 6 1/8s, 2013    80,000    78,800 
L-3 Communications Corp. sr. sub. notes Class B, 6 3/8s, 2015    215,000    214,463 
Legrand SA debs. 8 1/2s, 2025 (France)    405,000    496,125 
Manitowoc Co., Inc. (The) company guaranty 10 1/2s, 2012    139,000    153,248 
Manitowoc Co., Inc. (The) company guaranty 10 3/8s, 2011  EUR  45,000    57,266 
Manitowoc Co., Inc. (The) sr. notes 7 1/8s, 2013    $ 155,000    159,263 
Milacron Escrow Corp. sec. notes 11 1/2s, 2011    320,000    286,400 
Mueller Group, Inc. sr. sub. notes 10s, 2012    230,000    251,850 
Mueller Holdings, Inc. disc. notes stepped-coupon         
zero % (14 3/4s, 4/15/09), 2014 ††    135,000    109,350 

32


CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (41.9%)* continued         

    Principal amount    Value 
 
Capital Goods continued         
Owens-Brockway Glass Container, Inc company         
guaranty 6 3/4s, 2014  EUR  105,000  $  128,049 
Owens-Brockway Glass company guaranty 8 7/8s, 2009    $  5,000    5,219 
Owens-Brockway Glass company guaranty 8 1/4s, 2013    240,000    250,200 
Owens-Brockway Glass company guaranty 7 3/4s, 2011    55,000    57,750 
Owens-Brockway Glass sr. sec. notes 8 3/4s, 2012    197,000    211,775 
Owens-Illinois, Inc. debs. 7.8s, 2018    55,000    55,550 
Plastipak Holdings Inc. 144A sr. notes 8 1/2s, 2015    95,000    98,088 
Ray Acquisition SCA sr. notes 9 3/8s, 2015 (France)  EUR  275,000    350,612 
Siebe PLC 144A sr. unsub. 6 1/2s, 2010 (United Kingdom)    $  260,000    242,775 
Solo Cup Co. sr. sub. notes 8 1/2s, 2014    380,000    338,200 
TD Funding Corp. company guaranty 8 3/8s, 2011    280,000    292,600 
Tekni-Plex, Inc. 144A sec. notes 10 7/8s, 2012    320,000    352,000 
Terex Corp. company guaranty 9 1/4s, 2011    40,000    42,650 
Terex Corp. company guaranty 7 3/8s, 2014    24,000    24,720 
Terex Corp. company guaranty Ser. B, 10 3/8s, 2011    82,000    86,613 
        8,352,698 

 
Communication Services (3.2%)         
Alamosa Delaware, Inc. company guaranty 12s, 2009    49,000    53,043 
Alamosa Delaware, Inc. company guaranty 11s, 2010    54,000    60,360 
Alamosa Delaware, Inc. sr. notes 8 1/2s, 2012    40,000    43,200 
American Cellular Corp. company guaranty 9 1/2s, 2009    45,000    46,744 
American Cellular Corp. sr. notes Ser. B, 10s, 2011    420,000    456,750 
American Tower Corp. sr. notes 7 1/2s, 2012    90,000    94,950 
American Towers, Inc. company guaranty 7 1/4s, 2011    165,000    173,250 
Asia Global Crossing, Ltd. sr. notes 13 3/8s,         
2010 (Bermuda) (In default) †    28,473    854 
Centennial Cellular Operating Co., LLC company         
guaranty 10 1/8s, 2013    90,000    98,550 
Centennial Communications Corp. 144A sr. notes 10s, 2013    145,000    150,800 
Centennial Communications Corp. 144A         
sr. notes FRN 10 1/4s, 2013    40,000    41,300 
Cincinnati Bell Telephone company guaranty 6.3s, 2028    35,000    31,850 
Cincinnati Bell, Inc. company guaranty 7s, 2015    80,000    79,900 
Cincinnati Bell, Inc. sr. sub. notes 8 3/8s, 2014    25,000    25,250 
Cincinnati Bell, Inc. unsub. notes 7 1/4s, 2023    80,000    78,800 
Citizens Communications Co. notes 9 1/4s, 2011    240,000    265,800 
Citizens Communications Co. sr. notes 6 1/4s, 2013    205,000    201,156 
Digicel, Ltd. 144A sr. notes 9 1/4s, 2012 (Jamaica)    165,000    173,250 
Dobson Cellular Systems sec. notes 9 7/8s, 2012    160,000    174,800 
Dobson Communications Corp. 144A sr. notes FRN         
8.85s, 2012    75,000    74,250 
Eircom Funding company guaranty Ser. US$,         
8 1/4s, 2013 (Ireland)    60,000    64,125 
Horizon PCS, Inc. company guaranty 11 3/8s, 2012    40,000    46,000 
Inmarsat Finance PLC company guaranty 7 5/8s,         
2012 (United Kingdom)    150,000    154,688 

33


CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (41.9%)* continued         

    Principal amount   Value 
 
Communication Services continued         
Inmarsat Finance PLC company guaranty stepped-coupon         
zero % (10 3/8s, 10/15/08), 2012 (United Kingdom) ††  $  230,000  $  193,775 
iPCS, Inc. sr. notes 11 1/2s, 2012    70,000    80,325 
IWO Holdings, Inc. sec. FRN 8.35s, 2012    25,000    26,031 
Madison River Capital Corp. sr. notes 13 1/4s, 2010    69,000    72,623 
Nextel Partners, Inc. sr. notes 8 1/8s, 2011    290,000    307,400 
Qwest Communications International, Inc. company         
guaranty 7 1/2s, 2014    540,000    554,850 
Qwest Corp. notes 8 7/8s, 2012    430,000    481,600 
Qwest Corp. sr. notes 7 5/8s, 2015    150,000    160,875 
Rogers Cantel, Inc. debs. 9 3/4s, 2016 (Canada)    240,000    294,900 
Rogers Wireless, Inc. sec. notes 9 5/8s, 2011 (Canada)    265,000    307,400 
Rogers Wireless, Inc. sec. notes 6 3/8s, 2014 (Canada)    330,000    334,125 
Rural Cellular Corp. sr. notes 9 7/8s, 2010    150,000    160,500 
Rural Cellular Corp. sr. sub. notes 9 3/4s, 2010    70,000    71,050 
Rural Cellular Corp. 144A sr. sub. notes FRN 10.43s, 2012    50,000    51,500 
SBA Communications Corp. sr. notes 8 1/2s, 2012    48,000    52,800 
SBA Telecommunications, Inc./SBA Communications Corp         
sr. disc notes stepped-coupon zero % (9 3/4s, 12/15/07), 2011 ††    49,000    46,428 
Syniverse Technologies, Inc.sr. sub. notes Ser. B, 7 3/4s, 2013    175,000    175,438 
U S West, Inc. debs. 7 1/4s, 2025    65,000    65,813 
Valor Telecommunications Enterprises, LLC/Finance Corp.         
company guaranty 7 3/4s, 2015    75,000    78,094 
        6,105,197 

 
Consumer (0.5%)         
Jostens IH Corp. company guaranty 7 5/8s, 2012    500,000    507,500 
Samsonite Corp. sr. sub. notes 8 7/8s, 2011    335,000    354,263 
        861,763 

 
Consumer Staples (6.9%)         
Adelphia Communications Corp. sr. notes 10 7/8s,         
2010 (In default) †    20,000    12,950 
Adelphia Communications Corp. sr. notes Ser. B,         
9 7/8s, 2007 (In default) †    235,000    152,163 
Affinity Group, Inc. sr. sub. notes 9s, 2012    360,000    360,000 
AMC Entertainment, Inc. sr. sub. notes 9 7/8s, 2012    35,000    33,294 
AMC Entertainment, Inc. sr. sub. notes 8s, 2014    29,000    25,266 
AMC Entertainment, Inc. 144A company         
guaranty 11s, 2016    90,000    90,563 
Ashtead Holdings PLC 144A sr. notes 8 5/8s, 2015         
(United Kingdom)    75,000    78,375 
Atlantic Broadband Finance, LLC company         
guaranty 9 3/8s, 2014    285,000    265,050 
Brand Services, Inc. company guaranty 12s, 2012    309,000    327,540 
Cablevision Systems Corp. sr. notes Ser. B, 8s, 2012    250,000    245,625 
CCH I Holdings, LLC 144A company         
guaranty 11 1/8s, 2014    363,000    199,650 

34


CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (41.9%)* continued         

    Principal amount   Value 
 
Consumer Staples continued         
CCH I Holdings, LLC 144A company guaranty 10s, 2014  $  65,000  $  33,800 
CCH I Holdings, LLC 144A company guaranty         
stepped-coupon zero % (11 3/4s, 5/15/06), 2014 ††    14,000    7,280 
CCH I, LLC 144A secd. notes 11s, 2015    692,000    582,145 
Charter Communications Holdings II 144A         
sr. notes 10 1/4s, 2010    295,000    293,525 
Charter Communications Holdings, LLC/Capital Corp.         
sr. notes 10 1/4s, 2010    235,000    234,413 
Church & Dwight Co., Inc. company guaranty 6s, 2012    130,000    129,350 
Cinemark USA, Inc. sr. sub. notes 9s, 2013    130,000    137,475 
Cinemark, Inc. sr. disc. notes stepped-coupon         
zero % (9 3/4s, 3/15/07), 2014 ††    325,000    242,125 
Constellation Brands, Inc. company guaranty Ser. B, 8s, 2008    115,000    119,888 
Constellation Brands, Inc. sr. sub. notes Ser. B, 8 1/8s, 2012    10,000    10,513 
CSC Holdings, Inc. debs. 7 5/8s, 2018    50,000    48,688 
CSC Holdings, Inc. debs. Ser. B, 8 1/8s, 2009    3,000    3,094 
CSC Holdings, Inc. sr. notes Ser. B, 7 5/8s, 2011    105,000    105,788 
CSC Holdings, Inc. sr. sub. debs. 10 1/2s, 2016    130,000    137,800 
CSC Holdings, Inc. 144A sr. notes 7 1/4s, 2012    205,000    198,338 
Dean Foods Co. sr. notes 6 5/8s, 2009    440,000    447,700 
Del Monte Corp. company guaranty 6 3/4s, 2015    105,000    105,000 
Del Monte Corp. sr. sub. notes 8 5/8s, 2012    270,000    287,550 
DirecTV Holdings, LLC company guaranty 6 3/8s, 2015    690,000    687,413 
DirecTV Holdings, LLC sr. notes 8 3/8s, 2013    185,000    198,413 
Doane Pet Care Co. 144A sr. sub. notes 10 5/8s, 2015    350,000    370,125 
Domino’s, Inc. sr. sub. notes 8 1/4s, 2011    106,000    110,240 
Echostar DBS Corp. company guaranty 6 5/8s, 2014    210,000    204,225 
Echostar DBS Corp. sr. notes 6 3/8s, 2011    500,000    488,750 
Elizabeth Arden, Inc. company guaranty 7 3/4s, 2014    155,000    159,650 
Emmis Communications Corp. unsecd. sr. notes FRN         
10.366s, 2012    42,857    42,857 
Granite Broadcasting Corp. sec. notes 9 3/4s, 2010    75,000    67,875 
Gray Television, Inc. company guaranty 9 1/4s, 2011    87,000    92,438 
Intelsat Bermuda, Ltd. 144A sr. notes 8 7/8s, 2015 (Bermuda)    210,000    217,875 
Intelsat Bermuda, Ltd. 144A sr. notes 8 1/2s, 2013 (Bermuda)    100,000    102,250 
Jean Coutu Group, Inc. sr. notes 7 5/8s, 2012 (Canada)    150,000    150,000 
Jean Coutu Group, Inc. sr. sub. notes 8 1/2s, 2014 (Canada)    75,000    71,625 
LIN Television Corp. company guaranty Ser. B, 6 1/2s, 2013    205,000    194,494 
LIN Television Corp. sr. sub. notes 6 1/2s, 2013    165,000    156,544 
Marquee Holdings, Inc. sr. disc. notes stepped-coupon zero %         
(12s, 8/15/09), 2014 ††    225,000    137,531 
Paxson Communications Corp. 144A sec. FRN 10.777s, 2013    95,000    91,913 
Paxson Communications Corp. 144A sec. FRN 7.777s, 2012    120,000    120,000 
Pinnacle Foods Holding Corp. sr. sub. notes 8 1/4s, 2013    375,000    367,500 
Playtex Products, Inc. company guaranty 9 3/8s, 2011    248,000    259,780 
Playtex Products, Inc. sec. notes 8s, 2011    400,000    427,000 
Prestige Brands, Inc. sr. sub. notes 9 1/4s, 2012    342,000    346,275 
Rainbow National Services, LLC 144A sr. notes 8 3/4s, 2012    205,000    220,888 
Rainbow National Services, LLC 144A sr. sub. debs. 10 3/8s, 2014    200,000    226,250 

35


CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (41.9%)* continued         

    Principal amount    Value 
 
Consumer Staples continued         
Remington Arms Co., Inc. company guaranty 10 1/2s, 2011  $  275,000  $  233,750 
Rite Aid Corp. company guaranty 9 1/2s, 2011    130,000    136,500 
Rite Aid Corp. company guaranty 7 1/2s, 2015    105,000    101,194 
Rite Aid Corp. debs. 6 7/8s, 2013    215,000    180,600 
Sbarro, Inc. company guaranty 11s, 2009    210,000    214,725 
Scotts Co. (The) sr. sub. notes 6 5/8s, 2013    55,000    55,688 
Sirius Satellite Radio, Inc. sr. unsecd. notes 9 5/8s, 2013    180,000    176,400 
Six Flags, Inc. sr. notes 8 7/8s, 2010    138,000    139,380 
Spectrum Brands, Inc. company guaranty 7 3/8s, 2015    445,000    383,813 
Spectrum Brands, Inc. sr. sub. notes 8 1/2s, 2013    100,000    91,250 
United Rentals NA, Inc. company guaranty 6 1/2s, 2012    105,000    104,869 
United Rentals NA, Inc. sr. sub. notes 7 3/4s, 2013    24,000    24,090 
United Rentals NA, Inc. sr. sub. notes 7s, 2014    230,000    222,813 
Universal City Florida Holding Co. sr. notes 8 3/8s, 2010    290,000    289,275 
Universal City Florida Holding Co. sr. notes FRN 9.43s, 2010    107,000    108,605 
Warner Music Group sr. sub. notes 7 3/8s, 2014    125,000    125,313 
Young Broadcasting, Inc. company guaranty 10s, 2011    374,000    334,263 
Young Broadcasting, Inc. sr. sub. notes 8 3/4s, 2014    85,000    71,400 
        13,420,787 

 
Energy (3.7%)         
Arch Western Finance, LLC sr. notes 6 3/4s, 2013    340,000    340,850 
Bluewater Finance, Ltd. company guaranty 10 1/4s,         
2012 (Cayman Islands)    92,000    99,130 
Chaparral Energy, Inc. 144A sr. notes 8 1/2s, 2015    145,000    153,338 
CHC Helicopter Corp. sr. sub. notes 7 3/8s, 2014 (Canada)    240,000    245,100 
Chesapeake Energy Corp. company guaranty 7 3/4s, 2015    60,000    63,750 
Chesapeake Energy Corp. sr. notes 7 1/2s, 2013    190,000    202,113 
Chesapeake Energy Corp. sr. notes 7s, 2014    250,000    259,375 
Compton Petroleum Corp. company guaranty 7 5/8s,         
2013 (Canada)    195,000    198,900 
Comstock Resources, Inc. sr. notes 6 7/8s, 2012    120,000    120,000 
Delta Petroleum Corp. company guaranty 7s, 2015    485,000    468,025 
Denbury Resources, Inc. sr. sub. notes 7 1/2s, 2015    100,000    104,750 
Dresser-Rand Group, Inc. 144A sr. sub. notes 7 5/8s, 2014    27,000    28,080 
Encore Acquisition Co. sr. sub. notes 6 1/4s, 2014    60,000    58,800 
Encore Acquisition Co. sr. sub. notes 6s, 2015    213,000    202,350 
EXCO Resources, Inc. company guaranty 7 1/4s, 2011    235,000    239,700 
Forest Oil Corp. company guaranty 7 3/4s, 2014    100,000    104,625 
Forest Oil Corp. sr. notes 8s, 2011    135,000    147,150 
Forest Oil Corp. sr. notes 8s, 2008    94,000    98,348 
Hanover Compressor Co. sr. notes 9s, 2014    90,000    98,100 
Hanover Compressor Co. sr. notes 8 5/8s, 2010    60,000    63,375 
Hanover Compressor Co. sub. notes zero %, 2007    125,000    115,000 
Hanover Equipment Trust sec. notes Ser. B, 8 3/4s, 2011    40,000    42,200 
Harvest Operations Corp. sr. notes 7 7/8s, 2011 (Canada)    365,000    364,088 
Inergy LP/Inergy Finance Corp. sr. notes 6 7/8s, 2014    455,000    433,388 
Inergy LP/Inergy Finance Corp. 144A sr. notes 8 1/4s, 2016    30,000    30,600 
KCS Energy, Inc. sr. notes 7 1/8s, 2012    85,000    86,275 

36


CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (41.9%)* continued         

    Principal amount    Value 
 
Energy continued         
Massey Energy Co. sr. notes 6 5/8s, 2010  $  335,000  $  342,538 
Newfield Exploration Co. sr. notes 7 5/8s, 2011    150,000    160,875 
Newfield Exploration Co. sr. sub. notes 6 5/8s, 2014    210,000    216,825 
Pacific Energy Partners/Pacific Energy         
Finance Corp. sr. notes 7 1/8s, 2014    95,000    98,088 
Peabody Energy Corp. sr. notes 5 7/8s, 2016    180,000    176,400 
Plains Exploration & Production Co. sr. notes 7 1/8s, 2014    205,000    213,713 
Plains Exploration & Production Co. sr. sub. notes 8 3/4s, 2012    190,000    204,250 
Pogo Producing Co. sr. sub. notes 6 7/8s, 2017    185,000    186,388 
Pride International, Inc. sr. notes 7 3/8s, 2014    400,000    427,000 
Star Gas Partners LP/Star Gas Finance Co.         
sr. notes 10 1/4s, 2013    25,000    25,313 
Stone Energy Corp. sr. sub. notes 6 3/4s, 2014    210,000    200,550 
Vintage Petroleum, Inc. sr. notes 8 1/4s, 2012    7,000    7,490 
Vintage Petroleum, Inc. sr. sub. notes 7 7/8s, 2011    40,000    41,600 
Whiting Petroleum Corp. 144A sr. sub. notes 7s, 2014    575,000    576,438 
        7,244,878 

 
Financial (0.4%)         
Crescent Real Estate Equities LP notes 7 1/2s, 2007 (R)    60,000    61,200 
E*Trade Finance Corp. sr. notes 8s, 2011    230,000    242,075 
Finova Group, Inc. notes 7 1/2s, 2009    231,000    75,075 
Western Financial Bank sub. debs. 9 5/8s, 2012    320,000    360,000 
        738,350 

 
Gaming & Lottery (1.7%)         
Boyd Gaming Corp. sr. sub. notes 8 3/4s, 2012    30,000    32,250 
Boyd Gaming Corp. sr. sub. notes 7 3/4s, 2012    25,000    26,156 
Boyd Gaming Corp. sr. sub. notes 7 1/8s, 2016    195,000    197,438 
Boyd Gaming Corp. sr. sub. notes 6 3/4s, 2014    290,000    289,275 
MGM Mirage, Inc. company guaranty 8 1/2s, 2010    95,000    102,956 
MGM Mirage, Inc. company guaranty 6s, 2009    280,000    278,600 
MGM Mirage, Inc. sr. notes 6 3/4s, 2012    2,000    2,033 
Mirage Resorts, Inc. debs. 7 1/4s, 2017    55,000    57,338 
Park Place Entertainment Corp. sr. notes 7 1/2s, 2009    30,000    31,763 
Park Place Entertainment Corp. sr. notes 7s, 2013    165,000    174,601 
Park Place Entertainment Corp. sr. sub. notes 7 7/8s, 2010    278,000    296,418 
Penn National Gaming, Inc. sr. sub. notes 8 7/8s, 2010    200,000    208,876 
Penn National Gaming, Inc. sr. sub. notes 6 3/4s, 2015    65,000    65,325 
Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. sr. sub. notes 8 1/4s, 2012    175,000    182,000 
Resorts International Hotel and Casino, Inc.         
company guaranty 11 1/2s, 2009    158,000    174,195 
Scientific Games Corp. company guaranty 6 1/4s, 2012    175,000    173,906 
Station Casinos, Inc. sr. notes 6s, 2012    193,000    193,000 
Station Casinos, Inc. sr. sub. notes 6 7/8s, 2016    120,000    122,100 
Trump Entertainment Resorts, Inc. sec. notes 8 1/2s, 2015    345,000    344,138 
Wynn Las Vegas, LLC/Wynn Las Vegas Capital Corp.         
1st mtge. 6 5/8s, 2014    365,000    359,525 
        3,311,893 

37


CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (41.9%)* continued           

      Principal amount   Value 
 
Health Care (3.0%)           
Athena Neurosciences Finance, LLC company           
guaranty 7 1/4s, 2008    $  355,000  $  347,013 
Community Health Systems, Inc.           
sr. sub. notes 6 1/2s, 2012      408,000    403,920 
DaVita, Inc. company guaranty 7 1/4s, 2015      290,000    295,800 
DaVita, Inc. company guaranty 6 5/8s, 2013      290,000    294,350 
Fresenius Finance BV 144A 5 1/2s, 2016 (Netherlands)  EUR    60,000    72,027 
HCA, Inc. debs. 7.19s, 2015    $  82,000    85,016 
HCA, Inc. notes 6 3/8s, 2015      65,000    64,898 
HCA, Inc. notes 5 3/4s, 2014      75,000    71,715 
HCA, Inc. sr. notes 6.95s, 2012      70,000    72,009 
Healthsouth Corp. notes 7 5/8s, 2012      266,000    292,600 
Insight Health Services Corp. company           
guaranty FRB 9.93s, 2011      305,000    282,125 
MedQuest, Inc. company guaranty Ser. B, 11 7/8s, 2012      36,000    27,720 
MQ Associates, Inc. sr. disc. notes stepped-coupon           
zero % (12 1/4s, 8/15/08), 2012 ††      360,000    79,200 
Omnicare, Inc. sr. sub. notes 6 7/8s, 2015      95,000    96,900 
Omnicare, Inc. sr. sub. notes 6 1/8s, 2013      155,000    152,675 
Owens & Minor, Inc. company guaranty 8 1/2s, 2011      110,000    114,950 
Psychiatric Solutions, Inc. company guaranty 7 3/4s, 2015      360,000    371,700 
Select Medical Corp. company guaranty 7 5/8s, 2015      100,000    85,500 
Service Corp. International notes 6 1/2s, 2008      35,000    35,350 
Service Corp. International notes Ser. *, 7.7s, 2009      41,000    43,050 
Service Corp. International 144A sr. notes 7 1/4s, 2017      65,000    66,381 
Service Corp. International 144A sr. notes 6 3/4s, 2016      180,000    179,550 
Stewart Enterprises, Inc. 144A sr. notes 7 1/4s, 2013      340,000    328,950 
Tenet Healthcare Corp. notes 7 3/8s, 2013      265,000    243,138 
Tenet Healthcare Corp. sr. notes 9 7/8s, 2014      245,000    249,288 
Triad Hospitals, Inc. sr. notes 7s, 2012      165,000    168,300 
Triad Hospitals, Inc. sr. sub. notes 7s, 2013      300,000    302,625 
Universal Hospital Services, Inc.           
sr. notes 10 1/8s, 2011 (Canada)      120,000    125,400 
US Oncology, Inc. company guaranty 9s, 2012      160,000    171,200 
Vanguard Health Holding Co. II, LLC sr. sub. notes 9s, 2014      365,000    380,513 
Ventas Realty LP/Capital Corp. company guaranty 9s, 2012 (R)    65,000    74,019 
Ventas Realty LP/Capital Corp. company           
guaranty 6 3/4s, 2010 (R)      75,000    76,594 
Ventas Realty LP/Capital Corp. sr. notes 6 5/8s, 2014 (R)      50,000    50,625 
Ventas Realty LP/Capital Corp. 144A sr. notes 6 1/2s, 2016 (R)    80,000    80,400 
          5,785,501 

 
Homebuilding (0.7%)           
Ashton Woods USA, LLC/Ashton Woods Finance Co.           
144A sr. sub. notes 9 1/2s, 2015 (R)      100,000    94,000 
Beazer Homes USA, Inc. company guaranty 8 5/8s, 2011      95,000    99,513 
K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. company guaranty 8 7/8s, 2012    130,000    136,175 
K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. sr. notes 6 1/2s, 2014      60,000    57,169 
KB Home sr. sub. notes 9 1/2s, 2011      2,000    2,093 

38


CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (41.9%)* continued         

    Principal amount    Value 
 
Homebuilding continued         
Meritage Homes Corp. company guaranty 6 1/4s, 2015    $   75,000  $  67,500 
Schuler Homes, Inc. company guaranty 10 1/2s, 2011    104,000    111,150 
Standard Pacific Corp. sr. notes 7s, 2015    180,000    166,050 
Technical Olympic USA, Inc. company guaranty 10 3/8s, 2012    75,000    76,106 
Technical Olympic USA, Inc.sr. sub. notes 7 1/2s, 2015    235,000    199,750 
WCI Communities, Inc. company guaranty 9 1/8s, 2012    356,000    360,450 
        1,369,956 

 
Household Furniture and Appliances (0.1%)         
Sealy Mattress Co. sr. sub. notes 8 1/4s, 2014    260,000    271,700 

 
Lodging/Tourism (0.5%)         
FelCor Lodging LP company guaranty 9s, 2008 (R)    100,000    110,500 
HMH Properties, Inc. company guaranty Ser. B,         
7 7/8s, 2008 (R)    35,000    35,219 
Host Marriott LP company guaranty Ser. G, 9 1/4s, 2007 (R)    60,000    63,000 
Host Marriott LP sr. notes Ser. M, 7s, 2012 (R)    215,000    219,300 
MeriStar Hospitality Corp. company         
guaranty 9 1/8s, 2011 (R)    125,000    145,000 
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.         
company guaranty 7 7/8s, 2012    95,000    104,263 
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.         
company guaranty 7 3/8s, 2007    121,000    123,420 
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.         
debs. 7 3/8s, 2015    120,000    130,200 
        930,902 

 
Publishing (1.9%)         
American Media, Inc. company guaranty Ser. B, 10 1/4s, 2009    335,000    298,988 
CanWest Media, Inc. company guaranty 8s, 2012 (Canada)    356,394    365,304 
Cenveo Corp, sr. sub. notes 7 7/8s, 2013    235,000    232,650 
Dex Media West, LLC/Dex Media Finance Co.         
sr. notes Ser. B, 8 1/2s, 2010    245,000    259,700 
Dex Media, Inc. disc. notes stepped-coupon         
zero % (9s, 11/15/08), 2013 ††    115,000    96,600 
Dex Media, Inc. notes 8s, 2013    85,000    87,975 
Houghton Mifflin Co. sr. sub. notes 9 7/8s, 2013    405,000    441,450 
Mail-Well I Corp. company guaranty 9 5/8s, 2012    180,000    194,175 
PRIMEDIA, Inc. sr. notes 8s, 2013    330,000    295,350 
R.H. Donnelley Corp. sr. notes 6 7/8s, 2013    85,000    79,900 
R.H. Donnelley Corp. 144A sr. disc. notes Ser. A-2,         
6 7/8s, 2013    145,000    134,850 
R.H. Donnelley Corp. 144A sr. disc. notes 6 7/8s, 2013    70,000    65,100 
R.H. Donnelley Corp. 144A sr. notes 8 7/8s, 2016    195,000    201,825 
Reader’s Digest Association, Inc. (The) sr. notes 6 1/2s, 2011    440,000    435,600 
Vertis, Inc. company guaranty Ser. B, 10 7/8s, 2009    446,000    437,638 
Vertis, Inc. 144A sub. notes 13 1/2s, 2009    160,000    131,200 
        3,758,305 

39


CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (41.9%)* continued         

    Principal amount    Value 
 
Retail (1.0%)         
Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. sr. sub. notes 8s, 2014    $ 105,000  $  105,919 
Autonation, Inc. company guaranty 9s, 2008    260,000    277,550 
GSC Holdings Corp. 144A company guaranty 8s, 2012    185,000    184,538 
Harry & David Holdings, Inc. company         
guaranty 9s, 2013    75,000    72,750 
JC Penney Co., Inc. debs. 7 1/8s, 2023    220,000    248,626 
JC Penney Co., Inc. notes 9s, 2012    130,000    152,588 
JC Penney Co., Inc. notes 8s, 2010    10,000    10,893 
Movie Gallery, Inc. sr. unsecd. notes 11s, 2012    130,000    85,475 
Neiman-Marcus Group, Inc. 144A sr. notes 9s, 2015    450,000    475,313 
United Auto Group, Inc. company guaranty 9 5/8s, 2012    275,000    294,938 
        1,908,590 

 
Technology (2.1%)         
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. sr. notes 7 3/4s, 2012    168,000    178,080 
Amkor Technologies, Inc. sr. notes 7 3/4s, 2013    184,000    174,340 
Celestica, Inc. sr. sub. notes 7 7/8s, 2011 (Canada)    85,000    86,700 
Celestica, Inc. sr. sub. notes 7 5/8s, 2013 (Canada)    180,000    180,000 
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. sr. notes Ser. B, 7 1/8s, 2014    210,000    221,813 
Iron Mountain, Inc. company guaranty 8 5/8s, 2013    355,000    368,313 
Iron Mountain, Inc. company guaranty 6 5/8s, 2016    390,000    367,575 
Lucent Technologies, Inc. debs. 6.45s, 2029    225,000    189,844 
New ASAT Finance, Ltd. company guaranty 9 1/4s,         
2011 (Cayman Islands)    90,000    75,150 
Solectron Corp. 144A sr. sub. notes 8s, 2016    175,000    177,625 
SunGard Data Systems, Inc. 144A sr. sub. notes 10 1/4s, 2015    256,000    268,480 
SunGard Data Systems, Inc. 144A sr. unsecd. notes 9 1/8s, 2013    426,000    453,158 
UGS Corp. company guaranty 10s, 2012    350,000    383,688 
Unisys Corp. sr. notes 8s, 2012    190,000    185,250 
Xerox Capital Trust I company guaranty 8s, 2027    175,000    181,125 
Xerox Corp. company guaranty 9 3/4s, 2009    3,000    3,293 
Xerox Corp. notes Ser. MTN, 7.2s, 2016    110,000    117,150 
Xerox Corp. sr. notes 7 5/8s, 2013    211,000    223,924 
Xerox Corp. sr. notes 6 7/8s, 2011    185,000    191,244 
        4,026,752 

 
Textiles (0.4%)         
Levi Strauss & Co. sr. notes 12 1/4s, 2012    281,000    321,043 
Levi Strauss & Co. sr. notes 9 3/4s, 2015    253,000    269,445 
Oxford Industries, Inc. sr. notes 8 7/8s, 2011    100,000    103,000 
Tommy Hilfiger USA, Inc. company guaranty 6.85s, 2008    100,000    103,000 
        796,488 

 
Tire & Rubber (0.3%)         
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (The) notes 8 1/2s, 2007    60,000    61,275 
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (The) notes 7.857s, 2011    435,000    427,388 
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (The) sr. notes 9s, 2015    85,000    85,425 
        574,088 

40


CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (41.9%)* continued         

    Principal amount   Value 
 
Transportation (0.4%)         
Calair, LLC/Calair Capital Corp. company         
guaranty 8 1/8s, 2008    $ 230,000  $  209,300 
Kansas City Southern Railway Co. company         
guaranty 9 1/2s, 2008    300,000    323,250 
Kansas City Southern Railway Co. company         
guaranty 7 1/2s, 2009    40,000    41,200 
Navistar International Corp. company         
guaranty 6 1/4s, 2012    110,000    110,825 
Navistar International Corp. company         
guaranty Ser. B, 9 3/8s, 2006    157,000    158,374 
        842,949 

 
Utilities & Power (3.0%)         
AES Corp. (The) sr. notes 8 7/8s, 2011    22,000    23,870 
AES Corp. (The) sr. notes 8 3/4s, 2008    14,000    14,700 
AES Corp. (The) 144A sec. notes 9s, 2015    175,000    191,625 
AES Corp. (The) 144A sec. notes 8 3/4s, 2013    240,000    260,100 
ANR Pipeline Co. debs. 9 5/8s, 2021    180,000    232,483 
CMS Energy Corp. sr. notes 8.9s, 2008    60,000    64,050 
CMS Energy Corp. sr. notes 8 1/2s, 2011    70,000    76,300 
CMS Energy Corp. sr. notes 7 3/4s, 2010    40,000    42,100 
Colorado Interstate Gas Co. debs. 6.85s, 2037    95,000    100,643 
Colorado Interstate Gas Co. sr. notes 5.95s, 2015    30,000    29,594 
Copano Energy, LLC. 144A sr. notes 8 1/8s, 2016    80,000    82,800 
Dynegy Holdings, Inc. 144A sec. notes 10 1/8s, 2013    315,000    354,375 
Dynegy-Roseton Danskamme company         
guaranty Ser. A, 7.27s, 2010    90,000    91,575 
Dynegy-Roseton Danskamme company         
guaranty Ser. B, 7.67s, 2016    125,000    128,438 
El Paso Corp. sr. notes 8.05s, 2030    115,000    123,913 
El Paso Corp. sr. notes 7 3/8s, 2012    90,000    93,375 
El Paso Corp. sr. notes Ser. MTN, 7.8s, 2031    85,000    90,100 
El Paso Natural Gas Co. debs. 8 5/8s, 2022    40,000    47,856 
El Paso Production Holding Co. company guaranty 7 3/4s, 2013    360,000    379,800 
Ferrellgas LP/Finance sr. notes 6 3/4s, 2014    155,000    151,125 
Midwest Generation, LLC sec. sr. notes 8 3/4s, 2034    280,000    305,900 
Mirant North America, LLC 144A sr. notes 7 3/8s, 2013    230,000    236,038 
Mission Energy Holding Co. sec. notes 13 1/2s, 2008    155,000    178,638 
Monongahela Power Co. 1st mtge. 6.7s, 2014    90,000    96,733 
Nevada Power Co. 2nd mtge. 9s, 2013    62,000    68,557 
Northwestern Corp. sec. notes 5 7/8s, 2014    360,000    361,858 
NRG Energy, Inc. sr. notes 7 3/8s, 2016         
(acquired 1/26/06, cost $480,000)    480,000    494,400 
Orion Power Holdings, Inc. sr. notes 12s, 2010    125,000    143,125 
SEMCO Energy, Inc. sr. notes 7 3/4s, 2013    110,000    114,275 
SEMCO Energy, Inc. 144A sr. notes 7 3/4s, 2013    145,000    150,800 
Sierra Pacific Power Co. general ref. mtge. 6 1/4s, 2012    35,000    35,700 
Sierra Pacific Resources sr. notes 8 5/8s, 2014    165,000    180,070 
Teco Energy, Inc. notes 7.2s, 2011    35,000    37,013 

41


CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (41.9%)* continued         

    Principal amount   Value 
 
Utilities & Power continued         
Teco Energy, Inc. notes 7s, 2012  $  60,000  $  63,000 
Teco Energy, Inc. sr. notes 6 3/4s, 2015    10,000    10,500 
Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. debs. 7s, 2028    15,000    15,776 
Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. unsecd. notes 7 1/2s, 2017    40,000    43,961 
Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Corp. debs. 7 1/4s, 2026    150,000    163,313 
Utilicorp Canada Finance Corp. company         
guaranty 7 3/4s, 2011 (Canada)    140,000    144,550 
Utilicorp United, Inc. sr. notes 9.95s, 2011    95,000    105,688 
Williams Cos., Inc. (The) notes 8 3/4s, 2032    30,000    36,300 
Williams Cos., Inc. (The) notes 8 1/8s, 2012    35,000    38,325 
Williams Cos., Inc. (The) notes 7 5/8s, 2019    50,000    55,000 
Williams Cos., Inc. (The) 144A notes 6 3/8s, 2010    65,000    65,163 
        5,723,505 

 
Total corporate bonds and notes (cost $80,874,049)      $  81,132,870 

 
 
CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCKS (34.8%)*         

    Shares    Value 
 
Basic Materials (2.9%)         
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc. 5.50% cv. pfd.    160  $  182,160 
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc. 144A 5.50% cv. pfd.    1,740    1,980,990 
Huntsman Corp. $2.50 cv. pfd.    25,500    1,137,938 
Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. Ser. A, $1.75 cum. cv. pfd. (S)    101,920    2,344,160 
        5,645,248 

 
Capital Goods (3.9%)         
Allied Waste Industries Ser. D, 6.25% cv. pfd.    4,060    1,244,390 
Northrop Grumman Corp. Ser. B, $7.00 cum. cv. pfd.    31,900    4,147,000 
Owens-Illinois, Inc. $2.375 cv. pfd.    63,770    2,208,036 
        7,599,426 

 
Communication Services (2.0%)         
Cincinnati Bell, Inc. Ser. B, $3.378 cum. cv. pfd. (S)    35,300    1,461,420 
Crown Castle International Corp. $3.125 cum. cv. pfd.    42,014    2,300,267 
        3,761,687 

 
Consumer Cyclicals (4.0%)         
Ford Motor Company Capital Trust II $3.25 cum. cv. pfd.    66,700    2,009,338 
General Motors Corp. Ser. A, $1.13 cv. pfd. (S)    141,300    3,214,575 
Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. 144A         
Ser. B, 5.25% cum. cv. pfd    1,018    998,913 
TXI Capital Trust I $2.75 cv. pfd.    26,600    1,596,000 
        7,818,826 

 
Consumer Staples (1.5%)         
Emmis Communications Corp. Ser. A, $3.125 cum. cv. pfd.    24,100    982,075 
Rite Aid Corp. $1.375 cum. cv. pfd.    20,800    443,768 
Six Flags, Inc. $1.813 cum. cv. pfd.    63,200    1,469,400 
2,895,243

 

42


CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCKS (34.8%)* continued         

    Shares    Value 
 
Energy (1.9%)         
Chesapeake Energy Corp. Ser. *, $4.50 cum. cv. pfd (S)    21,700  $  1,971,988 
Hanover Compressor Capital Trust $3.625 cum. cv. pfd.    32,000    1,612,000 
        3,583,988 

 
Financial (10.1%)         
Aspen Insurance Holdings, Ltd. $2.813 cv. pfd. (Bermuda)    20,000    1,000,000 
Chubb Corp. (The) $1.75 cv. pfd.    55,500    1,887,000 
Conseco, Inc. $1.38 cum. cv. pfd.    58,300    1,734,425 
Fannie Mae Ser. 04-1, 5.375% cv. pfd.    20    1,941,485 
FelCor Lodging Trust, Inc. Ser. A, $1.95 cum. cv. pfd. (R)    99,200    2,480,000 
IPC Holdings, Ltd. 7.25% cv. pfd. (Bermuda)    18,500    485,625 
Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc. $1.563 cv. pfd.    40,190    1,060,011 
Marshall & Ilsley Corp. $1.625 cv. pfd.    58,500    1,554,345 
Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. Ser. JNC, 6.75% cv. pfd.    30,260    1,318,731 
Platinum Underwriters Holdings, Ltd. Ser. A, 6.00% cv. pfd.    34,500    1,047,938 
Simon Property Group, Inc. $3.00 cv. pfd.    15,100    1,036,238 
Sovereign Capital Trust IV $2.188 cv. pfd.    46,000    2,018,250 
Washington Mutual Capital Trust I $2.688 cum. cv. pfd.    38,400    2,069,760 
        19,633,808 

 
Health Care (1.4%)         
Schering-Plough Corp. $3.00 cv. pfd.    55,300    2,758,088 

 
Technology (2.2%)         
Lucent Technologies Capital Trust 1 7.75% cum. cv. pfd.    2,100    1,974,263 
Xerox Corp. $6.25 cv. pfd.    17,600    2,175,800 
        4,150,063 

 
Utilities & Power (4.9%)         
El Paso Corp. 144A 4.99% cv. pfd.    1,300    1,495,975 
El Paso Energy Capital Trust I $2.375 cv. pfd. (S)    38,950    1,484,969 
Entergy Corp. $3.813 cv. pfd.    40,900    2,116,575 
Great Plains Energy, Inc. $2.00 cum. cv. pfd.    80,000    1,970,000 
NRG Energy, Inc. 5.75% cv. pfd. (acquired various dates from         
1/25/06 to 1/26/06, cost $1,026,710) ‡    4,100    955,300 
Southern Union Co. $2.50 cv. pfd.    30,700    1,519,650 
        9,542,469 

 
Total convertible preferred stocks (cost $63,991,933)      $  67,388,846 

 
 
CONVERTIBLE BONDS AND NOTES (18.8%)*         

    Principal amount   Value 
 
Capital Goods (0.7%)         
DRS Technologies, Inc. 144A cv. unsec. notes 2s, 2026  $  240,000  $  248,100 
Titan International, Inc. 144A cv. sr. notes 5 1/4s, 2009    700,000    1,024,625 
        1,272,725 

43


CONVERTIBLE BONDS AND NOTES (18.8%)* continued         

      Principal amount    Value 
 
Communication Services (0.5%)           
Charter Communications, Inc. 144A cv. sr. notes 5 7/8s, 2009  $  1,300,000  $  931,125 

 
Conglomerates (1.1%)           
GenCorp, Inc. cv. sub. notes 5 3/4s, 2007      2,030,000    2,235,538 

 
Consumer Cyclicals (3.0%)           
Mediacom Communications Corp. cv. sr. notes 5 1/4s, 2006    1,050,000    1,040,813 
Navistar Financial Corp. cv. sub. bonds 4 3/4s, 2009      1,150,000    1,137,063 
Pier 1 Imports, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsub. notes stepped-coupon         
6 3/8s (6 1/8s, 2/15/11) 2036 ††      1,541,000    1,589,156 
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. cv. bonds 6s, 2012      2,055,000    1,810,969 
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. cv. sr. sub. notes           
stepped-coupon 4 7/8s (2s, 1/15/11) 2018 ††      265,000   229,556
          5,807,557 

 
Consumer Staples (2.3%)           
Nash Finch Co. cv. sr. sub. notes stepped-coupon           
1.631s (zero %, 3/15/13) 2035 ††      6,170,000    2,498,850 
Rite Aid Corp. cv. notes 4 3/4s, 2006      1,660,000    1,630,950 
Rite Aid Corp. 144A cv. notes 4 3/4s, 2006      264,000    259,380 
          4,389,180 

 
Energy (0.5%)           
McMoran Exploration Co. cv. sr. notes 6s, 2008      690,000    931,500 

 
Financial (0.6%)           
Rewards Network, Inc. cv. sub. debs. 3 1/4s, 2023      1,300,000    1,085,500 

 
Health Care (0.8%)           
Connetics Corp. cv. sr. notes 2s, 2015      1,300,000    1,036,750 
EPIX Medical, Inc. cv. sr. notes 3s, 2024      900,000    574,875 
Manor Care, Inc. 144A cv. sr. notes 2 1/8s, 2035      30,000    31,238 
          1,642,863 

 
Homebuilding (0.5%)           
WCI Communities, Inc. cv. sr. sub. notes 4s, 2023      980,000    1,063,300 

 
Lodging/Tourism (0.9%)           
MeriStar Hospitality Corp. cv. sr. sub. notes 9 1/2s, 2010 (R)    1,730,000    1,799,200 

 
Technology (6.1%)           
Agere Systems, Inc. cv. sub. notes 6 1/2s, 2009      980,000    966,525 
Amkor Technologies, Inc. cv. sub. notes 5 3/4s, 2006      1,400,000    1,396,500 
Cray, Inc. cv. sr. sub. notes 3s, 2024      1,400,000    967,750 
Fairchild Semiconductor International, Inc. cv. company           
guaranty 5s, 2008      980,000    971,425 
Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc. cv. sub. notes 0.5s, 2008      2,050,000    1,824,500 
Lucent Technologies, Inc. cv. debs. Ser. B, 2 3/4s, 2025      450,000    471,938 
Mentor Graphics Corp. cv. sub. notes FRN 6.36s, 2023    1,700,000    1,602,250 
ON Semiconductor Corp. 144A cv. bonds zero %, 2024    1,500,000    1,293,750 

44


CONVERTIBLE BONDS AND NOTES (18.8%)* continued         

    Principal amount   Value 
Technology continued         
Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. cv. sr. notes 2 5/8s, 2024  $  200,000  $  149,000 
Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. 144A cv. sr. notes 2 5/8s, 2024    2,800,000    2,086,000 
        11,729,638 

 
Transportation (1.2%)         
Continental Airlines, Inc. cv. sr. unsub. notes 4 1/2s, 2007    1,200,000    1,170,000 
Pinnacle Airlines Corp. cv. sr. notes 3 1/4s, 2025    1,500,000    1,192,500 
        2,362,500 

 
Utilities & Power (0.6%)         
XCEL Energy, Inc. 144A cv. notes 7 1/2s, 2007    720,000    1,100,700 

Total convertible bonds and notes (cost $34,497,943)      $  36,351,326 

 
UNITS (0.9%)*         

    Units    Value 
Hercules, Inc. cv. sub. debs. Units 6.50%, 2029    2,020  $  1,525,100 
XCL Equity Units (F)    406    276,866 

Total units (cost $2,203,786)      $  1,801,966 

 
COMMON STOCKS (0.4%)*         

    Shares    Value 
Coinmach Service Corp. IDS (Income Deposit Securities) (S)    25,623  $  425,342 
Compass Minerals International, Inc.    147    3,668 
Contifinancial Corp. Liquidating Trust Units    574,207    179 
Crown Castle International Corp. †    309    9,687 
Dobson Communications Corp. †    338    2,447 
iPCS, Inc. †    3,463    163,107 
Knology, Inc. †    32    162 
Samsonite Corp. †    201,560    177,373 
Sterling Chemicals, Inc. †    50    501 
Sun Healthcare Group, Inc. †    202    1,289 
USA Mobility, Inc.    56    1,614 
VS Holdings, Inc. †    28,292    1 
WHX Corp. †    3,964    40,235 

Total common stocks (cost $1,844,480)      $  825,605 

 
PREFERRED STOCKS (0.1%)*         

    Shares    Value 
Dobson Communications Corp. 13.00% pfd.    1  $  1,270 
Paxson Communications Corp. 14.25% cum. pfd. ‡‡    17    141,950 
Rural Cellular Corp. Ser. B, 11.375% cum. pfd.    43    51,385 

Total preferred stocks (cost $200,888)      $  194,605 

45


  FOREIGN GOVERNMENT BONDS AND NOTES (—%)* (cost $86,722)       

        Principal amount   Value 
  Philippines (Republic of ) bonds 9 1/2s, 2024      $ 80,000  $  94,200 

 
 
  WARRANTS (—%)* †           

    Expiration  Strike       
    date  price  Warrants    Value 

 
  Dayton Superior Corp. 144A  6/15/09  $ 0.01  270  $  3 
  MDP Acquisitions PLC 144A (Ireland)  10/1/13  EUR 0.001  119    3,332 
  TravelCenters of America, Inc.  5/1/09  $0.001  420    525 
  Ubiquitel, Inc. 144A  4/15/10  22.74  420    4 

  Total warrants (cost $28,988)        $  3,864 

 
 
  SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS (5.8%)*           

        Principal amount/shares   Value 
  Putnam Prime Money Market Fund (e)      5,388,976  $  5,388,976 
  Short-term investments held as collateral for loaned securities       
  with yields ranging from 4.51% to 4.71% and due dates ranging       
  from March 1, 2006 to March 24, 2006 (d)      $ 5,885,328    5,873,290 

  Total short-term investments (cost $11,262,266)      $  11,262,266 

 
 
  TOTAL INVESTMENTS           
  Total investments (cost $194,991,055)        $  199,055,548 
 
*  Percentages indicated are based on net assets of $193,781,792.         
  Non-income-producing security.           
(S)  Securities on loan, in part or in entirety, at February 28, 2006.         
††  The interest rate and date shown parenthetically represent the new interest rate to be paid and the date the fund will begin 
  accruing interest at this rate.           
  Restricted, excluding 144A securities, as to public resale. The total market value of restricted securities held at February 28, 
  2006 was $1,112,380 or 0.6% of net assets.           
‡‡  Income may be received in cash or additional securities at the discretion of the issuer.     

(R) Real Estate Investment Trust.

(d) See Note 1 to the financial statements.

(e) See Note 5 to the financial statements regarding investments in Putnam Prime Money Market Fund.

(F) Security is valued at fair value following procedures approved by the Trustees.

At February 28, 2006, liquid assets totaling $333,290 have been designated as collateral for open swap contracts and forward contracts.

144A after the name of a security represents those exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. These securities may be resold in transactions exempt from registration, normally to qualified institutional buyers.

The rates shown on Floating Rate Bonds (FRB) and Floating Rate Notes (FRN) are the current interest rates at February 28, 2006

46


FORWARD CURRENCY CONTRACTS TO SELL at 2/28/06 (aggregate face value $2,595,393) (Unaudited)

    Aggregate  Delivery  Unrealized 
    Value face value  date  depreciation 

 
Euro    $2,612,621 $2,595,393  3/15/06  $(17,228) 

 
 
CREDIT DEFAULT CONTRACTS OUTSTANDING at 2/28/06 (Unaudited)     

      Notional  Unrealized 
      amount  appreciation 

  
Agreement with Goldman Sachs International on September 2, 2004,     
terminating on the date on which the notional amount is reduced to     
zero or the date on which the assets securing the reference obligation     
are liquidated, the fund receives a payment of the outstanding notional     
amount times 2.461% and the fund pays in the event of a credit default     
in one of the underlying securities in the basket of BB CMBS securities.  $108,000  $ 666 
Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. on September 1, 2005,     
maturing on September 20, 2010, to pay quarterly 460 basis points times     
the notional amount. Upon a credit default event of General Motors     
Acceptance Corp., the fund receives a payment of the proportional     
notional amount times the difference between the par value and the     
then market value of General Motors Acceptance Corp.    190,000  410 

Total        $1,076 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

47


Statement of assets and liabilities 2/28/06 (Unaudited)   

 
ASSETS   
Investment in securities, at value, including $5,668,432 of securities on loan (Note 1):   
Unaffiliated issuers (identified cost $189,602,079)  $193,666,572 
Affiliated issuers (identified cost $5,388,976) (Note 5)  5,388,976 

Dividends, interest and other receivables  2,453,922 

Receivable for securities sold  319,029 

Unrealized appreciation on swap contracts (Note 1)  1,076 

Receivable for open forward currency contracts (Note 1)  3,573 

Receivable for closed forward currency contracts (Note 1)  2,557 

Total assets  201,835,705 

 
LIABILITIES   
Distributions payable to shareholders  979,706 

Payable for securities purchased  530,237 

Payable for shares of the fund repurchased (Note 4)  128,969 

Payable for compensation of Manager (Notes 2 and 5)  328,494 

Payable for investor servicing and custodian fees (Note 2)  49,545 

Payable for Trustee compensation and expenses (Note 2)  65,922 

Payable for administrative services (Note 2)  2,710 

Payable for open forward currency contracts (Note 1)  20,801 

Payable for closed forward currency contracts (Note 1)  358 

Collateral on securities loaned, at value (Note 1)  5,873,290 

Other accrued expenses  73,881 

Total liabilities  8,053,913 

Net assets  $193,781,792 

 
REPRESENTED BY   
Paid-in capital (Unlimited shares authorized) (Notes 1, 2 and 4)  $216,539,747 

Distributions in excess of net investment income (Note 1)  (99,110) 

Accumulated net realized loss on investments and foreign currency transactions (Note 1)  (26,707,247) 

Net unrealized appreciation of investments and assets and liabilities in foreign currencies  4,048,402 

Total — Representing net assets applicable to capital shares outstanding  $193,781,792 

 
COMPUTATION OF NET ASSET VALUE   
Net asset value per share   
($193,781,792 divided by 22,207,463 shares)  $8.73 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

48


Statement of operations Six months ended 2/28/06 (Unaudited)   

 
INVESTMENT INCOME   
Interest (including interest income of $128,783   
from investments in affiliated issuers) (Note 5)  $ 4,718,705 

Dividends  2,115,045 

Securities lending  49,151 

Total investment income  6,882,901 

 
EXPENSES   
Compensation of Manager (Note 2)  691,016 

Investor servicing fees (Note 2)  48,134 

Custodian fees (Note 2)  67,819 

Trustee compensation and expenses (Note 2)  12,759 

Administrative services (Note 2)  7,515 

Legal  49,401 

Other  99,604 

Fees waived and reimbursed by Manager (Note 5)  (3,853) 

Total expenses  972,395 

Expense reduction (Note 2)  (2,149) 

Net expenses  970,246 

Net investment income  5,912,655 

Net realized gain on investments (Notes 1 and 3)  5,980,199 

Net realized gain on swap contracts (Note 1)  4,005 

Net realized gain on foreign currency transactions (Note 1)  119,866 

Net unrealized depreciation of assets and liabilities in foreign currencies during the period  (15,454) 

Net unrealized depreciation of investments and swap contracts during the period  (5,906,570) 

Net gain on investments  182,046 

Net increase in net assets resulting from operations  $ 6,094,701 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

49


Statement of changes in net assets   

 
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS     

  Six months ended  Year ended 
  2/28/06*  8/31/05 

Operations:     
Net investment income  $ 5,912,655  $ 10,015,052 

Net realized gain on investments     
and foreign currency transactions  6,104,070  5,057,492 

Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of investments     
and assets and liabilities in foreign currencies  (5,922,024)  443,982 

Net increase in net assets resulting from operations  6,094,701  15,516,526 

Distributions to shareholders: (Note 1)     

From net investment income  (5,958,176)  (10,948,219) 

Increase from issuance of shares in connection with the merger     
of Putnam High Income Opportunities Trust (Note 7)    75,299,313 

Decrease from capital shares repurchased (Note 4)  (2,402,994)   

Increase from payments by affiliates (Note 2)  404,272   

Total increase (decrease) in net assets  (1,862,197)  79,867,620 

 
NET ASSETS     
Beginning of period  195,643,989  115,776,369 

End of period (including distributions in excess of net     
investment income of $99,110 and $53,589, respectively)  $193,781,792  $195,643,989 

 
NUMBER OF FUND SHARES     
Shares outstanding at beginning of period  22,519,551  13,825,527 

Shares issued in connection with the merger of Putnam     
High Income Opportunities Trust (Note 7)    8,694,024 

Shares repurchased (Note 4)  (312,088)   

Shares outstanding at end of period  22,207,463  22,519,551 

* Unaudited.
 
   

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

50


Financial highlights (For a common share outstanding throughout the period)

PER-SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE         

  Six months ended**     Year ended     
  2/28/06  8/31/05  8/31/04  8/31/03  8/31/02  8/31/01 

 
Net asset value,             
beginning of period  $8.69  $8.37  $7.73  $6.56  $7.30  $8.09 

Investment operations:             
Net investment income (a)  .26(d)  .52(d,f )  .57(d)  .58  .60  .67 

Net realized and unrealized             
gain (loss) on investments  .02  .36  .63  1.15  (.72)  (.71) 

Total from             
investment operations  .28  .88  1.20  1.73  (.12)  (.04) 

Less distributions:             
From net investment income  (.27)  (.56)  (.56)  (.56)  (.62)  (.75) 

Total distributions  (.27)  (.56)  (.56)  (.56)  (.62)  (.75) 

Increase from repurchase             
of shares  .01           

Increase from payments             
by affiliates  .02(e)           

Net asset value,             
end of period  $8.73  $8.69  $8.37  $7.73  $6.56  $7.30 

Market price,             
end of period  $7.86  $7.80  $7.62  $7.31  $6.35  $7.45 

Total return at             
market price (%)(b)  4.29*  9.89  12.06  24.73  (6.77)  3.91 

 
RATIOS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA           
Net assets, end of period             
(in thousands)  $193,782  $195,644  $115,776  $106,934  $90,561  $100,130 

Ratio of expenses to             
average net assets (%)(c)  .50*(d)  1.06(d)  1.09(d)  1.13  1.10  1.14 

Ratio of net investment             
income to average net             
net assets (%)  3.07*(d)  6.13(d,f )  6.88(d)  8.20  8.65  8.91 

Portfolio turnover (%)  29.57*  46.13  61.92  69.94  56.70  106.41 
 
(Continued on next page)             

51


Financial highlights (Continued)

* Not annualized.

** Unaudited.

(a) Per share net investment income has been determined on the basis of the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period.

(b) Total return assumes dividend reinvestment.

(c) Includes amounts paid through expense offset and brokerage service arrangements (Note 2).

(d) Reflects waivers of certain fund expenses in connection with investments in Putnam Prime Money Market Fund during the period. As a result of such waivers, the expenses of the fund for the periods ended February 28, 2006, August 31, 2005 and August 31, 2004 reflect a reduction of less than 0.01% of average net assets (Note 5).

(e) Reflects a voluntary reimbursement of $404,272 from Putnam Management relating to an operational error. The reimbursement had no impact on total return at market price and increased total return at net asset value by 0.24% (Note 2).

(f) Reflects a non-recurring accrual related to Putnam Management’s settlement with the SEC regarding brokerage allocation practices, which amounted to less than $0.01 per share and less than 0.01% of average net assets (Note 6).

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

52


Notes to financial statements 2/28/06 (Unaudited)

Note 1: Significant accounting policies

Putnam High Income Bond Fund (the “fund”), a Massachusetts business trust, is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as a diversified, closed-end management investment company. On September 30, 2005, the fund’s name was changed from Putnam High Income Bond Fund to Putnam High Income Securities Fund. The fund seeks to provide high current income as a primary objective and capital appreciation as a secondary objective by investing in a portfolio primarily consisting of high-yielding convertible and nonconvertible securities with the potential for capital appreciation. The fund invests in higher yielding, lower rated bonds that may have a higher rate of default.

In the normal course of business, the fund enters into contracts that may include agreements to indemnify another party under given circumstances. The fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown as this would involve future claims that may be, but have not yet been, made against the fund. However, the fund expects the risk of material loss to be remote.

The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently followed by the fund in the preparation of its financial statements. The preparation of financial statements is in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities in the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operations during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

A) Security valuation Investments for which market quotations are readily available are valued at the last reported sales price on their principal exchange, or official closing price for certain markets. If no sales are reported — as in the case of some securities traded over-the-counter — a security is valued at its last reported bid price. Market quotations are not considered to be readily available for certain debt obligations; such investments are valued on the basis of valuations furnished by an independent pricing service approved by the Trustees or dealers selected by Putnam Investment Management, LLC (“Putnam Management”), the fund’s manager, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Putnam, LLC. Such services or dealers determine valuations for normal institutional-size trading units of such securities using methods based on market transactions for comparable securities and various relationships, generally recognized by institutional traders, between securities. Many securities markets and exchanges outside the U.S. close prior to the close of the New York Stock Exchange and therefore the closing prices for securities in such markets or on such exchanges may not fully reflect events that occur after such close but before the close of the New York Stock Exchange. Accordingly, on certain days, the fund will fair value foreign equity securities taking into account multiple factors, including movements in the U.S. securities markets. The number of days on which fair value prices will be used will depend on market activity and it is possible that fair value prices will be used by the fund to a significant extent. Securities quoted in foreign currencies, if any, are translated into U.S. dollars at the current exchange rate. Other investments, including certain restricted securities, are valued at fair value following procedures approved by the Trustees. Such valuations and procedures are reviewed periodically by the Trustees.

B) Joint trading account Pursuant to an exemptive order from the Securities and Exchange Commission, the fund may transfer uninvested cash balances, including cash collateral received under security lending arrangements, into a joint trading account along with the cash of other registered investment companies and certain other accounts managed by Putnam Management. These balances may be invested in issues of high-grade short-term investments having maturities of up to 397 days for collateral received under security lending arrangements and up to 90 days for other cash investments.

53


C) Security transactions and related investment income Security transactions are recorded on the trade date (the date the order to buy or sell is executed). Gains or losses on securities sold are determined on the identified cost basis.

Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividend income, net of applicable withholding taxes, is recognized on the ex-dividend date except that certain dividends from foreign securities, if any, are recognized as soon as the fund is informed of the ex-dividend date. Non-cash dividends, if any, are recorded at the fair market value of the securities received. Dividends representing a return of capital, if any, are reflected as a reduction of cost when the amount is conclusively determined.

All premiums/discounts are amortized/accreted on a yield-to-maturity basis.

D) Foreign currency translation The accounting records of the fund are maintained in U.S. dollars. The market value of foreign securities, currency holdings, and other assets and liabilities are recorded in the books and records of the fund after translation to U.S. dollars based on the exchange rates on that day. The cost of each security is determined using historical exchange rates. Income and withholding taxes are translated at prevailing exchange rates when earned or incurred. The fund does not isolate that portion of realized or unrealized gains or losses resulting from changes in the foreign exchange rate on investments from fluctuations arising from changes in the market prices of the securities. Such gains and losses are included with the net realized and unrealized gain or loss on investments. Net realized gains and losses on foreign currency transactions represent net realized exchange gains or losses on closed forward currency contracts, disposition of foreign currencies, currency gains and losses realized between the trade and settlement dates on securities transactions and the difference between the amount of investment income and foreign withholding taxes recorded on the fund’s books and the U.S. dollar equivalent amounts actually received or paid. Net unrealized appreciation and depreciation of assets and liabilities in foreign currencies arise from changes in the value of open forward currency contracts and assets and liabilities other than investments at the period end, resulting from changes in the exchange rate. Investments in foreign securities involve certain risks, including those related to economic instability, unfavorable political developments, and currency fluctuations, not present with domestic investments.

E) Forward currency contracts The fund may buy and sell forward currency contracts, which are agreements between two parties to buy and sell currencies at a set price on a future date. These contracts are used to protect against a decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar of the currencies in which its portfolio securities are denominated or quoted (or an increase in the value of a currency in which securities a fund intends to buy are denominated, when a fund holds cash reserves and short term investments), or for other investment purposes. The U.S. dollar value of forward currency contracts is determined using current forward currency exchange rates supplied by a quotation service. The market value of the contract will fluctuate with changes in currency exchange rates. The contract is marked to market daily and the change in market value is recorded as an unrealized gain or loss. When the contract is closed, the fund records a realized gain or loss equal to the difference between the value of the contract at the time it was opened and the value at the time it was closed. The fund could be exposed to risk if the value of the currency changes unfavorably, if the counterparties to the contracts are unable to meet the terms of their contracts or if the fund is unable to enter into a closing position. Risks may exceed amounts recognized on the statement of assets and liabilities. Forward currency contracts outstanding at period end, if any, are listed after the fund’s portfolio.

F) Credit default contracts The fund may enter into credit default contracts where one party, the protection buyer, makes an upfront or periodic payment to a counter party, the protection seller,

54


in exchange for the right to receive a contingent payment. The maximum amount of the payment may equal the notional amount, at par, of the underlying index or security as a result of a related credit event. An upfront payment received by the fund, as the protection seller, is recorded as a liability on the fund’s books. An upfront payment made by the fund, as the protection buyer, is recorded as an asset on the fund’s books. Periodic payments received or paid by the fund are recorded as realized gains or losses. The credit default contracts are marked to market daily based upon quotations from an independent pricing service or market makers and the change, if any, is recorded as unrealized gain or loss. Payments received or made as a result of a credit event or termination of the contract are recognized, net of a proportional amount of the upfront payment, as realized gains or losses. In addition to bearing the risk that the credit event will occur, the fund could be exposed to market risk due to unfavorable changes in interest rates or in the price of the underlying security or index, the possibility that the fund may be unable to close out its position at the same time or at the same price as if it had purchased comparable publicly traded securities or that the counterparty may default on its obligation to perform. Risks of loss may exceed amounts recognized on the statement of assets and liabilities. Credit default contracts outstanding at period end, if any, are listed after the fund’s portfolio.

G) Security lending The fund may lend securities, through its agents, to qualified borrowers in order to earn additional income. The loans are collateralized by cash and/or securities in an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The market value of securities loaned is determined daily and any additional required collateral is allocated to the fund on the next business day. The risk of borrower default will be borne by the fund’s agents; the fund will bear the risk of loss with respect to the investment of the cash collateral. Income from securities lending is included in investment income on the statement of operations. At February 28, 2006, the value of securities loaned amounted to $5,668,432. The fund received cash collateral of $5,873,290 which is pooled with collateral of other Putnam funds into 26 issues of high grade short-term investments.

H) Federal taxes It is the policy of the fund to distribute all of its taxable income within the prescribed time and otherwise comply with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”) applicable to regulated investment companies. It is also the intention of the fund to distribute an amount sufficient to avoid imposition of any excise tax under Section 4982 of the Code, as amended. Therefore, no provision has been made for federal taxes on income, capital gains or unrealized appreciation on securities held nor for excise tax on income and capital gains.

At August 31, 2005, the fund had a capital loss carryover of $32,785,979 available to the extent allowed by the Code to offset future net capital gain, if any. This amount includes $16,076,404 of capital losses acquired in connection with the acquisition of Putnam High Income Opportunities Trust, which are subject to limitations imposed by the Internal Revenue Code. The amount of the carryover and the expiration dates are:

Loss Carryover  Expiration 
$ 9,470,066  August 31, 2009 

13,721,217  August 31, 2010 

9,594,696  August 31, 2011 


The aggregate identified cost on a tax basis is $195,030,461, resulting in gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of $10,907,462 and $6,882,375, respectively, or net unrealized appreciation of $4,025,087.

I) Distributions to shareholders Distributions to shareholders from net investment income are recorded by the fund on the ex-dividend date. Distributions from capital gains, if any, are recorded on the ex-dividend date and paid at least annually. The amount and character of income and gains to be distributed are determined in accordance with

55


income tax regulations, which may differ from generally accepted accounting principles. Dividend sources are estimated at the time of declaration. Actual results may vary. Any non-taxable return of capital cannot be determined until final tax calculations are completed after the end of the fund’s fiscal year. Reclassifications are made to the fund’s capital accounts to reflect income and gains available for distribution (or available capital loss carryovers) under income tax regulations.

Note 2: Management fee, administrative services and other transactions

Putnam Management is paid for management and investment advisory services quarterly based on the “average weekly assets” of the fund. “Average weekly assets” is defined to mean the average of the weekly determinations of the difference between the total assets of the fund (including any assets attributable to leverage for investment purposes through incurrence of indebtedness) and the total liabilities of the fund (excluding liabilities incurred in connection with leverage for investment purposes). This fee is based on the following annual rates: 0.70% of the first $500 million of average weekly assets, 0.60% of the next $500 million, 0.55% of the next $500 million and 0.50% of the next $5 billion, with additional breakpoints at higher asset levels.

Prior to January 1, 2006, the fund’s management fee was based on the following annual rates: 0.75% of the first $500 million of average weekly assets, 0.65% of the next $500 million, 0.60% of the next $500 million and 0.55% thereafter.

Putnam Investments Limited (“PIL”), an affiliate of Putnam Management, is authorized by the Trustees to manage a separate portion of the assets of the fund as determined by Putnam Management from time to time. Putnam Management pays a quarterly sub-management fee to PIL for its services at an annual rate of 0.40% of the average weekly assets (calculated in the same manner as under the fund’s management contract with Putnam Management) of the portion of the fund managed by PIL.

During the period ended February 28, 2006, Putnam Management voluntarily reimbursed the fund $404,272 relating to an operational error that occurred during the prior fiscal year.

The fund reimburses Putnam Management an allocated amount for the compensation and related expenses of certain officers of the fund and their staff who provide administrative services to the fund. The aggregate amount of all such reimbursements is determined annually by the Trustees.

Custodial functions for the fund’s assets are provided by Putnam Fiduciary Trust Company (“PFTC”), a subsidiary of Putnam, LLC. PFTC receives fees for custody services based on the fund’s asset level, the number of its security holdings and transaction volumes. Putnam Investor Services, a division of PFTC, provides investor servicing agent functions to the fund. Putnam Investor Services is paid a monthly fee for investor servicing at an annual rate of 0.05% of the fund’s average net assets. During the period ended February 28, 2006, the fund incurred $115,953 for these services.

The fund has entered into an arrangement with PFTC whereby credits realized as a result of uninvested cash balances are used to reduce a portion of the fund’s expenses. The fund also reduced expenses through brokerage service arrangements. For the six months ended February 28, 2006, the fund’s expenses were reduced by $2,149 under these arrangements.

Each independent Trustee of the fund receives an annual Trustee fee, of which $278, as a quarterly retainer, has been allocated to the fund, and an additional fee for each Trustees meeting attended. Trustees receive additional fees for attendance at certain committee meetings, industry seminars and for certain compliance-related matters. Trustees also are reimbursed for expenses they incur relating to their services as Trustees. George Putnam, III, who is not an independent Trustee, also receives the foregoing fees for his services as Trustee.

The fund has adopted a Trustee Fee Deferral Plan (the “Deferral Plan”) which allows the Trustees to

56


defer the receipt of all or a portion of Trustees fees payable on or after July 1, 1995. The deferred fees remain invested in certain Putnam funds until distribution in accordance with the Deferral Plan.

The fund has adopted an unfunded noncontributory defined benefit pension plan (the “Pension Plan”) covering all Trustees of the fund who have served as a Trustee for at least five years and were first elected prior to 2004. Benefits under the Pension Plan are equal to 50% of the Trustee’s average annual attendance and retainer fees for the three years ended December 31, 2005. Pension expense for the fund is included in Trustee compensation and expenses in the statement of operations. Accrued pension liability is included in Payable for Trustee compensation and expenses in the statement of assets and liabilities. The Trustees have terminated the Pension Plan with respect to any Trustee first elected after 2003.

Note 3: Purchases and sales of securities

During the six months ended February 28, 2006, cost of purchases and proceeds from sales of investment securities other than short-term investments aggregated $54,890,712 and $56,989,710, respectively. There were no purchases or sales of U.S. government securities.

Note 4: Share repurchase program

In October 2005, the Trustees of your fund authorized Putnam Investments to implement a repurchase program on behalf of your fund, which would allow your fund to repurchase up to 5% of its outstanding shares over the 12 months ending October 6, 2006. In March 2006, the Trustees approved an expansion of this repurchase program to allow the fund to repurchase a total of up to 10% of its outstanding shares over the same period. Repurchases will only be made when the fund’s shares are trading at less than net asset value and in accordance with procedures approved by the fund’s Trustees. For the period ended February 28, 2006, the fund repurchased 312,088 common shares for an aggregate purchase price of $2,402,994, which reflects a weighted-average discount from net asset value per share of 10.6% .

Note 5: Investment in Putnam Prime Money Market Fund

Pursuant to an exemptive order from the Securities and Exchange Commission, the fund invests in Putnam Prime Money Market Fund, an open-end management investment company managed by Putnam Management. Management fees paid by the fund are reduced by an amount equal to the management and administrative services fees paid by Putnam Prime Money Market Fund with respect to assets invested by the fund in Putnam Prime Money Market Fund. For the period ended February 28, 2006, management fees paid were reduced by $3,853 relating to the fund’s investment in Putnam Prime Money Market Fund. Income distributions earned by the fund are recorded as income in the statement of operations and totaled $128,783 for the period ended February 28, 2006. During the period ended February 28, 2006, cost of purchases and cost of sales of investments in Putnam Prime Money Market Fund aggregated $42,969,275 and $43,139,769, respectively.

Note 6: Regulatory matters and litigation

Putnam Management has entered into agreements with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Massachusetts Securities Division settling charges connected with excessive short-term trading by Putnam employees and, in the case of the charges brought by the Massachusetts Securities Division, by participants in some Putnam-administered 401(k) plans. Pursuant to these settlement agreements, Putnam Management will pay a total of $193.5 million in penalties and restitution, with $153.5 million being paid to certain open-end funds and their shareholders. The amount will be allocated to shareholders and funds

57


pursuant to a plan developed by an independent consultant, and will be paid following approval of the plan by the SEC and the Massachusetts Securities Division.

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s and Massachusetts Securities Division’s allegations and related matters also serve as the general basis for numerous lawsuits, including purported class action lawsuits filed against Putnam Management and certain related parties, including certain Putnam funds. Putnam Management will bear any costs incurred by Putnam funds in connection with these lawsuits. Putnam Management believes that the likelihood that the pending private lawsuits and purported class action lawsuits will have a material adverse financial impact on the fund is remote, and the pending actions are not likely to materially affect its ability to provide investment management services to its clients, including the Putnam funds.

In connection with a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to Putnam Management’s brokerage allocation practices, on October 13, 2005 the fund received $5,080 in proceeds paid by Putnam Management. The fund had accrued a receivable for this amount in the prior fiscal year.

Putnam Management and Putnam Retail Management are named as defendants in a civil suit in which the plaintiffs allege that the management and distribution fees paid by certain Putnam funds were excessive and seek recovery under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Putnam Management and Putnam Retail Management have contested the plaintiffs’ claims and the matter is currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Based on currently available information, Putnam Management believes that this action is without merit and that it is unlikely to have a material effect on Putnam Management’s and Putnam Retail Management’s ability to provide services to their clients, including the fund.

Note 7: Acquisition of Putnam High Income Opportunities Trust

On January 24, 2005, the fund issued 8,694,024 shares in exchange for 3,712,567 shares of Putnam High Income Opportunities Trust to acquire that fund’s net assets in a tax-free exchange approved by the shareholders. The net assets of the fund and Putnam High Income Opportunities Trust on January 21, 2005, valuation date, were $119,743,477 and $75,299,313, respectively. On January 21, 2005, Putnam High Income Opportunities Trust had distributions in excess of net investment income of $439,279, accumulated net realized loss of $21,080,625 and unrealized appreciation of $4,326,390. The aggregate net assets of the fund immediately following the acquisition were $195,042,790.

Information presented in the statement of operations and the statement of changes in net assets reflect only the operations of Putnam High Income Securities Fund.

58


The Putnam
family of funds

The following is a complete list of Putnam’s open-end mutual funds. Investors should carefully consider the investment objective, risks, charges, and expenses of a fund before investing. For a prospectus containing this and other information for any Putnam fund or product, call your financial advisor at 1-800-225-1581 and ask for a prospectus. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.

Growth funds  Value funds 
Discovery Growth Fund  Classic Equity Fund 
Growth Opportunities Fund  Convertible Income-Growth Trust 
Health Sciences Trust  Equity Income Fund 
International New Opportunities Fund*  The George Putnam Fund of Boston 
New Opportunities Fund  The Putnam Fund for Growth 
OTC & Emerging Growth Fund  and Income 
Small Cap Growth Fund  International Growth and Income Fund* 
Vista Fund  Mid Cap Value Fund 
Voyager Fund  New Value Fund 
  Small Cap Value Fund† 
 
Blend funds  Income funds 
Capital Appreciation Fund  American Government Income Fund 
Capital Opportunities Fund  Diversified Income Trust 
Europe Equity Fund*  Floating Rate Income Fund 
Global Equity Fund*  Global Income Trust* 
Global Natural Resources Fund*  High Yield Advantage Fund*† 
International Capital  High Yield Trust* 
Opportunities Fund*  Income Fund 
International Equity Fund*  Limited Duration Government 
Investors Fund  Income Fund‡ 
Research Fund  Money Market Fund§ 
Tax Smart Equity Fund®  U.S. Government Income Trust 
Utilities Growth and Income Fund   

* A 1% redemption fee on total assets redeemed or exchanged between 6 and 90 days of purchase may be imposed for all share classes of these funds.

† Closed to new investors.

‡ Formerly Putnam Intermediate U.S. Government Income Fund.

§ An investment in a money market fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund.

59


Tax-free income funds
AMT-Free Insured Municipal Fund**
Tax Exempt Income Fund
Tax Exempt Money Market Fund§
Tax-Free High Yield Fund

State tax-free income funds:

Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York,
Ohio, and Pennsylvania

Asset allocation funds

Income Strategies Fund

Putnam Asset Allocation Funds — three

investment portfolios that spread your
money across a variety of stocks, bonds,
and money market investments.

The three portfolios:

Asset Allocation: Balanced Portfolio
Asset Allocation: Conservative Portfolio
Asset Allocation: Growth Portfolio

Putnam RetirementReady® Funds
Putnam RetirementReady Funds — ten
investment portfolios that offer diversifica-
tion among stocks, bonds, and money
market instruments and adjust to become
more conservative over time based on a
target date for withdrawing assets.

The ten funds:

Putnam RetirementReady 2050 Fund
Putnam RetirementReady 2045 Fund
Putnam RetirementReady 2040 Fund
Putnam RetirementReady 2035 Fund
Putnam RetirementReady 2030 Fund
Putnam RetirementReady 2025 Fund
Putnam RetirementReady 2020 Fund
Putnam RetirementReady 2015 Fund
Putnam RetirementReady 2010 Fund
Putnam RetirementReady Maturity Fund

** Formerly Putnam Tax-Free Insured Fund.

With the exception of money market funds, a 2% redemption fee may be applied to shares exchanged or sold within 5 days of purchase.

Check your account balances and the most recent month-end performance at www.putnam.com.

60


Fund information

About Putnam Investments

Founded over 65 years ago, Putnam Investments was built around the concept that a balance between risk and reward is the hallmark of a well-rounded financial program. We manage over 100 mutual funds in growth, value, blend, fixed income, and international.

Investment Manager
Putnam Investment
Management, LLC
One Post Office Square
Boston, MA 02109

Investment Sub-Manager

Putnam Investments Limited
57-59 St. James Street
London, England SW1A 1LD

Marketing Services

Putnam Retail Management
One Post Office Square
Boston, MA 02109

Custodian

Putnam Fiduciary
Trust Company

Legal Counsel

Ropes & Gray LLP

Trustees

John A. Hill, Chairman
Jameson Adkins Baxter,
Vice Chairman
Charles B. Curtis
Myra R. Drucker
Charles E. Haldeman, Jr.
Paul L. Joskow
Elizabeth T. Kennan
John H. Mullin, III
Robert E. Patterson
George Putnam, III
W. Thomas Stephens
Richard B. Worley

Officers
George Putnam, III
President

Charles E. Porter

Executive Vice President,
Associate Treasurer and
Principal Executive Officer

Jonathan S. Horwitz
Senior Vice President
and Treasurer

Steven D. Krichmar

Vice President and
Principal Financial Officer

Michael T. Healy

Assistant Treasurer and
Principal Accounting Officer

Daniel T. Gallagher

Senior Vice President,
Staff Counsel and
Compliance Liaison

Beth S. Mazor
Vice President

James P. Pappas

Vice President

Richard S. Robie, III

Vice President

Francis J. McNamara, III

Vice President and
Chief Legal Officer

Charles A. Ruys de Perez

Vice President and
Chief Compliance Officer

Mark C. Trenchard

Vice President and
BSA Compliance Officer

Judith Cohen

Vice President, Clerk and
Assistant Treasurer

Wanda M. McManus

Vice President, Senior Associate
Treasurer and Assistant Clerk

Nancy E. Florek

Vice President, Assistant Clerk,
Assistant Treasurer and
Proxy Manager

Call 1-800-225-1581 weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, or visit our Web site (www.putnam.com) anytime for up-to-date information about the fund’s NAV.




Item 2. Code of Ethics:

Not Applicabe

Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert:

Not Applicabe

Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services:

Not Applicabe

Item 5. Audit Committee

Not Applicabe

Item 6. Schedule of Investments:

The registrant’s schedule of investments in unaffiliated issuers is included in the report to shareholders in Item 1 above.

Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures For Closed-End Management Investment Companies:

Not applicable

Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Investment Companies

Not Applicable

Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Companies and Affiliated Purchasers:

Registrant Purchase of Equity Securities

        Maximum 
      Total Number  Number (or 
      of Shares  Approximate 
      Purchased  Dollar Value ) 
      as Part  of Shares 
      of Publicly  that May Yet Be 
  Total Number  Average  Announced  Purchased 
  of Shares  Price Paid  Plans or  under the Plans 
Period  Purchased  per Share  Programs  or Programs * 
 
 
October 7-         
October  42,963  $7.50  42,963  2,208,992 
31,2005         
November 1 -         
November 30,         
2005  21,959  $7.71  21,959  2,187,033 
 
December 1 -         
December 31,         
2005  88,982  $7.58  88,982  2,098,051 
 
January 1 -         
January 31,         
2006  79,528  $7.79  79,528  2,018,523 
 
February 1 -         
February 28,         
2006  78,656  $7.85  78,656  1,939,867 


The Board of Trustees announced a repurchase plan on October 7, 2005 for which 1,125,977 shares were approved for repurchase by the fund. The repurchase plan was approved through October 6, 2006. . On March 10, 2006, the Trustees announced that the repurchase program was extended to allow repurchases of up to a total of 2,251,955 shares over the original term of the program

*Information is based on the total number of shares eligible for repurchase under the program, as amended on March 10, 2006.

Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders:

Not applicable

Item 11. Controls and Procedures:

(a) The registrant's principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded, based on their evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report, that the design and operation of such procedures are generally effective to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by the registrant in this report is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission's rules and forms.

(b) Changes in internal control over financial reporting:

Not applicable

Item 12. Exhibits:

(a)(1) Not applicable

(a)(2) Separate certifications for the principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the registrant as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, are filed herewith.

(b) The certifications required by Rule 30a-2(b) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, are filed herewith.

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.

Putnam High Income Securities Fund

By (Signature and Title):

/s/Michael T. Healy
Michael T. Healy
Principal Accounting Officer

Date: April 28, 2006

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):

/s/Charles E. Porter
Charles E. Porter
Principal Executive Officer


Date: April 28, 2006

By (Signature and Title):


/s/Steven D. Krichmar

Steven D. Krichmar
Principal Financial Officer

Date: April 28, 2006