a_highincomesecurities.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: Robert T. Burns, Vice President
One Post Office Square
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
Copy to:         Bryan Chegwidden, Esq.
Ropes & Gray LLP
1211 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10036
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (617) 292-1000
Date of fiscal year end: August 31, 2018
Date of reporting period: September 1, 2017 — February 28, 2018



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:




Putnam
High Income
Securities Fund

Semiannual report
2 | 28 | 18

Message from the Trustees 1
About the fund 2
Interview with your fund’s portfolio manager 5
Your fund’s performance 10
Terms and definitions 12
Other information for shareholders 13
Summary of dividend reinvestment plans 14
Financial statements 16

 

Consider these risks before investing: Lower-rated bonds may offer higher yields in return for more risk. Bond investments are subject to interest-rate risk (the risk of bond prices falling if interest rates rise) and credit risk (the risk of an issuer defaulting on interest or principal payments). Interest-rate risk is greater for longer-term bonds, and credit risk is greater for below-investment-grade bonds. Unlike bonds, funds that invest in bonds have fees and expenses. Bond prices may fall or fail to rise over time for several reasons, including general financial market conditions, changing market perceptions (including perceptions about the risk of default and expectations about changes in monetary policy or interest rates), changes in government intervention, and factors related to a specific issuer or industry. These and other factors may lead to increased volatility and reduced liquidity in the fund’s portfolio holdings. You can lose money by investing in the fund. The fund’s shares trade on a stock exchange at market prices, which may be lower than the fund’s net asset value.



Message from the Trustees

April 12, 2018

Dear Fellow Shareholder:

After an extended period of record advances and low volatility, the U.S. stock market encountered some challenges in early 2018. Following several turbulent days, the S&P 500 Index entered correction territory on February 8, 2018, closing more than 10% below its January 2018 peak. Global stock and bond markets have also struggled as concerns grow about rising inflation and interest rates.

While declines like this can be unsettling, seasoned investors recognize that they are natural and ultimately can restore balance in the financial markets. In this changing environment, Putnam’s experienced investment professionals continue to monitor risks and seek opportunities. They take a research-intensive approach to investing that includes risk management strategies designed to serve investors in all types of markets.

As always, we believe investors should maintain a well-diversified portfolio, think about long-term goals, and speak regularly with their financial advisors. In the following pages, you will find an overview of your fund’s performance for the reporting period as well as an outlook for the coming months.

Thank you for investing with Putnam.





Putnam High Income Securities Fund offers investors a portfolio of high-yield corporate bonds and convertible securities. As a closed-end fund, it shares some common characteristics with open-end mutual funds, but there are some key differences that investors should understand as they consider their portfolio.


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Looking at a closed-end fund’s performance

You will usually see that the NAV and the market price differ. The market price can be influenced by several factors that cause it to vary from the NAV, including fund distributions, changes in supply and demand for the fund’s shares, changing market conditions, and investor perceptions of the fund or its investment manager. A fund’s performance at market price typically differs from its results at NAV.

 


A hybrid portfolio for seeking returns

Though it carries commensurately greater risk, including the risk of corporate default and periodic illiquidity, the fund’s combination of security types can offer greater return potential than other types of bond funds. This is because of the higher-yielding nature of below-investment-grade corporate credit and because of the optionality embedded in convertibles, which allows shares to be exchanged for common stock.

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Data are historical. Past performance does not guarantee future results. More recent returns may be less or more than those shown. Investment return and net asset value 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. Fund returns in the bar chart are at NAV. See below and pages 10–11 for additional performance information, including fund returns at market price. Index and Lipper results should be compared with fund performance at NAV.

* The fund’s blended benchmark is an unmanaged index administered by Putnam Management, 50% of which is the JPMorgan Developed High Yield Index and 50% of which is the ICE BofAML Speculative Grade U.S. Convertible Index. The ICE BofAML Speculative Grade U.S. Convertible Index and the JPMorgan Developed High Yield Index were introduced on 12/31/92 and 12/31/94, respectively, which post-date the inception of the fund.

Returns for the six-month period are not annualized, but cumulative.


* The fund’s blended benchmark is an unmanaged index administered by Putnam Management, 50% of which is the JPMorgan Developed High Yield Index and 50% of which is the ICE BofAML Speculative Grade U.S. Convertible Index.

This comparison shows your fund’s performance in the context of broad market indexes for the six months ended 2/28/18. See above and pages 10–11 for additional fund performance information. Index descriptions can be found on page 12.

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Robert L. Salvin
Portfolio Manager

Rob has an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a B.S. from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School. He joined Putnam in 2000 and has been in the investment industry since 1986.

Your fund is also managed by Anthony J. Daigle.

What contributed to the fund’s performance during the six-month reporting period ended February 28, 2018?

Conditions during the reporting period were generally favorable despite an increase in volatility in late January and February and concerns about valuations in corporate credit.

The convertibles portion of the portfolio, which represents a majority of assets, had positive absolute performance. Security selection within the consumer cyclicals and communication services sectors were the largest contributors on a relative basis. Specifically, an out-of-benchmark position in the consumer cyclical mobile payment company, Square, was one of the top relative performers at the issuer level. The underlying stock surged over the period in conjunction with the rest of the technology sector. An underweight position in DISH Network and an overweight position in Becton Dickinson also added to performance.

The high-yield portion of the portfolio also had positive absolute performance for the period. Overweight allocations to the financials; gaming, lodging and leisure; and utilities industries were the largest relative contributors to return. At the issuer level, positioning in Keane

High Income Securities Fund 5 

 




Credit qualities are shown as a percentage of the fund’s net assets as of 2/28/18. A bond rated BBB or higher (A-3 or higher, for short-term debt) is considered investment grade. This chart reflects the highest security rating provided by one or more of Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch. Ratings and portfolio credit quality will vary over time.

Cash and net other assets, if any, represent the market value weights of cash, derivatives, and short-term securities in the portfolio. The fund itself has not been rated by an independent rating agency.

*Equity instruments are a combination of common stocks and convertible preferred stocks.


Group was the largest relative contributor. The portfolio had reduced exposure to the holding, which benefited performance due to Keane Group’s mixed to weaker third-quarter earnings results. In December, the fund’s position in Keane rallied. The holding was sold from the portfolio before period-end in January to lock in profits. Additionally, an underweight position in Ally Financial benefited returns, as the company posted constructive fourth-quarter earnings.

What detracted most from the fund’s benchmark-relative performance?

Underweight exposure to technology convertibles, along with security selection and a slight overweight position in the capital goods sector, were among the top detractors from relative performance. At the issuer level, underweight positioning in semiconductor companies Micron Technology and ON Semiconductor were the largest relative detractors. The underlying stocks all climbed in value during the period.

Among the portfolio’s high-yield holdings, underweight positions in the energy, health-care, and services industries were the largest relative detractors. At the issuer level, a moderate overweight allocation to CHS/Community Health Systems was the top detractor following weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings. An overweight position in Sprint Communications also detracted from high-yield returns, as merger talks with T-Mobile USA collapsed during the fourth quarter.

Were there any noteworthy shifts in the fund’s asset allocation during the reporting period? If so, why?

In response to a rise in new issuance of convertible bonds, we have selectively participated in a few deals, resulting in a moderately higher allocation to convertible securities. The surge in new issuance that we have seen in the past few months has focused on convertible cash bonds, unlike the wave of mandatory convertibles that dominated the new-issue market prior

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to the last year [mandatories automatically convert to stocks, causing them to trade essentially like stocks]. We believe there is relative value in the new-issue market, and so we have trimmed mandatories and replaced them when appropriate.

Additionally, higher Treasury yields and market expectations for three to four Federal Reserve rate hikes in 2018 led us to decrease exposure to convertible preferred stocks, which are more sensitive to interest-rate moves. As a result, the portfolio moved to a higher weighting in convertible bonds and notes.

What is your outlook for the coming months, and how has it influenced the fund’s positioning?

Investor confidence in the economy, coupled with solid underlying fundamentals, lead us to believe that the outlook for convertible securities remains constructive, although the sector has experienced some short-term volatility driven by inflation fears. The U.S. tax overhaul framework includes a reduction of the corporate tax rate, a lower repatriation tax rate, full expensing of capital expenditures, and the capping of interest deductibility. On balance, we believe these changes will be positive for convertible issuers. Additionally, the new tax law increases the relative attractiveness of convertible market funding versus corporate debt, particularly for more highly leveraged companies.



This table shows the fund’s top 10 individual holdings and the percentage of the fund’s net assets that each represented as of 2/28/18. Short-term investments and derivatives, if any, are excluded. Holdings may vary over time.

High Income Securities Fund 7 

 



Convertibles witnessed a healthy new-issue market in 2017 and started 2018 with one of the strongest months in ten years as 14 deals were priced that together were worth $6.4 billion in proceeds in January. Increased supply has expanded the universe of investment options in the U.S. convertibles market, creating attractive associated return opportunities, in our view. We expect this robust environment for new issues to continue in the face of rising interest rates, barring any short-term volatility. Ultimately, with central banks beginning the process of normalizing monetary policy and potential equity market unease, we believe convertible securities continue to be an attractive option for investors whose investment objectives may include current income and capital appreciation while also lowering portfolio volatility.

In this environment, we favor what we view to be higher-quality names, along with higher market capitalization issuers. Additionally, we have trimmed exposure to securities in which the underlying equity valuations have become stretched, in our view.

We also continue to have a generally constructive view of the high-yield asset class as the fundamental landscape of U.S. issuers has been positive, buoyed by generally favorable corporate earnings and economic data. Additionally, we believe that many high-yield issuers should benefit from the lower corporate tax rate. Overall default levels have significantly fallen over the past 12 months and are at levels last seen in 2014. From a valuation standpoint, although spreads are measurably tighter year-over-year, they continue to look fair, in our view, on the back of solid fundamentals and are still wide of their all-time tights. The risks that we see include commodity price volatility, policy mistakes from global central banks, and/or heightened geopolitical tension. Overall, our positioning has been consistent, and we will continue to try to capitalize on what we believe


This chart shows how the fund’s weightings have changed over the past six months. Allocations are shown as a percentage of the fund’s net assets. Cash and net other assets, if any, represent the market value weights of cash, derivatives, short-term securities, and other unclassified assets in the portfolio. Current period summary information may differ from the portfolio schedule included in the financial statements due to the inclusion of derivative securities, the exclusion of as-of trades, if any, the use of different classifications of securities for presentation purposes, and rounding. Holdings and allocations may vary over time.

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are relative value opportunities in the primary and secondary markets.

Thank you, Rob, for this update on the fund.

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

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. Current and future portfolio holdings are subject to risk.

High Income Securities Fund 9 

 



Your fund’s performance

This section shows your fund’s performance, price, and distribution information for periods ended February 28, 2018, the end of the first half of its current fiscal year. In accordance with regulatory requirements for mutual funds, we also include performance information as of the most recent calendar quarter-end. Performance should always be considered in light of a fund’s investment strategy. Data represent 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 2/28/18

  Annual                 
  average                 
  Life of                 
  fund (since    Annual    Annual    Annual     
  7/9/87)  10 years  average  5 years  average  3 years  average  1 year  6 months 
NAV  8.66%  94.76%  6.89%  37.59%  6.59%  16.98%  5.37%  7.78%  3.04% 
Market price  8.44  106.82  7.54  39.66  6.91  22.87  7.11  6.91  3.52 

 

Performance assumes reinvestment of distributions and does not account for taxes. Performance is shown net of expenses.

Comparative index returns For periods ended 2/28/18

  Annual                 
  average                 
  Life of                 
  fund (since    Annual    Annual    Annual     
  7/9/87)  10 years  average  5 years  average  3 years  average  1 year  6 months 
Fund’s blended                   
benchmark                   
(50% JPMorgan                   
Developed High                   
Yield Index/50% ICE    123.76%  8.39%  41.97%  7.26%  19.27%  6.05%  7.54%  3.05% 
BofAML Speculative                   
Grade U. S.                   
Convertible Index)                   
Lipper Convertible                   
Securities Funds                   
(closed-end)  8.24%  81.59  5.97  42.88  7.35  16.14  5.09  10.07  5.03 
category average*                   

 

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

* Over the 6-month, 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, 10-year, and life-of-fund periods ended 2/28/18, there were 14, 13, 11, 11, 11, and 2 funds, respectively, in this Lipper category.

The fund’s blended benchmark is an unmanaged index administered by Putnam Management, 50% of which is the JPMorgan Developed High Yield Index and 50% of which is the ICE BofAML Speculative Grade U.S. Convertible Index. The ICE BofAML Speculative Grade U.S. Convertible Index and the JPMorgan Developed High Yield Index were introduced on 12/31/92 and 12/31/94, respectively, which post-date the inception of the fund.

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Fund price and distribution information For the six-month period ended 2/28/18

Distributions       
Number    6   
Income    $0.1698   
Capital gains       
Total    $0.1698   
Share value  NAV    Market price 
8/31/17  $9.53    $8.77 
2/28/18  9.65    8.91 
Current rate (end of period)  NAV    Market price 
Current dividend rate*  3.52%    3.81% 

 

The classification of distributions, if any, is an estimate. Final distribution information will appear on your year-end tax forms.

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

Fund performance as of most recent calendar quarter Total return for periods ended 3/31/18

  Annual                 
  average                 
  Life of                 
  fund (since    Annual    Annual    Annual     
  7/9/87)  10 years  average  5 years  average  3 years  average  1 year  6 months 
NAV  8.63%  98.42%  7.09%  35.23%  6.22%  18.08%  5.70%  7.39%  1.65% 
Market price  8.48  118.76  8.14  39.56  6.89  26.87  8.26  8.42  3.15 

 

See the discussion following the fund performance table on page 10 for information about the calculation of fund performance.

High Income Securities Fund 11 

 



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 New York Stock Exchange.

Fixed-income terms

Current rate is the annual rate of return earned from dividends or interest of an investment. Current rate is expressed as a percentage of the price of a security, fund share, or principal investment.

Yield curve is a graph that plots the yields of bonds with equal credit quality against their differing maturity dates, ranging from shortest to longest. It is used as a benchmark for other debt, such as mortgage or bank lending rates.

Comparative indexes

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

The fund’s blended benchmark is an unmanaged index administered by Putnam Management, 50% of which is the JPMorgan Developed High Yield Index and 50% of which is the ICE BofAML Speculative Grade U.S. Convertible Index.

ICE BofAML (Intercontinental Exchange Bank of America Merrill Lynch) Speculative Grade U.S. Convertible Index is an unmanaged index of U.S. convertible securities.

ICE BofAML U.S. 3-Month Treasury Bill Index is an unmanaged index that seeks to measure the performance of U.S. Treasury bills available in the marketplace.

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

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

ICE Data Indices, LLC (“ICE BofAML”), used with permission. ICE BofAML permits use of the ICE BofAML indices and related data on an “as is” basis; makes no warranties regarding same; does not guarantee the suitability, quality, accuracy, timeliness, and/or completeness of the ICE BofAML indices or any data included in, related to, or derived therefrom; assumes no liability in connection with the use of the foregoing; and does not sponsor, endorse, or recommend Putnam Investments, or any of its products or services.

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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Other information for shareholders

Important notice regarding share repurchase program

In September 2017, the Trustees of your fund approved the renewal of a share repurchase program that had been in effect since 2005. This renewal allows your fund to repurchase, in the 12 months beginning October 10, 2017, up to 10% of the fund’s common shares outstanding as of October 9, 2017.

Important notice regarding delivery of shareholder documents

In accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission (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, unless a shareholder requests otherwise. 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, 2017, are available in the Individual Investors section of putnam.com, and on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. If you have questions about finding forms on the SEC’s website, 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 Form N-Q on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. In addition, the fund’s Form 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 website or the operation of the Public Reference Room.

Trustee and employee fund ownership

Putnam employees and members of the Board of Trustees place their faith, confidence, and, most importantly, investment dollars in Putnam mutual funds. As of February 28, 2018, Putnam employees had approximately $528,000,000 and the Trustees had approximately $81,000,000 invested in Putnam mutual funds. These amounts include investments by the Trustees’ and employees’ immediate family members as well as investments through retirement and deferred compensation plans.

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Summary of Putnam Closed-End Funds’ Amended and Restated Dividend Reinvestment Plans

Putnam High Income Securities Fund, Putnam Managed Municipal Income Trust, Putnam Master Intermediate Income Trust, Putnam Municipal Opportunities Trust and Putnam Premier Income Trust (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) each offer a dividend reinvestment plan (each, a “Plan” and collectively, the “Plans”). If you participate in a Plan, all income dividends and capital gain distributions are automatically reinvested in Fund shares by the Fund’s agent, Putnam Investor Services, Inc. (the “Agent”). If you are not participating in a Plan, every month you will receive all dividends and other distributions in cash, paid by check and mailed directly to you.

Upon a purchase (or, where applicable, upon registration of transfer on the shareholder records of a Fund) of shares of a Fund by a registered shareholder, each such shareholder will be deemed to have elected to participate in that Fund’s Plan. Each such shareholder will have all distributions by a Fund automatically reinvested in additional shares, unless such shareholder elects to terminate participation in a Plan by instructing the Agent to pay future distributions in cash. Shareholders who were not participants in a Plan as of January 31, 2010, will continue to receive distributions in cash but may enroll in a Plan at any time by contacting the Agent.

If you participate in a Fund’s Plan, the Agent will automatically reinvest subsequent distributions, and the Agent will send you a confirmation in the mail telling you how many additional shares were issued to your account.

To change your enrollment status or to request additional information about the Plans, you may contact the Agent either in writing, at P.O. Box 8383, Boston, MA 02266-8383, or by telephone at 1-800-225-1581 during normal East Coast business hours.

How you acquire additional shares through a Plan If the market price per share for your Fund’s shares (plus estimated brokerage commissions) is greater than or equal to their net asset value per share on the payment date for a distribution, you will be issued shares of the Fund at a value equal to the higher of the net asset value per share on that date or 95% of the market price per share on that date.

If the market price per share for your Fund’s shares (plus estimated brokerage commissions) is less than their net asset value per share on the payment date for a distribution, the Agent will buy Fund shares for participating accounts in the open market. The Agent will aggregate open-market purchases on behalf of all participants, and the average price (including brokerage commissions) of all shares purchased by the Agent will be the price per share allocable to each participant. The Agent will generally complete these open-market purchases within five business days following the payment date. If, before the Agent has completed open-market purchases, the market price per share (plus estimated brokerage commissions) rises to exceed the net asset value per share on the payment date, then the purchase price may exceed the net asset value per share, potentially resulting in the acquisition of fewer shares than if the distribution had been paid in newly issued shares.

How to withdraw from a Plan Participants may withdraw from a Fund’s Plan at any time by notifying the Agent, either in writing or by telephone. Such withdrawal will be effective immediately if notice is received by the Agent with sufficient time prior to any distribution record date; otherwise, such withdrawal will be effective with respect to any subsequent distribution following notice of withdrawal. There is no penalty for withdrawing from or not participating in a Plan.

Plan administration The Agent will credit all shares acquired for a participant under a Plan to the account in which the participant’s common shares are held. Each participant will

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be sent reasonably promptly a confirmation by the Agent of each acquisition made for his or her account.

About brokerage fees Each participant pays a proportionate share of any brokerage commissions incurred if the Agent purchases additional shares on the open market, in accordance with the Plans. There are no brokerage charges applied to shares issued directly by the Funds under the Plans.

About taxes and Plan amendments Reinvesting dividend and capital gain distributions in shares of the Funds does not relieve you of tax obligations, which are the same as if you had received cash distributions. The Agent supplies tax information to you and to the IRS annually. Each Fund reserves the right to amend or terminate its Plan upon 30 days’ written notice. However, the Agent may assign its rights, and delegate its duties, to a successor agent with the prior consent of a Fund and without prior notice to Plan participants.

If your shares are held in a broker or nominee name If your shares are held in the name of a broker or nominee offering a dividend reinvestment service, consult your broker or nominee to ensure that an appropriate election is made on your behalf. If the broker or nominee holding your shares does not provide a reinvestment service, you may need to register your shares in your own name in order to participate in a Plan.

In the case of record shareholders such as banks, brokers or nominees that hold shares for others who are the beneficial owners of such shares, the Agent will administer the Plan on the basis of the number of shares certified by the record shareholder as representing the total amount registered in such shareholder’s name and held for the account of beneficial owners who are to participate in the Plan.

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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 non-investment 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. (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 highlights table also includes the current reporting period.

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The fund’s portfolio 2/28/18 (Unaudited)

  Principal   
CONVERTIBLE BONDS AND NOTES (42.2%)*  amount  Value 
Basic materials (0.7%)     
Cemex SAB de CV cv. unsec. sub. notes 3.72%, 3/15/20 (Mexico)  $455,000  $468,616 
Patrick Industries, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsec. notes 1.00%, 2/1/23  421,000  416,398 
    885,014 
Capital goods (2.4%)     
Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. sub. notes     
2.25%, 12/15/23  491,000  607,269 
Dycom Industries, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. notes 0.75%, 9/15/21  535,000  683,784 
Greenbrier Cos., Inc. (The) cv. sr. unsec. notes 2.875%, 2/1/24  470,000  544,157 
Horizon Global Corp. cv. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 2.75%, 7/1/22  385,000  312,091 
II-VI, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsec. notes 0.25%, 9/1/22  453,000  485,789 
Kaman Corp. 144A cv. sr. unsec. notes 3.25%, 5/1/24  324,000  365,126 
    2,998,216 
Communication services (1.8%)     
DISH Network Corp. cv. sr. unsec. notes 3.375%, 8/15/26  2,295,000  2,308,919 
Powerwave Technologies, Inc. cv. unsec. sub. notes 3.875%,     
10/1/27 (In default)F   1,160,000  116 
    2,309,035 
Communications equipment (0.7%)     
Ciena Corp. cv. sr. unsec. notes 4.00%, 12/15/20  618,000  830,672 
    830,672 
Components (0.3%)     
Finisar Corp. cv. sr. unsec. unsub. bonds 0.50%, 12/15/36  427,000  392,219 
    392,219 
Computers (2.6%)     
Avid Technology, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. notes 2.00%, 6/15/20  274,000  233,256 
Citrix Systems, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. notes 0.50%, 4/15/19  435,000  578,296 
HubSpot, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsec. notes 0.25%, 6/1/22  551,000  721,040 
Nutanix, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsec. notes zero %, 1/15/23  387,000  397,745 
RealPage, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsec. notes 1.50%, 11/15/22  587,000  801,089 
Western Digital Corp. 144A cv. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
1.50%, 2/1/24  536,000  554,914 
    3,286,340 
Consumer cyclicals (7.1%)     
Booking Holdings, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 0.35%, 6/15/20  710,000  1,117,363 
Caesars Entertainment Corp. cv. sr. unsec. notes 5.00%, 10/1/24  312,240  607,696 
CalAtlantic Group, Inc. cv. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub.     
notes 1.625%, 5/15/18  480,000  808,752 
Euronet Worldwide, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. bonds 1.50%, 10/1/44  535,000  661,625 
Liberty Interactive, LLC cv. sr. unsec. notes 3.50%, 1/15/31  890,000  520,205 
Liberty Interactive, LLC 144A cv. sr. unsec. bonds 1.75%, 9/30/46  710,000  817,591 
Liberty Media Corp. cv. sr. unsec. bonds 1.375%, 10/15/23  510,000  600,474 
Liberty Media Corp. cv. sr. unsec. unsub. bonds 2.25%, 9/30/46  404,000  421,354 
Macquarie Infrastructure Corp. cv. sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
2.00%, 10/1/23  812,000  730,521 
Navistar International Corp. cv. sr. unsec. sub. bonds 4.75%, 4/15/19  444,000  460,172 
Square, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsec. notes 0.375%, 3/1/22  372,000  766,432 
Tesla, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. sub. notes 1.25%, 3/1/21  1,150,000  1,308,169 
    8,820,354 

 

High Income Securities Fund 17 

 



  Principal   
CONVERTIBLE BONDS AND NOTES (42.2%)* cont.  amount  Value 
Consumer staples (2.0%)     
IAC FinanceCo, Inc. 144A cv. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
0.875%, 10/1/22  $615,000  $713,636 
Liberty Expedia Holdings, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. unsub. bonds     
1.00%, 6/30/47  617,000  594,220 
Vector Group, Ltd. cv. sr. unsec. sub. notes 1.75%, 4/15/20  695,000  757,242 
Wayfair, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsec. sub. notes 0.375%, 9/1/22  447,000  452,393 
    2,517,491 
Electronics (7.8%)     
Intel Corp. cv. jr. unsec. sub. notes 3.25%, 8/1/39  205,000  487,908 
Microchip Technology, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsec. sub. notes     
1.625%, 2/15/27  2,731,000  3,208,728 
Micron Technology, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. bonds 3.00%, 11/15/43  890,000  1,503,428 
Micron Technology, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. bonds Ser. E, 1.625%, 2/15/33  565,000  2,515,672 
ON Semiconductor Corp. cv. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub.     
notes 1.00%, 12/1/20  685,000  959,891 
OSI Systems, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 1.25%, 9/1/22  551,000  492,112 
TTM Technologies, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. notes 1.75%, 12/15/20  323,000  563,153 
    9,730,892 
Energy (2.1%)     
Chesapeake Energy Corp. cv. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.50%, 9/15/26  1,175,000  1,009,431 
Oasis Petroleum, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. notes 2.625%, 9/15/23  276,000  284,376 
SEACOR Holdings, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. bonds 3.00%, 11/15/28  621,000  580,964 
Whiting Petroleum Corp. cv. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub.     
notes 1.25%, 4/1/20  770,000  724,762 
    2,599,533 
Financials (2.7%)     
Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
5.25%, 12/1/18 R   536,000  599,380 
Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc. 144A cv. company guaranty sr.     
unsec. bonds 5.875%, 8/1/37  275,000  345,840 
IH Merger Sub, LLC cv. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
3.50%, 1/15/22 R   604,000  666,065 
Starwood Property Trust, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
4.00%, 1/15/19 R   821,000  867,694 
TCP Capital Corp. cv. sr. unsec. bonds 5.25%, 12/15/19  827,000  852,352 
    3,331,331 
Health care (4.7%)     
BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. sub. notes     
1.50%, 10/15/20  245,000  270,725 
BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. sub. notes     
0.599%, 8/1/24  382,000  359,080 
Brookdale Senior Living, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
2.75%, 6/15/18  655,000  650,088 
China Medical Technologies, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. bonds Ser. CMT,     
4.00%, 8/15/18 (China) (In default)F   763,000  48,832 
China Medical Technologies, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsec. notes 6.25%,     
12/17/18 (China) (In default)F   445,000  24,920 
Clovis Oncology, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. notes 2.50%, 9/15/21  415,000  509,154 
Impax Laboratories, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. notes 2.00%, 6/15/22  365,000  357,502 

 

18 High Income Securities Fund 

 



  Principal   
CONVERTIBLE BONDS AND NOTES (42.2%)* cont.  amount  Value 
Health care cont.     
Insmed, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. sub. notes 1.75%, 1/15/25  $358,000  $329,897 
Jazz Investments I, Ltd. cv. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub.     
bonds 1.875%, 8/15/21 (Ireland)  951,000  973,991 
Medicines Co. (The) cv. sr. unsec. notes 2.50%, 1/15/22  705,000  779,012 
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsec. notes     
2.25%, 5/15/24  410,000  543,614 
Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Delaware) 144A cv. sr. unsec. sub.     
notes 2.375%, 4/1/22  614,000  562,530 
Teladoc, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsec. notes 3.00%, 12/15/22  370,000  438,529 
    5,847,874 
Semiconductor (2.7%)     
Cypress Semiconductor Corp. cv. sr. unsec. notes 4.50%, 1/15/22  395,000  567,305 
Integrated Device Technology, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
0.875%, 11/15/22  465,000  523,497 
Jazz US Holdings, Inc. cv. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
8.00%, 12/31/18  125,000  365,063 
Novellus Systems, Inc. cv. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
2.625%, 5/15/41  228,000  1,307,046 
Teradyne, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. notes 1.25%, 12/15/23  410,000  622,341 
    3,385,252 
Software (1.9%)     
Everbridge, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 1.50%, 11/1/22  495,000  570,604 
Okta, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsec. notes 0.25%, 2/15/23  480,000  501,252 
Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. bonds 5.25%, 5/15/18  718,000  730,872 
Workday, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsec. notes 0.25%, 10/1/22  517,000  559,201 
    2,361,929 
Technology services (1.8%)     
Carbonite, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 2.50%, 4/1/22  360,000  464,248 
J2 Cloud Services, LLC cv. sr. unsec. notes 3.25%, 6/15/29  535,000  650,821 
Proofpoint, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 0.75%, 6/15/20  285,000  398,288 
Twitter, Inc. cv. sr. unsec. unsub. bonds 1.00%, 9/15/21  760,000  720,936 
    2,234,293 
Transportation (0.9%)     
Air Transport Services Group, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsec. notes     
1.125%, 10/15/24  614,000  663,005 
Scorpio Tankers, Inc. 144A cv. sr. unsec. sub. notes 2.375%, 7/1/19  462,000  419,268 
    1,082,273 
Total convertible bonds and notes (cost $48,059,893)    $52,612,718 
 
  Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)*  amount  Value 
Basic materials (6.3%)     
A Schulman, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
6.875%, 6/1/23  $50,000  $53,000 
AK Steel Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
6.375%, 10/15/25  55,000  53,900 
Allegheny Technologies, Inc. sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
7.875%, 8/15/23  65,000  70,688 
Allegheny Technologies, Inc. sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
5.95%, 1/15/21  50,000  50,938 

 

High Income Securities Fund 19 

 



  Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)* cont.  amount  Value 
Basic materials cont.     
American Woodmark Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.     
notes 4.875%, 3/15/26  $125,000  $124,688 
ArcelorMittal SA sr. unsec. unsub. bonds 6.125%, 6/1/25 (France)  100,000  110,125 
ArcelorMittal SA sr. unsec. unsub. notes 7.25%, 10/15/39 (France)  120,000  148,164 
Beacon Escrow Corp. 144A sr. unsec. notes 4.875%, 11/1/25  120,000  117,036 
Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub.     
notes 6.375%, 10/1/23  150,000  159,938 
Big River Steel, LLC/BRS Finance Corp. 144A company guaranty sr.     
notes 7.25%, 9/1/25  145,000  153,338 
Blue Cube Spinco, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
9.75%, 10/15/23  120,000  139,200 
BMC East, LLC 144A company guaranty sr. notes 5.50%, 10/1/24  160,000  162,400 
Boise Cascade Co. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.625%, 9/1/24  210,000  216,300 
Builders FirstSource, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsub. notes     
5.625%, 9/1/24  175,000  178,063 
BWAY Holding Co. 144A sr. notes 5.50%, 4/15/24  115,000  117,588 
BWAY Holding Co. 144A sr. unsec. notes 7.25%, 4/15/25  280,000  289,100 
Cemex Finance, LLC 144A company guaranty sr. notes 6.00%,     
4/1/24 (Mexico)  400,000  418,000 
CF Industries, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. bonds     
4.95%, 6/1/43  105,000  95,550 
Chemours Co. (The) company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.375%, 5/15/27  60,000  60,150 
Chemours Co. (The) company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
7.00%, 5/15/25  80,000  86,200 
Chemours Co. (The) company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
6.625%, 5/15/23  100,000  105,125 
Compass Minerals International, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr.     
unsec. notes 4.875%, 7/15/24  180,000  176,400 
Cornerstone Chemical Co. 144A company guaranty sr. notes     
6.75%, 8/15/24  140,000  141,925 
CPG Merger Sub, LLC 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
8.00%, 10/1/21  60,000  61,800 
Crown Americas, LLC/Crown Americas Capital Corp. VI 144A     
company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 4.75%, 2/1/26  55,000  54,175 
First Quantum Minerals, Ltd. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.     
notes 7.50%, 4/1/25 (Canada)  295,000  303,850 
Flex Acquisition Co., Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 6.875%, 1/15/25  125,000  126,563 
Freeport-McMoRan, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
6.875%, 2/15/23 (Indonesia)  110,000  118,525 
Freeport-McMoRan, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes     
6.75%, 2/1/22 (Indonesia)  55,000  56,788 
GCP Applied Technologies, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.     
notes 9.50%, 2/1/23  195,000  213,769 
HudBay Minerals, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
7.625%, 1/15/25 (Canada)  90,000  97,875 
Ingevity Corp. 144A sr. unsec. notes 4.50%, 2/1/26  100,000  97,750 
Joseph T Ryerson & Son, Inc. 144A sr. notes 11.00%, 5/15/22  50,000  55,668 
Kraton Polymers, LLC/Kraton Polymers Capital Corp. 144A     
company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 10.50%, 4/15/23  115,000  128,513 

 

20 High Income Securities Fund 

 



  Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)* cont.  amount  Value 
Basic materials cont.     
Kraton Polymers, LLC/Kraton Polymers Capital Corp. 144A     
company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 7.00%, 4/15/25  $60,000  $61,950 
Louisiana-Pacific Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
4.875%, 9/15/24  190,000  191,425 
Mercer International, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
7.75%, 12/1/22 (Canada)  34,000  35,955 
Mercer International, Inc. sr. unsec. notes 6.50%, 2/1/24 (Canada)  115,000  120,463 
Mercer International, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 5.50%,     
1/15/26 (Canada)  90,000  89,550 
New Gold, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
6.25%, 11/15/22 (Canada)  75,000  76,875 
New Gold, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 6.375%, 5/15/25 (Canada)  30,000  31,050 
Northwest Acquisitions ULC/Dominion Finco, Inc. 144A notes     
7.125%, 11/1/22  45,000  46,238 
NOVA Chemicals Corp. 144A sr. unsec. bonds 5.25%,     
6/1/27 (Canada)  116,000  113,390 
NOVA Chemicals Corp. 144A sr. unsec. notes 4.875%,     
6/1/24 (Canada)  64,000  63,200 
Novelis Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. bonds     
5.875%, 9/30/26  190,000  191,425 
Novelis Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
6.25%, 8/15/24  110,000  113,575 
Olin Corp. sr. unsec. bonds 5.00%, 2/1/30  55,000  53,075 
Pactiv, LLC sr. unsec. unsub. bonds 8.375%, 4/15/27  15,000  17,025 
Park-Ohio Industries, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
6.625%, 4/15/27  145,000  151,525 
Platform Specialty Products Corp. 144A company guaranty sr.     
unsec. notes 5.875%, 12/1/25  195,000  194,025 
Platform Specialty Products Corp. 144A sr. unsec. notes     
6.50%, 2/1/22  65,000  66,706 
Smurfit Kappa Treasury Funding, Ltd. company guaranty sr. unsec.     
unsub. notes 7.50%, 11/20/25 (Ireland)  125,000  150,156 
Steel Dynamics, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.00%, 12/15/26  35,000  35,700 
Steel Dynamics, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
4.125%, 9/15/25  30,000  29,025 
Steel Dynamics, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
5.50%, 10/1/24  80,000  82,800 
Steel Dynamics, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
5.25%, 4/15/23  65,000  66,381 
Teck Resources, Ltd. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
4.75%, 1/15/22 (Canada)  45,000  45,675 
Teck Resources, Ltd. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
3.75%, 2/1/23 (Canada)  40,000  39,100 
Teck Resources, Ltd. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
8.50%, 6/1/24 (Canada)  15,000  16,688 
TMS International Corp. 144A sr. unsec. notes 7.25%, 8/15/25  125,000  130,313 
Trinseo Materials Operating SCA/Trinseo Materials Finance, Inc.     
144A sr. unsec. notes 5.375%, 9/1/25 (Luxembourg)  70,000  70,788 
Tronox Finance PLC 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.75%, 10/1/25 (United Kingdom)  40,000  39,700 

 

High Income Securities Fund 21 

 



  Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)* cont.  amount  Value 
Basic materials cont.     
U. S. Concrete, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
6.375%, 6/1/24  $170,000  $180,625 
Univar USA, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
6.75%, 7/15/23  80,000  83,100 
USG Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. bonds     
4.875%, 6/1/27  120,000  118,200 
USG Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 5.50%, 3/1/25  75,000  78,000 
Venator Finance SARL/Venator Materials Corp. 144A sr. unsec.     
notes 5.75%, 7/15/25 (Luxembourg)  100,000  101,750 
Weekley Homes, LLC/Weekley Finance Corp. sr. unsec. notes     
6.00%, 2/1/23  150,000  151,500 
WR Grace & Co. - Conn. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.625%, 10/1/24  70,000  73,500 
Zekelman Industries, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. notes     
9.875%, 6/15/23  140,000  154,000 
    7,807,545 
Capital goods (3.1%)     
Advanced Disposal Services, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes     
5.625%, 11/15/24  200,000  204,000 
Allison Transmission, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.00%, 10/1/24  70,000  70,963 
Allison Transmission, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
4.75%, 10/1/27  50,000  49,000 
American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec.     
notes 7.75%, 11/15/19  105,000  111,563 
Ardagh Packaging Finance PLC/Ardagh Holdings USA, Inc. 144A     
company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 7.25%, 5/15/24 (Ireland)  200,000  214,000 
ATS Automation Tooling Systems, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 6.50%,     
6/15/23 (Canada)  95,000  99,513 
Belden, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes     
5.25%, 7/15/24  220,000  222,750 
Berry Global, Inc. company guaranty notes 5.50%, 5/15/22  55,000  56,513 
Berry Global, Inc. company guaranty unsub. notes 5.125%, 7/15/23  35,000  35,744 
Berry Global, Inc. 144A notes 4.50%, 2/15/26  40,000  38,900 
Bombardier, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 8.75%, 12/1/21 (Canada)  180,000  197,325 
Bombardier, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 7.50%, 12/1/24 (Canada)  95,000  98,681 
Briggs & Stratton Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
6.875%, 12/15/20  170,000  186,150 
Crown Cork & Seal Co., Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. bonds     
7.375%, 12/15/26  85,000  96,475 
FXI Holdings, Inc. 144A sr. notes 7.875%, 11/1/24  110,000  108,488 
Gates Global, LLC/Gates Global Co. 144A company guaranty sr.     
unsec. notes 6.00%, 7/15/22  186,000  189,255 
GFL Environmental, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 5.375%,     
3/1/23 (Canada)  55,000  54,931 
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec.     
notes 8.00%, 5/15/22  165,000  171,600 
Legrand France SA sr. unsec. unsub. notes 8.50%, 2/15/25 (France)  90,000  113,570 
Manitowoc Foodservice, Inc. sr. unsec. notes 9.50%, 2/15/24  200,000  222,000 
MasTec, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
4.875%, 3/15/23  130,000  129,675 

 

22 High Income Securities Fund 

 



  Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)* cont.  amount  Value 
Capital goods cont.     
Oshkosh Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes     
5.375%, 3/1/25  $105,000  $109,494 
RBS Global, Inc./Rexnord, LLC 144A sr. unsec. notes     
4.875%, 12/15/25  85,000  83,725 
Reynolds Group Issuer, Inc./Reynolds Group Issuer, LLC/Reynolds     
Group Issuer Lu 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
7.00%, 7/15/24  100,000  105,313 
Tennant Co. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
5.625%, 5/1/25  80,000  82,040 
Tenneco, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
5.375%, 12/15/24  120,000  123,600 
Tenneco, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
5.00%, 7/15/26  50,000  49,125 
TI Group Automotive Systems, LLC 144A sr. unsec. notes 8.75%,     
7/15/23 (United Kingdom)  81,000  85,860 
TransDigm, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes     
6.50%, 5/15/25  90,000  92,250 
TransDigm, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes     
6.375%, 6/15/26  75,000  76,688 
TransDigm, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
6.50%, 7/15/24  80,000  82,500 
Trident Merger Sub, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 6.625%, 11/1/25  95,000  94,050 
Wabash National Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.50%, 10/1/25  50,000  49,500 
Waste Pro USA, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 5.50%, 2/15/26  75,000  75,375 
Wrangler Buyer Corp. 144A sr. unsec. notes 6.00%, 10/1/25  140,000  141,750 
    3,922,366 
Communication services (4.2%)     
Altice SA 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 7.75%,     
5/15/22 (Luxembourg)  400,000  373,500 
Cablevision Systems Corp. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 8.00%, 4/15/20  35,000  37,195 
CCO Holdings, LLC/CCO Holdings Capital Corp. 144A company     
guaranty sr. unsec. bonds 5.50%, 5/1/26  175,000  175,000 
CCO Holdings, LLC/CCO Holdings Capital Corp. 144A company     
guaranty sr. unsec. notes 5.875%, 4/1/24  215,000  221,988 
CCO Holdings, LLC/CCO Holdings Capital Corp. 144A sr. unsec.     
notes 5.75%, 2/15/26  90,000  91,125 
CCO Holdings, LLC/CCO Holdings Capital Corp. 144A sr. unsec.     
unsub. notes 5.125%, 5/1/23  125,000  127,344 
CenturyLink, Inc. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 6.75%, 12/1/23  5,000  4,925 
CenturyLink, Inc. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 5.625%, 4/1/20  25,000  25,374 
Cequel Communications Holdings I, LLC/Cequel Capital Corp.     
144A sr. unsec. unsub. notes 5.125%, 12/15/21  240,000  238,577 
Cequel Communications Holdings I, LLC/Cequel Capital Corp.     
144A sr. unsec. unsub. notes 5.125%, 12/15/21  70,000  69,738 
CommScope Technologies Finance, LLC 144A sr. unsec. notes     
6.00%, 6/15/25  235,000  242,708 
CommScope Technologies, LLC 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.     
unsub. notes 5.00%, 3/15/27  80,000  78,050 
CSC Holdings, LLC sr. unsec. unsub. bonds 5.25%, 6/1/24  245,000  235,813 
CSC Holdings, LLC sr. unsec. unsub. notes 6.75%, 11/15/21  50,000  52,625 

 

High Income Securities Fund 23 

 



  Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)* cont.  amount  Value 
Communication services cont.     
CSC Holdings, LLC 144A sr. unsec. unsub. notes 10.125%, 1/15/23  $255,000  $284,963 
Digicel, Ltd. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 6.75%,     
3/1/23 (Jamaica)  200,000  187,000 
DISH DBS Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
5.875%, 11/15/24  105,000  98,438 
Frontier Communications Corp. sr. unsec. notes 11.00%, 9/15/25  35,000  27,431 
Frontier Communications Corp. sr. unsec. notes 10.50%, 9/15/22  95,000  81,106 
Intelsat Jackson Holdings SA company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
7.50%, 4/1/21 (Bermuda)  20,000  18,163 
Intelsat Jackson Holdings SA 144A company guaranty sr. notes     
8.00%, 2/15/24 (Bermuda)  4,000  4,200 
Intelsat Jackson Holdings SA 144A sr. unsec. notes 9.75%,     
7/15/25 (Bermuda)  250,000  236,875 
Quebecor Media, Inc. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 5.75%,     
1/15/23 (Canada)  25,000  25,875 
SFR Group SA 144A company guaranty sr. notes 7.375%,     
5/1/26 (France)  200,000  193,060 
SFR Group SA 144A company guaranty sr. notes 6.00%,     
5/15/22 (France)  200,000  194,750 
Sprint Capital Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
6.875%, 11/15/28  225,000  214,875 
Sprint Communications, Inc. sr. unsec. notes 7.00%, 8/15/20  60,000  62,850 
Sprint Communications, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.     
notes 9.00%, 11/15/18  43,000  44,613 
Sprint Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes     
7.875%, 9/15/23  330,000  341,550 
Sprint Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes     
7.25%, 9/15/21  265,000  276,925 
T-Mobile USA, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
6.625%, 4/1/23  140,000  144,900 
T-Mobile USA, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
6.375%, 3/1/25  220,000  232,100 
T-Mobile USA, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.375%, 4/15/27  55,000  56,238 
T-Mobile USA, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
4.00%, 4/15/22  30,000  30,000 
T-Mobile USA, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. bonds     
4.75%, 2/1/28  95,000  92,661 
T-Mobile USA, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
6.50%, 1/15/26  55,000  58,988 
T-Mobile USA, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
4.50%, 2/1/26  40,000  39,250 
Videotron, Ltd. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes 5.00%,     
7/15/22 (Canada)  195,000  200,850 
Videotron, Ltd./Videotron Ltee. 144A sr. unsec. notes 5.125%,     
4/15/27 (Canada)  90,000  90,799 
Windstream Services, LLC company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
6.375%, 8/1/23  110,000  64,350 
    5,276,772 

 

24 High Income Securities Fund 

 



    Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)* cont.    amount  Value 
Consumer cyclicals (8.0%)       
AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec.       
notes 6.125%, 5/15/27    $60,000  $58,350 
AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec.       
sub. notes 5.875%, 11/15/26    75,000  72,469 
AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec.       
sub. notes 5.875%, 2/15/22    40,000  40,350 
AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec.       
sub. notes 5.75%, 6/15/25    65,000  63,213 
American Builders & Contractors Supply Co., Inc. 144A sr. unsec.       
notes 5.75%, 12/15/23    105,000  109,463 
American Tire Distributors, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. sub. notes       
10.25%, 3/1/22    175,000  182,240 
Boyd Gaming Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes       
6.875%, 5/15/23    75,000  79,125 
Boyd Gaming Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes       
6.375%, 4/1/26    35,000  36,794 
Brookfield Residential Properties, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr.       
unsec. notes 6.50%, 12/15/20 (Canada)    100,000  101,820 
Brookfield Residential Properties, Inc./Brookfield Residential       
US Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 6.125%,       
7/1/22 (Canada)    85,000  87,656 
CBS Radio, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes       
7.25%, 11/1/24    155,000  159,619 
Cinemark USA, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes       
5.125%, 12/15/22    40,000  40,600 
Cinemark USA, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes       
4.875%, 6/1/23    65,000  64,594 
Clear Channel Worldwide Holdings, Inc. company guaranty sr.       
unsec. sub. notes 7.625%, 3/15/20    70,000  69,825 
Clear Channel Worldwide Holdings, Inc. company guaranty sr.       
unsec. unsub. notes 6.50%, 11/15/22    330,000  338,250 
Constellation Merger Sub, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 8.50%, 9/15/25    260,000  254,638 
CRC Escrow Issuer, LLC/CRC Finco, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr.       
unsec. notes 5.25%, 10/15/25    145,000  141,738 
Diamond Resorts International, Inc. 144A sr. notes 7.75%, 9/1/23    210,000  226,538 
Diamond Resorts International, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes       
10.75%, 9/1/24    120,000  130,050 
Eldorado Resorts, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes       
7.00%, 8/1/23    45,000  47,588 
Gartner, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes       
5.125%, 4/1/25    85,000  87,125 
GLP Capital LP/GLP Financing II, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec.       
sub. notes 4.875%, 11/1/20    75,000  76,500 
GLP Capital LP/GLP Financing II, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec.       
unsub. notes 5.375%, 4/15/26    50,000  51,625 
Gray Television, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes       
5.875%, 7/15/26    80,000  79,300 
Great Canadian Gaming Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.       
notes 6.625%, 7/25/22 (Canada)  CAD  170,000  136,522 
GW Honos Security Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes       
8.75%, 5/15/25 (Canada)    $125,000  134,531 

 

High Income Securities Fund 25 

 



  Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)* cont.  amount  Value 
Consumer cyclicals cont.     
Hanesbrands, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
4.625%, 5/15/24  $70,000  $69,300 
Hilton Worldwide Finance, LLC/Hilton Worldwide Finance Corp.     
company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 4.875%, 4/1/27  145,000  145,000 
Howard Hughes Corp. (The) 144A sr. unsec. notes 5.375%, 3/15/25  215,000  212,044 
iHeartCommunications, Inc. company guaranty sr. notes 9.00%,     
12/15/19 (In default)†   130,000  102,700 
IHS Markit, Ltd. 144A company guaranty notes 4.75%, 2/15/25     
(United Kingdom)  115,000  117,588 
IHS Markit, Ltd. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 4.00%,     
3/1/26 (United Kingdom)  25,000  24,250 
Jack Ohio Finance, LLC/Jack Ohio Finance 1 Corp. 144A company     
guaranty notes 10.25%, 11/15/22  230,000  251,850 
Jack Ohio Finance, LLC/Jack Ohio Finance 1 Corp. 144A company     
guaranty sr. notes 6.75%, 11/15/21  225,000  234,443 
Jacobs Entertainment, Inc. 144A notes 7.875%, 2/1/24  65,000  69,469 
Jeld-Wen, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
4.875%, 12/15/27  55,000  53,350 
Jeld-Wen, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
4.625%, 12/15/25  65,000  63,538 
Jo-Ann Stores Holdings, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 9.75%,     
10/15/19‡‡   80,000  79,200 
Lennar Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
4.75%, 11/15/22  60,000  60,300 
Lennar Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes     
5.875%, 11/15/24  55,000  58,438 
Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. 144A sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
5.875%, 11/1/24  110,000  114,400 
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.     
notes 4.875%, 11/1/24  50,000  49,688 
Masonite International Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.     
notes 5.625%, 3/15/23  110,000  113,713 
Mattamy Group Corp. 144A sr. unsec. notes 6.875%,     
12/15/23 (Canada)  50,000  52,438 
Mattamy Group Corp. 144A sr. unsec. notes 6.50%,     
10/1/25 (Canada)  75,000  78,469 
Meredith Corp. 144A sr. unsec. notes 6.875%, 2/1/26  110,000  113,438 
MGM Resorts International company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub.     
notes 8.625%, 2/1/19  70,000  73,500 
MGM Resorts International company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub.     
notes 6.625%, 12/15/21  65,000  70,200 
Navistar International Corp. 144A sr. unsec. notes 6.625%, 11/1/25  175,000  180,250 
Neiman Marcus Group, LLC (The) company guaranty sr. notes     
7.125%, 6/1/28  125,000  87,813 
Neiman Marcus Group, Ltd. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. sub.     
notes 8.75% (9.50%), 10/15/21‡‡   73,325  41,429 
Neiman Marcus Group, Ltd. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. sub.     
notes 8.00%, 10/15/21  60,000  36,300 
Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.     
notes 5.625%, 8/1/24  250,000  251,718 
Nielsen Co. Luxembourg SARL (The) 144A company guaranty sr.     
unsec. notes 5.00%, 2/1/25 (Luxembourg)  60,000  59,906 

 

26 High Income Securities Fund 

 



  Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)* cont.  amount  Value 
Consumer cyclicals cont.     
Nielsen Finance, LLC/Nielsen Finance Co. 144A company guaranty     
sr. unsec. sub. notes 5.00%, 4/15/22  $75,000  $75,844 
Outfront Media Capital, LLC/Outfront Media Capital Corp.     
company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes 5.875%, 3/15/25  90,000  91,350 
Outfront Media Capital, LLC/Outfront Media Capital Corp.     
company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes 5.625%, 2/15/24  45,000  45,506 
Penn National Gaming, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 5.625%, 1/15/27  90,000  89,325 
Penske Automotive Group, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub.     
notes 5.75%, 10/1/22  160,000  164,400 
Penske Automotive Group, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub.     
notes 5.50%, 5/15/26  60,000  59,850 
Penske Automotive Group, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub.     
notes 5.375%, 12/1/24  100,000  100,250 
PetSmart, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 7.125%, 3/15/23  40,000  25,496 
PulteGroup, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
7.875%, 6/15/32  160,000  192,400 
PulteGroup, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
5.50%, 3/1/26  90,000  91,463 
Regal Entertainment Group sr. unsec. sub. notes 5.75%, 2/1/25  90,000  92,138 
Regal Entertainment Group sr. unsec. sub. notes 5.75%, 6/15/23  70,000  72,100 
Rivers Pittsburgh Borrower LP/Rivers Pittsburgh Finance Corp.     
144A sr. notes 6.125%, 8/15/21  195,000  184,275 
Sabre GLBL, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. notes 5.375%, 4/15/23  135,000  136,013 
Scientific Games International, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec.     
notes 10.00%, 12/1/22  340,000  368,900 
Sinclair Television Group, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.     
sub. notes 5.625%, 8/1/24  225,000  228,375 
Sirius XM Radio, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes     
6.00%, 7/15/24  125,000  130,625 
Sirius XM Radio, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. bonds 5.00%, 8/1/27  110,000  106,975 
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.     
bonds 5.50%, 4/15/27  150,000  150,563 
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.     
unsub. notes 4.875%, 7/31/24  170,000  169,590 
Spectrum Brands, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.75%, 7/15/25  65,000  66,950 
Spectrum Brands, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes     
6.625%, 11/15/22  5,000  5,163 
Spectrum Brands, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
6.125%, 12/15/24  110,000  115,225 
Standard Industries, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 5.375%, 11/15/24  175,000  178,938 
Standard Industries, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 5.00%, 2/15/27  70,000  69,388 
Standard Industries, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 4.75%, 1/15/28  10,000  9,600 
SugarHouse HSP Gaming Prop. Mezz LP/SugarHouse HSP     
Gaming Finance Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsub. notes     
5.875%, 5/15/25  85,000  79,900 
Taylor Morrison Communities, Inc./Monarch Communities, Inc.     
144A company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes 5.625%, 3/1/24  45,000  45,788 
Townsquare Media, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
6.50%, 4/1/23  60,000  57,000 
TRI Pointe Group, Inc./TRI Pointe Homes, Inc. company guaranty     
sr. unsec. unsub. notes 5.875%, 6/15/24  100,000  103,000 

 

High Income Securities Fund 27 

 



    Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)* cont.    amount  Value 
Consumer cyclicals cont.       
Tribune Media Co. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes       
5.875%, 7/15/22    $85,000  $86,700 
Univision Communications, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. sub.       
notes 5.125%, 2/15/25    110,000  101,613 
Werner FinCo LP/Werner FinCo, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr.       
unsec. notes 8.75%, 7/15/25    175,000  179,813 
WMG Acquisition Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. notes       
5.00%, 8/1/23    105,000  106,444 
WMG Acquisition Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes       
5.50%, 4/15/26    30,000  30,000 
Wolverine World Wide, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.       
bonds 5.00%, 9/1/26    95,000  95,000 
Wyndham Worldwide Corp. sr. unsec. unsub. bonds 4.50%, 4/1/27    150,000  149,024 
Wynn Las Vegas, LLC/Wynn Las Vegas Capital Corp. 144A company       
guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes 5.25%, 5/15/27    195,000  191,588 
      9,981,827 
Consumer staples (2.4%)       
1011778 BC ULC/New Red Finance, Inc. 144A company guaranty       
notes 5.00%, 10/15/25 (Canada)    120,000  117,000 
1011778 BC ULC/New Red Finance, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr.       
notes 4.625%, 1/15/22 (Canada)    45,000  45,281 
1011778 BC ULC/New Red Finance, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr.       
sub. notes 4.25%, 5/15/24 (Canada)    85,000  81,175 
Ascend Learning, LLC 144A sr. unsec. notes 6.875%, 8/1/25    115,000  118,450 
BlueLine Rental Finance Corp./BlueLine Rental, LLC 144A       
company guaranty sub. notes 9.25%, 3/15/24    210,000  227,063 
Brand Energy & Infrastructure Services, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes       
8.50%, 7/15/25    220,000  227,150 
CEC Entertainment, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes       
8.00%, 2/15/22    180,000  174,600 
Ceridian HCM Holding, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 11.00%, 3/15/21    275,000  284,166 
Dean Foods Co. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes       
6.50%, 3/15/23    90,000  87,975 
Diamond (BC) BV 144A sr. unsec. notes 5.625%, 8/15/25  EUR  100,000  118,785 
Fresh Market, Inc. (The) 144A company guaranty sr. notes       
9.75%, 5/1/23    $80,000  54,200 
Golden Nugget, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes       
8.75%, 10/1/25    165,000  173,663 
Golden Nugget, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 6.75%, 10/15/24    230,000  235,750 
Itron, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 5.00%, 1/15/26    125,000  124,375 
KFC Holding Co./Pizza Hut Holdings, LLC/Taco Bell of America, LLC       
144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 5.25%, 6/1/26    90,000  91,125 
KFC Holding Co./Pizza Hut Holdings, LLC/Taco Bell of America, LLC       
144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 5.00%, 6/1/24    90,000  90,900 
KFC Holding Co./Pizza Hut Holdings, LLC/Taco Bell of America, LLC       
144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 4.75%, 6/1/27    60,000  58,650 
Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.       
unsub. notes 4.875%, 11/1/26    130,000  130,000 
Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.       
unsub. notes 4.625%, 11/1/24    25,000  25,125 
Match Group, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. bonds 5.00%, 12/15/27    100,000  100,775 

 

28 High Income Securities Fund 

 



  Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)* cont.  amount  Value 
Consumer staples cont.     
Netflix, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. bonds 4.875%, 4/15/28  $85,000  $83,513 
Revlon Consumer Products Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec.     
notes 6.25%, 8/1/24  215,000  147,813 
Revlon Consumer Products Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec.     
sub. notes 5.75%, 2/15/21  100,000  80,750 
Rite Aid Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
6.125%, 4/1/23  90,000  90,450 
    2,968,734 
Energy (5.5%)     
Alta Mesa Holdings LP/Alta Mesa Finance Services Corp. company     
guaranty sr. unsec. notes 7.875%, 12/15/24  190,000  202,350 
Antero Resources Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.625%, 6/1/23  30,000  30,750 
Antero Resources Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes     
5.375%, 11/1/21  90,000  92,025 
Antero Resources Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes     
5.125%, 12/1/22  30,000  30,263 
Ascent Resources Utica Holdings, LLC/ARU Finance Corp. 144A sr.     
unsec. notes 10.00%, 4/1/22  60,000  63,900 
Baytex Energy Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes     
5.125%, 6/1/21 (Canada)  40,000  37,600 
Calfrac Holdings LP 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub.     
notes 7.50%, 12/1/20  85,000  84,601 
California Resources Corp. 144A company guaranty notes     
8.00%, 12/15/22  55,000  43,588 
Cenovus Energy, Inc. sr. unsec. bonds 6.75%, 11/15/39 (Canada)  75,000  86,250 
Cheniere Corpus Christi Holdings, LLC company guaranty sr. notes     
5.875%, 3/31/25  250,000  264,375 
Cheniere Corpus Christi Holdings, LLC company guaranty sr. notes     
5.125%, 6/30/27  90,000  91,013 
Chesapeake Energy Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.75%, 3/15/23  75,000  68,625 
Chesapeake Energy Corp. 144A company guaranty notes     
8.00%, 12/15/22  191,000  203,176 
Chesapeake Energy Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.     
bonds 8.00%, 6/15/27  35,000  33,556 
Chesapeake Energy Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
8.00%, 1/15/25  80,000  79,000 
Continental Resources, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. bonds     
4.90%, 6/1/44  145,000  139,563 
Continental Resources, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
3.80%, 6/1/24  100,000  97,125 
Continental Resources, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub.     
notes 5.00%, 9/15/22  20,000  20,300 
Continental Resources, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub.     
notes 4.50%, 4/15/23  80,000  80,800 
Covey Park Energy, LLC/Covey Park Finance Corp. 144A company     
guaranty sr. unsec. notes 7.50%, 5/15/25  145,000  147,175 
CrownRock LP/CrownRock Finance, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes     
5.625%, 10/15/25  100,000  98,000 
Denbury Resources, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes     
6.375%, 8/15/21  65,000  53,950 

 

High Income Securities Fund 29 

 



  Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)* cont.  amount  Value 
Energy cont.     
Denbury Resources, Inc. 144A company guaranty notes     
9.00%, 5/15/21  $107,000  $109,408 
Diamondback Energy, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub.     
notes 5.375%, 5/31/25  155,000  155,000 
Diamondback Energy, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub.     
notes 4.75%, 11/1/24  45,000  44,438 
Endeavor Energy Resources LP/EER Finance, Inc. 144A sr. unsec.     
bonds 5.75%, 1/30/28  150,000  150,000 
Endeavor Energy Resources LP/EER Finance, Inc. 144A sr. unsec.     
notes 5.50%, 1/30/26  45,000  44,550 
Energy Transfer Partners LP jr. unsec. sub. FRB Ser. B, 6.625%,     
perpetual maturity  240,000  231,000 
Ensco PLC sr. unsec. notes 7.75%, 2/1/26 (United Kingdom)  115,000  108,675 
EP Energy, LLC/Everest Acquisition Finance, Inc. company     
guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes 9.375%, 5/1/20  42,000  38,850 
EP Energy, LLC/Everest Acquisition Finance, Inc. 144A company     
guaranty notes 9.375%, 5/1/24  98,000  72,275 
EP Energy, LLC/Everest Acquisition Finance, Inc. 144A company     
guaranty notes 8.00%, 2/15/25  65,000  44,688 
EP Energy, LLC/Everest Acquisition Finance, Inc. 144A company     
guaranty sr. notes 8.00%, 11/29/24  30,000  30,900 
Extraction Oil & Gas, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 5.625%, 2/1/26  120,000  117,600 
Hess Infrastructure Partners LP/Hess Infrastructure Partners     
Finance Corp. 144A sr. unsec. notes 5.625%, 2/15/26  135,000  135,000 
Holly Energy Partners LP/Holly Energy Finance Corp. 144A     
company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 6.00%, 8/1/24  155,000  158,875 
Indigo Natural Resources, LLC 144A sr. unsec. notes     
6.875%, 2/15/26  150,000  146,658 
Jonah Energy, LLC/Jonah Energy Finance Corp. 144A company     
guaranty sr. unsec. notes 7.25%, 10/15/25  75,000  71,250 
MEG Energy Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 7.00%,     
3/31/24 (Canada)  15,000  12,788 
MEG Energy Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
6.375%, 1/30/23 (Canada)  35,000  30,013 
MEG Energy Corp. 144A notes 6.50%, 1/15/25 (Canada)  60,000  58,875 
Murray Energy Corp. 144A notes 11.25%, 4/15/21  110,000  48,400 
Nabors Industries, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.75%, 2/1/25  130,000  124,069 
Newfield Exploration Co. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 5.75%, 1/30/22  170,000  178,500 
Newfield Exploration Co. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 5.375%, 1/1/26  55,000  56,788 
Noble Holding International, Ltd. company guaranty sr. unsec.     
unsub. notes 7.75%, 1/15/24  110,000  100,513 
Noble Holding International, Ltd. 144A company guaranty sr.     
unsec. notes 7.875%, 2/1/26  40,000  40,200 
Oasis Petroleum, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes     
6.875%, 1/15/23  10,000  10,225 
Oasis Petroleum, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
6.875%, 3/15/22  145,000  148,534 
QEP Resources, Inc. sr. unsec. notes 5.625%, 3/1/26  85,000  83,619 
Range Resources Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes     
5.75%, 6/1/21  190,000  194,275 

 

30 High Income Securities Fund 

 



  Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)* cont.  amount  Value 
Energy cont.     
Regency Energy Partners LP/Regency Energy Finance Corp.     
company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 5.00%, 10/1/22  $55,000  $57,431 
Regency Energy Partners LP/Regency Energy Finance Corp.     
company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes 4.50%, 11/1/23  80,000  81,337 
Rose Rock Midstream LP/Rose Rock Finance Corp. company     
guaranty sr. unsec. sub. notes 5.625%, 11/15/23  50,000  48,375 
SemGroup Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
6.375%, 3/15/25  95,000  93,575 
SESI, LLC company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
7.125%, 12/15/21  40,000  40,800 
SESI, LLC 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 7.75%, 9/15/24  85,000  88,400 
Seven Generations Energy, Ltd. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.     
notes 5.375%, 9/30/25 (Canada)  75,000  73,688 
Seven Generations Energy, Ltd. 144A sr. unsec. bonds 6.75%,     
5/1/23 (Canada)  35,000  36,488 
Seventy Seven Energy, Inc. escrow sr. unsec. notes     
6.50%, 7/15/22F   105,000  11 
Seventy Seven Operating, LLC escrow company guaranty sr.     
unsec. unsub. notes 6.625%, 11/15/19 F   115,000  12 
SM Energy Co. sr. unsec. notes 6.50%, 11/15/21  85,000  86,275 
SM Energy Co. sr. unsec. sub. notes 5.00%, 1/15/24  50,000  47,000 
SM Energy Co. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 6.75%, 9/15/26  60,000  60,300 
SM Energy Co. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 6.50%, 1/1/23  35,000  35,350 
SM Energy Co. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 6.125%, 11/15/22  50,000  50,500 
Stone Energy Corp. company guaranty notes 7.50%, 5/31/22  171,065  173,631 
Tallgrass Energy Partners LP/Tallgrass Energy Finance Corp. 144A     
company guaranty sr. unsec. bonds 5.50%, 1/15/28  80,000  80,200 
Targa Resources Partners LP/Targa Resources Partners Finance     
Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 5.375%, 2/1/27  65,000  65,000 
Targa Resources Partners LP/Targa Resources Partners Finance     
Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 5.125%, 2/1/25  30,000  29,925 
Targa Resources Partners LP/Targa Resources Partners     
Finance Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. bonds     
5.00%, 1/15/28  200,000  194,250 
Trinidad Drilling, Ltd. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
6.625%, 2/15/25 (Canada)  90,000  86,963 
Vermilion Energy, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.625%, 3/15/25 (Canada)  60,000  59,850 
Weatherford International, LLC 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.     
notes 9.875%, 3/1/25  45,000  44,325 
Weatherford International, Ltd. company guaranty sr. unsec. sub.     
notes 9.875%, 2/15/24  120,000  118,800 
Weatherford International, Ltd. company guaranty sr. unsec.     
unsub. notes 8.25%, 6/15/23  25,000  24,250 
Whiting Petroleum Corp. 144A sr. unsec. notes 6.625%, 1/15/26  60,000  61,200 
Williams Cos., Inc. (The) sr. unsec. unsub. notes 8.75%, 3/15/32  45,000  59,175 
WPX Energy, Inc. sr. unsec. notes 8.25%, 8/1/23  30,000  33,975 
WPX Energy, Inc. sr. unsec. notes 7.50%, 8/1/20  108,000  115,560 
WPX Energy, Inc. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 6.00%, 1/15/22  115,000  119,313 
    6,859,910 

 

High Income Securities Fund 31 

 



  Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)* cont.  amount  Value 
Financials (3.7%)     
Alliance Data Systems Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.     
notes 5.375%, 8/1/22  $105,000  $105,394 
Alliant Holdings Intermediate, LLC 144A sr. unsec. notes     
8.25%, 8/1/23  120,000  124,800 
Ally Financial, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
8.00%, 11/1/31  220,000  272,800 
Ally Financial, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
8.00%, 3/15/20  60,000  65,100 
Ally Financial, Inc. sub. unsec. notes 5.75%, 11/20/25  120,000  125,100 
Ally Financial, Inc. unsec. sub. notes 8.00%, 12/31/18  65,000  67,681 
American International Group, Inc. jr. unsec. sub. FRB     
8.175%, 5/15/58  100,000  135,000 
Bank of America Corp. jr. unsec. sub. FRN Ser. AA, 6.10%,     
perpetual maturity  55,000  58,713 
Bank of America Corp. jr. unsec. sub. FRN Ser. Z, 6.50%,     
perpetual maturity  50,000  54,823 
CBRE Services, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.25%, 3/15/25  50,000  53,490 
CBRE Services, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
5.00%, 3/15/23  75,000  76,924 
CIT Group, Inc. sr. unsec. notes 3.875%, 2/19/19  45,000  45,225 
CIT Group, Inc. sr. unsec. sub. notes 5.00%, 8/1/23  75,000  77,250 
CIT Group, Inc. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 5.00%, 8/15/22  100,000  103,125 
CIT Group, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 5.50%, 2/15/19  62,000  63,473 
CNG Holdings, Inc. 144A sr. notes 9.375%, 5/15/20  125,000  122,500 
CNO Financial Group, Inc. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 5.25%, 5/30/25  155,000  157,325 
Credit Acceptance Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
7.375%, 3/15/23  50,000  52,250 
Credit Acceptance Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
6.125%, 2/15/21  55,000  55,275 
Dresdner Funding Trust I 144A jr. unsec. sub. notes 8.151%, 6/30/31  110,000  144,045 
ESH Hospitality, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.25%, 5/1/25 R   60,000  59,850 
Freedom Mortgage Corp. 144A sr. unsec. notes 8.125%, 11/15/24  115,000  117,875 
goeasy, Ltd. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 7.875%,     
11/1/22 (Canada)  70,000  74,463 
Hub Holdings, LLC/Hub Holdings Finance, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. sub.     
notes 8.125%, 7/15/19‡‡   70,000  70,088 
HUB International, Ltd. 144A sr. unsec. notes 7.875%, 10/1/21  155,000  159,844 
Icahn Enterprises LP/Icahn Enterprises Finance Corp. company     
guaranty sr. unsec. notes 6.75%, 2/1/24  65,000  66,300 
Icahn Enterprises LP/Icahn Enterprises Finance Corp. company     
guaranty sr. unsec. notes 6.25%, 2/1/22  60,000  60,900 
Icahn Enterprises LP/Icahn Enterprises Finance Corp. company     
guaranty sr. unsec. notes 6.00%, 8/1/20  65,000  66,268 
Icahn Enterprises LP/Icahn Enterprises Finance Corp. company     
guaranty sr. unsec. notes 5.875%, 2/1/22  95,000  95,000 
Intelsat Connect Finance SA 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.     
sub. notes 12.50%, 4/1/22 (Luxembourg)  9,000  7,234 
International Lease Finance Corp. sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
5.875%, 8/15/22  60,000  65,175 

 

32 High Income Securities Fund 

 



  Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)* cont.  amount  Value 
Financials cont.     
iStar, Inc. sr. unsec. notes 6.00%, 4/1/22 R   $40,000  $40,200 
iStar, Inc. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 5.25%, 9/15/22 R   40,000  39,300 
Liberty Mutual Group, Inc. 144A company guaranty jr. unsec. sub.     
bonds 7.80%, 3/15/37  45,000  55,913 
Lloyds Banking Group PLC jr. unsec. sub. FRB 7.50%, perpetual     
maturity (United Kingdom)  249,000  272,966 
LPL Holdings, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.75%, 9/15/25  140,000  141,750 
MGM Growth Properties Operating Partnership LP/MGP Finance     
Co-Issuer, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 5.625%, 5/1/24 R   45,000  46,553 
MGM Growth Properties Operating Partnership LP/MGP Finance     
Co-Issuer, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 4.50%, 1/15/28 R   35,000  33,075 
Nationstar Mortgage, LLC/Nationstar Capital Corp. company     
guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes 6.50%, 7/1/21  130,000  132,844 
OneMain Financial Holdings, LLC 144A company guaranty sr.     
unsec. unsub. notes 7.25%, 12/15/21  65,000  67,275 
Provident Funding Associates LP/PFG Finance Corp. 144A sr.     
unsec. notes 6.375%, 6/15/25  120,000  122,700 
Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC jr. unsec. sub. FRB 7.648%,     
perpetual maturity (United Kingdom)  170,000  218,450 
Springleaf Finance Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub.     
notes 8.25%, 12/15/20  40,000  43,600 
Springleaf Finance Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub.     
notes 6.125%, 5/15/22  95,000  97,375 
Starwood Property Trust, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes     
4.75%, 3/15/25 R   105,000  101,588 
Stearns Holdings, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. notes     
9.375%, 8/15/20  90,000  92,250 
TMX Finance, LLC/TitleMax Finance Corp. 144A company guaranty     
sr. notes 8.50%, 9/15/18  170,000  162,775 
USIS Merger Sub, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 6.875%, 5/1/25  95,000  96,188 
    4,568,092 
Health care (3.1%)     
Air Medical Merger Sub Corp. 144A sr. unsec. notes 6.375%, 5/15/23  135,000  127,913 
ASP AMC Merger Sub, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes 8.00%, 5/15/25  140,000  133,000 
BioScrip, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 8.875%, 2/15/21  55,000  51,288 
Centene Corp. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 6.125%, 2/15/24  110,000  115,500 
Centene Corp. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 4.75%, 1/15/25  25,000  24,859 
Centene Corp. sr. unsec. unsub. notes 4.75%, 5/15/22  110,000  111,856 
CHS/Community Health Systems, Inc. company guaranty sr. notes     
6.25%, 3/31/23  115,000  104,650 
CHS/Community Health Systems, Inc. company guaranty sr.     
unsec. notes 6.875%, 2/1/22  275,000  179,438 
CHS/Community Health Systems, Inc. company guaranty sr.     
unsec. unsub. notes 7.125%, 7/15/20  85,000  71,825 
Concordia International Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec.     
notes 7.00%, 4/15/23 (Canada) (In default)  175,000  15,313 
Endo DAC/Endo Finance, LLC/Endo Finco, Inc. 144A company     
guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes 6.00%, 7/15/23 (Ireland)  210,000  157,500 
Endo Finance, LLC/Endo Finco, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr.     
unsec. unsub. notes 5.375%, 1/15/23  160,000  119,600 

 

High Income Securities Fund 33 

 



  Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)* cont.  amount  Value 
Health care cont.     
HCA, Inc. company guaranty sr. bonds 5.25%, 6/15/26  $100,000  $102,500 
HCA, Inc. company guaranty sr. notes 6.50%, 2/15/20  200,000  210,500 
HCA, Inc. company guaranty sr. sub. bonds 5.50%, 6/15/47  185,000  182,688 
HCA, Inc. company guaranty sr. sub. notes 3.75%, 3/15/19  65,000  65,325 
HCA, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
7.50%, 2/15/22  30,000  33,300 
Jaguar Holding Co. II/Pharmaceutical Product Development, LLC     
144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 6.375%, 8/1/23  135,000  135,675 
Kinetic Concepts, Inc./KCI USA, Inc. 144A company guaranty sub.     
notes 12.50%, 11/1/21  80,000  90,200 
Mallinckrodt International Finance SA/Mallinckrodt CB,     
LLC 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes 5.50%,     
4/15/25 (Luxembourg)  125,000  100,625 
Molina Healthcare, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.375%, 11/15/22  75,000  74,625 
Molina Healthcare, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
4.875%, 6/15/25  20,000  19,150 
Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc./Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics     
SA 144A sr. unsec. notes 6.625%, 5/15/22  165,000  163,763 
Service Corp. International sr. unsec. notes 5.375%, 1/15/22  110,000  112,406 
Service Corp. International sr. unsec. notes 4.625%, 12/15/27  30,000  29,325 
Service Corp. International sr. unsec. unsub. notes 5.375%, 5/15/24  255,000  262,943 
Sotera Health Holdings, LLC 144A sr. unsec. notes 6.50%, 5/15/23  110,000  111,650 
Tenet Healthcare Corp. company guaranty sr. sub. notes     
6.00%, 10/1/20  140,000  145,599 
Tenet Healthcare Corp. sr. unsec. notes 8.125%, 4/1/22  60,000  63,300 
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. 144A company     
guaranty sr. notes 5.50%, 11/1/25  30,000  29,681 
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. 144A company     
guaranty sr. unsec. notes 9.00%, 12/15/25  80,000  80,400 
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. 144A company     
guaranty sr. unsec. notes 6.125%, 4/15/25  175,000  153,563 
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. 144A company     
guaranty sr. unsec. notes 5.875%, 5/15/23  225,000  199,969 
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. 144A company     
guaranty sr. unsec. notes 5.625%, 12/1/21  10,000  9,450 
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. 144A company     
guaranty sr. unsec. notes 5.50%, 3/1/23  55,000  48,675 
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. 144A company     
guaranty sr. unsec. notes 5.375%, 3/15/20  35,000  34,913 
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. 144A company     
guaranty sr. unsub. notes 7.00%, 3/15/24  160,000  168,400 
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. 144A company     
guaranty sr. unsub. notes 6.50%, 3/15/22  35,000  36,400 
WellCare Health Plans, Inc. sr. unsec. notes 5.25%, 4/1/25  50,000  50,606 
    3,928,373 
Technology (2.4%)     
Avaya, Inc. 144A escrow notes 7.00%, 4/1/19 F   300,000   
Diamond 1 Finance Corp./Diamond 2 Finance Corp. 144A     
company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 7.125%, 6/15/24  375,000  403,594 

 

34 High Income Securities Fund 

 



  Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)* cont.  amount  Value 
Technology cont.     
Diamond 1 Finance Corp./Diamond 2 Finance Corp. 144A sr. notes     
5.45%, 6/15/23  $130,000  $136,953 
Diamond 1 Finance Corp./Diamond 2 Finance Corp. 144A sr. unsec.     
notes 5.875%, 6/15/21  20,000  20,450 
First Data Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
7.00%, 12/1/23  120,000  126,150 
First Data Corp. 144A notes 5.75%, 1/15/24  175,000  178,063 
First Data Corp. 144A sr. notes 5.375%, 8/15/23  105,000  106,828 
Inception Merger Sub, Inc./Rackspace Hosting, Inc. 144A sr. unsec.     
notes 8.625%, 11/15/24  265,000  275,974 
Infor Software Parent, LLC/Infor Software Parent, Inc. 144A     
company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 7.125%, 5/1/21‡‡   225,000  228,938 
Infor US, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 6.50%, 5/15/22  155,000  158,488 
Infor US, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. notes 5.75%, 8/15/20  60,000  61,200 
Iron Mountain, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. bonds     
5.25%, 3/15/28 R   45,000  42,876 
Iron Mountain, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
4.875%, 9/15/27 R   150,000  141,375 
Micron Technology, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
5.25%, 1/15/24  170,000  174,250 
Plantronics, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.50%, 5/31/23  170,000  170,425 
Solera, LLC/Solera Finance, Inc. 144A sr. unsec. notes     
10.50%, 3/1/24  255,000  286,314 
Tempo Acquisition, LLC/Tempo Acquisition Finance Corp. 144A sr.     
unsec. notes 6.75%, 6/1/25  135,000  136,013 
TTM Technologies, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
5.625%, 10/1/25  170,000  169,150 
Western Digital Corp. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
4.75%, 2/15/26  125,000  125,938 
    2,942,979 
Transportation (0.1%)     
Watco Cos., LLC/Watco Finance Corp. 144A company guaranty sr.     
unsec. notes 6.375%, 4/1/23  155,000  158,875 
    158,875 
Utilities and power (1.5%)     
AES Corp./Virginia (The) sr. unsec. notes 5.50%, 4/15/25  270,000  276,750 
AES Corp./Virginia (The) sr. unsec. notes 4.875%, 5/15/23  45,000  45,506 
AES Corp./Virginia (The) sr. unsec. unsub. bonds 5.125%, 9/1/27  45,000  45,563 
AES Corp./Virginia (The) sr. unsec. unsub. notes 7.375%, 7/1/21  145,000  159,138 
Calpine Corp. sr. unsec. sub. notes 5.75%, 1/15/25  175,000  164,063 
Calpine Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. notes 5.25%, 6/1/26  85,000  82,450 
Calpine Corp. 144A company guaranty sr. sub. notes     
5.875%, 1/15/24  25,000  25,438 
Colorado Interstate Gas Co., LLC company guaranty sr. unsec.     
notes 6.85%, 6/15/37  95,000  100,859 
Dynegy, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes 7.375%, 11/1/22  130,000  136,988 
Dynegy, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. unsub. notes     
7.625%, 11/1/24  180,000  193,500 
Dynegy, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
8.125%, 1/30/26  55,000  60,225 

 

High Income Securities Fund 35 

 



  Principal   
CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES (40.3%)* cont.  amount  Value 
Utilities and power cont.     
Energy Transfer Equity LP sr. sub. notes 5.875%, 1/15/24  $135,000  $143,100 
Energy Transfer Equity LP sr. sub. notes 5.50%, 6/1/27  45,000  46,575 
GenOn Americas Generation, LLC sr. unsec. notes 9.125%, 5/1/31     
(In default)  100,000  53,000 
GenOn Energy, Inc. sr. unsec. sub. notes 9.875%, 10/15/20     
(In default)   95,000  79,088 
NRG Energy, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
7.25%, 5/15/26  90,000  95,963 
NRG Energy, Inc. company guaranty sr. unsec. notes     
6.625%, 1/15/27  120,000  123,900 
NRG Energy, Inc. 144A company guaranty sr. unsec. bonds     
5.75%, 1/15/28  40,000  39,400 
Texas Competitive Electric Holdings Co., LLC/TCEH Finance, Inc.     
escrow company guaranty sr. notes 11.50%, 10/1/20  60,000  450 
    1,871,956 
Total corporate bonds and notes (cost $50,323,397)    $50,287,429 
 
CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCKS (13.8%)*  Shares  Value 
Basic materials (—%)     
Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. escrow zero % cv. pfd.F   65,720  $657 
    657 
Capital goods (1.0%)     
Belden, Inc. $6.75 cv. pfd.  5,761  568,328 
Rexnord Corp. Ser. A, $2.875 cv. pfd.  11,537  723,361 
    1,291,689 
Communication services (1.9%)     
Cincinnati Bell, Inc. Ser. B, $3.378 cum. cv. pfd.  21,872  1,077,032 
Crown Castle International Corp. Ser. A, 6.875% cv. pfd.  1,119  1,237,853 
    2,314,885 
Consumer cyclicals (0.5%)     
Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. $5.375 cv. pfd.  5,519  647,514 
    647,514 
Energy (0.6%)     
Hess Corp. $4.00 cv. pfd.  13,160  720,642 
Nine Point Energy 6.75% cv. pfd.  24  26,484 
    747,126 
Financials (5.2%)     
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. Ser. D, $1.75 cv. pfd.R   14,245  512,505 
AMG Capital Trust II $2.575 cv. pfd.  14,140  884,809 
Bank of America Corp. Ser. L, 7.25% cv. pfd.  993  1,270,544 
EPR Properties Ser. C, $1.438 cv. pfd.R   37,670  945,517 
iStar, Inc. Ser. J, $2.25 cv. pfd.R   7,445  338,785 
RLJ Lodging Trust Ser. A, $0.488 cv. pfd.  37,550  975,925 
Wells Fargo & Co. Ser. L, 7.50% cv. pfd.  720  917,280 
Welltower, Inc. Ser. I, $3.25 cv. pfd.R   12,177  669,735 
    6,515,100 

 

36 High Income Securities Fund 

 



CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCKS (13.8%)* cont.  Shares  Value 
Health care (2.0%)     
Allergan PLC Ser. A, 5.50% cv. pfd.  745  $406,579 
Anthem, Inc. $2.63 cv. pfd.  12,115  699,875 
Becton Dickinson and Co. Ser. A, $3.063 cv. pfd.  23,115  1,355,838 
    2,462,292 
Technology (1.1%)     
Mandatory Exchangeable Trust 144A $5.75 cv. pfd.  4,456  929,566 
NCR Corp. Ser. A, 5.50% (5.50%) cv. pfd.‡‡   308  405,026 
    1,334,592 
Utilities and power (1.5%)     
DTE Energy Co. $3.25 cv. pfd.  16,040  823,229 
Dynegy, Inc. $7.00 cv. pfd.  3,046  249,011 
NextEra Energy, Inc. $3.06 cv. pfd.  15,700  866,599 
    1,938,839 
Total convertible preferred stocks (cost $15,931,368)    $17,252,694 
 
COMMON STOCKS (2.0%)*  Shares  Value 
ACC Claims Holdings, LLC Class A (Units) F   199,505  $1,197 
Ally Financial, Inc.  4,660  130,014 
Avaya Holdings Corp.†   6,601  138,555 
Bank of America Corp.  8,630  277,023 
Berry Plastics Group, Inc.  1,830  99,552 
Caesars Entertainment Corp.  944  11,989 
Charter Communications, Inc. Class A  245  83,773 
CIT Group, Inc.  1,606  85,198 
Crown Holdings, Inc.  1,030  51,335 
Eldorado Resorts, Inc.†   2,180  74,338 
Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc.R   2,520  83,815 
Halcon Resources Corp.  5,898  35,683 
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.  900  40,320 
Milagro Oil & Gas, Inc. (Units)F   39  3,159 
Nine Point Energy  1,015  13,966 
salesforce. com, Inc.†   8,200  953,250 
SandRidge Energy, Inc.  2,270  31,916 
Seven Generations Energy, Ltd. Class A (Canada)  2,990  34,952 
Stone Energy Corp.  3,230  97,740 
T-Mobile US, Inc.  4,484  271,775 
Tervita Corp. Class A (Canada)  127  866 
Texas Competitive Electric Holdings Co., LLC/TCEH Finance, Inc. (Rights)  1,028  822 
Total common stocks (cost $2,207,073)    $2,521,238 

 

  Expiration  Strike     
WARRANTS (—%)* †   date  price  Warrants  Value 
Halcon Resources Corp.  9/9/20  $14.04  1,601  $1,137 
Total warrants (cost $—)        $1,137 

 

High Income Securities Fund 37 

 



SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS (1.2%)*  Shares  Value 
Putnam Short Term Investment Fund 1.54% L   1,483,938  $1,483,938 
Total short-term investments (cost $1,483,938)    $1,483,938 
 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS     
Total investments (cost $118,005,669)    $124,159,154 

 

Key to holding’s currency abbreviations 
 
CAD  Canadian Dollar 
EUR  Euro 
USD /$  United States Dollar 
 
Key to holding’s abbreviations 
 
DAC  Designated Activity Company 
FRB  Floating Rate Bonds: the rate shown is the current interest rate at the close of the reporting period. Rates may 
  be subject to a cap or floor. For certain securities, the rate may represent a fixed rate currently in place at the 
  close of the reporting period. 
FRN  Floating Rate Notes: the rate shown is the current interest rate or yield at the close of the reporting period. 
  Rates may be subject to a cap or floor. For certain securities, the rate may represent a fixed rate currently in 
  place at the close of the reporting period. 

 

Notes to the fund’s portfolio

Unless noted otherwise, the notes to the fund’s portfolio are for the close of the fund’s reporting period, which ran from September 1, 2017 through February 28, 2018 (the reporting period). Within the following notes to the portfolio, references to “Putnam Management” represent Putnam Investment Management, LLC, the fund’s manager, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Putnam Investments, LLC and references to “ASC 820” represent Accounting Standards Codification 820 Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures.

* Percentages indicated are based on net assets of $124,771,159.

This security is non-income-producing.

‡‡ Income may be received in cash or additional securities at the discretion of the issuer. The rate shown in parenthesis is the rate paid in kind, if applicable.

F This security is valued by Putnam Management at fair value following procedures approved by the Trustees. Securities are classified as Level 3 for ASC 820 based on the securities’ valuation inputs (Note 1).

L Affiliated company (Note 5). The rate quoted in the security description is the annualized 7-day yield of the fund at the close of the reporting period.

R Real Estate Investment Trust.

At the close of the reporting period, the fund maintained liquid assets totaling $2,226 to cover certain derivative contracts.

Debt obligations are considered secured unless otherwise indicated.

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

The dates shown on debt obligations are the original maturity dates.

38 High Income Securities Fund 

 



FORWARD CURRENCY CONTRACTS at 2/28/18 (aggregate face value $309,594) (Unaudited)   
            Unrealized 
    Contract  Delivery    Aggregate  appreciation/ 
Counterparty  Currency  type*  date  Value  face value  (depreciation) 
Bank of America N.A.             
  Euro  Sell  3/21/18  $124,006  $121,745  $(2,261) 
Citibank, N.A.             
  Canadian Dollar  Sell  4/18/18  20,359  20,902  543 
State Street Bank and Trust Co.           
  Canadian Dollar  Sell  4/18/18  162,636  166,947  4,311 
Unrealized appreciation          4,854 
Unrealized (depreciation)          (2,261) 
Total            $2,593 

 

* The exchange currency for all contracts listed is the United States Dollar.

High Income Securities Fund 39 

 



ASC 820 establishes a three-level hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements. The valuation hierarchy is based upon the transparency of inputs to the valuation of the fund’s investments. The three levels are defined as follows:

Level 1: Valuations based on quoted prices for identical securities in active markets.

Level 2: Valuations based on quoted prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly.

Level 3: Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement.

The following is a summary of the inputs used to value the fund’s net assets as of the close of the reporting period:

    Valuation inputs
Investments in securities:  Level 1  Level 2  Level 3 
Common stocks * :       
Capital goods  $150,887  $—­  $—­ 
Communication services  355,548  —­  1,197 
Consumer cyclicals  126,647  —­  —­ 
Energy  200,291  14,832  3,159 
Financials  576,050  —­  —­ 
Technology  1,091,805  —­  —­ 
Utilities and power  —­  822  —­ 
Total common stocks  2,501,228  15,654  4,356 
 
Convertible bonds and notes  —­  52,538,850  73,868 
Convertible preferred stocks  1,696,567  15,555,470  657 
Corporate bonds and notes  —­  50,287,406  23 
Warrants  1,137  —­  —­ 
Short-term investments  1,483,938  —­  —­ 
Totals by level  $5,682,870  $118,397,380  $78,904 
 
    Valuation inputs
Other financial instruments:  Level 1  Level 2  Level 3 
Forward currency contracts  $—­  $2,593  $—­ 
Totals by level  $—­  $2,593  $—­ 

 

* Common stock classifications are presented at the sector level, which may differ from the fund’s portfolio presentation.

During the reporting period, transfers within the fair value hierarchy, if any (other than certain transfers involving non-U.S. equity securities as described in Note 1), did not represent, in the aggregate, more than 1% of the fund’s net assets measured as of the end of the period. Transfers are accounted for using the end of period pricing valuation method.

At the start and close of the reporting period, Level 3 investments in securities represented less than 1% of the fund’s net assets and were not considered a significant portion of the fund’s portfolio.

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

40 High Income Securities Fund 

 



Statement of assets and liabilities 2/28/18 (Unaudited)

ASSETS   
Investment in securities, at value (Note 1):   
Unaffiliated issuers (identified cost $116,521,731)  $122,675,216 
Affiliated issuers (identified cost $1,483,938 (Note 5)  1,483,938 
Cash  397,181 
Dividends, interest and other receivables  1,195,024 
Receivable for investments sold  15,225 
Unrealized appreciation on forward currency contracts (Note 1)  4,854 
Total assets  125,771,438 
 
LIABILITIES   
Payable for investments purchased  136,122 
Payable for shares of the fund repurchased (Note 4)  50,150 
Payable for compensation of Manager (Note 2)  209,596 
Payable for custodian fees (Note 2)  6,540 
Payable for investor servicing fees (Note 2)  10,459 
Payable for Trustee compensation and expenses (Note 2)  83,548 
Payable for administrative services (Note 2)  467 
Distributions payable to shareholders  365,341 
Unrealized depreciation on forward currency contracts (Note 1)  2,261 
Payable for proxy fees  57,633 
Other accrued expenses  78,162 
Total liabilities  1,000,279 
 
Net assets  $124,771,159 
 
REPRESENTED BY   
Paid-in capital (Unlimited shares authorized) (Note 4)  $133,099,117 
Undistributed net investment income (Note 1)  135,821 
Accumulated net realized loss on investments and foreign currency transactions (Note 1)  (14,619,832) 
Net unrealized appreciation of investments and assets and liabilities in foreign currencies  6,156,053 
Total — Representing net assets applicable to capital shares outstanding  $124,771,159 
 
COMPUTATION OF NET ASSET VALUE   
Net asset value per share   
($124,771,159 divided by 12,930,356 shares)  $9.65 

 

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

High Income Securities Fund 41 

 



Statement of operations Six months ended 2/28/18 (Unaudited)

INVESTMENT INCOME   
Interest (including interest income of $18,068 from investments in affiliated issuers) (Note 5)  $2,023,558 
Dividends  554,469 
Total investment income  2,578,027 
 
EXPENSES   
Compensation of Manager (Note 2)  429,016 
Investor servicing fees (Note 2)  31,392 
Custodian fees (Note 2)  8,180 
Administrative services (Note 2)  2,197 
Auditing and tax fees  47,564 
Proxy fees  59,070 
Other  46,679 
Total expenses  624,098 
 
Expense reduction (Note 2)  (755) 
Net expenses  623,343 
 
Net investment income  1,954,684 
 
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS)   
Net realized gain (loss) on:   
Securities from unaffiliated issuers (Notes 1 and 3)  2,308,920 
Forward currency contracts (Note 1)  (7,920) 
Foreign currency transactions (Note 1)  257 
Total net realized gain  2,301,257 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on:   
Securities in unaffiliated issuers  (485,467) 
Assets and liabilities in foreign currencies  (34) 
Forward currency contracts  11,436 
Total change in net unrealized depreciation  (474,065) 
 
Net gain on investments  1,827,192 
 
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations  $3,781,876 

 

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

42 High Income Securities Fund 

 



Statement of changes in net assets

INCREASE IN NET ASSETS  Six months ended 2/28/18*  Year ended 8/31/17 
Operations     
Net investment income  $1,954,684  $3,945,408 
Net realized gain on investments     
and foreign currency transactions  2,301,257  3,670,062 
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of investments     
and assets and liabilities in foreign currencies  (474,065)  4,716,003 
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations  3,781,876  12,331,473 
Distributions to shareholders (Note 1):     
From ordinary income     
Net investment income  (2,199,061)  (4,795,452) 
Decrease from capital shares repurchased (Note 4)  (419,079)  (2,458,581) 
Total increase in net assets  1,163,736  5,077,440 
 
NET ASSETS     
Beginning of period  123,607,423  118,529,983 
End of period (including undistributed net investment     
income of $135,821 and $380,198, respectively)  $124,771,159  $123,607,423 
 
NUMBER OF FUND SHARES     
Shares outstanding at beginning of period  12,977,001  13,286,033 
Shares repurchased (Note 4)  (46,645)  (309,032) 
Shares outstanding at end of period  12,930,356  12,977,001 

 

* Unaudited.

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

High Income Securities Fund 43 

 



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

PER-SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE             
  Six months       Year ended  
  ended**           
  2/28/18  8/31/17  8/31/16  8/31/15  8/31/14  8/31/13 
Net asset value, beginning of period  $9.53  $8.92  $8.67  $9.56  $8.76  $8.21 
Investment operations:             
Net investment income (loss) a  .15  .30  .35  .35  .36  .44 
Net realized and unrealized             
gain (loss) on investments  .14  .66  .17  (.95)  .82  .56 
Total from investment operations  .29  .96  .52  (.60)  1.18  1.00 
Less distributions:             
From net investment income  (.17)  (.37)  (.37)  (.37)  (.43)  (.48) 
Total distributions  (.17)  (.37)  (.37)  (.37)  (.43)  (.48) 
Increase from shares repurchased  d  .02  .10  .08  .05  .03 
Net asset value, end of period  $9.65  $9.53  $8.92  $8.67  $9.56  $8.76 
Market price, end of period  $8.91  $8.77  $8.02  $7.33  $8.61  $7.68 
Total return at market price (%) b  3.52 *  14.19  14.96  (10.87)  17.94  (1.44) 
 
RATIOS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA             
Net assets, end of period             
(in thousands)  $124,771  $123,607  $118,530  $127,027  $151,659  $145,549 
Ratio of expenses to average             
net assets (%) c  .50 *e  1.22 e  .94  .90  .94  .90 
Ratio of net investment income             
(loss) to average net assets (%)  1.56 *  3.29  4.15  3.86  3.91  5.10 
Portfolio turnover (%)  17 *  50  26  35  41  48 

 

* Not annualized.

** Unaudited.

a Per share net investment income (loss) 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, if any (Note 2).

d Amount represents less than $0.01 per share.

e Includes 0.05% and 0.28% of increased proxy fees related to the 2018 and 2017 annual shareholder meetings, respectively.

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

44 High Income Securities Fund 

 



Notes to financial statements 2/28/18 (Unaudited)

Within the following Notes to financial statements, references to “State Street” represent State Street Bank and Trust Company, references to “the SEC” represent the Securities and Exchange Commission, references to “Putnam Management” represent Putnam Investment Management, LLC, the fund’s manager, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Putnam Investments, LLC and references to “OTC”, if any, represent over-the-counter. Unless otherwise noted, the “reporting period” represents the period from September 1, 2017 through February 28, 2018.

Putnam High Income Securities Fund (the fund) is a Massachusetts business trust, which is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as a diversified closed-end management investment company. The goal of the fund is to provide high current income as a primary objective and capital appreciation as a secondary objective. The fund pursues its objective primarily by investing in both convertible bonds and convertible preferred stocks, which share many of the same characteristics as convertible bonds, but offer greater potential for capital appreciation. The fund also invests significantly in high-yielding non-convertible securities with the potential for capital appreciation.

The fund’s shares trade on a stock exchange at market prices, which may be lower than the fund’s net asset value.

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’s management team expects the risk of material loss to be remote.

The fund has entered into contractual arrangements with an investment adviser, administrator, transfer agent and custodian, who each provide services to the fund. Unless expressly stated otherwise, shareholders are not parties to, or intended beneficiaries of these contractual arrangements, and these contractual arrangements are not intended to create any shareholder right to enforce them against the service providers or to seek any remedy under them against the service providers, either directly or on behalf of the fund.

Under the fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, any claims asserted against or on behalf of the Putnam Funds, including claims against Trustees and Officers, must be brought in state and federal courts located within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Note 1: Significant accounting policies

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. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Subsequent events after the Statement of assets and liabilities date through the date that the financial statements were issued have been evaluated in the preparation of the financial statements.

Security valuation Portfolio securities and other investments are valued using policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. The Trustees have formed a Pricing Committee to oversee the implementation of these procedures and have delegated responsibility for valuing the fund’s assets in accordance with these procedures to Putnam Management. Putnam Management has established an internal Valuation Committee that is responsible for making fair value determinations, evaluating the effectiveness of the pricing policies of the fund and reporting to the Pricing Committee.

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, and are classified as Level 1 securities under Accounting Standards Codification 820 Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (ASC 820). If no sales are reported, as in the case of some securities that are traded OTC, a security is valued at its last reported bid price and is generally categorized as a Level 2 security.

Investments in open-end investment companies (excluding exchange-traded funds), if any, which can be classified as Level 1 or Level 2 securities, are valued based on their net asset value. The net asset value of such investment companies equals the total value of their assets less their liabilities and divided by the number of their outstanding shares.

Market quotations are not considered to be readily available for certain debt obligations (including short-term investments with remaining maturities of 60 days or less) and other investments; such investments are valued on the basis of valuations furnished by an independent pricing service approved by the Trustees or dealers selected

High Income Securities Fund 45 

 



by Putnam Management. 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 (which consider such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings). These securities will generally be categorized as Level 2.

Many securities markets and exchanges outside the U.S. close prior to the scheduled 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 scheduled close of the New York Stock Exchange. Accordingly, on certain days, the fund will fair value certain foreign equity securities taking into account multiple factors including movements in the U.S. securities markets, currency valuations and comparisons to the valuation of American Depository Receipts, exchange-traded funds and futures contracts. The foreign equity securities, which would generally be classified as Level 1 securities, will be transferred to Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy when they are valued at fair value. 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.

To the extent a pricing service or dealer is unable to value a security or provides a valuation that Putnam Management does not believe accurately reflects the security’s fair value, the security will be valued at fair value by Putnam Management in accordance with policies and procedures approved by the Trustees. Certain investments, including certain restricted and illiquid securities and derivatives, are also valued at fair value following procedures approved by the Trustees. These valuations consider such factors as significant market or specific security events such as interest rate or credit quality changes, various relationships with other securities, discount rates, U.S. Treasury, U.S. swap and credit yields, index levels, convexity exposures, recovery rates, sales and other multiples and resale restrictions. These securities are classified as Level 2 or as Level 3 depending on the priority of the significant inputs.

To assess the continuing appropriateness of fair valuations, the Valuation Committee reviews and affirms the reasonableness of such valuations on a regular basis after considering all relevant information that is reasonably available. Such valuations and procedures are reviewed periodically by the Trustees. The fair value of securities is generally determined as the amount that the fund could reasonably expect to realize from an orderly disposition of such securities over a reasonable period of time. By its nature, a fair value price is a good faith estimate of the value of a security in a current sale and does not reflect an actual market price, which may be different by a material amount.

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, net of any applicable withholding taxes, is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividend income, net of any 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 value of the securities received. Dividends representing a return of capital or capital gains, if any, are reflected as a reduction of cost and/or as a realized gain.

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

The fund earned certain fees in connection with its senior loan purchasing activities. These fees are treated as market discount and are amortized into income in the Statement of operations.

Foreign currency translation The accounting records of the fund are maintained in U.S. dollars. The fair value of foreign securities, currency holdings, and other assets and liabilities is 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 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

46 High Income Securities Fund 

 



changes in the value of assets and liabilities other than investments at the period end, resulting from changes in the exchange rate.

Forward currency contracts The fund buys and sells 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 for hedging currency exposures and to gain exposure to currencies.

The U.S. dollar value of forward currency contracts is determined using current forward currency exchange rates supplied by a quotation service. The fair value of the contract will fluctuate with changes in currency exchange rates. The contract is marked to market daily and the change in fair value is recorded as an unrealized gain or loss. 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 when the contract matures or by delivery of the currency. 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.

Master agreements The fund is a party to ISDA (International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc.) Master Agreements (Master Agreements) with certain counterparties that govern OTC derivative and foreign exchange contracts entered into from time to time. The Master Agreements may contain provisions regarding, among other things, the parties’ general obligations, representations, agreements, collateral requirements, events of default and early termination. With respect to certain counterparties, in accordance with the terms of the Master Agreements, collateral posted to the fund is held in a segregated account by the fund’s custodian and, with respect to those amounts which can be sold or repledged, is presented in the fund’s portfolio.

Collateral pledged by the fund is segregated by the fund’s custodian and identified in the fund’s portfolio. Collateral can be in the form of cash or debt securities issued by the U.S. Government or related agencies or other securities as agreed to by the fund and the applicable counterparty. Collateral requirements are determined based on the fund’s net position with each counterparty.

Termination events applicable to the fund may occur upon a decline in the fund’s net assets below a specified threshold over a certain period of time. Termination events applicable to counterparties may occur upon a decline in the counterparty’s long-term and short-term credit ratings below a specified level. In each case, upon occurrence, the other party may elect to terminate early and cause settlement of all derivative and foreign exchange contracts outstanding, including the payment of any losses and costs resulting from such early termination, as reasonably determined by the terminating party. Any decision by one or more of the fund’s counterparties to elect early termination could impact the fund’s future derivative activity.

At the close of the reporting period, the fund had a net liability position of $2,261 on open derivative contracts subject to the Master Agreements. There was no collateral posted by the fund at period end for these agreements.

Interfund lending The fund, along with other Putnam funds, may participate in an interfund lending program pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the SEC. This program allows the fund to lend to other Putnam funds that permit such transactions. Interfund lending transactions are subject to each fund’s investment policies and borrowing and lending limits. Interest earned or paid on the interfund lending transaction will be based on the average of certain current market rates. During the reporting period, the fund did not utilize the program.

Federal taxes It is the policy of the fund to distribute all of its taxable income within the prescribed time period and otherwise comply with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (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.

The fund is subject to the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification 740 Income Taxes (ASC 740). ASC 740 sets forth a minimum threshold for financial statement recognition of the benefit of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The fund did not have a liability to record for any unrecognized tax benefits in the accompanying financial statements. 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. Each of the fund’s federal tax returns for the prior three fiscal years remains subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service.

The fund may also be subject to taxes imposed by governments of countries in which it invests. Such taxes are generally based on either income or gains earned or repatriated. The fund accrues and applies such taxes to net investment income, net realized gains and net unrealized gains as income and/or capital gains are earned. In some cases, the fund may be entitled to reclaim all or a portion of such taxes, and such reclaim amounts, if any,

High Income Securities Fund 47 

 



are reflected as an asset on the fund’s books. In many cases, however, the fund may not receive such amounts for an extended period of time, depending on the country of investment.

At August 31, 201 7, the fund had a capital loss carryover of $16,435,227 available to the extent allowed by the Code to offset future net capital gain, if any. For any carryover, the amount of the carryover and that carryover’s expiration date is:

  Loss carryover     
Short-term  Long-term  Total  Expiration 
$—  $2,503,715  $2,503,715  * 
13,931,512  N/A  13,931,512  August 31, 2018 

 

* Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, the fund will be permitted to carry forward capital losses incurred in taxable years beginning after December 22, 2010 for an unlimited period. However, any losses incurred will be required to be utilized prior to the losses incurred in pre-enactment tax years. As a result of this ordering rule, pre-enactment capital loss carryforwards may be more likely to expire unused. Additionally, post-enactment capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses rather than being considered all short-term as under previous law.

Tax cost of investments includes adjustments to net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) which may not necessarily be final tax cost basis adjustments, but closely approximate the tax basis unrealized gains and losses that may be realized and distributed to shareholders. The aggregate identified cost on a tax basis is $118,482,688, resulting in gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of $11,113,742 and $5,434,683, respectively, or net unrealized appreciation of $5,679,059.

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 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

The fund pays Putnam Management for management and investment advisory services quarterly based on the average net assets (including assets, but excluding liabilities, attributable to leverage for investment purposes) of the fund. The fee is based on the following annual rates:

  of the first $500 million of average    of the next $5 billion of average 
0.700%  net assets,  0.430%  net assets, 
  of the next $500 million of average    of the next $5 billion of average 
0.600%  net assets,  0.420%  net assets, 
  of the next $500 million of average    of the next $5 billion of average 
0.550%  net assets,  0.410%  net assets, 
  of the next $5 billion of average    of the next $5 billion of average 
0.500%  net assets,  0.400%  net assets, 
  of the next $5 billion of average    of the next $5 billion of average 
0.475%  net assets,  0.390%  net assets, 
  of the next $5 billion of average    of the next $8.5 billion of average net 
0.455%  net assets,  0.380%  assets and 
  of the next $5 billion of average  0.370%  of any excess thereafter. 
0.440%  net assets,     

 

For the reporting period, the management fee represented an effective rate (excluding the impact from any expense waivers in effect) of 0.342% of the fund’s average net assets.

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. PIL did not

48 High Income Securities Fund 

 



manage any portion of the assets of the fund during the reporting period. If Putnam Management were to engage the services of PIL, Putnam Management would pay a quarterly sub-management fee to PIL for its services at an annual rate of 0.40% of the average net assets (including assets, but excluding liabilities, attributable to leverage for investment purposes) of the portion of the fund managed by PIL.

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 State Street. Custody fees are based on the fund’s asset level, the number of its security holdings and transaction volumes.

Putnam Investor Services, Inc., an affiliate of Putnam Management, provides investor servicing agent functions to the fund. Putnam Investor Services, Inc. was paid a monthly fee for investor servicing at an annual rate of 0.05% of the fund’s average daily net assets. The amounts incurred for investor servicing agent functions during the reporting period are included in Investor servicing fees in the Statement of operations.

The fund has entered into expense offset arrangements with Putnam Investor Services, Inc. and State Street whereby Putnam Investor Services, Inc.’s and State Street’s fees are reduced by credits allowed on cash balances. The fund also reduced expenses through brokerage/service arrangements. For the reporting period, the fund’s expenses were reduced by $100 under the expense offset arrangements and by $655 under the brokerage/ service arrangements.

Each Independent Trustee of the fund receives an annual Trustee fee, of which $94, as a quarterly retainer, has been allocated to the fund, and an additional fee for each Trustees meeting attended. Trustees also are reimbursed for expenses they incur relating to their services as Trustees.

The fund has adopted a Trustee Fee Deferral Plan (the Deferral Plan) which allows the Trustees to 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. The retirement benefit is payable during a Trustee’s lifetime, beginning the year following retirement, for the number of years of service through December 31, 2006. 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 reporting period, the cost of purchases and the proceeds from sales, excluding short-term investments, were as follows:

  Cost of purchases  Proceeds from sales 
Investments in securities (Long-term)  $22,382,462  $20,299,686 
U. S. government securities (Long-term)     
Total  $22,382,462  $20,299,686 

 

The fund may purchase or sell investments from or to other Putnam funds in the ordinary course of business, which can reduce the fund’s transaction costs, at prices determined in accordance with SEC requirements and policies approved by the Trustees. During the reporting period, purchases or sales of long-term securities from or to other Putnam funds, if any, did not represent more than 5% of the fund’s total cost of purchases and/or total proceeds from sales.

Note 4: Shares repurchased

In September 2017, the Trustees approved the renewal of the repurchase program to allow the fund to repurchase up to 10% of its outstanding common shares over the 12-month period ending October 9, 2018 (based on shares outstanding as of October 9, 2017). Prior to this renewal, the Trustees had approved a repurchase program to allow the fund to repurchase up to 10% of its outstanding common shares over the 12-month period ending October 9, 2017 (based on shares outstanding as of October 7, 2016). Repurchases are made when

High Income Securities Fund 49 

 



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 reporting period, the fund repurchased 46,645 common shares for an aggregate purchase price of $419,079, which reflects a weighted-average discount from net asset value per share of 7.71%. The weighted-average discount reflects the payment of commissions by the fund to execute repurchase trades.

For the previous fiscal year, the fund repurchased 309,032 common shares for an aggregate purchase price of $2,458,581, which reflected a weighted-average discount from net asset value per share of 10.58%. The weighted-average discount reflected the payment of commissions by the fund to execute repurchase trades.

At the close of the reporting period, Putnam Investments, LLC owned approximately 484 shares of the fund (less than 0.01% of the fund’s shares outstanding), valued at $4,671 based on net asset value.

Note 5: Affiliated transactions

Transactions during the reporting period with any company which is under common ownership or control were as follows:

          Shares 
          outstanding 
          and fair 
  Fair value as  Purchase  Sale  Investment  value as 
Name of affiliate  of 8/31/17  cost  proceeds  income  of 2/28/18 
Short-term investments           
Putnam Short Term           
Investment Fund**  $2,900,362  $10,750,592  $12,167,016  $18,068  $1,483,938 
Total Short-term           
investments  $2,900,362  $10,750,592  $12,167,016  $18,068  $1,483,938 

 

** Management fees charged to Putnam Short Term Investment Fund have been waived by Putnam Management.

There were no realized or unrealized gains or losses during the period.

Note 6: Market, credit and other risks

In the normal course of business, the fund trades financial instruments and enters into financial transactions where risk of potential loss exists due to changes in the market (market risk) or failure of the contracting party to the transaction to perform (credit risk). The fund may be exposed to additional credit risk that an institution or other entity with which the fund has unsettled or open transactions will default. Investments in foreign securities involve certain risks, including those related to economic instability, unfavorable political developments, and currency fluctuations. The fund may invest in higher-yielding, lower-rated bonds that may have a higher rate of default.

Note 7: Senior loan commitments

Senior loans are purchased or sold on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis and may be settled a month or more after the trade date, which from time to time can delay the actual investment of available cash balances; interest income is accrued based on the terms of the securities. Senior loans can be acquired through an agent, by assignment from another holder of the loan, or as a participation interest in another holder’s portion of the loan. When the fund invests in a loan or participation, the fund is subject to the risk that an intermediate participant between the fund and the borrower will fail to meet its obligations to the fund, in addition to the risk that the borrower under the loan may default on its obligations.

Note 8: Summary of derivative activity

The volume of activity for the reporting period for any derivative type that was held during the period is listed below and was based on an average of the holdings at the end of each fiscal quarter:

Forward currency contracts (contract amount)  $320,000 
Warrants (number of warrants)  1,601 

 

50 High Income Securities Fund 

 



The following is a summary of the fair value of derivative instruments as of the close of the reporting period:

Fair value of derivative instruments as of the close of the reporting period   
  ASSET DERIVATIVES LIABILITY DERIVATIVES
Derivatives not         
accounted for as  Statement of    Statement of   
hedging instruments  assets and    assets and   
under ASC 815  liabilities location  Fair value  liabilities location  Fair value 
Foreign exchange         
contracts  Receivables  $4,854  Payables  $2,261 
Equity contracts  Investments  1,137  Payables   
Total    $5,991    $2,261 

 

The following is a summary of realized and change in unrealized gains or losses of derivative instruments in the Statement of operations for the reporting period (Note 1):

Amount of realized gain or (loss) on derivatives recognized in net gain or (loss) on investments   
Derivatives not accounted for as  Forward currency   
hedging instruments under ASC 815  contracts  Total 
Foreign exchange contracts  $(7,920)  $(7,920) 
Total  $(7,920)  $(7,920) 

 

Change in unrealized appreciation or (depreciation) on derivatives recognized in net gain or (loss)   
on investments       
Derivatives not accounted for as hedging    Forward currency   
instruments under ASC 815  Warrants  contracts  Total 
Foreign exchange contracts  $—  $11,436  $11,436 
Equity contracts  336    $336 
Total  $336  $11,436  $11,772 

 

High Income Securities Fund 51 

 



Note 9: Offsetting of financial and derivative assets and liabilities

The following table summarizes any derivatives, repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements, at the end of the reporting period, that are subject to an enforceable master netting agreement or similar agreement. For securities lending transactions or borrowing transactions associated with securities sold short, if any, see Note 1. For financial reporting purposes, the fund does not offset financial assets and financial liabilities that are subject to the master netting agreements in the Statement of assets and liabilities.

  Bank of
America N.A.
Citibank, N.A. State Street Bank
and Trust Co.
Total 
Assets:         
Forward currency contracts #  $—  $543  $4,311  $4,854 
Total Assets  $—  $543  $4,311  $4,854 
Liabilities:         
Forward currency contracts #  $2,261  $—  $—  $2,261 
Total Liabilities  $2,261  $—  $—  $2,261 
Total Financial and Derivative  $(2,261)  $543  $4,311  $2,593 
Net Assets         
Total collateral received  $—  $—  $—   
(pledged)†##         
Net amount  $(2,261)  $543  $4,311   
Controlled collateral received         
(including TBA commitments)**  $—  $—  $—  $— 
Uncontrolled collateral received  $—  $—  $—  $— 
Collateral (pledged) (including         
TBA commitments)**  $—  $—  $—  $— 

 

** Included with Investments in securities on the Statement of assets and liabilities.

Additional collateral may be required from certain brokers based on individual agreements.

# Covered by master netting agreement (Note 1).

## Any over-collateralization of total financial and derivative net assets is not shown. Collateral may include amounts related to unsettled agreements.

52 High Income Securities Fund 

 



Fund information

Founded over 80 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 funds across income, value, blend, growth, asset allocation, absolute return, and global sector categories.

Investment Manager  Trustees  Michael J. Higgins 
Putnam Investment  Jameson A. Baxter, Chair  Vice President, Treasurer, 
Management, LLC  Kenneth R. Leibler, Vice Chair  and Clerk 
One Post Office Square  Liaquat Ahamed   
Boston, MA 02109  Ravi Akhoury  Janet C. Smith 
  Barbara M. Baumann  Vice President, 
Investment Sub-Advisor  Katinka Domotorffy  Principal Financial Officer, 
Putnam Investments Limited  Catharine Bond Hill  Principal Accounting Officer, 
16 St James’s Street  Paul L. Joskow  and Assistant Treasurer 
London, England SW1A 1ER Robert E. Patterson  
  George Putnam, III Susan G. Malloy 
Marketing Services  Robert L. Reynolds Vice President and 
Putnam Retail Management  Manoj P. Singh Assistant Treasurer 
One Post Office Square     
Boston, MA 02109 Officers Mark C. Trenchard 
  Robert L. Reynolds Vice President and 
Custodian  President BSA Compliance Officer 
State Street Bank     
and Trust Company Jonathan S. Horwitz Nancy E. Florek 
  Executive Vice President, Vice President, Director of 
Legal Counsel  Principal Executive Officer, Proxy Voting and Corporate 
Ropes & Gray LLP  and Compliance Liaison Governance, Assistant Clerk, 
    and Assistant Treasurer 
  Robert T. Burns  
  Vice President and Denere P. Poulack 
  Chief Legal Officer Assistant Vice President, Assistant 
    Clerk, and Assistant Treasurer 
  James F. Clark   
  Vice President and   
  Chief Compliance Officer   

 

Call 1-800-225-1581 Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, or visit putnam.com anytime for up-to-date information about the fund’s NAV.




Item 2. Code of Ethics:
Not Applicable

Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert:
Not Applicable

Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services:
Not Applicable

Item 5. Audit Committee
Not Applicable

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 Management Investment Companies
(a) Not applicable
(b) During the period Eric Harthun was removed as manager of the fund.

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**
September 1 – September 30, 2017 1,095,421
October 1 – October 9, 2017 1,095,421
October 10 – October 31, 2017 1,297,700
November 1 – November 30, 2017 41,035 $8.99 41,035 1,256,665
December 1 – December 31, 2017 1,256,665
January 1 – January 31, 2018 1,256,665
February 1 – February 28, 2018 5,610 $8.94 5,610 1,251,055


*   In October 2005, the Board of Trustees of the Putnam Funds initiated the closed-end fund share repurchase program, which, as subsequently amended, authorized the fund to repurchase of up to 10% of its fund's outstanding common shares over the two-years ending October 5, 2007. The Trustees have subsequently renewed the program on an annual basis. The program renewed by the Board in September 2016, which was in effect between October 8, 2016 and October 7, 2017, allowed the fund to repurchase up to 1,320,176 of its shares. The program renewed by the Board in September 2017, which is in effect between October 10, 2017 and October 9, 2018, allows the fund to repurchase up to 1,297,700 of its shares.
**  Information prior to October 9, 2017 is based on the total number of shares eligible for repurchase under the program, as amended through September 2016. Information from October 10, 2017 forward is based on the total number of shares eligible for repurchase under the program, as amended through September 2017.

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. Disclosures of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Investment Companies:
Not Applicable

Item 13. 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/ Janet C. Smith
Janet C. Smith
Principal Accounting Officer

Date: April 26, 2018
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/ Jonathan S. Horwitz
Jonathan S. Horwitz
Principal Executive Officer

Date: April 26, 2018
By (Signature and Title):
/s/ Janet C. Smith
Janet C. Smith
Principal Financial Officer

Date: April 26, 2018