Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

 

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 811-22444

 

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

 

620 Eighth Avenue, 49th Floor, New York, NY 10018

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

 

 

Robert I. Frenkel, Esq.

Legg Mason & Co., LLC

100 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (888) 777-0102

Date of fiscal year end: August 31

Date of reporting period: August 31, 2014

 

 

 


ITEM 1. REPORT TO STOCKHOLDERS.

The Annual Report to Stockholders is filed herewith.


LOGO

 

 

Annual Report   August 31, 2014

WESTERN ASSET

HIGH YIELD DEFINED

OPPORTUNITY FUND INC. (HYI)

 

 

 

LOGO

 

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: NOT FDIC INSURED • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE


What’s inside      
Letter from the chairman     II   
Investment commentary     III   
Fund overview     1   
Fund at a glance     7   
Spread duration     8   
Effective duration     9   
Schedule of investments     10   
Statement of assets and liabilities     26   
Statement of operations     27   
Statements of changes in net assets     28   
Financial highlights     29   
Notes to financial statements     30   
Report of independent registered public accounting firm     44   
Additional information     45   
Annual chief executive officer and principal financial officer certifications     50   
Other shareholder communications regarding accounting matters     51   
Dividend reinvestment plan     52   
Important tax information     54   

Fund objective

The Fund’s primary investment objective is to provide high income. As a secondary investment objective, the Fund will seek capital appreciation.

 

Letter from the chairman

 

LOGO

 

Dear Shareholder,

We are pleased to provide the annual report of Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. for the twelve-month reporting period ended August 31, 2014. Please read on for a detailed look at prevailing economic and market conditions during the Fund’s reporting period and to learn how those conditions have affected Fund performance.

As always, we remain committed to providing you with excellent service and a full spectrum of investment choices. We also remain committed to supplementing the support you receive from your financial advisor. One way we accomplish this is through our website, www.lmcef.com. Here you can gain immediate access to market and investment information, including:

 

Ÿ  

Fund prices and performance,

 

Ÿ  

Market insights and commentaries from our portfolio managers, and

 

Ÿ  

A host of educational resources.

We look forward to helping you meet your financial goals.

Sincerely,

 

LOGO

Kenneth D. Fuller

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

September 26, 2014

 

II    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.


Investment commentary

 

Economic review

Since the end of the Great Recession, the U.S. economy has expanded at a slower than usual pace, compared to recent history. U.S. gross domestic product (“GDP”)i growth, as reported by the U.S. Department of Commerce, was 4.5% during the third quarter of 2013, its best reading since the fourth quarter of 2011. During the twelve months ended August 31, 2014 (the “reporting period”), the severe winter weather of January and February played a key role in a sharp reversal in the economy, a 2.1% contraction during the first quarter of 2014. This was the first negative GDP report in three years. Negative contributions were widespread: private inventory investment, exports, state and local government spending, nonresidential and residential fixed investment. Thankfully, this setback was very brief, as the final estimate for second quarter GDP growth, released after the reporting period ended, was 4.6%, suggesting this recovery has some resilience as it continues to recover from the severe consequences of the Great Recession. The second quarter rebound in GDP growth was driven by several factors, including an acceleration in personal consumption expenditures, increased private inventory investment and exports, as well as an upturn in state and local government spending.

The U.S. manufacturing sector continued to support the economy during the reporting period. Based on figures for the Institute for Supply Management’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (“PMI”)ii, U.S. manufacturing expanded during all twelve months of the reporting period. After a reading of 56.5 in December 2013, the PMI fell to 51.3 in January 2014, its weakest reading since May 2013 (a reading below 50 indicates a contraction, whereas a reading above 50 indicates an expansion). PMI peaked in August 2014, with a reading of 59.0, representing its highest reading since March 2011, and seventeen of the eighteen industries within the PMI expanded.

The U.S. job market continues to improve. When the period began, unemployment, as reported by the U.S. Department of Labor, was 7.2%. Unemployment fell to 7.0% in November 2013 and generally declined over the next several months, reaching a low of 6.1% in June 2014. This represented the lowest level since September 2008. The unemployment rate then ticked up to 6.2% in July 2014, but again fell to 6.1% in August 2014. Falling unemployment during the period was partially due to a decline in the workforce participation rate, which was 62.8% in August 2014, equaling its lowest level since 1978.

The Federal Reserve Board (“Fed”)iii took a number of actions as it sought to meet its dual mandate of fostering maximum employment and price stability. As has been the case since December 2008, the Fed kept the federal funds rateiv at a historically low range between zero and 0.25%. At its meeting in December 2012, prior to the beginning of the reporting period, the Fed announced that it would continue purchasing $40 billion per month of agency mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”), as well as initially purchasing $45 billion per month of longer-term Treasuries. Following the meeting that concluded on December 18, 2013, the Fed announced that it would begin reducing its monthly asset purchases, saying “Beginning in January 2014, the Committee will add to its holdings of agency MBS at a pace of $35 billion per month rather than $40 billion per month, and will add to its holdings of

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.   III


Investment commentary (cont’d)

 

longer-term Treasury securities at a pace of $40 billion per month rather than $45 billion per month.” At each of the Fed’s next five meetings (January, March, April, June, and July 2014), it announced further $10 billion tapering of its asset purchases. Finally, at its meeting that ended on September 17, 2014, after the reporting period ended, the Fed again cut its monthly asset purchases. Beginning in October, it will buy a total of $15 billion per month ($5 billion per month of agency MBS and $10 billion per month of longer-term Treasuries). The Fed also said “it likely will be appropriate to maintain the current target range for the federal funds rate for a considerable time after the asset purchase program ends, especially if projected inflation continues to run below the Committee’s 2.0% longer-run goal, and provided that longer-term inflation expectations remain well anchored.”

As always, thank you for your confidence in our stewardship of your assets.

Sincerely,

 

LOGO

Kenneth D. Fuller

Chairman, President and

Chief Executive Officer

September 26, 2014

All investments are subject to risk including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

 

 

 

i 

Gross domestic product (“GDP”) is the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period of time.

 

ii 

The Institute for Supply Management’s PMI is based on a survey of purchasing executives who buy the raw materials for manufacturing at more than 350 companies. It offers an early reading on the health of the U.S. manufacturing sector.

 

iii 

The Federal Reserve Board (“Fed”) is responsible for the formulation of policies designed to promote economic growth, full employment, stable prices and a sustainable pattern of international trade and payments.

 

iv 

The federal funds rate is the rate charged by one depository institution on an overnight sale of immediately available funds (balances at the Federal Reserve) to another depository institution; the rate may vary from depository institution to depository institution and from day to day.

 

IV    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.


Fund overview

 

Q. What is the Fund’s investment strategy?

A. The Fund’s primary investment objective is to provide high income. As a secondary investment objective, the Fund will seek capital appreciation. We believe the extensive credit research and security selection expertise of Western Asset Management Company (“Western Asset”) will be key factors in driving Fund performance.

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets in a portfolio of high-yield corporate fixed-income securities with varying maturities. Currently, the Fund focuses on lower-quality and higher-yielding opportunities in the below investment grade corporate debt markets. Under normal market conditions, the Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in fixed-income securities issued by U.S. or foreign governments, agencies and instrumentalities and/or fixed-income securities that are of investment grade quality. The Fund has a limited term and as a fundamental policy intends to liquidate and distribute substantially all of its net assets to stockholders after making appropriate provisions for any liabilities of the Fund on or about September 30, 2025.

In purchasing securities and other investments for the Fund, Western Asset, the Fund’s subadviser, may take full advantage of the entire range of maturities offered by fixed-income securities and may adjust the average maturity or durationi of the Fund’s portfolio from time to time, depending on its assessment of the relative yields available on securities of different durations and its expectations of future changes in interest rates. The Fund may utilize a variety of derivative instruments primarily for hedging and risk management purposes, although the Fund may also use derivative instruments for investment purposes.

At Western Asset, we utilize a fixed-income team approach, with decisions derived from interaction among various investment management sector specialists. The sector teams are comprised of Western Asset’s senior portfolio management personnel, research analysts and an in-house economist. Under this team approach, management of client fixed-income portfolios will reflect a consensus of interdisciplinary views within the Western Asset organization. The individuals responsible for development of investment strategy, day-to-day portfolio management, oversight and coordination of the Fund are S. Kenneth Leech, Michael C. Buchanan and Christopher F. Kilpatrick. Effective March 31, 2014, Mr. Leech joined the Fund’s portfolio management team. Mr. Leech has been employed by Western Asset as an investment professional for more than 20 years.

Q. What were the overall market conditions during the Fund’s reporting period?

A. The spread sectors (non-Treasuries) experienced periods of volatility but generally outperformed equal-duration Treasuries over the twelve months ended August 31, 2014. Risk aversion was prevalent at times given mixed economic data, shifting monetary policy by the Federal Reserve Board (“Fed”)ii and several geopolitical issues. However, these factors were generally overshadowed by solid demand from investors looking to generate incremental yield in the low interest rate environment.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   1


Fund overview (cont’d)

 

Short-term Treasury yields moved higher, whereas longer-term Treasury yields declined during the twelve months ended August 31, 2014. Two-year Treasury yields rose from 0.39% at the beginning of the period to 0.48% at the end of the period. Their peak of 0.56% occurred on July 30, 2014 and they were as low as 0.28% in late November and early December 2013. Ten-year Treasury yields were 2.78% at the beginning of the period and reached a low of 2.34% on August 15 and August 28, 2014. Their peak of 3.04% occurred on December 31, 2013 and they ended the reporting period at 2.35%.

All told, the Barclays U.S. Aggregate Indexiii, returned 5.66% during the twelve months ended August 31, 2014. For comparison purposes, riskier fixed-income securities, including emerging market debt and high yield bonds, produced stronger results. Over the reporting period, JPMorgan Emerging Markets Bond Index Global (“EMBI Global”)iv returned 13.91%, whereas the Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield — 2% Issuer Cap Index (the “Index”)v returned 10.57%. The Fund’s unmanaged benchmarks, the Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield — 2% Issuer Cap Index B Componentvi and the Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield — 2% Issuer Cap Index Caa Componentvii, returned 9.94% and 11.69%, respectively, over the same timeframe.

Q. How did we respond to these changing market conditions?

A. We made a number of adjustments to the portfolio during the reporting period. From a sector perspective, we increased the Fund’s allocation to Communications, taking it to an overweight position, as we saw improved relative value in this space. We reduced our overweight to the strong performing Transportation sector. Finally, we decreased our underweight to the Energy sector. In terms of the Fund’s quality biases, toward the end of the reporting period we increased our allocation to BB-rated securities, as their valuations became more attractive given the volatility in the high yield market due to large outflows from retail investors at the end of July and early August 2014. Overall we maintained the Fund’s main theme of focusing on larger concentrations of lower quality and higher yielding below investment grade bond opportunities. Additionally, we actively participated in the new issuance market by selectively purchasing securities that we felt were attractively valued.

We reduced the duration of the Fund during the reporting period by roughly half a year to make it less sensitive to changes in interest rates. The Fund employed U.S. Treasury futures to manage its yield curveviii positioning and duration. The use of these instruments slightly detracted from the Fund’s performance. High yield index swaps (CDX) were used to manage our high-yield exposure. Overall, they were a small negative for performance. These “market hedges” were intended to protect the portfolio from risk-off periods, while maintaining the Fund’s lower quality biases. Finally, currency forwards, which were employed to hedge the Fund’s currency exposure, were a minor detractor from performance overall. However, the losses from our currency hedges were partially offset by the increase in the value of our non-U.S. dollar currencies when translated back to U.S. dollars.

Performance review

For the twelve months ended August 31, 2014, Western Asset High Yield Defined

 

2    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


Opportunity Fund Inc. returned 9.80% based on its net asset value (“NAV”)ix and 5.54% based on its New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) market price per share. The Fund’s unmanaged benchmarks, the Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield — 2% Issuer Cap Index B Component and the Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield — 2% Issuer Cap Index Caa Component, returned 9.94% and 11.69%, respectively, for the same period. The Lipper High Yield Closed-End Funds Category Averagex returned 10.41% over the same time frame. Please note that Lipper performance returns are based on each fund’s NAV.

During the reporting period, the Fund made distributions to shareholders totaling $1.46 per share*. The performance table shows the Fund’s twelve-month total return based on its NAV and market price as of August 31, 2014. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

 

Performance Snapshot as of August 31, 2014
(unaudited)
 
Price Per Share    12-Month
Total Return**
 
$19.38 (NAV)      9.80 %† 
$17.17 (Market Price)      5.54 %‡ 

All figures represent past performance and are not a guarantee of future results. Performance figures for periods shorter than one year represent cumulative figures and are not annualized.

** Total returns are based on changes in NAV or market price, respectively. Returns reflect the deduction of all Fund expenses, including management fees, operating expenses, and other Fund expenses. Returns do not reflect the deduction of brokerage commissions or taxes that investors may pay on distributions or the sale of shares.

† Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions at NAV.

‡ Total return assumes the reinvestment of all distributions in additional shares in accordance with the Fund’s Dividend Reinvestment Plan.

Q. What were the leading contributors to performance?

A. The largest contributor to the Fund’s relative performance during the reporting period was security selection. In particular, our overweight exposures to Sprint Nextel Corp., Royal Bank of Scotland PLC and First Data Corp. Bonds issued by Sprint Nextel Corp. (and Sprint Capital Corp.) rallied given their improved fundamental performance and investors continued to appreciate the new ownership structure at the company. In July 2013, Japan’s investment grade rated wireless operator SoftBank acquired the company. Our Royal Bank of Scotland PLC (and Royal Bank of Scotland NV) exposure benefited performance as investor sentiment strengthened due to continued balance sheet de-risking and capital ratio improvement. Additionally, the cyclical improvement in the U.K. economy has helped improve the value of the company’s assets. Our Royal Bank of Scotland exposure had a minor pullback after the reporting period ended, as investors awaited the September 18, 2014 Scottish Independence vote. Longer-term, we feel the vote should not have a material impact on the company due to its international customer base and its U.K. government ownership structure. First Data Corp. is a global payment processing company. The company underwent a management change last year and has been improving its fundamental results.

 

* For the tax character of distributions paid during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2014, please refer to page 43 of this report.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   3


Fund overview (cont’d)

 

Additionally, the company received an equity injection of $3.5 billion. This was partially used to pay down high interest debt, a sign that management is making progress and focused on reducing leverage and improving the company’s capital structure.

From a sector perspective, overweights to Financials and Utilities, along with an underweight to Consumer Cyclicals, were the most beneficial for performance.

Q. What were the leading detractors from performance?

A. Although the Fund performed well overall, its allocations to Midwest Vanadium Pty Ltd., Mirabela Nickel Ltd, and Gymboree Corp. detracted from performance. Midwest Vanadium Pty Ltd. engages in the exploration, production and processing of vanadium in Australia. Its vanadium is used to strengthen steel and titanium. The company defaulted in February 2014, following a fire at its Windimurra plant. It has subsequently secured a loan to rebuild the plant and bondholders have agreed to postpone the company’s debt obligations through August 15, 2014. Mirabela Nickel Ltd. is a nickel producer operating one of the world’s largest open pit nickel mines, located in Brazil. In addition to an environment of low nickel prices, one of Mirabela Nickel’s key customers unexpectedly terminated its contract, leading to a liquidity shortfall at the company. The company defaulted in late November 2013. Mirabela Nickel has recently finalized a restructuring plan with lenders, including Western Asset, whereby we agreed to exchange our bonds for a convertible bond and equity in the company. Our exposure to secured and unsecured debt of the children’s retail clothing chain Gymboree Corp. underperformed during the reporting period. A 2010 leverage buyout left little room for error and poor weather and uninspired demand negatively impacted Gymboree Corp.‘s fundamental results during the reporting period. We began reducing our unsecured exposure in the first quarter of 2014, which proved beneficial as the bonds have continued to decline following our sales.

In terms of sectors, overweight to Basic Industries1, specifically metals and mining, and an underweight to Technology were detractors from performance.

Looking for additional information?

The Fund is traded under the symbol “HYI” and its closing market price is available in most newspapers under the NYSE listings. The daily NAV is available on-line under the symbol “XHYIX” on most financial websites. Barron’s and the Wall Street Journal’s Monday edition both carry closed-end fund tables that provide additional information. In addition, the Fund issues a quarterly press release that can be found on most major financial websites as well as www.lmcef.com.

In a continuing effort to provide information concerning the Fund, shareholders may call 1-888-777-0102 (toll free), Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, for the Fund’s current NAV, market price and other information.

 

1 

Basic Industry consists of the following industries: Chemicals, Metals & Mining and Paper.

 

4    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


Thank you for your investment in Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. As always, we appreciate that you have chosen us to manage your assets and we remain focused on achieving the Fund’s investment goals.

Sincerely,

Western Asset Management Company

September 16, 2014

RISKS: The Fund’s investments are subject to credit risk, inflation risk and interest rate risk. As interest rates rise, bond prices fall, reducing the value of the Fund’s share price. The Fund may invest in lower-rated high-yield bonds which are subject to greater credit risk (risk of default) than higher-rated obligations. Investments in foreign securities involve risks, including the possibility of losses due to changes in currency exchange rates and negative developments in the political, economic, or regulatory structure of specific countries or regions. These risks are greater in emerging markets. The Fund may make significant investments in derivative instruments. Derivative instruments can be illiquid, may disproportionately increase losses, and have a potentially large impact on Fund performance.

Portfolio holdings and breakdowns are as of August 31, 2014 and are subject to change and may not be representative of the portfolio managers’ current or future investments. Please refer to pages 10 through 25 for a list and percentage breakdown of the Fund’s holdings.

The mention of sector breakdowns is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as a recommendation to purchase or sell any securities. The information provided regarding such sectors is not a sufficient basis upon which to make an investment decision. Investors seeking financial advice regarding the appropriateness of investing in any securities or investment strategies discussed should consult their financial professional. The Fund’s top five sector holdings (as a percentage of net assets) as of August 31, 2014 were: Consumer Discretionary (19.6%), Industrials (13.5%), Financials (12.3%), Energy (12.1%) and Materials (10.8%). The Fund’s portfolio composition is subject to change at any time.

All investments are subject to risk including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All index performance reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes. Please note that an investor cannot invest directly in an index.

The information provided is not intended to be a forecast of future events, a guarantee of future results or investment advice. Views expressed may differ from those of the firm as a whole.

 

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   5


Fund overview (cont’d)

 

 

 

 

i 

Duration is the measure of the price sensitivity of a fixed-income security to an interest rate change of 100 basis points. Calculation is based on the weighted average of the present values for all cash flows.

 

ii 

The Federal Reserve Board (“Fed”) is responsible for the formulation of policies designed to promote economic growth, full employment, stable prices, and a sustainable pattern of international trade and payments.

 

iii 

The Barclays U.S. Aggregate Index is a broad-based bond index comprised of government, corporate, mortgage- and asset-backed issues, rated investment grade or higher, and having at least one year to maturity.

 

iv 

The JPMorgan Emerging Markets Bond Index Global (“EMBI Global”) tracks total returns for U.S. dollar-denominated debt instruments issued by emerging market sovereign and quasi-sovereign entities: Brady bonds, loans, Eurobonds and local market instruments.

 

v 

The Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield — 2% Issuer Cap Index is an index of the 2% Issuer Cap component of the Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield Index, which covers the U.S. dollar-denominated, non-investment grade, fixed-rate, taxable corporate bond market.

 

vi 

The Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield — 2% Issuer Cap Index B Component is an index of the 2% Issuer Cap component of the Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield Index and is comprised of B-rated securities included in this Index.

 

vii 

The Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield — 2% Issuer Cap Index Caa Component is an index of the 2% Issuer Cap component of the Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield Index and is comprised of Caa-rated securities included in this Index.

 

viii 

The yield curve is the graphical depiction of the relationship between the yield on bonds of the same credit quality but different maturities.

 

ix 

Net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated by subtracting total liabilities and outstanding preferred stock (if any) from the closing value of all securities held by the Fund (plus all other assets) and dividing the result (total investments) by the total number of the common shares outstanding. The NAV fluctuates with changes in the market prices of securities in which the Fund has invested. However, the price at which an investor may buy or sell shares of the Fund is the Fund’s market price as determined by supply of and demand for the Fund’s shares.

 

x 

Lipper, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reuters, provides independent insight on global collective investments. Returns are based on the twelve-month period ended August 31, 2014, including the reinvestment of all distributions, including returns of capital, if any, calculated among the 7 funds in the Fund’s Lipper category.

 

6    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


Fund at a glance (unaudited)

 

Investment breakdown (%) as a percent of total investments

 

LOGO

 

The bar graph above represents the composition of the Fund’s investments as of August 31, 2014 and August 31, 2013 and does not include derivatives, such as futures contracts and forward foreign currency contracts. The Fund is actively managed. As a result, the composition of the Fund’s investments is subject to change at any time.
Represents less than 0.1%.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   7


Spread duration (unaudited)

 

Economic exposure — August 31, 2014

LOGO

 

Total Spread Duration

HYI   — 3.08 years
Benchmark   — 3.46 years

Spread duration measures the sensitivity to changes in spreads. The spread over Treasuries is the annual risk-premium demanded by investors to hold non-Treasury securities. Spread duration is quantified as the % change in price resulting from a 100 basis points change in spreads. For a security with positive spread duration, an increase in spreads would result in a price decline and a decline in spreads would result in a price increase. This chart highlights the market sector exposure of the Fund’s sectors relative to the selected benchmark sectors as of the end of the reporting period.

 

Benchmark     60% Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield — 2% Issuer Cap Index B Component & 40% Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield — 2% Issuer Cap Index Caa Component
EM     Emerging Markets
HY     High Yield
HYI     Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.
IG Credit     Investment Grade Credit

 

8    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


Effective duration (unaudited)

 

Interest rate exposure — August 31, 2014

LOGO

 

Total Effective Duration

HYI   — 2.91 years
Benchmark   — 3.48 years

 

Represents less than 0.01.

Effective duration measures the sensitivity to changes in relevant interest rates. Effective duration is quantified as the % change in price resulting from a 100 basis points change in interest rates. For a security with positive effective duration, an increase in interest rates would result in a price decline and a decline in interest rates would result in a price increase. This chart highlights the interest rate exposure of the Fund’s sectors relative to the selected benchmark sectors as of the end of the reporting period.

 

Benchmark     60% Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield — 2% Issuer Cap Index B Component & 40% Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield — 2% Issuer Cap Index Caa Component
EM     Emerging Markets
HY     High Yield
HYI     Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.
IG Credit     Investment Grade Credit

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   9


Schedule of investments

August 31, 2014

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  
Corporate Bonds & Notes — 87.4%                                
Consumer Discretionary — 18.6%                                

Auto Components — 0.6%

                               

Europcar Groupe SA, Senior Notes

    11.500     5/15/17        350,000  EUR    $ 531,624  (a) 

Europcar Groupe SA, Senior Notes

    9.375     4/15/18        1,540,000  EUR      2,155,171  (a) 

Total Auto Components

                            2,686,795   

Automobiles — 0.3%

                               

Chrysler Group LLC/CG Co.-Issuer Inc., Secured Notes

    8.250     6/15/21        1,030,000        1,156,175   

Diversified Consumer Services — 1.2%

                               

Ceridian LLC/Comdata Inc., Senior Notes

    8.125     11/15/17        960,000        975,360  (a) 

Co-operative Group Holdings 2011 Ltd., Senior Notes

    6.875     7/8/20        100,000  GBP      178,259  (b) 

Co-operative Group Holdings 2011 Ltd., Senior Notes

    7.500     7/8/26        280,000  GBP      500,867   

Odeon & UCI Finco PLC, Senior Secured Notes

    9.000     8/1/18        1,079,000  GBP      1,815,933  (b) 

Service Corp. International, Senior Notes

    7.500     4/1/27        1,030,000        1,140,725   

StoneMor Partners LP/Cornerstone Family Services of WV, Senior Notes

    7.875     6/1/21        760,000        805,600  (a) 

Total Diversified Consumer Services

                            5,416,744   

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 5.3%

                               

24 Hour Holdings III LLC, Senior Notes

    8.000     6/1/22        800,000        780,000  (a) 

Bossier Casino Venture Holdco Inc.

    11.000     2/9/18        219,996        215,323  (a)(c)(d) 

Bossier Casino Venture Holdco Inc., Senior Secured Bonds

    14.000     2/9/18        1,254,656        1,212,240  (a)(c)(d)(e) 

Burger King Capital Holdings LLC/Burger King Capital Finance Inc., Senior Notes, Step Bond

    0.000     4/15/19        360,000        336,600  (a) 

Caesars Entertainment Operating Co. Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    11.250     6/1/17        1,810,000        1,497,775   

Caesars Entertainment Operating Co. Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    9.000     2/15/20        1,820,000        1,468,512   

Caesars Entertainment Resort Properties LLC, Secured Notes

    11.000     10/1/21        410,000        417,688  (a) 

Carlson Travel Holdings Inc., Senior Notes

    7.500     8/15/19        420,000        432,600  (a)(e) 

Carrols Restaurant Group Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    11.250     5/15/18        1,130,000        1,243,000   

CCM Merger Inc., Senior Notes

    9.125     5/1/19        1,400,000        1,498,000  (a) 

CEC Entertainment Inc., Senior Notes

    8.000     2/15/22        630,000        642,600  (a) 

Downstream Development Quapaw, Senior Secured Notes

    10.500     7/1/19        1,090,000        1,160,850  (a) 

Gala Electric Casinos Ltd., Secured Notes

    11.500     6/1/19        1,380,000  GBP      2,511,036  (b) 

Greektown Holdings LLC/Greektown Mothership Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    8.875     3/15/19        680,000        700,400  (a) 

Landry’s Holdings II Inc., Senior Notes

    10.250     1/1/18        650,000        680,875  (a) 

Landry’s Inc., Senior Notes

    9.375     5/1/20        2,890,000        3,121,200  (a) 

Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, Senior Notes

    9.750     9/1/21        430,000        464,400   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

10    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — continued

                               

Paris Las Vegas Holding LLC/Harrah’s Las Vegas LLC/Flamingo Las Vegas Holding LLC, Senior Secured Notes

    8.000     10/1/20        1,410,000      $ 1,406,475  (a) 

Rivers Pittsburgh Borrower LP/Rivers Pittsburgh Finance Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    9.500     6/15/19        213,000        230,040  (a) 

Seneca Gaming Corp., Senior Notes

    8.250     12/1/18        1,410,000        1,494,600  (a) 

Seven Seas Cruises S de RL LLC, Senior Secured Notes

    9.125     5/15/19        1,570,000        1,703,450   

Total Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure

                            23,217,664   

Household Durables — 1.4%

                               

Century Intermediate Holding Co. 2, Senior Notes

    9.750     2/15/19        1,630,000        1,744,100  (a)(e) 

Standard Pacific Corp., Senior Notes

    6.250     12/15/21        1,080,000        1,150,200   

William Lyon Homes Inc., Senior Notes

    8.500     11/15/20        950,000        1,054,500   

William Lyon Homes PNW Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    7.000     8/15/22        970,000        1,001,525  (a) 

Woodside Homes Co. LLC/Woodside Homes Finance Inc., Senior Notes

    6.750     12/15/21        1,470,000        1,488,375  (a) 

Total Household Durables

                            6,438,700   

Media — 6.6%

                               

Altice SA, Senior Secured Notes

    7.750     5/15/22        2,040,000        2,172,600  (a) 

Carmike Cinemas Inc., Secured Notes

    7.375     5/15/19        430,000        464,938   

Cerved Group SpA, Senior Secured Notes

    6.375     1/15/20        100,000  EUR      140,921  (a) 

Cerved Group SpA, Senior Subordinated Notes

    8.000     1/15/21        150,000  EUR      218,970  (a) 

Clear Channel Communications Inc., Senior Notes

    10.000     1/15/18        900,000        842,625   

CSC Holdings LLC, Senior Notes

    6.750     11/15/21        450,000        496,687   

DISH DBS Corp., Senior Notes

    6.750     6/1/21        2,670,000        2,993,604   

Gibson Brands Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    8.875     8/1/18        1,130,000        1,146,950  (a) 

Nara Cable Funding Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    8.875     12/1/18        1,000,000        1,061,250  (a) 

New Cotai LLC/New Cotai Capital Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    10.625     5/1/19        1,256,857        1,470,523  (a)(e) 

Numericable Group SA, Senior Secured Bonds

    6.000     5/15/22        1,780,000        1,835,625  (a) 

Ono Finance II PLC, Senior Bonds

    10.875     7/15/19        4,631,000        5,030,192  (a) 

Polish Television Holding BV, Senior Secured Bonds

    11.000     1/15/21        220,000  EUR      347,750  (a)(e) 

Time Warner Cable Inc., Senior Notes

    8.250     4/1/19        550,000        692,599   

Univision Communications Inc., Senior Notes

    8.500     5/15/21        680,000        748,000  (a) 

Univision Communications Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    6.750     9/15/22        2,514,000        2,771,685  (a) 

UPC Holding BV, Junior Secured Subordinated Notes

    6.375     9/15/22        140,000  EUR      199,407  (a) 

UPCB Finance II Ltd., Senior Notes

    6.375     7/1/20        2,000,000  EUR      2,791,539  (b) 

Virgin Media Finance PLC, Senior Notes

    6.375     4/15/23        2,260,000        2,418,200  (a) 

WMG Acquisition Corp., Senior Notes

    6.750     4/15/22        1,330,000        1,323,350  (a) 

Total Media

                            29,167,415   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   11


Schedule of investments (cont’d)

August 31, 2014

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Multiline Retail — 0.6%

                               

Neiman Marcus Group LLC, Senior Secured Notes

    7.125     6/1/28        270,000      $ 274,050   

Neiman Marcus Group Ltd. LLC, Senior Notes

    8.750     10/15/21        2,080,000        2,272,400  (a)(e) 

Total Multiline Retail

                            2,546,450   

Specialty Retail — 2.1%

                               

AA Bond Co. Ltd., Secured Notes

    9.500     7/31/19        280,000  GBP      518,183  (a) 

Edcon Holdings Pty Ltd., Senior Secured Subordinated Bonds

    13.375     6/30/19        220,000  EUR      218,247  (a) 

Edcon Pty Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    9.500     3/1/18        1,950,000  EUR      2,414,876  (a) 

Edcon Pty Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    9.500     3/1/18        1,000,000  EUR      1,238,398  (b) 

Guitar Center Inc., Senior Bonds

    9.625     4/15/20        2,880,000        2,419,200  (a) 

Hot Topic Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    9.250     6/15/21        660,000        726,000  (a) 

New Academy Finance Co. LLC/New Academy Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    8.000     6/15/18        220,000        224,400  (a)(e) 

Spencer Spirit Holdings Inc., Senior Notes

    9.000     5/1/18        1,415,000        1,439,762  (a)(e) 

Total Specialty Retail

                            9,199,066   

Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods — 0.5%

                               

Boardriders SA, Senior Notes

    8.875     12/15/17        750,000  EUR      992,854  (a) 

Chinos Intermediate Holdings A Inc., Senior Notes

    7.750     5/1/19        890,000        872,200  (a)(e) 

Empire Today LLC/Empire Today Finance Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    11.375     2/1/17        550,000        559,625  (a) 

Total Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods

                            2,424,679   

Total Consumer Discretionary

                            82,253,688   
Consumer Staples — 3.4%                                

Beverages — 0.5%

                               

Carolina Beverage Group LLC/Carolina Beverage Group Finance Inc., Secured Notes

    10.625     8/1/18        930,000        953,250  (a) 

Crestview DS Merger Subordinated II Inc., Secured Notes

    10.000     9/1/21        1,000,000        1,135,000   

Total Beverages

                            2,088,250   

Food & Staples Retailing — 0.3%

                               

Beverages & More Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    10.000     11/15/18        1,340,000        1,284,725  (a)  

Food Products — 2.1%

                               

Chiquita Brands International Inc./Chiquita Brands LLC, Senior Secured Notes

    7.875     2/1/21        1,143,000        1,254,443   

Dole Food Co. Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    7.250     5/1/19        1,280,000        1,291,200  (a) 

Hearthside Group Holdings LLC/Hearthside Finance Co., Senior Notes

    6.500     5/1/22        1,240,000        1,243,100  (a) 

Simmons Foods Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    10.500     11/1/17        3,600,000        3,843,000  (a) 

Sun Merger Sub Inc., Senior Notes

    5.875     8/1/21        1,140,000        1,222,650  (a) 

Wells Enterprises Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    6.750     2/1/20        672,000        703,920  (a) 

Total Food Products

                            9,558,313   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

12    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Household Products — 0.1%

                               

Spectrum Brands Inc., Senior Notes

    6.625     11/15/22        460,000      $ 499,675   

Media — 0.1%

                               

SiTV LLC/SiTV Finance Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    10.375     7/1/19        270,000        272,025  (a)  

Tobacco — 0.3%

                               

Alliance One International Inc., Secured Notes

    9.875     7/15/21        1,220,000        1,226,100   

Total Consumer Staples

                            14,929,088   
Energy — 11.8%                                

Energy Equipment & Services — 2.1%

                               

Exterran Partners LP/EXLP Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    6.000     10/1/22        400,000        403,000  (a) 

FTS International Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    6.250     5/1/22        930,000        955,575  (a) 

Hercules Offshore Inc., Senior Notes

    10.250     4/1/19        730,000        795,700  (a) 

Hercules Offshore Inc., Senior Notes

    8.750     7/15/21        1,010,000        1,025,150  (a) 

Hercules Offshore Inc., Senior Notes

    7.500     10/1/21        1,220,000        1,159,000  (a) 

KCA Deutag UK Finance PLC, Senior Secured Notes

    7.250     5/15/21        1,370,000        1,376,850  (a) 

Parker Drilling Co., Senior Notes

    6.750     7/15/22        1,040,000        1,084,200  (a) 

Petroleum Geo-Services ASA, Senior Notes

    7.375     12/15/18        1,060,000        1,123,600  (a) 

Sierra Hamilton LLC/Sierra Hamilton Finance Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    12.250     12/15/18        1,140,000        1,189,875  (a) 

Total Energy Equipment & Services

                            9,112,950   

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — 9.7%

                               

Arch Coal Inc., Senior Notes

    7.000     6/15/19        1,530,000        1,095,862   

Calumet Specialty Products Partners LP/Calumet Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    9.625     8/1/20        570,000        646,950   

Calumet Specialty Products Partners LP/Calumet Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    6.500     4/15/21        400,000        401,000  (a) 

Calumet Specialty Products Partners LP/Calumet Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    7.625     1/15/22        970,000        1,018,500   

Carrizo Oil & Gas Inc., Senior Notes

    7.500     9/15/20        620,000        666,500   

Chesapeake Energy Corp., Senior Notes

    6.875     11/15/20        1,240,000        1,444,600   

Comstock Resources Inc., Senior Notes

    9.500     6/15/20        890,000        1,005,700   

El Paso Corp., Medium-Term Notes

    7.800     8/1/31        810,000        1,008,450   

EP Energy LLC/EP Energy Finance Inc., Senior Notes

    9.375     5/1/20        100,000        113,250   

EXCO Resources Inc., Senior Notes

    8.500     4/15/22        800,000        814,960   

Globe Luxembourg SCA, Senior Secured Notes

    9.625     5/1/18        1,790,000        1,977,950  (a) 

Halcon Resources Corp., Senior Notes

    9.750     7/15/20        1,230,000        1,331,475   

Halcon Resources Corp., Senior Notes

    8.875     5/15/21        1,680,000        1,776,600   

Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp., Senior Notes

    8.125     12/1/19        1,130,000        1,248,650   

Lonestar Resources America Inc., Senior Notes

    8.750     4/15/19        450,000        459,000  (a) 

Magnum Hunter Resources Corp., Senior Notes

    9.750     5/15/20        1,880,000        2,058,600   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   13


Schedule of investments (cont’d)

August 31, 2014

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — continued

                               

MEG Energy Corp., Senior Notes

    7.000     3/31/24        2,010,000      $ 2,190,900  (a) 

Milagro Oil & Gas Inc., Secured Notes

    10.500     5/15/16        1,360,000        1,088,000  (f) 

Murray Energy Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    9.500     12/5/20        870,000        961,350  (a) 

Murray Energy Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    8.625     6/15/21        740,000        788,100  (a) 

Natural Resource Partners LP/Natural Resource Partners Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    9.125     10/1/18        940,000        989,350   

New Gulf Resources LLC/NGR Finance Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    11.750     5/15/19        1,220,000        1,258,125   

Parsley Energy LLC/Parsley Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    7.500     2/15/22        1,260,000        1,341,900  (a) 

Peabody Energy Corp., Senior Notes

    7.875     11/1/26        740,000        765,900   

Petrobras Global Finance BV, Senior Notes

    6.250     3/17/24        3,000,000        3,303,810   

Plains Exploration & Production Co., Senior Notes

    6.750     2/1/22        130,000        147,875   

Quicksilver Resources Inc., Senior Notes

    11.000     7/1/21        1,800,000        1,575,000   

Rice Energy Inc., Senior Notes

    6.250     5/1/22        1,030,000        1,058,325  (a) 

Rose Rock Midstream LP/Rose Rock Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    5.625     7/15/22        770,000        787,325  (a) 

Samson Investment Co., Senior Notes

    9.750     2/15/20        2,760,000        2,829,000   

Sanchez Energy Corp., Senior Notes

    7.750     6/15/21        1,610,000        1,795,150   

Sanchez Energy Corp., Senior Notes

    6.125     1/15/23        1,030,000        1,068,625  (a) 

SandRidge Energy Inc., Senior Notes

    7.500     2/15/23        380,000        397,100   

Shelf Drilling Holdings Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    8.625     11/1/18        750,000        802,500  (a) 

Sidewinder Drilling Inc., Senior Notes

    9.750     11/15/19        690,000        696,900  (a) 

Summit Midstream Holdings LLC/Summit Midstream Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    7.500     7/1/21        580,000        640,900   

Triangle USA Petroleum Corp., Senior Notes

    6.750     7/15/22        470,000        482,925  (a) 

Westmoreland Coal Co./Westmoreland Partners, Senior Secured Notes

    10.750     2/1/18        700,000        748,125  (a) 

Total Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels

                            42,785,232   

Total Energy

                            51,898,182   
Financials — 8.3%                                

Banks — 5.4%

                               

Banco Espirito Santo SA, Senior Notes

    5.875     11/9/15        500,000  EUR      665,557  (b) 

Banco Espirito Santo SA, Senior Notes

    4.750     1/15/18        300,000  EUR      398,479  (b) 

Banco Espirito Santo SA, Senior Notes

    4.000     1/21/19        100,000  EUR      129,912  (b) 

Bank of America Corp., Junior Subordinated Notes

    5.200     6/1/23        1,000,000        968,750  (g)(h) 

Barclays Bank PLC, Subordinated Notes

    10.179     6/12/21        1,550,000        2,143,667  (a) 

Barclays Bank PLC, Subordinated Notes

    7.625     11/21/22        1,750,000        1,968,750   

Credit Agricole SA, Subordinated Notes

    8.375     10/13/19        1,320,000        1,539,450  (a)(g)(h) 

Intesa Sanpaolo SpA, Senior Notes

    3.625     8/12/15        1,490,000        1,522,649  (a) 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

14    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Banks — continued

                               

JPMorgan Chase & Co., Junior Subordinated Bonds

    6.000     8/1/23        530,000      $ 546,165  (g)(h) 

M&T Bank Corp., Junior Subordinated Bonds

    6.875     6/15/16        1,170,000        1,200,358  (h) 

Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC, Junior Subordinated Notes, Medium-Term Notes

    7.640     9/30/17        7,000,000        7,437,500  (g)(h) 

Royal Bank of Scotland NV, Subordinated Notes

    7.750     5/15/23        350,000        407,948   

Royal Bank of Scotland PLC, Subordinated Notes

    13.125     3/19/22        2,030,000  AUD      2,253,591  (b)(g) 

Santander Issuances SAU, Notes

    5.911     6/20/16        900,000        958,830  (a) 

Wells Fargo & Co., Junior Subordinated Bonds

    5.900     6/15/24        1,480,000        1,548,450  (g)(h) 

Total Banks

                            23,690,056   

Consumer Finance — 0.5%

                               

SLM Corp., Medium-Term Notes, Senior Notes

    8.450     6/15/18        920,000        1,072,904   

Stearns Holdings Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    9.375     8/15/20        520,000        546,000  (a) 

TMX Finance LLC/TitleMax Finance Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    8.500     9/15/18        460,000        488,750  (a) 

Total Consumer Finance

                            2,107,654   

Diversified Financial Services — 1.7%

                               

International Lease Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    5.750     5/15/16        1,000,000        1,061,875   

International Lease Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    8.750     3/15/17        1,900,000        2,179,062   

International Lease Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    8.250     12/15/20        3,140,000        3,846,500   

ZFS Finance USA Trust II, Bonds

    6.450     12/15/65        500,000        538,750  (a)(g) 

Total Diversified Financial Services

                            7,626,187   

Insurance — 0.3%

                               

Fidelity & Guaranty Life Holdings Inc., Senior Notes

    6.375     4/1/21        620,000        666,500  (a) 

Liberty Mutual Group Inc., Junior Subordinated Bonds

    7.800     3/15/37        720,000        853,200  (a) 

Total Insurance

                            1,519,700   

Real Estate Management & Development — 0.4%

                               

Howard Hughes Corp., Senior Notes

    6.875     10/1/21        1,750,000        1,861,563  (a)  

Total Financials

                            36,805,160   
Health Care — 5.9%                                

Health Care Equipment & Supplies — 1.6%

                               

Alere Inc., Senior Subordinated Notes

    6.500     6/15/20        1,180,000        1,199,175   

ConvaTec Finance International SA, Senior Notes

    8.250     1/15/19        860,000        886,338  (a)(e) 

Lantheus Medical Imaging Inc., Senior Notes

    9.750     5/15/17        2,020,000        2,052,825   

Ontex IV SA, Senior Notes

    9.000     4/15/19        1,400,000  EUR      1,983,436  (b) 

Ontex IV SA, Senior Notes

    9.000     4/15/19        680,000  EUR      963,383  (a) 

Total Health Care Equipment & Supplies

                            7,085,157   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   15


Schedule of investments (cont’d)

August 31, 2014

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Health Care Providers & Services — 3.4%

                               

Acadia Healthcare Co. Inc., Senior Notes

    12.875     11/1/18        474,000      $ 555,765   

CHS/Community Health Systems Inc., Senior Notes

    8.000     11/15/19        1,890,000        2,060,100   

Crown Newco 3 PLC, Senior Notes

    8.875     2/15/19        225,000  GBP      395,946  (a) 

Crown Newco 3 PLC, Senior Subordinated Notes

    8.875     2/15/19        1,125,000  GBP      1,979,730  (b) 

DJO Finance LLC/DJO Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    9.875     4/15/18        1,090,000        1,170,387   

ExamWorks Group Inc., Senior Notes

    9.000     7/15/19        1,670,000        1,811,950   

HCA Inc., Debentures

    7.500     11/15/95        1,000,000        947,500   

IASIS Healthcare LLC/IASIS Capital Corp., Senior Notes

    8.375     5/15/19        2,120,000        2,252,500   

Jaguar Holding Co. II/Jaguar Merger Sub Inc., Senior Notes

    9.500     12/1/19        430,000        469,238  (a) 

Labco SAS, Senior Secured Notes

    8.500     1/15/18        190,000  EUR      265,878  (b) 

Tenet Healthcare Corp., Senior Notes

    8.125     4/1/22        1,850,000        2,134,437   

Universal Hospital Services Inc., Secured Notes

    7.625     8/15/20        940,000        944,700   

Total Health Care Providers & Services

                            14,988,131   

Pharmaceuticals — 0.9%

                               

ConvaTec Healthcare E SA, Senior Notes

    10.875     12/15/18        1,530,000  EUR      2,170,166  (a) 

JLL/Delta Dutch Newco BV, Senior Notes

    7.500     2/1/22        1,190,000        1,218,262  (a) 

Salix Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Senior Notes

    6.000     1/15/21        660,000        717,750  (a) 

Total Pharmaceuticals

                            4,106,178   

Total Health Care

                            26,179,466   
Industrials — 13.4%                                

Aerospace & Defense — 1.8%

                               

CBC Ammo LLC/CBC FinCo Inc., Senior Notes

    7.250     11/15/21        1,720,000        1,732,900  (a) 

Ducommun Inc., Senior Notes

    9.750     7/15/18        800,000        878,000   

Erickson Inc., Secured Notes

    8.250     5/1/20        2,035,000        2,029,913   

GenCorp Inc., Secured Notes

    7.125     3/15/21        620,000        671,150   

LMI Aerospace Inc., Secured Notes

    7.375     7/15/19        580,000        590,150  (a) 

TransDigm Inc., Senior Subordinated Notes

    6.000     7/15/22        2,010,000        2,047,687  (a) 

Total Aerospace & Defense

                            7,949,800   

Air Freight & Logistics — 0.2%

                               

XPO Logistics Inc., Senior Notes

    7.875     9/1/19        850,000        888,250  (a)  

Airlines — 0.6%

                               

Air Canada, Pass-Through Trust, Secured Notes

    6.625     5/15/18        460,000        480,953  (a) 

Delta Air Lines Inc., Pass-Through Certificates, Secured Notes

    8.021     8/10/22        1,208,756        1,406,750   

United Airlines Inc., Pass-Through Certificates, Senior Secured Notes

    6.125     4/29/18        600,000        636,000   

Total Airlines

                            2,523,703   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

16    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Building Products — 0.7%

                               

Ashton Woods USA LLC/Ashton Woods Finance Co., Senior Notes

    6.875     2/15/21        1,190,000      $ 1,178,100  (a) 

Reliance Intermediate Holdings LP, Senior Secured Notes

    9.500     12/15/19        1,190,000        1,264,375  (a) 

Spie BondCo 3 SCA, Secured Notes

    11.000     8/15/19        617,000  EUR      908,041  (a) 

Total Building Products

                            3,350,516   

Commercial Services & Supplies — 2.0%

                               

Garda World Security Corp., Senior Notes

    7.250     11/15/21        320,000        329,200  (a) 

JM Huber Corp., Senior Notes

    9.875     11/1/19        680,000        768,400  (a) 

Monitronics International Inc., Senior Notes

    9.125     4/1/20        2,690,000        2,891,750   

Taylor Morrison Communities Inc./Monarch Communities Inc., Senior Notes

    7.750     4/15/20        1,402,000        1,524,675  (a) 

Taylor Morrison Communities Inc./Monarch Communities Inc., Senior Notes

    7.750     4/15/20        489,000        531,787  (a) 

United Rentals North America Inc., Senior Notes

    7.625     4/15/22        2,096,000        2,363,240   

United Rentals North America Inc., Senior Subordinated Notes

    8.375     9/15/20        390,000        427,050   

Total Commercial Services & Supplies

                            8,836,102   

Construction & Engineering — 1.6%

                               

Astaldi SpA, Senior Bonds

    7.125     12/1/20        580,000  EUR      823,835  (a) 

Astaldi SpA, Senior Notes

    7.125     12/1/20        130,000  EUR      184,653  (b) 

Ausdrill Finance Pty Ltd., Senior Notes

    6.875     11/1/19        1,010,000        929,200  (a) 

Brundage-Bone Concrete Pumping Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    10.375     9/1/21        860,000        880,425  (a) 

Michael Baker Holdings LLC/Micahel Baker Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    8.875     4/15/19        1,280,000        1,273,600  (a)(e) 

Michael Baker International LLC/CDL Acquisition Co. Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    8.250     10/15/18        1,540,000        1,593,900  (a) 

Modular Space Corp., Secured Notes

    10.250     1/31/19        1,230,000        1,279,200  (a) 

Total Construction & Engineering

                            6,964,813   

Electrical Equipment — 0.4%

                               

International Wire Group Holdings Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    8.500     10/15/17        820,000        887,650  (a) 

NES Rentals Holdings Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    7.875     5/1/18        760,000        811,300  (a) 

Trionista Holdco GmbH, Senior Secured Notes

    5.000     4/30/20        100,000  EUR      136,917  (a) 

Trionista TopCo GmbH, Senior Subordinated Notes

    6.875     4/30/21        150,000  EUR      211,874  (a) 

Total Electrical Equipment

                            2,047,741   

Machinery — 1.4%

                               

CTP Transportation Products LLC/CTP Finance Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    8.250     12/15/19        500,000        540,000  (a) 

Dematic SA/DH Services Luxembourg Sarl, Senior Notes

    7.750     12/15/20        2,310,000        2,471,700  (a) 

Gardner Denver Inc., Senior Notes

    6.875     8/15/21        450,000        478,125  (a) 

Global Brass and Copper Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    9.500     6/1/19        1,000,000        1,128,750   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   17


Schedule of investments (cont’d)

August 31, 2014

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Machinery — continued

                               

KraussMaffei Group GmbH, Senior Secured Notes

    8.750     12/15/20        380,000  EUR    $ 560,715  (a) 

KraussMaffei Group GmbH, Senior Secured Notes

    8.750     12/15/20        137,000  EUR      202,153  (b) 

SPL Logistics Escrow LLC/SPL Logistics Finance Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    8.875     8/1/20        720,000        801,000  (a) 

Total Machinery

                            6,182,443   

Marine — 1.0%

                               

Horizon Lines LLC, Secured Notes

    13.000     10/15/16        1,542,075        1,337,940  (e) 

Horizon Lines LLC, Senior Secured Notes

    11.000     10/15/16        790,000        793,950   

Navios Maritime Acquisition Corp./Navios Acquisition Finance U.S. Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    8.125     11/15/21        1,250,000        1,306,250  (a) 

Ultrapetrol Bahamas Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    8.875     6/15/21        1,010,000        1,081,962   

Total Marine

                            4,520,102   

Road & Rail — 1.9%

                               

Flexi-Van Leasing Inc., Senior Notes

    7.875     8/15/18        1,050,000        1,113,000  (a) 

Florida East Coast Holdings Corp., Senior Notes

    9.750     5/1/20        1,570,000        1,668,125  (a) 

Florida East Coast Holdings Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    6.750     5/1/19        780,000        824,850  (a) 

Jack Cooper Holdings Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    9.250     6/1/20        2,020,000        2,204,325  (a) 

Jurassic Holdings III Inc., Secured Notes

    6.875     2/15/21        700,000        717,500  (a) 

Quality Distribution LLC/QD Capital Corp., Secured Notes

    9.875     11/1/18        1,704,000        1,814,760   

Total Road & Rail

                            8,342,560   

Trading Companies & Distributors — 0.3%

                               

H&E Equipment Services Inc., Senior Notes

    7.000     9/1/22        1,110,000        1,218,225   

Transportation — 1.3%

                               

Hapag-Lloyd AG, Senior Notes

    9.750     10/15/17        1,420,000        1,505,200  (a) 

Neovia Logistics Intermediate Holdings LLC/Logistics Intermediate Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    10.000     2/15/18        1,640,000        1,693,300  (a)(e) 

Syncreon Group BV/Syncreon Global Finance US Inc., Senior Notes

    8.625     11/1/21        1,430,000        1,422,850  (a) 

Watco Cos. LLC/Watco Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    6.375     4/1/23        1,070,000        1,099,425  (a) 

Total Transportation

                            5,720,775   

Transportation Infrastructure — 0.2%

                               

Aguila 3 SA, Senior Secured Notes

    7.875     1/31/18        720,000        750,600  (a)  

Total Industrials

                            59,295,630   
Information Technology — 3.0%                                

Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components — 0.3%

                               

Interface Security Systems Holdings Inc./Interface Security Systems LLC, Senior Secured Notes

    9.250     1/15/18        830,000        859,050   

Techem GmbH, Senior Secured Notes

    6.125     10/1/19        350,000  EUR      498,283  (a) 

Total Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components

                            1,357,333   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

18    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Internet Software & Services — 0.8%

                               

Ancestry.com Inc., Senior Notes

    11.000     12/15/20        2,380,000      $ 2,754,850   

Zayo Group LLC/Zayo Capital Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    8.125     1/1/20        790,000        855,175   

Total Internet Software & Services

                            3,610,025   

IT Services — 1.4%

                               

Compiler Finance Subordinated Inc., Senior Notes

    7.000     5/1/21        1,150,000        1,104,000  (a) 

First Data Corp., Secured Notes

    8.250     1/15/21        330,000        361,350  (a) 

First Data Corp., Senior Notes

    12.625     1/15/21        2,070,000        2,535,750   

First Data Corp., Senior Subordinated Notes

    11.750     8/15/21        1,409,000        1,673,187   

Interactive Data Corp., Senior Notes

    5.875     4/15/19        680,000        680,850  (a) 

Total IT Services

                            6,355,137   

Software — 0.5%

                               

Audatex North America Inc., Senior Notes

    6.000     6/15/21        590,000        628,350  (a) 

Oberthur Technologies Holding SAS, Senior Secured Notes

    9.250     4/30/20        950,000  EUR      1,360,595  (a) 

Total Software

                            1,988,945   

Total Information Technology

                            13,311,440   
Materials — 10.0%                                

Chemicals — 1.3%

                               

HIG BBC Intermediate Holdings LLC/HIG BBC Holdings Corp., Senior Notes

    10.500     9/15/18        620,000        633,950  (a)(e) 

Kerling PLC, Senior Secured Notes

    10.625     2/1/17        1,300,000  EUR      1,802,082  (b) 

KP Germany Erste GmbH, Senior Secured Notes

    11.625     7/15/17        370,000  EUR      540,932  (a) 

KP Germany Erste GmbH, Senior Secured Notes

    11.625     7/15/17        290,000  EUR      423,974  (b) 

Momentive Performance Materials Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    8.875     10/15/20        240,000        225,600   

Styrolution GmbH, Senior Secured Notes

    7.625     5/15/16        1,600,000  EUR      2,170,015  (a) 

Total Chemicals

                            5,796,553   

Construction Materials — 0.2%

                               

Hardwoods Acquisition Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    7.500     8/1/21        1,050,000        1,071,000  (a)  

Containers & Packaging — 3.1%

                               

Ardagh Finance Holdings SA, Senior Notes

    8.625     6/15/19        1,010,000        1,051,662  (a)(e) 

Ardagh Packaging Finance PLC, Senior Notes

    9.250     10/15/20        2,500,000  EUR      3,610,899  (b) 

Ardagh Packaging Finance PLC/Ardagh MP Holdings USA Inc., Senior Notes

    6.250     1/31/19        390,000        394,875  (a) 

Ardagh Packaging Finance PLC/Ardagh MP Holdings USA Inc., Senior Notes

    7.000     11/15/20        148,235        151,571  (a) 

Ardagh Packaging Finance PLC/Ardagh MP Holdings USA Inc., Senior Notes

    6.750     1/31/21        1,250,000        1,278,125  (a) 

Ardagh Packaging Finance PLC/Ardagh MP Holdings USA Inc., Senior Notes

    6.000     6/30/21        550,000        545,875  (a) 

BWAY Holding Co., Senior Notes

    9.125     8/15/21        1,310,000        1,349,300  (a) 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   19


Schedule of investments (cont’d)

August 31, 2014

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Containers & Packaging — continued

                               

Coveris Holdings SA, Senior Notes

    7.875     11/1/19        1,460,000      $ 1,558,550  (a) 

Pactiv LLC, Senior Bonds

    8.375     4/15/27        910,000        989,625   

Pactiv LLC, Senior Notes

    7.950     12/15/25        410,000        443,825   

PaperWorks Industries Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    9.500     8/15/19        840,000        868,350  (a) 

Reynolds Group Issuer Inc./Reynolds Group Issuer LLC/Reynolds Group Issuer (Luxembourg) SA, Senior Notes

    8.500     5/15/18        1,290,000        1,351,275   

Total Containers & Packaging

                            13,593,932   

Metals & Mining — 4.0%

                               

ArcelorMittal, Senior Notes

    6.750     2/25/22        960,000        1,076,352   

AuRico Gold Inc., Secured Notes

    7.750     4/1/20        810,000        836,325  (a) 

Barminco Finance Pty Ltd., Senior Notes

    9.000     6/1/18        1,060,000        965,925  (a) 

Coeur Mining Inc., Senior Notes

    7.875     2/1/21        1,510,000        1,520,381   

Essar Steel Minnesota LLC, Senior Secured Notes

    11.500     5/15/20        1,250,000        1,285,938  (a) 

FMG Resources (August 2006) Pty Ltd., Senior Notes

    8.250     11/1/19        1,340,000        1,472,325  (a) 

Midwest Vanadium Pty Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    11.500     2/15/18        1,290,000        251,550  (a)(c)(f) 

Molycorp Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    10.000     6/1/20        410,000        343,375   

Prince Mineral Holding Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    12.000     12/15/19        670,000        753,750  (a) 

Rain CII Carbon LLC/CII Carbon Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    8.250     1/15/21        1,880,000        1,983,400  (a) 

Ryerson Inc./Joseph T. Ryerson & Son Inc., Senior Notes

    11.250     10/15/18        1,016,000        1,132,840   

Schaeffler Holding Finance BV, Senior Secured Bonds

    6.875     8/15/18        740,000        783,475  (a)(e) 

Schaeffler Holding Finance BV, Senior Secured Notes

    6.875     8/15/18        850,000  EUR      1,179,960  (a)(e) 

St. Barbara Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    8.875     4/15/18        1,620,000        1,328,400  (a) 

SunCoke Energy Partners LP/SunCoke Energy Partners Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    7.375     2/1/20        500,000        537,500  (a) 

SunCoke Energy Partners LP/SunCoke Energy Partners Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    7.375     2/1/20        220,000        236,500  (a) 

Thompson Creek Metals Co. Inc., Senior Notes

    12.500     5/1/19        860,000        976,100   

Thompson Creek Metals Co. Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    9.750     12/1/17        660,000        744,975   

Total Metals & Mining

                            17,409,071   

Paper & Forest Products — 1.4%

                               

Appvion Inc., Secured Notes

    9.000     6/1/20        2,840,000        2,552,450  (a) 

Resolute Forest Products Inc., Senior Notes

    5.875     5/15/23        1,890,000        1,828,575   

Verso Paper Holdings LLC/Verso Paper Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    11.750     1/15/19        1,868,000        1,760,590   

Total Paper & Forest Products

                            6,141,615   

Total Materials

                            44,012,171   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

20    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  
Telecommunication Services — 9.6%                                

Diversified Telecommunication Services — 5.6%

                               

Cogent Communications Holdings Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    8.375     2/15/18        5,000,000      $ 5,300,000  (a) 

Intelsat Jackson Holdings SA, Senior Bonds

    5.500     8/1/23        2,860,000        2,860,000   

Intelsat Luxembourg SA, Senior Bonds

    8.125     6/1/23        2,930,000        3,186,375   

Level 3 Financing Inc., Senior Notes

    7.000     6/1/20        100,000        108,250   

Level 3 Financing Inc., Senior Notes

    8.625     7/15/20        1,930,000        2,147,125   

Level 3 Financing Inc., Senior Notes

    6.125     1/15/21        520,000        550,550  (a) 

TW Telecom Holdings Inc., Senior Notes

    5.375     10/1/22        1,630,000        1,778,737   

TW Telecom Holdings Inc., Senior Notes

    6.375     9/1/23        1,120,000        1,268,400   

Unitymedia KabelBW GmbH, Senior Secured Notes

    9.500     3/15/21        1,600,000  EUR      2,378,249  (a) 

Unitymedia KabelBW GmbH, Senior Secured Notes

    9.500     3/15/21        440,000  EUR      654,019  (b) 

Verizon Communications Inc., Senior Notes

    5.150     9/15/23        1,500,000        1,699,530   

Windstream Corp., Senior Notes

    7.750     10/1/21        720,000        788,400   

Windstream Corp., Senior Notes

    6.375     8/1/23        2,000,000        2,012,500   

Total Diversified Telecommunication Services

                            24,732,135   

Wireless Telecommunication Services — 4.0%

                               

Matterhorn Midco & Cy SCA, Senior Notes

    7.750     2/15/20        760,000  EUR      1,062,552  (a) 

NII Capital Corp., Senior Notes

    7.625     4/1/21        3,000,000        465,000  (f) 

Phones4u Finance PLC, Senior Secured Notes

    9.500     4/1/18        730,000  GBP      1,243,723  (a) 

Sprint Capital Corp., Senior Notes

    6.875     11/15/28        5,210,000        5,105,800   

Sprint Capital Corp., Senior Notes

    8.750     3/15/32        2,120,000        2,374,400   

Sprint Communications Inc., Senior Notes

    9.000     11/15/18        2,220,000        2,644,575  (a) 

Sprint Corp., Senior Notes

    7.875     9/15/23        2,310,000        2,483,250  (a) 

T-Mobile USA Inc., Senior Notes

    6.542     4/28/20        450,000        474,187   

T-Mobile USA Inc., Senior Notes

    6.125     1/15/22        390,000        405,600   

T-Mobile USA Inc., Senior Notes

    6.731     4/28/22        330,000        349,388   

VimpelCom Holdings BV, Senior Notes

    5.950     2/13/23        1,330,000        1,205,113  (a) 

Total Wireless Telecommunication Services

                            17,813,588   

Total Telecommunication Services

                            42,545,723   
Utilities — 3.4%                                

Electric Utilities — 1.5%

                               

FirstEnergy Corp., Notes

    7.375     11/15/31        1,260,000        1,534,267   

GenOn REMA LLC, Pass-Through Certificates

    9.237     7/2/17        141,540        151,094   

GenOn REMA LLC, Pass-Through Certificates

    9.681     7/2/26        1,820,000        1,983,800   

Midwest Generation LLC, Pass-Through Certificates

    8.560     1/2/16        321,761        333,424  (f) 

Northeast Generation Co., Senior Secured Notes

    8.812     10/15/26        2,513,672        2,681,505   

Total Electric Utilities

                            6,684,090   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   21


Schedule of investments (cont’d)

August 31, 2014

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers — 1.9%

  

                       

Atlantic Power Corp., Senior Notes

    9.000     11/15/18        780,000      $ 817,050   

Dynegy Roseton LLC/Dynegy Danskammer LLC Pass-Through Trust, Escrow Receipt

                  1,180,000        0  (c)(d)(i) 

First Wind Holdings Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    10.250     6/1/18        2,150,000        2,300,500  (a) 

Foresight Energy LLC/Foresight Energy Corp., Senior Notes

    7.875     8/15/21        1,410,000        1,505,175  (a) 

Mirant Mid Atlantic LLC, Pass-Through Certificates

    10.060     12/30/28        3,078,770        3,471,314   

Total Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers

  

                    8,094,039   

Total Utilities

                            14,778,129   

Total Corporate Bonds & Notes (Cost — $367,673,427)

  

                    386,008,677   
Convertible Bonds & Notes — 0.3%                                
Materials — 0.3%                                

Chemicals — 0.1%

                               

Hercules Inc., Junior Subordinated Bonds

    6.500     6/30/29        340,000        314,092   

Metals & Mining — 0.2%

                               

Mirabela Nickel Ltd., Senior Secured Bonds

    9.500     6/20/19        860,000        860,000  (a)(c)(d) 

Total Convertible Bonds & Notes (Cost — $1,172,059)

                            1,174,092   
Senior Loans — 1.9%                                
Consumer Discretionary — 0.6%                                

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 0.5%

                               

Equinox Holdings Inc., Second Lien Term Loan

    9.750     7/31/20        1,050,000        1,065,750  (j)(k) 

Stockbridge SBE Holdings LLC, Term Loan B

    13.000     5/2/17        1,075,000        1,179,813  (j)(k) 

Total Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure

                            2,245,563   

Specialty Retail — 0.1%

                               

Gymboree Corp., Initial Term Loan

    5.000     2/23/18        510,000        410,231  (j)(k)  

Total Consumer Discretionary

                            2,655,794   
Consumer Staples — 0.1%                                

Food Products — 0.1%

                               

AdvancePierre Foods Inc., Second Lien Term Loan

    9.500     10/10/17        450,000        440,250  (j)(k)  
Health Care — 0.4%                                

Health Care Providers & Services — 0.4%

                               

CRC Health Corp., Second Lien Term Loan

    9.000     9/28/21        890,000        897,416  (j)(k) 

Radnet Management Inc., Second Lien Term Loan

    8.000     3/25/21        1,100,000        1,106,875  (j)(k) 

Total Health Care

                            2,004,291   
Materials — 0.2%                                

Chemicals — 0.2%

                               

Kronos Inc., Second Lien Term Loan

    9.750     4/30/20        800,000        826,500  (j)(k)  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

22    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  
Utilities — 0.6%                                

Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers — 0.6%

  

                       

Energy Future Intermediate Holding Co. LLC, DIP Term Loan

    4.250     6/19/16        2,652,114      $ 2,665,099  (j)(k)  

Total Senior Loans (Cost — $8,476,345)

                            8,591,934   
Sovereign Bonds — 0.5%                                

Venezuela — 0.5%

                               

Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Senior Bonds (Cost — $2,002,042)

    9.250     9/15/27        2,650,000        2,100,125   
                   Shares         
Common Stocks — 3.1%                                
Consumer Discretionary — 0.4%                                

Automobiles — 0.4%

                               

Ford Motor Co.

                    105,433        1,835,588   

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 0.0%

                               

Bossier Casino Venture Holdco Inc.

                    68,957        137,914  *(c)(d) 

Total Consumer Discretionary

                            1,973,502   
Financials — 2.0%                                

Banks — 1.8%

                               

Barclays PLC, ADR

                    43,000        645,000   

Citigroup Inc.

                    119,668        6,180,852   

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

                    20,262        1,204,576   

Total Banks

                            8,030,428   

Real Estate Management & Development — 0.2%

                               

Realogy Holdings Corp.

                    14,675        598,300  * 

Total Financials

                            8,628,728   
Health Care — 0.1%                                

Health Care Providers & Services — 0.1%

                               

Physiotherapy Associates Holdings Inc.

                    13,300        638,400   *(c)(d) 
Industrials — 0.1%                                

Marine — 0.1%

                               

Horizon Lines Inc., Class A Shares

                    633,775        253,510  * 
Materials — 0.3%                                

Metals & Mining — 0.3%

                               

Freeport-McMoRan Inc.

                    32,000        1,163,840   

Mirabela Nickel Ltd.

                    2,742,654        230,535  

Total Materials

                            1,394,375   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   23


Schedule of investments (cont’d)

August 31, 2014

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

Security   Rate            Shares     Value  
Telecommunication Services — 0.2%                                

Wireless Telecommunication Services — 0.2%

                               

Vodafone Group PLC, Sponsored ADR

                    27,000      $ 927,180   

Total Common Stocks (Cost — $14,297,727)

                            13,815,695   
Preferred Stocks — 2.3%                                
Energy — 0.3%                                

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — 0.3%

                               

Rex Energy Corp.

    6.000             5,500        601,249   

SandRidge Energy Inc.

    8.500             7,400        754,800   

Total Energy

                            1,356,049   
Financials — 2.0%                                

Consumer Finance — 2.0%

                               

GMAC Capital Trust I

    8.125             319,200        8,580,096  (g)  

Total Preferred Stocks (Cost — $9,139,349)

                            9,936,145   
            Expiration
Date
    Warrants         
Warrants — 0.1%                                

Jack Cooper Holdings Corp.

            12/15/17        1,686        261,330  *(a) 

Jack Cooper Holdings Corp.

            5/6/18        846        131,130  *(a) 

Total Warrants (Cost — $46,253)

                            392,460   

Total Investments before Short-Term Investments (Cost — $402,807,202)

  

            422,019,128   
            Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
        
Short-Term Investments — 1.3%                                

Repurchase Agreements — 1.3%

                               

Goldman Sachs & Co. repurchase agreement
dated 8/29/14; Proceeds at maturity — $5,900,026;
(Fully collateralized by U.S. government agency obligations,
1.660% due 12/10/18; Market value — $6,022,500)
(Cost — $5,900,000)

    0.040     9/2/14        5,900,000        5,900,000   

Total Investments — 96.9% (Cost — $408,707,202#)

                            427,919,128   

Other Assets in Excess of Liabilities — 3.1%

                            13,613,851   

Total Net Assets — 100.0%

                          $ 441,532,979   

 

Face amount denominated in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.

 

* Non-income producing security.

 

(a) 

Security is exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. This security may be resold in transactions that are exempt from registration, normally to qualified institutional buyers. This security has been deemed liquid pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board of Directors, unless otherwise noted.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

24    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

 

(b) 

Security is exempt from registration under Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933. Regulation S applies to securities offerings that are made outside of the United States and do not involve direct selling efforts in the United States. This security has been deemed liquid pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board of Directors, unless otherwise noted.

 

(c) 

Illiquid security (unaudited).

 

(d) 

Security is valued in good faith in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Directors (See Note 1).

 

(e) 

Payment-in-kind security for which the issuer has the option at each interest payment date of making interest payments in cash or additional debt securities.

 

(f) 

The coupon payment on these securities is currently in default as of August 31, 2014.

 

(g) 

Variable rate security. Interest rate disclosed is as of the most recent information available.

 

(h) 

Security has no maturity date. The date shown represents the next call date.

 

(i) 

Value is less than $1.

 

(j) 

Interest rates disclosed represent the effective rates on senior loans. Ranges in interest rates are attributable to multiple contracts under the same loan.

 

(k) 

Senior loans may be considered restricted in that the Fund ordinarily is contractually obligated to receive approval from the agent bank and/or borrower prior to the disposition of a senior loan.

 

# Aggregate cost for federal income tax purposes is $409,915,797.

 

Abbreviations used in this schedule:

ADR   — American Depositary Receipts
AUD   — Australian Dollar
EUR   — Euro
GBP   — British Pound

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   25


Statement of assets and liabilities

August 31, 2014

 

Assets:         

Investments, at value (Cost — $408,707,202)

   $ 427,919,128   

Foreign currency, at value (Cost — $3,038,775)

     3,003,654   

Cash

     1,270,063   

Interest and dividends receivable

     8,492,693   

Receivable for securities sold

     1,089,768   

Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency contracts

     749,448   

Deposits with brokers for open futures contracts

     235,994   

Receivable from broker — variation margin on open futures contracts

     9,625   

Prepaid expenses

     18,610   

Total Assets

     442,788,983   
Liabilities:         

Payable for securities purchased

     827,167   

Investment management fee payable

     299,466   

Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency contracts

     20,786   

Directors’ fees payable

     3,896   

Accrued expenses

     104,689   

Total Liabilities

     1,256,004   
Total Net Assets    $ 441,532,979   
Net Assets:         

Par value ($0.001 par value, 22,783,370 shares issued and outstanding; 100,000,000 shares authorized)

   $ 22,783   

Paid-in capital in excess of par value

     430,805,546   

Overdistributed net investment income

     (798,129)   

Accumulated net realized loss on investments, futures contracts, swap contracts and foreign currency transactions

     (8,318,739)   

Net unrealized appreciation on investments, futures contracts and foreign currencies

     19,821,518   
Total Net Assets    $ 441,532,979   
Shares Outstanding      22,783,370   
Net Asset Value      $19.38   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

26    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


Statement of operations

For the Year Ended August 31, 2014

 

Investment Income:         

Interest

   $ 34,505,093   

Dividends

     768,226   

Less: Foreign taxes withheld

     (952)   

Total Investment Income

     35,272,367   
Expenses:         

Investment management fee (Note 2)

     3,546,454   

Transfer agent fees

     91,440   

Directors’ fees

     75,182   

Audit and tax fees

     53,840   

Fund accounting fees

     44,123   

Shareholder reports

     39,370   

Legal fees

     37,138   

Stock exchange listing fees

     25,533   

Custody fees

     10,643   

Insurance

     9,651   

Miscellaneous expenses

     11,666   

Total Expenses

     3,945,040   
Net Investment Income      31,327,327   
Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments, Futures Contracts, Swap Contracts and Foreign Currency Transactions (Notes 1, 3 and 4):         

Net Realized Gain (Loss) From:

        

Investment transactions

     2,832,473   

Futures contracts

     (663,463)   

Swap contracts

     (485,604)   

Foreign currency transactions

     (1,374,645)   

Net Realized Gain

     308,761   

Change in Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) From:

        

Investments

     9,313,043   

Futures contracts

     (51,795)   

Foreign currencies

     509,759   

Change in Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

     9,771,007   
Net Gain on Investments, Futures Contracts, Swap Contracts and Foreign Currency Transactions      10,079,768   
Increase in Net Assets from Operations    $ 41,407,095   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   27


Statements of changes in net assets

 

 

For the Years Ended August 31,   2014      2013  
Operations:                 

Net investment income

  $ 31,327,327       $ 33,941,077   

Net realized gain

    308,761         1,208,164   

Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

    9,771,007         17,399,439   

Increase in Net Assets From Operations

    41,407,095         52,548,680   
Distributions to Shareholders From (Note 1):                 

Net investment income

    (31,004,725)         (37,002,645)   

Return of capital

    (2,145,078)         (547,747)   

Decrease in Net Assets From Distributions to Shareholders

    (33,149,803)         (37,550,392)   
Fund Share Transactions:                 

Reinvestment of distributions (0 and 85,683 shares issued, respectively)

            1,599,466   

Increase in Net Assets From Fund Share Transactions

            1,599,466   

Increase in Net Assets

    8,257,292         16,597,754   
Net Assets:                 

Beginning of year

    433,275,687         416,677,933   

End of year*

  $ 441,532,979       $ 433,275,687   

*Includes overdistributed net investment income of:

    $(798,129)         $(274,044)   

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

28    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


Financial highlights

 

For a share of capital stock outstanding throughout each year ended August 31, unless otherwise noted:  
     20141     20131     20121     20111,2  
Net asset value, beginning of year     $19.02        $18.36        $17.93        $19.06 3 
Income (loss) from operations:        

Net investment income

    1.38        1.49        1.63        1.33   

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    0.44        0.82        0.56        (1.14)   

Total income from operations

    1.82        2.31        2.19        0.19   
Less distributions from:        

Net investment income

    (1.37)        (1.63)        (1.67)        (1.32)   

Net realized gains

                  (0.09)          

Return of capital

    (0.09)        (0.02)                 

Total distributions

    (1.46)        (1.65)        (1.76)        (1.32)   
Net asset value, end of year     $19.38        $19.02        $18.36        $17.93   
Market price, end of year     $17.17        $17.65        $19.74        $18.43   

Total return, based on NAV4,5

    9.80     12.89     13.16     0.90

Total return, based on Market Price6

    5.54     (2.25)     18.40     (1.16)
Net assets, end of year (millions)     $442        $433        $417        $401   
Ratios to average net assets:        

Gross expenses

    0.89     0.88     0.89     0.93 %7 

Net expenses8

    0.89        0.88        0.89        0.91 7,9 

Net investment income

    7.07        7.77        9.22        8.11 7 
Portfolio turnover rate     42     55     53     56

 

1 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

2 

For the period October 27, 2010 (inception date) through August 31, 2011.

 

3 

Initial public offering price of $20.00 per share less offering costs and sales load totaling $0.94 per share.

 

4 

Performance figures may reflect compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

5 

The total return calculation assumes that distributions are reinvested at NAV. Prior to January 1, 2012, the total return calculation assumed the reinvestment of all distributions in accordance with the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

6 

The total return calculation assumes that distributions are reinvested in accordance with the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

7 

Annualized.

 

8 

The impact of compensating balance arrangements, if any, was less than 0.01%.

 

9 

The investment manager has agreed to reimburse all organizational expenses.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   29


Notes to financial statements

 

1. Organization and significant accounting policies

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. (the “Fund”) was incorporated in Maryland on July 20, 2010 and is registered as a non-diversified, limited-term, closed-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Fund’s primary investment objective is to provide high income. As a secondary investment objective, the Fund will seek capital appreciation. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets in a portfolio of high-yield corporate fixed income securities with varying maturities. The Fund intends to liquidate on or about September 30, 2025 and distribute substantially all of its net assets to stockholders, after making appropriate provisions for any liabilities of the Fund.

The following are significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund and are in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Estimates and assumptions are required to be made regarding assets, liabilities and changes in net assets resulting from operations when financial statements are prepared. Changes in the economic environment, financial markets and any other parameters used in determining these estimates could cause actual results to differ. Subsequent events have been evaluated through the date the financial statements were issued.

(a) Investment valuation. The valuations for fixed income securities (which may include, but are not limited to, corporate, government, municipal, mortgage-backed, collateralized mortgage obligations and asset-backed securities) and certain derivative instruments are typically the prices supplied by independent third party pricing services, which may use market prices or broker/dealer quotations or a variety of valuation techniques and methodologies. The independent third party pricing services use inputs that are observable such as issuer details, interest rates, yield curves, prepayment speeds, credit risks/spreads, default rates and quoted prices for similar securities. Short-term fixed income securities that will mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, unless it is determined that using this method would not reflect an investment’s fair value. Futures contracts are valued daily at the settlement price established by the board of trade or exchange on which they are traded. Equity securities for which market quotations are available are valued at the last reported sales price or official closing price on the primary market or exchange on which they trade. When the Fund holds securities or other assets that are denominated in a foreign currency, the Fund will normally use the currency exchange rates as of 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). If independent third party pricing services are unable to supply prices for a portfolio investment, or if the prices supplied are deemed by the manager to be unreliable, the market price may be determined by the manager using quotations from one or more broker/dealers or at the transaction price if the security has recently been purchased and no value has yet been obtained from a pricing service or pricing broker. When reliable prices are not readily available, such as when the value of a security has been significantly affected by events after the close of the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded, but before the Fund calculates its net asset value, the Fund values these securities as determined in accordance with procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Directors.

 

30    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


The Board of Directors is responsible for the valuation process and has delegated the supervision of the daily valuation process to the Legg Mason North American Fund Valuation Committee (the “Valuation Committee”). The Valuation Committee, pursuant to the policies adopted by the Board of Directors, is responsible for making fair value determinations, evaluating the effectiveness of the Fund’s pricing policies, and reporting to the Board of Directors. When determining the reliability of third party pricing information for investments owned by the Fund, the Valuation Committee, among other things, conducts due diligence reviews of pricing vendors, monitors the daily change in prices and reviews transactions among market participants.

The Valuation Committee will consider pricing methodologies it deems relevant and appropriate when making fair value determinations. Examples of possible methodologies include, but are not limited to, multiple of earnings; discount from market of a similar freely traded security; discounted cash-flow analysis; book value or a multiple thereof; risk premium/yield analysis; yield to maturity; and/or fundamental investment analysis. The Valuation Committee will also consider factors it deems relevant and appropriate in light of the facts and circumstances. Examples of possible factors include, but are not limited to, the type of security; the issuer’s financial statements; the purchase price of the security; the discount from market value of unrestricted securities of the same class at the time of purchase; analysts’ research and observations from financial institutions; information regarding any transactions or offers with respect to the security; the existence of merger proposals or tender offers affecting the security; the price and extent of public trading in similar securities of the issuer or comparable companies; and the existence of a shelf registration for restricted securities.

For each portfolio security that has been fair valued pursuant to the policies adopted by the Board of Directors, the fair value price is compared against the last available and next available market quotations. The Valuation Committee reviews the results of such back testing monthly and fair valuation occurrences are reported to the Board of Directors quarterly.

The Fund uses valuation techniques to measure fair value that are consistent with the market approach and/or income approach, depending on the type of security and the particular circumstance. The market approach uses prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical or comparable securities. The income approach uses valuation techniques to discount estimated future cash flows to present value.

GAAP establishes a disclosure hierarchy that categorizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to value assets and liabilities at measurement date. These inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below:

 

Ÿ  

Level 1 — quoted prices in active markets for identical investments

 

Ÿ  

Level 2 — other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar investments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.)

 

Ÿ  

Level 3 — significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments)

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   31


Notes to financial statements (cont’d)

 

The inputs or methodologies used to value securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

The following is a summary of the inputs used in valuing the Fund’s assets and liabilities carried at fair value:

 

ASSETS  
Description   Quoted Prices
(Level 1)
    Other Significant
Observable Inputs
(Level 2)
    Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
    Total  
Long-term investments†:                                

Corporate bonds & notes:

                               

Consumer discretionary

         $ 80,826,125      $ 1,427,563      $ 82,253,688   

Utilities

           14,778,129        0     14,778,129   

Other corporate bonds & notes

           288,976,860               288,976,860   

Convertible bonds & notes

           314,092        860,000        1,174,092   

Senior loans

           8,591,934               8,591,934   

Sovereign bonds

           2,100,125               2,100,125   

Common stocks:

                               

Consumer discretionary

  $ 1,835,588               137,914        1,973,502   

Health care

                  638,400        638,400   

Other common stocks

    11,203,793                      11,203,793   

Preferred stocks

    9,936,145                      9,936,145   

Warrants

           392,460               392,460   
Total long-term investments   $ 22,975,526      $ 395,979,725      $ 3,063,877      $ 422,019,128   
Short-term investments†            5,900,000               5,900,000   
Total investments   $ 22,975,526      $ 401,879,725      $ 3,063,877      $ 427,919,128   
Other financial instruments:                                

Forward foreign currency contracts

         $ 749,448             $ 749,448   
Total   $ 22,975,526      $ 402,629,173      $ 3,063,877      $ 428,668,576   

 

LIABILITIES  
Description   Quoted Prices
(Level 1)
    Other Significant
Observable Inputs
(Level 2)
    Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
  Total  
Other financial instruments:                            

Futures contracts

  $ 52,133               $ 52,133   

Forward foreign currency contracts

         $ 20,786          20,786   
Total   $ 52,133      $ 20,786        $ 72,919   

 

See Schedule of Investments for additional detailed categorizations.

 

* Amount represents less than $1.

(b) Repurchase agreements. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with institutions that its investment adviser has determined are creditworthy. Each repurchase agreement is recorded at cost. Under the terms of a typical repurchase agreement, the Fund acquires a debt security subject to an obligation of the seller to repurchase, and of the Fund

 

32    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


to resell, the security at an agreed-upon price and time, thereby determining the yield during the Fund’s holding period. When entering into repurchase agreements, it is the Fund’s policy that its custodian or a third party custodian, acting on the Fund’s behalf, take possession of the underlying collateral securities, the market value of which, at all times, at least equals the principal amount of the repurchase transaction, including accrued interest. To the extent that any repurchase transaction maturity exceeds one business day, the value of the collateral is marked-to-market and measured against the value of the agreement in an effort to ensure the adequacy of the collateral. If the counterparty defaults, the Fund generally has the right to use the collateral to satisfy the terms of the repurchase transaction. However, if the market value of the collateral declines during the period in which the Fund seeks to assert its rights or if bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller of the security, realization of the collateral by the Fund may be delayed or limited.

(c) Futures contracts. The Fund uses futures contracts generally to gain exposure to, or hedge against, changes in interest rates or gain exposure to, or hedge against, changes in certain asset classes. A futures contract represents a commitment for the future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a specified date.

Upon entering into a futures contract, the Fund is required to deposit cash or cash equivalents with a broker in an amount equal to a certain percentage of the contract amount. This is known as the ‘‘initial margin’’ and subsequent payments (‘‘variation margin’’) are made or received by the Fund each day, depending on the daily fluctuation in the value of the contract. For certain futures, including foreign denominated futures, variation margin is not settled daily, but is recorded as a net variation margin payable or receivable. Futures contracts are valued daily at the settlement price established by the board of trade or exchange on which they are traded. The daily changes in contract value are recorded as unrealized gains or losses in the Statement of Operations and the Fund recognizes a realized gain or loss when the contract is closed.

Futures contracts involve, to varying degrees, risk of loss in excess of the amounts reflected in the financial statements. In addition, there is the risk that the Fund may not be able to enter into a closing transaction because of an illiquid secondary market.

(d) Swap agreements. The Fund may invest in swaps for the purpose of managing its exposure to interest rate, credit or market risk, or for other purposes, including to increase the Fund’s return. The use of swaps involves risks that are different from those associated with other portfolio transactions. Swap agreements are privately negotiated in the over-the-counter market (“OTC Swaps”) or may be executed on a registered exchange (“Centrally Cleared Swaps”). Unlike Centrally Cleared Swaps, the Fund has credit exposure to the counterparties of OTC Swaps.

Swap contracts are marked-to-market daily and changes in value are recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation). The daily change in valuation of Centrally Cleared Swaps, if any, is recorded as a receivable or payable for variation margin on the Statement of Assets

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   33


Notes to financial statements (cont’d)

 

and Liabilities. Gains or losses are realized upon termination of the swap agreement. Collateral, in the form of restricted cash or securities, may be required to be held in segregated accounts with the Fund’s custodian in compliance with the terms of the swap contracts. Securities posted as collateral for swap contracts are identified in the Schedule of Investments and restricted cash, if any, is identified on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Risks may exceed amounts recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. These risks include changes in the returns of the underlying instruments, failure of the counterparties to perform under the contracts’ terms, and the possible lack of liquidity with respect to the swap agreements.

OTC swap payments received or made at the beginning of the measurement period are reflected as a premium or deposit, respectively, on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. These upfront payments are amortized over the life of the swap and are recognized as realized gain or loss in the Statement of Operations. Net periodic payments received or paid by the Fund are recognized as a realized gain or loss in the Statement of Operations.

The Fund’s maximum exposure in the event of a defined credit event on a credit default swap to sell protection is the notional amount. As of August 31, 2014, the Fund did not hold any credit default swaps to sell protection.

For average notional amounts of swaps held during the year ended August 31, 2014, see Note 4.

Credit default swaps

The Fund may enter into credit default swap (“CDS”) contracts for investment purposes, to manage its credit risk or to add leverage. CDS agreements involve one party making a stream of payments to another party in exchange for the right to receive a specified return in the event of a default by a third party, typically corporate or sovereign issuers, on a specified obligation, or in the event of a write-down, principal shortfall, interest shortfall or default of all or part of the referenced entities comprising a credit index. The Fund may use a CDS to provide protection against defaults of the issuers (i.e., to reduce risk where the Fund has exposure to an issuer) or to take an active long or short position with respect to the likelihood of a particular issuer’s default. As a seller of protection, the Fund generally receives an upfront payment or a stream of payments throughout the term of the swap provided that there is no credit event. If the Fund is a seller of protection and a credit event occurs, as defined under the terms of that particular swap agreement, the maximum potential amount of future payments (undiscounted) that the Fund could be required to make under a credit default swap agreement would be an amount equal to the notional amount of the agreement. These amounts of potential payments will be partially offset by any recovery of values from the respective referenced obligations. As a seller of protection, the Fund effectively adds leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund is subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap. As a buyer of protection, the Fund generally receives an amount up to the notional value of the swap if a credit event occurs.

 

34    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


Implied spreads are the theoretical prices a lender receives for credit default protection. When spreads rise, market perceived credit risk rises and when spreads fall, market perceived credit risk falls. The implied credit spread of a particular referenced entity reflects the cost of buying/selling protection and may include upfront payments required to enter into the agreement. Wider credit spreads and decreasing market values, when compared to the notional amount of the swap, represent a deterioration of the referenced entity’s credit soundness and a greater likelihood or risk of default or other credit event occurring as defined under the terms of the agreement. Credit spreads utilized in determining the period end market value of credit default swap agreements on corporate or sovereign issues are disclosed in the Notes to Financial Statements and serve as an indicator of the current status of the payment/performance risk and represent the likelihood or risk of default for credit derivatives. For credit default swap agreements on asset-backed securities and credit indices, the quoted market prices and resulting values, particularly in relation to the notional amount of the contract as well as the annual payment rate, serve as an indication of the current status of the payment/performance risk.

The Fund’s maximum risk of loss from counterparty risk, as the protection buyer, is the fair value of the contract (this risk is mitigated by the posting of collateral by the counterparty to the Fund to cover the Fund’s exposure to the counterparty). As the protection seller, the Fund’s maximum risk is the notional amount of the contract. Credit default swaps are considered to have credit risk-related contingent features since they require payment by the protection seller to the protection buyer upon the occurrence of a defined credit event.

Entering into a CDS agreement involves, to varying degrees, elements of credit, market and documentation risk in excess of the related amounts recognized on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Such risks involve the possibility that there will be no liquid market for these agreements, that the counterparty to the agreement may default on its obligation to perform or disagree as to the meaning of the contractual terms in the agreement, and that there will be unfavorable changes in net interest rates.

(e) Forward foreign currency contracts. The Fund enters into a forward foreign currency contract to hedge against foreign currency exchange rate risk on its non-U.S. dollar denominated securities or to facilitate settlement of a foreign currency denominated portfolio transaction. A forward foreign currency contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a currency at a set price with delivery and settlement at a future date. The contract is marked-to-market daily and the change in value is recorded by the Fund as an unrealized gain or loss. When a forward foreign currency contract is closed, through either delivery or offset by entering into another forward foreign currency contract, the Fund recognizes a realized gain or loss equal to the difference between the value of the contract at the time it was opened and the value of the contract at the time it is closed.

Forward foreign currency contracts involve elements of market risk in excess of the amounts reflected on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The Fund bears the risk of an unfavorable change in the foreign exchange rate underlying the forward foreign currency

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   35


Notes to financial statements (cont’d)

 

contract. Risks may also arise upon entering into these contracts from the potential inability of the counterparties to meet the terms of their contracts.

(f) Foreign currency translation. Investment securities and other assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollar amounts based upon prevailing exchange rates on the date of valuation. Purchases and sales of investment securities and income and expense items denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollar amounts based upon prevailing exchange rates on the respective dates of such transactions.

The Fund does not isolate that portion of the results of operations resulting from fluctuations in foreign exchange rates on investments from the fluctuations arising from changes in market prices of securities held. Such fluctuations are included with the net realized and unrealized gain or loss on investments.

Net realized foreign exchange gains or losses arise from sales of foreign currencies, including gains and losses on forward foreign currency contracts, currency gains or losses realized between the trade and settlement dates on securities transactions, and the difference between the amounts of dividends, interest, and foreign withholding taxes recorded on the Fund’s books and the U.S. dollar equivalent of the amounts actually received or paid. Net unrealized foreign exchange gains and losses arise from changes in the values of assets and liabilities, other than investments in securities, on the date of valuation, resulting from changes in exchange rates.

Foreign security and currency transactions may involve certain considerations and risks not typically associated with those of U.S. dollar denominated transactions as a result of, among other factors, the possibility of lower levels of governmental supervision and regulation of foreign securities markets and the possibility of political or economic instability.

(g) Loan participations. The Fund may invest in loans arranged through private negotiation between one or more financial institutions. The Fund’s investment in any such loan may be in the form of a participation in or an assignment of the loan. In connection with purchasing participations, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement related to the loan, or any rights of off-set against the borrower and the Fund may not benefit directly from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the participation.

The Fund assumes the credit risk of the borrower, the lender that is selling the participation and any other persons interpositioned between the Fund and the borrower. In the event of the insolvency of the lender selling the participation, the Fund may be treated as a general creditor of the lender and may not benefit from any off-set between the lender and the borrower.

(h) Credit and market risk. The Fund invests in high-yield and emerging market instruments that are subject to certain credit and market risks. The yields of high-yield and emerging market debt obligations reflect, among other things, perceived credit and market

 

36    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


risks. The Fund’s investments in securities rated below investment grade typically involve risks not associated with higher rated securities including, among others, greater risk related to timely and ultimate payment of interest and principal, greater market price volatility and less liquid secondary market trading. The consequences of political, social, economic or diplomatic changes may have disruptive effects on the market prices of investments held by the Fund. The Fund’s investments in non-U.S. dollar denominated securities may also result in foreign currency losses caused by devaluations and exchange rate fluctuations.

(i) Foreign investment risks. The Fund’s investments in foreign securities may involve risks not present in domestic investments. Since securities may be denominated in foreign currencies, may require settlement in foreign currencies or pay interest or dividends in foreign currencies, changes in the relationship of these foreign currencies to the U.S. dollar can significantly affect the value of the investments and earnings of the Fund. Foreign investments may also subject the Fund to foreign government exchange restrictions, expropriation, taxation or other political, social or economic developments, all of which affect the market and/or credit risk of the investments.

(j) Counterparty risk and credit-risk-related contingent features of derivative instruments. The Fund may invest in certain securities or engage in other transactions, where the Fund is exposed to counterparty credit risk in addition to broader market risks. The Fund may invest in securities of issuers, which may also be considered counterparties as trading partners in other transactions. This may increase the risk of loss in the event of default or bankruptcy by the counterparty or if the counterparty otherwise fails to meet its contractual obligations. The Fund’s investment manager attempts to mitigate counterparty risk by (i) periodically assessing the creditworthiness of its trading partners, (ii) monitoring and/or limiting the amount of its net exposure to each individual counterparty based on its assessment and (iii) requiring collateral from the counterparty for certain transactions. Market events and changes in overall economic conditions may impact the assessment of such counterparty risk by the investment manager. In addition, declines in the values of underlying collateral received may expose the Fund to increased risk of loss.

The Fund has entered into master agreements with certain of its derivative counterparties that provide for general obligations, representations, agreements, collateral, events of default or termination and credit related contingent features. The credit related contingent features include, but are not limited to, a percentage decrease in the Fund’s net assets or NAV over a specified period of time. If these credit related contingent features were triggered, the derivatives counterparty could terminate the positions and demand payment or require additional collateral.

Collateral requirements differ by type of derivative. Collateral or margin requirements are set by the broker or exchange clearinghouse for exchange traded derivatives while collateral terms are contract specific for over-the-counter traded derivatives. Cash collateral that has been pledged to cover obligations of the Fund under derivative contracts, if any,

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   37


Notes to financial statements (cont’d)

 

will be reported separately in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Securities pledged as collateral, if any, for the same purpose are noted in the Schedule of Investments.

Absent an event of default by the counterparty or a termination of the agreement, the terms of the master agreements do not result in an offset of reported amounts of financial assets and financial liabilities in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities across transactions between the Fund and the applicable counterparty. The enforceability of the right to offset may vary by jurisdiction.

As of August 31, 2014, the Fund held forward foreign currency contracts with credit related contingent features which had a liability position of $20,786. If a contingent feature in the master agreements would have been triggered, the Fund would have been required to pay this amount to its derivatives counterparties.

(k) Security transactions and investment income. Security transactions are accounted for on a trade date basis. Interest income, adjusted for amortization of premium and accretion of discount, is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Foreign dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date or as soon as practicable after the Fund determines the existence of a dividend declaration after exercising reasonable due diligence. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method. To the extent any issuer defaults or a credit event occurs that impacts the issuer, the Fund may halt any additional interest income accruals and consider the realizability of interest accrued up to the date of default or credit event.

(l) Distributions to shareholders. Distributions from net investment income of the Fund, if any, are declared quarterly and paid on a monthly basis. Distributions of net realized gains, if any, are declared at least annually. Distributions to shareholders of the Fund are recorded on the ex-dividend date and are determined in accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP.

(m) Compensating balance arrangements. The Fund has an arrangement with its custodian bank whereby a portion of the custodian’s fees is paid indirectly by credits earned on the Fund’s cash on deposit with the bank.

(n) Federal and other taxes. It is the Fund’s policy to comply with the federal income and excise tax requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”), as amended, applicable to regulated investment companies. Accordingly, the Fund intends to distribute its taxable income and net realized gains, if any, to shareholders in accordance with timing requirements imposed by the Code. Therefore, no federal or state income tax provision is required in the Fund’s financial statements.

Management has analyzed the Fund’s tax positions taken on income tax returns for all open tax years and has concluded that as of August 31, 2014, no provision for income tax is required in the Fund’s financial statements. The Fund’s federal and state income and federal excise tax returns for tax years for which the applicable statutes of limitations have not expired are subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service and state departments of revenue.

 

38    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


Under the applicable foreign tax laws, a withholding tax may be imposed on interest, dividends and capital gains at various rates.

(o) Reclassification. GAAP requires that certain components of net assets be reclassified to reflect permanent differences between financial and tax reporting. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset values per share. During the current year, the following reclassifications have been made:

 

        Overdistributed Net
Investment Income
       Accumulated Net
Realized Loss
 
(a)      $ (846,687)        $ 846,687  

 

(a) 

Reclassifications are primarily due to foreign currency transactions treated as ordinary income for tax purposes, differences between book and tax amortization of premium on fixed income securities and book/tax differences in the treatment of swap contracts.

2. Investment management agreement and other transactions with affiliates

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA”) is the Fund’s investment manager. Western Asset Management Company (“Western Asset”) is the Fund’s subadviser. Western Asset Management Company Pte. Ltd. (“Western Singapore”), Western Asset Management Company Ltd (“Western Japan”) and Western Asset Management Company Limited (“Western Asset Limited”) serve as additional subadvisers to the Fund, under additional subadvisory agreements with Western Asset. LMPFA, Western Asset, Western Singapore, Western Japan and Western Asset Limited are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”).

LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the Fund. The Fund pays LMPFA an investment management fee, calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of 0.80% of the Fund’s average weekly net assets.

LMPFA delegates to Western Asset the day-to-day portfolio management of the Fund. Western Singapore, Western Japan and Western Asset Limited provide certain advisory services to the Fund relating to currency transactions and investment in non-U.S. dollar denominated debt securities. For its services, LMPFA pays Western Asset 70% of the net management fee it receives from the Fund. In turn, Western Asset pays Western Singapore, Western Japan and Western Asset Limited a fee for their services at no additional expense to the Fund. Each of Western Singapore, Western Japan and Western Asset Limited receives a fee from Western Asset, payable monthly, in an amount equal to 0.56% of the Fund’s fee paid to LMPFA by the Fund related to the Fund’s assets that Western Asset allocates to Western Singapore, Western Japan and Western Asset Limited, respectively, to manage.

All officers and one Director of the Fund are employees of Legg Mason or its affiliates and do not receive compensation from the Fund.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   39


Notes to financial statements (cont’d)

 

3. Investments

During the year ended August 31, 2014, the aggregate cost of purchases and proceeds from sales of investments (excluding short-term investments) and U.S Government & Agency Obligations were as follows:

 

        Investments        U.S. Government &
Agency Obligations
 
Purchases      $ 178,649,010         $ 237,244   
Sales        192,681,764           238,650   

At August 31, 2014, the aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments for federal income tax purposes were as follows:

 

Gross unrealized appreciation      $ 27,941,004   
Gross unrealized depreciation        (9,937,673)   
Net unrealized appreciation      $ 18,003,331   

At August 31, 2014, the Fund had the following open futures contracts:

 

      Number of
Contracts
     Expiration
Date
     Basis
Value
     Market
Value
     Unrealized
Depreciation
 
Contracts to Sell:                                             
U.S. Treasury 10-Year Notes      154         12/14       $ 19,318,179       $ 19,370,312       $ (52,133)   

At August 31, 2014, the Fund had the following open forward foreign currency contracts:

 

Foreign Currency   Counterparty   Local
Currency
    Market
Value
    Settlement
Date
    Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 
Contracts to Buy:                                    
British Pound   Cititbank, N.A.     500,000      $ 829,578        11/14/14      $ 1,020   
Euro   JPMorgan Chase & Co     1,000,000        1,314,574        11/14/14        (20,786)   
                                  (19,766)   
Contracts to Sell:                                    
British Pound   Cititbank, N.A.     689,056        1,143,251        11/14/14        13,367   
British Pound   Credit Suisse     2,669,820        4,429,647        11/14/14        62,499   
British Pound   UBS AG     1,633,773        2,710,684        11/14/14        40,899   
Euro   Cititbank, N.A.     3,500,959        4,602,269        11/14/14        87,606   
Euro   Credit Suisse     7,294,925        9,589,716        11/14/14        164,620   
Euro   JPMorgan Chase & Co     6,274,709        8,248,567        11/14/14        157,310   
Euro   UBS AG     9,334,072        12,270,324        11/14/14        222,127   
                                  748,428   
Net unrealized appreciation on open forward foreign currency contracts              $ 728,662   

4. Derivative instruments and hedging activities

GAAP requires enhanced disclosure about an entity’s derivative and hedging activities.

Below is a table, grouped by derivative type, that provides information about the fair value and the location of derivatives within the Statement of Assets and Liabilities at August 31, 2014.

 

40    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


ASSET DERIVATIVES1  
      Foreign
Exchange Risk
 
Forward foreign currency contracts    $ 749,448   

 

LIABILITY DERIVATIVES1  
      Interest
Rate Risk
     Foreign
Exchange Risk
     Total  
Futures contracts2    $ 52,133               $ 52,133   
Forward foreign currency contracts            $ 20,786         20,786   
Total    $ 52,133       $ 20,786       $ 72,919   

 

1 

Generally, the balance sheet location for asset derivatives is receivables/net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) and for liability derivatives is payables/net unrealized appreciation (depreciation).

 

2 

Includes cumulative appreciation (depreciation) of futures contracts as reported in the footnotes. Only variation margin is reported within the receivables and/or payables on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

The following tables provide information about the effect of derivatives and hedging activities on the Fund’s Statement of Operations for the year ended August 31, 2014. The first table provides additional detail about the amounts and sources of gains (losses) realized on derivatives during the period. The second table provides additional information about the change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) resulting from the Fund’s derivatives and hedging activities during the period.

 

AMOUNT OF REALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON DERIVATIVES RECOGNIZED  
      Interest
Rate Risk
     Foreign
Exchange Risk
     Credit Risk      Total  
Futures contracts    $ (663,463)                       $ (663,463)   
Swap contracts                    $ (485,604)         (485,604)   
Forward foreign currency contracts1            $ (1,379,160)                 (1,379,160)   
Total    $ (663,463)       $ (1,379,160)       $ (485,604)       $ (2,528,227)   

 

1 

Net realized gain (loss) from forward foreign currency contracts is reported in net realized gain (loss) from foreign currency transactions in the Statement of Operations.

 

CHANGE IN UNREALIZED APPRECIATION (DEPRECIATION) ON DERIVATIVES RECOGNIZED  
      Interest
Rate Risk
     Foreign
Exchange Risk
     Total  
Futures contracts    $ (51,795)               $ (51,795)   
Forward foreign currency contracts1            $ 576,764         576,764   
Total    $ (51,795)       $ 576,764       $ 524,969   

 

1 

The change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) from forward foreign currency contracts is reported in the change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) from foreign currencies in the Statement of Operations.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   41


Notes to financial statements (cont’d)

 

During the year ended August 31, 2014, the volume of derivative activity for the Fund was as follows:

 

        Average Market
Value
 
Futures contracts (to buy)†      $ 617,038   
Futures contracts (to sell)        14,279,697   
Forward foreign currency contracts (to buy)        1,746,846   
Forward foreign currency contracts (to sell)        50,762,673   
        Average Notional
Balance
 
Credit default swap contracts (to buy protection)†      $ 11,728,085   

 

At August 31, 2014, there were no open positions held in this derivative.

The following table presents by financial instrument, the Fund’s derivative assets net of the related collateral received by the Fund at August 31, 2014:

 

      Gross Amount of Derivative
Assets in the Statement of
Assets and Liabilities1
     Collateral
Received
     Net
Amount
 
Futures contracts2    $ 9,625               $ 9,625   
Forward foreign currency contracts      749,448                 749,448   
Total    $ 759,073               $ 759,073   

The following table presents by financial instrument, the Fund’s derivative liabilities net of the related collateral pledged by the Fund at August 31, 2014:

 

      Gross Amount of Derivative
Liabilities in the Statement  of
Assets and Liabilities1
     Collateral
Pledged
     Net
Amount
 
Forward foreign currency contracts    $ 20,786               $ 20,786   

 

1 

Absent an event of default or early termination, derivative assets and liabilities are presented gross and not offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

 

2 

Amount represents the current day’s variation margin as reported in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. It differs from the cumulative appreciation (depreciation) presented in the previous table.

5. Distributions subsequent to August 31, 2014

The following distributions have been declared by the Fund’s Board of Directors and are payable subsequent to the period end of this report:

 

Record Date      Payable Date        Amount  
9/19/14        9/26/14         $ 0.1100   
10/24/14        10/31/14         $ 0.1100   
11/21/14        11/28/14         $ 0.1100   

 

42    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


6. Income tax information and distributions to shareholders

The tax character of distributions paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, was as follows:

 

        2014        2013  
Distributions Paid From:                      
Ordinary income      $ 31,004,725         $ 37,002,645   
Tax return of capital        2,145,078           547,747   
Total distributions paid      $ 33,149,803         $ 37,550,392   

As of August 31, 2014, the components of accumulated earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

 

Deferred capital losses*      $ (7,162,277)   
Other book/tax temporary differences(a)        (745,996)   
Unrealized appreciation (depreciation)(b)        18,612,923   
Total accumulated earnings (losses) — net      $ 10,704,650   

 

* These capital losses have been deferred in the current year as either short-term or long-term losses. The losses will be deemed to occur on the first day of the next taxable year in the same character as they were originally deferred and will be available to offset future taxable capital gains.

 

(a) 

Other book/tax temporary differences are attributable primarily to the realization for tax purposes of unrealized gains (losses) on certain futures and foreign currency contracts and book/tax differences in the timing of the deductibility of various expenses.

 

(b) 

The difference between book-basis and tax-basis unrealized appreciation (depreciation) is attributable primarily to the tax deferral of losses on wash sales and the difference between book and tax amortization methods for premiums on fixed income securities.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report   43


Report of independent registered public accounting firm

 

The Board of Directors and Shareholders

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.:

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund, Inc., including the schedule of investments, as of August 31, 2014, and the related statement of operations for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the years in the two-year period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the years in the three-year period then ended and the period from October 27, 2010 (inception date) to August 31, 2011. These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2014, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers or by other appropriate auditing procedures. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. as of August 31, 2014, and the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the years in the two-year period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the years in the three-year period then ended, and the period from October 27, 2010 (inception date) to August 31, 2011, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

LOGO

New York, New York

October 17, 2014

 

44    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. 2014 Annual Report


Additional information (unaudited)

Information about Directors and Officers

 

The business and affairs of Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. (the “Fund”) are conducted by management under the supervision and subject to the direction of its Board of Directors. The business address of each Director is c/o Kenneth D. Fuller, Legg Mason, 100 International Drive, 11th Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. Information pertaining to the Directors and officers of the Fund is set forth below.

 

Independent Directors:
Carol L. Colman  
Year of birth   1946
Position(s) held with Fund1   Director and Member of the Nominating and Audit Committees, Class I
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2010
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   President, Colman Consulting Company (consulting)
Number of portfolios in fund complex overseen by Director (including the Fund)   31
Other board memberships held by Director during past five years   None
Daniel P. Cronin  
Year of birth   1946
Position(s) held with Fund1   Director and Member of the Nominating and Audit Committees, Class I
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2010
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   Retired; formerly, Associate General Counsel, Pfizer Inc. (prior to and including 2004)
Number of portfolios in fund complex overseen by Director (including the Fund)   31
Other board memberships held by Director during past five years   None
Paolo M. Cucchi  
Year of birth   1941
Position(s) held with Fund1   Director and Member of the Nominating and Audit Committees, Class I
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2010
Principal occupation(s) during past five years  

Emeritus Professor of French and Italian (since 2014) and formerly, Professor of French and Italian (2009 to 2014) at Drew University; formerly, Vice President and Dean of College of Liberal Arts at Drew University (1984 to 2009)

Number of portfolios in fund complex overseen by Director (including the Fund)   31
Other board memberships held by Director during past five years   None

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.   45


Additional information (unaudited) (cont’d)

Information about Directors and Officers

 

Independent Directors cont’d
Leslie H. Gelb  
Year of birth   1937
Position(s) held with Fund1   Director and Member of the Nominating and Audit Committees, Class II
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2010
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   President Emeritus and Senior Board Fellow (since 2003), The Council on Foreign Relations; formerly, President, (prior to 2003), the Council on Foreign Relations; formerly, Columnist, Deputy Editorial Page Editor and Editor, Op-Ed Page, The New York Times
Number of portfolios in fund complex overseen by Director (including the Fund)   31
Other board memberships held by Director during past five years   Director of two registered investment companies advised by Aberdeen Asset Management Asia Limited (since 1994)
William R. Hutchinson  
Year of birth   1942
Position(s) held with Fund1   Director and Member of the Nominating and Audit Committees, Class II
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2010
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   President, W.R. Hutchinson & Associates Inc. (Consulting) (since 2001)
Number of portfolios in fund complex overseen by Director (including the Fund)   31
Other board memberships held by Director during past five years   Director (Non-Executive Chairman of the Board (since December 1, 2009)), Associated Banc Corp. (banking) (since 1994)
Eileen A. Kamerick  
Year of birth   1958
Position(s) held with Fund   Director and Member of Nominating and Audit Committees, Class III
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2013
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   CFO, Press Ganey Associates (health care informatics company) (since 2012); formerly Managing Director and CFO, Houlihan Lokey (international investment bank) (2010 to 2012); Senior Vice President, CFO & CLO, Tecta America Corp. (commercial roofing company) (2008 to 2010); Executive Vice President and CFO, Bearing Point Inc. (management and technology consulting firm) (2008); Executive Vice President, CFO and CAO Heidrick & Struggles (international executive search and leadership consulting firm) (2004 to 2008)
Number of portfolios in fund complex everseen by Director (including the Fund)   31
Other board memberships held by Director during past five years   Director of Associated Banc-Corp (financial services company) (since 2007); Westell Technologies, Inc. (technology company) (since 2003)

 

46    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.


 

Independent Directors cont’d
Riordan Roett  
Year of birth   1938
Position(s) held with Fund1   Director and Member of the Nominating and Audit Committees, Class III
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2010
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   The Sarita and Don Johnston Professor of Political Science and Director of Western Hemisphere Studies, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, The John Hopkins University (since 1973)
Number of portfolios in fund complex overseen by Director (including the Fund)   31
Other board memberships held by Director during past five years   None
 
Interested Director and Officer:    
Kenneth D. Fuller3  
Year of birth   1958
Position(s) held with Fund1   Director, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Class II
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2013
Principal occupation(s) during past five years  

Managing Director of Legg Mason & Co., LLC (“Legg Mason & Co.”) (since 2013); Officer and/or Trustee/Director of 169 funds associated with Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA”) or its affiliates (since 2013); President and Chief Executive Officer of LM Asset Services, LLC (“LMAS”) and Legg Mason Fund Asset Management, Inc. (“LMFAM”) (formerly registered investment advisers) (since 2013); formerly, Senior Vice President of LMPFA (2012 to 2013); formerly, Director of Legg Mason & Co. (2012 to 2013); formerly, Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. (2009 to 2012); formerly, Vice President — Equity Division of T. Rowe Price Associates (1993 to 2009), as well as Investment Analyst and Portfolio Manager for certain asset allocation accounts (2004 to 2009)

Number of portfolios in fund complex overseen by Director (including the Fund)   157
Other board memberships held by Director during past five years   None
 
Additional Officers:    

Ted P. Becker
Legg Mason

620 Eighth Avenue, 49th Floor, New York, NY 10018

 
Year of birth   1951
Position(s) held with Fund1   Chief Compliance Officer
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2010
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason (since 2006); Chief Compliance Officer of LMPFA (since 2006); Managing Director of Compliance of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Chief Compliance Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2006) and Legg Mason & Co. predecessors (prior to 2006)

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.   47


Additional information (unaudited) (cont’d)

Information about Directors and Officers

 

Additional Officers cont’d    

Vanessa A. Williams
Legg Mason

100 First Stamford Place, 6th Floor, Stamford, CT 06902

 
Year of birth   1979
Position(s) with Fund1   Identity Theft Prevention Officer
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2011
Principal occupation(s) during past five years  

Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2012); Identity Theft Prevention Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2011); formerly, Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (2011 to 2013); formerly, Senior Compliance Officer of Legg Mason & Co. (2008 to 2011); formerly, Compliance Analyst of Legg Mason & Co. (2006 to 2008) and Legg Mason & Co. predecessors (prior to 2006)

Robert I. Frenkel
Legg Mason

100 First Stamford Place, 6th Floor, Stamford, CT 06902

 
Year of birth   1954
Position(s) held with Fund1   Secretary and Chief Legal Officer
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2010
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Legg Mason (since 2006); Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006) and Legg Mason & Co. predecessors (since 1994); Secretary and Chief Legal Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2006) and Legg Mason & Co. predecessors (prior to 2006)

Thomas C. Mandia
Legg Mason

100 First Stamford Place, 6th Floor, Stamford, CT 06902

 
Year of birth   1962
Position(s) held with Fund1   Assistant Secretary
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2010
Principal occupation(s) during past five years  

Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005) and Legg Mason & Co. predecessors (prior to 2005); Secretary of LMPFA (since 2006); Assistant Secretary of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2006) and Legg Mason & Co. predecessors (prior to 2006); Secretary of SBFM (since 2002) and LMFAM (since 2013)

 

48    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.


Additional Officers cont’d    

Richard F. Sennett
Legg Mason

100 International Drive, 7th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202

 
Year of birth   1970
Position(s) held with Fund1   Principal Financial Officer
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2011
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   Principal Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2011 and 2013); Managing Director of Legg Mason & Co. and Senior Manager of the Treasury Policy group for Legg Mason & Co.’s Global Fiduciary Platform (since 2011); formerly, Chief Accountant within the SEC’s Division of Investment Management (2007 to 2011); formerly, Assistant Chief Accountant within the SEC’s Division of Investment Management (2002 to 2007)

Steven Frank
Legg Mason

620 Eighth Avenue, 49th Floor, New York, NY 10018

 
Year of birth   1967
Position(s) held with Fund1   Treasurer
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2010
Principal occupation(s) during past five years   Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. and Legg Mason & Co. predecessors (since 2002); Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2010); formerly, Controller of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (prior to 2010)

Jeanne M. Kelly
Legg Mason

620 Eighth Avenue, 49th Floor, New York, NY 10018

 
Year of birth   1951
Position(s) with Fund1   Senior Vice President
Term of office1 and length of time served   Since 2010
Principal occupation(s) during past five years  

Senior Vice President of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2007); Senior Vice President of LMPFA (since 2006) and LMFAM (since 2013); Managing Director of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005) and Legg Mason & Co. predecessors (prior to 2005)

 

Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Fund within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.

 

1 

The Fund’s Board of Directors is divided into three classes: Class I, Class II and Class III. The terms of office of the Class I, II and III Directors expire at the Annual Meetings of Stockholders in the year 2015, year 2016 and year 2014, respectively, or thereafter in each case when their respective successors are duly elected and qualified. The Fund’s executive officers are chosen each year at the first meeting of the Fund’s Board of Directors following the Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to hold office until the meeting of the Board following the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualified.

 

2 

Mr. Fuller is an “interested person” of the Fund as defined in the 1940 Act because Mr. Fuller is an officer of LMPFA and certain of its affiliates.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.   49


Annual chief executive officer and

principal financial officer certifications (unaudited)

 

The Fund’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) has submitted to the NYSE the required annual certification and the Fund also has included the Certifications of the Fund’s CEO and Principal Financial Officer required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in the Fund’s Form N-CSR filed with the SEC for the period of this report.

 

50    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.


Other shareholder communications regarding accounting matters (unaudited)

 

The Fund’s Audit Committee has established guidelines and procedures regarding the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters (collectively, “Accounting Matters”). Persons with complaints or concerns regarding Accounting Matters may submit their complaints to the Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”). Persons who are uncomfortable submitting complaints to the CCO, including complaints involving the CCO, may submit complaints directly to the Fund’s Audit Committee Chair (together with the CCO, “Complaint Officers”). Complaints may be submitted on an anonymous basis.

The CCO may be contacted at:

Legg Mason & Co., LLC

Compliance Department

620 Eighth Avenue, 49th Floor

New York, New York 10018

Complaints may also be submitted by telephone at 1-800-742-5274. Complaints submitted through this number will be received by the CCO.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.   51


Dividend reinvestment plan (unaudited)

 

Unless you elect to receive distributions in cash (i.e., opt-out), all dividends, including any capital gain dividends, on your Common Stock will be automatically reinvested by American Stock Transfer & Trust Company LLC, as agent for the stockholders (the “Plan Agent”), in additional shares of Common Stock under the Fund’s Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the “Plan”). You may elect not to participate in the Plan by contacting the Plan Agent. If you do not participate, you will receive all cash distributions paid by check mailed directly to you by American Stock Transfer & Trust Company LLC, as dividend paying agent.

If you participate in the Plan, the number of shares of Common Stock you will receive will be determined as follows:

(1) If the market price of the Common Stock on the record date (or, if the record date is not a NYSE trading day, the immediately preceding trading day) for determining stockholders eligible to receive the relevant dividend or distribution (the “determination date”) is equal to or exceeds 98% of the net asset value per share of the Common Stock, the Fund will issue new Common Stock at a price equal to the greater of (a) 98% of the net asset value per share at the close of trading on the NYSE on the determination date or (b) 95% of the market price per share of the Common Stock on the determination date.

(2) If 98% of the net asset value per share of the Common Stock exceeds the market price of the Common Stock on the determination date, the Plan Agent will receive the dividend or distribution in cash and will buy Common Stock in the open market, on the NYSE or elsewhere, for your account as soon as practicable commencing on the trading day following the determination date and terminating no later than the earlier of (a) 30 days after the dividend or distribution payment date, or (b) the record date for the next succeeding dividend or distribution to be made to the stockholders; except when necessary to comply with applicable provisions of the federal securities laws. If during this period: (i) the market price rises so that it equals or exceeds 98% of the net asset value per share of the Common Stock at the close of trading on the NYSE on the determination date before the Plan Agent has completed the open market purchases or (ii) if the Plan Agent is unable to invest the full amount eligible to be reinvested in open market purchases, the Plan Agent will cease purchasing Common Stock in the open market and the Fund shall issue the remaining Common Stock at a price per share equal to the greater of (a) 98% of the net asset value per share at the close of trading on the Exchange on the determination date or (b) 95% of the then current market price per share.

Common Stock in your account will be held by the Plan Agent in non-certificated form. Any proxy you receive will include all shares of Common Stock you have received under the Plan.

You may withdraw from the Plan (i.e., opt-out) by notifying the Plan Agent in writing at P.O. Box 922, Wall Street Station, New York, NY 10269-0560 or by calling the Plan Agent at 1-888-888-0151. Such withdrawal will be effective immediately if notice is received by the

 

52    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.


Plan Agent not less than ten business days prior to any dividend or distribution record date; otherwise such withdrawal will be effective as soon as practicable after the Plan Agent’s investment of the most recently declared dividend or distribution on the Common Stock. The Plan may be amended or supplemented by the Fund upon notice in writing mailed to stockholders at least 30 days prior to the record date for the payment of any dividend or distribution by the Fund for which the termination is to be effective.

Upon any termination, you will be sent a certificate or certificates for the full number of shares of Common Stock held for you under the Plan and cash for any fractional share of Common Stock. You may elect to notify the Plan Agent in advance of such termination to have the Plan Agent sell part or all of your Common Stock on your behalf. You will be charged a service charge and the Plan Agent is authorized to deduct brokerage charges actually incurred for this transaction from the proceeds.

There is no service charge for reinvestment of your dividends or distributions in Common Stock. However, all participants will pay a pro rata share of brokerage commissions incurred by the Plan Agent when it makes open market purchases. Because all dividends and distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional shares of Common Stock, this allows you to add to your investment through dollar cost averaging, which may lower the average cost of your Common Stock over time. Dollar cost averaging is a technique for lowering the average cost per share over time if the Fund’s net asset value declines. While dollar cost averaging has definite advantages, it cannot assure profit or protect against loss in declining markets.

Automatically reinvesting dividends and distributions does not mean that you do not have to pay income taxes due upon receiving dividends and distributions. Investors will be subject to income tax on amounts reinvested under the Plan.

The Fund reserves the right to amend or terminate the Plan if, in the judgment of the Board of Directors, the change is warranted. There is no direct service charge to participants in the Plan; however, the Fund reserves the right to amend the Plan to include a service charge payable by the participants. Additional information about the Plan and your account may be obtained from the Plan Agent at 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11219 or by calling the Plan Agent at 1-888-888-0151.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.   53


Important tax information (unaudited)

 

The following information is provided with respect to the distributions paid during the taxable year ended August 31, 2014:

 

Record date:      Monthly      Monthly
Payable date:      September 2013 —
December 2013
     January 2014 —
August 31, 2014
Distribution from net investment income      100.00%      89.98%
Tax return of capital           10.02%

Please retain this information for your records.

 

54    Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.


Western Asset

High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

Directors

Carol L. Colman

Daniel P. Cronin

Paolo M. Cucchi

Kenneth D. Fuller

Chairman

Leslie H. Gelb

William R. Hutchinson

Eileen A. Kamerick

Riordan Roett

Jeswald W. Salacuse*

Officers

Kenneth D. Fuller

President and Chief Executive Officer

Richard F. Sennett

Principal Financial Officer

Ted P. Becker

Chief Compliance Officer

Vanessa A. Williams

Identity Theft Prevention Officer

Robert I. Frenkel

Secretary and Chief Legal Officer

Thomas C. Mandia

Assistant Secretary

Steven Frank

Treasurer

Jeanne M. Kelly

Senior Vice President

 

* Mr. Salacuse retired from the Board of Directors, effective June 30, 2014.

 

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

620 Eighth Avenue

49th Floor

New York, NY 10018

Investment manager

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC

Subadvisers

Western Asset Management Company

Western Asset Management Company Limited

Western Asset Management Company Ltd

Western Asset Management Company Pte. Ltd.

Custodian

State Street Bank and Trust Company

1 Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111

Transfer agent

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company

6201 15th Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11219

Independent registered public accounting firm

KPMG LLP

345 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10154

Legal counsel

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

425 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10017

New York Stock Exchange Symbol

HYI


Legg Mason Funds Privacy and Security Notice

 

Your Privacy and the Security of Your Personal Information is Very Important to the Legg Mason Funds

This Privacy and Security Notice (the “Privacy Notice”) addresses the Legg Mason Funds’ privacy and data protection practices with respect to nonpublic personal information the Funds receive. The Legg Mason Funds include any funds sold by the Funds’ distributor, Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC, as well as Legg Mason-sponsored closed-end funds and certain closed-end funds managed or sub-advised by Legg Mason or its affiliates. The provisions of this Privacy Notice apply to your information both while you are a shareholder and after you are no longer invested with the Funds.

The Type of Nonpublic Personal Information the Funds Collect About You

The Funds collect and maintain nonpublic personal information about you in connection with your shareholder account. Such information may include, but is not limited to:

 

Ÿ  

Personal information included on applications or other forms;

 

Ÿ  

Account balances, transactions, and mutual fund holdings and positions;

 

Ÿ  

Online account access user IDs, passwords, security challenge question responses; and

 

Ÿ  

Information received from consumer reporting agencies regarding credit history and creditworthiness (such as the amount of an individual’s total debt, payment history, etc.).

How the Funds Use Nonpublic Personal Information About You

The Funds do not sell or share your nonpublic personal information with third parties or with affiliates for their marketing purposes, or with other financial institutions or affiliates for joint marketing purposes, unless you have authorized the Funds to do so. The Funds do not disclose any nonpublic personal information about you except as may be required to perform transactions or services you have authorized or as permitted or required by law. The Funds may disclose information about you to:

 

Ÿ  

Employees, agents, and affiliates on a “need to know” basis to enable the Funds to conduct ordinary business or comply with obligations to government regulators;

 

Ÿ  

Service providers, including the Funds’ affiliates, who assist the Funds as part of the ordinary course of business (such as printing, mailing services, or processing or servicing your account with us) or otherwise perform services on the Funds’ behalf, including companies that may perform marketing services solely for the Funds;

 

Ÿ  

The Funds’ representatives such as legal counsel, accountants and auditors; and

 

Ÿ  

Fiduciaries or representatives acting on your behalf, such as an IRA custodian or trustee of a grantor trust.

 

NOT PART OF THE ANNUAL REPORT


Legg Mason Funds Privacy and Security Notice (cont’d)

 

Except as otherwise permitted by applicable law, companies acting on the Funds’ behalf are contractually obligated to keep nonpublic personal information the Funds provide to them confidential and to use the information the Funds share only to provide the services the Funds ask them to perform.

The Funds may disclose nonpublic personal information about you when necessary to enforce their rights or protect against fraud, or as permitted or required by applicable law, such as in connection with a law enforcement or regulatory request, subpoena, or similar legal process. In the event of a corporate action or in the event a Fund service provider changes, the Funds may be required to disclose your nonpublic personal information to third parties. While it is the Funds’ practice to obtain protections for disclosed information in these types of transactions, the Funds cannot guarantee their privacy policy will remain unchanged.

Keeping You Informed of the Funds’ Privacy and Security Practices

The Funds will notify you annually of their privacy policy as required by federal law. While the Funds reserve the right to modify this policy at any time they will notify you promptly if this privacy policy changes.

The Funds’ Security Practices

The Funds maintain appropriate physical, electronic and procedural safeguards designed to guard your nonpublic personal information. The Funds’ internal data security policies restrict access to your nonpublic personal information to authorized employees, who may use your nonpublic personal information for Fund business purposes only.

Although the Funds strive to protect your nonpublic personal information, they cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you provide or transmit to them, and you do so at your own risk. In the event of a breach of the confidentiality or security of your nonpublic personal information, the Funds will attempt to notify you as necessary so you can take appropriate protective steps. If you have consented to the Funds using electronic communications or electronic delivery of statements, they may notify you under such circumstances using the most current email address you have on record with them.

In order for the Funds to provide effective service to you, keeping your account information accurate is very important. If you believe that your account information is incomplete, not accurate or not current, or if you have questions about the Funds’ privacy practices, write the Funds using the contact information on your account statements, email the Funds by clicking on the Contact Us section of the Funds’ website at www.leggmason.com, or contact the Fund at 1-888-777-0102.

Revised April 2011

 

NOT PART OF THE ANNUAL REPORT


Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

620 Eighth Avenue

49th Floor

New York, NY 10018

Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 23(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, that from time to time the Fund may purchase, at market prices, shares of its Common Stock in the open market.

The Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. The Fund’s Forms N-Q are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Fund’s Forms N-Q may be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., and information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 1-800-SEC-0330. To obtain information on Form N-Q from the Fund, shareholders can call 1-888-777-0102.

Information on how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the prior 12-month period ended June 30th of each year and a description of the policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio transactions are available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling 1-888-777-0102, (2) on the Fund’s website at www.lmcef.com and (3) on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

This report is transmitted to the shareholders of Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. for their information. This is not a prospectus, circular or representation intended for use in the purchase or sale of shares of the Fund or any securities mentioned in the report.

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company

6201 15th Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11219

 

WASX013977 10/14 SR14-2321


ITEM 2. CODE OF ETHICS.

The registrant has adopted a code of ethics that applies to the registrant’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller.

 

ITEM 3. AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT.

The Board of Directors of the registrant has determine that Eileen A. Kamerick, a member of the Board’s Audit Committee, possesses the technical attributes identified in Instruction 2(b) of Item 3 to Form N-CSR to qualify as an “audit committee financial expert and that she is independent for purposes of this item.

 

ITEM 4. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES.

a) Audit Fees. The aggregate fees billed in the last fiscal year ending August 31, 2013 and August 31, 2014 (the “Reporting Periods”) for professional services rendered by the Registrant’s principal accountant (the “Auditor”) for the audit of the Registrant’s annual financial statements, or services that are normally provided by the Auditor in connection with the statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for the Reporting Period, was $49,500 in 2013 and $49,500 in 2014.

b) Audit-Related Fees. The aggregate fees billed in the Reporting Period for assurance and related services by the Auditor that are reasonably related to the performance of the Registrant’s financial statements were $0 in 2013 and $0 in 2014.

(c) Tax Fees. The aggregate fees billed in the Reporting Period for professional services rendered by the Auditor for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning (“Tax Services”) were $6,600 in 2013 and $3,800 in 2014. These services consisted of (i) review or preparation of U.S. federal, state, local and excise tax returns; (ii) U.S. federal, state and local tax planning, advice and assistance regarding statutory, regulatory or administrative developments, and (iii) tax advice regarding tax qualification matters and/or treatment of various financial instruments held or proposed to be acquired or held.

There were no fees billed for tax services by the Auditors to service affiliates during the Reporting Period that required pre-approval by the Audit Committee.

d) All Other Fees. There were no other fees billed in the Reporting Period for products and services provided by the Auditor, other than the services reported in paragraphs (a) through (c) for the Item 4 for the Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

All Other Fees. There were no other non-audit services rendered by the Auditor to Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisors, LLC (“LMPFA”), and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with LMPFA that provided ongoing services to Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. requiring pre-approval by the Audit Committee in the Reporting Period.


(e) Audit Committee’s pre–approval policies and procedures described in paragraph(c) (7) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.

(1) The Charter for the Audit Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of each registered investment company (the “Fund”) advised by LMPFA or one of their affiliates (each, an “Adviser”) requires that the Committee shall approve (a) all audit and permissible non-audit services to be provided to the Fund and (b) all permissible non-audit services to be provided by the Fund’s independent auditors to the Adviser and any Covered Service Providers if the engagement relates directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Fund. The Committee may implement policies and procedures by which such services are approved other than by the full Committee.

The Committee shall not approve non-audit services that the Committee believes may impair the independence of the auditors. As of the date of the approval of this Audit Committee Charter, permissible non-audit services include any professional services (including tax services), that are not prohibited services as described below, provided to the Fund by the independent auditors, other than those provided to the Fund in connection with an audit or a review of the financial statements of the Fund. Permissible non-audit services may not include: (i) bookkeeping or other services related to the accounting records or financial statements of the Fund; (ii) financial information systems design and implementation; (iii) appraisal or valuation services, fairness opinions or contribution-in-kind reports; (iv) actuarial services; (v) internal audit outsourcing services; (vi) management functions or human resources; (vii) broker or dealer, investment adviser or investment banking services; (viii) legal services and expert services unrelated to the audit; and (ix) any other service the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board determines, by regulation, is impermissible.

Pre-approval by the Committee of any permissible non-audit services is not required so long as: (i) the aggregate amount of all such permissible non-audit services provided to the Fund, the Adviser and any service providers controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Adviser that provide ongoing services to the Fund (“Covered Service Providers”) constitutes not more than 5% of the total amount of revenues paid to the independent auditors during the fiscal year in which the permissible non-audit services are provided to (a) the Fund, (b) the Adviser and (c) any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Adviser that provides ongoing services to the Fund during the fiscal year in which the services are provided that would have to be approved by the Committee; (ii) the permissible non-audit services were not recognized by the Fund at the time of the engagement to be non-audit services; and (iii) such services are promptly brought to the attention of the Committee and approved by the Committee (or its delegate(s)) prior to the completion of the audit.

(2) For the Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc., the percentage of fees that were approved by the audit committee, with respect to: Audit-Related Fees were 100% for 2013 and 2014; Tax Fees were 100% 2013; and Other Fees were 100% for 2014.


(f) N/A

(g) Non-audit fees billed by the Auditor for services rendered to Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc., LMPFA and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with LMPFA that provides ongoing services to Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. during the reporting period were $0 in 2014.

(h) Yes. Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.’s Audit Committee has considered whether the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to Service Affiliates, which were not pre-approved (not requiring pre-approval), is compatible with maintaining the Accountant’s independence. All services provided by the Auditor to the Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. or to Service Affiliates, which were required to be pre-approved, were pre-approved as required.

 

ITEM 5. AUDIT COMMITTEE OF LISTED REGISTRANTS.

a) Registrant has a separately-designated standing Audit Committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)58(A) of the Exchange Act. The Audit Committee consists of the following Board members:

William R. Hutchinson

Paolo M. Cucchi

Daniel P. Cronin

Carol L. Colman

Leslie H. Gelb

Eileen A. Kamerick

Dr. Riordan Roett

Jeswald W. Salacuse (Effective June 30, 2014, Mr. Salacuse retired from the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors.)

b) Not applicable

 

ITEM 6. SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS.

Included herein under Item 1.

 

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

Proxy Voting Guidelines and Procedures

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA”) delegates the responsibility for voting proxies for the fund to the subadviser through its contracts with the subadviser. The subadviser will use its own proxy voting policies and procedures to vote proxies. Accordingly, LMPFA does not expect to have proxy-voting responsibility for the fund. Should LMPFA become responsible for voting proxies for any reason, such as the inability of the subadviser to provide investment advisory services, LMPFA shall utilize the proxy voting guidelines established by the most recent subadviser to vote proxies until a new subadviser is retained.


The subadviser’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures govern in determining how proxies relating to the fund’s portfolio securities are voted and are provided below. Information regarding how each fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge (1) by calling 888-777-0102, (2) on the fund’s website at http://www.lmcef.com and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Background

Western Asset Management Company (“WA”), Western Asset Management Company Limited (“WAML”), Western Asset Management Company Ltd (“WAMCL”) and Western Asset Management Company Pte. Ltd. (“WAMC”) (together “Western Asset”) have adopted and implemented policies and procedures that we believe are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients, in accordance with our fiduciary duties and SEC Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”). Our authority to vote the proxies of our clients is established through investment management agreements or comparable documents, and our proxy voting guidelines have been tailored to reflect these specific contractual obligations. In addition to SEC requirements governing advisers, our proxy voting policies reflect the long-standing fiduciary standards and responsibilities for ERISA accounts. Unless a manager of ERISA assets has been expressly precluded from voting proxies, the Department of Labor has determined that the responsibility for these votes lies with the Investment Manager.

In exercising its voting authority, Western Asset will not consult or enter into agreements with officers, directors or employees of Legg Mason Inc. or any of its affiliates (except that WA, WAML, WAMCL and WAMC may so consult and agree with each other) regarding the voting of any securities owned by its clients.

Policy

Western Asset’s proxy voting procedures are designed and implemented in a way that is reasonably expected to ensure that proxy matters are handled in the best interest of our clients. While the guidelines included in the procedures are intended to provide a benchmark for voting standards, each vote is ultimately cast on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration Western Asset’s contractual obligations to our clients and all other relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote (such that these guidelines may be overridden to the extent Western Asset deems appropriate).

Procedures

Responsibility and Oversight

The Western Asset Legal and Compliance Department (“Legal and Compliance Department”) is responsible for administering and overseeing the proxy voting process. The gathering of proxies is coordinated through the Corporate Actions area of Investment Support (“Corporate Actions”). Research analysts and portfolio managers are responsible for determining appropriate voting positions on each proxy utilizing any applicable guidelines contained in these procedures.

Client Authority

The Investment Management Agreement for each client is reviewed at account start-up for proxy voting instructions. If an agreement is silent on proxy voting, but contains an overall delegation of discretionary authority or if the account represents assets of an ERISA plan, Western Asset will assume responsibility for proxy voting. The Legal and Compliance Department maintains a matrix of proxy voting authority.


Proxy Gathering

Registered owners of record, client custodians, client banks and trustees (“Proxy Recipients”) that receive proxy materials on behalf of clients should forward them to Corporate Actions. Proxy Recipients for new clients (or, if Western Asset becomes aware that the applicable Proxy Recipient for an existing client has changed, the Proxy Recipient for the existing client) are notified at start-up of appropriate routing to Corporate Actions of proxy materials received and reminded of their responsibility to forward all proxy materials on a timely basis. If Western Asset personnel other than Corporate Actions receive proxy materials, they should promptly forward the materials to Corporate Actions.

Proxy Voting

Once proxy materials are received by Corporate Actions, they are forwarded to the Legal and Compliance Department for coordination and the following actions:

 

  a. Proxies are reviewed to determine accounts impacted.

 

  b. Impacted accounts are checked to confirm Western Asset voting authority.

 

  c. Legal and Compliance Department staff reviews proxy issues to determine any material conflicts of interest. (See conflicts of interest section of these procedures for further information on determining material conflicts of interest.)

 

  d. If a material conflict of interest exists, (i) to the extent reasonably practicable and permitted by applicable law, the client is promptly notified, the conflict is disclosed and Western Asset obtains the client’s proxy voting instructions, and (ii) to the extent that it is not reasonably practicable or permitted by applicable law to notify the client and obtain such instructions (e.g., the client is a mutual fund or other commingled vehicle or is an ERISA plan client), Western Asset seeks voting instructions from an independent third party.

 

  e. Legal and Compliance Department staff provides proxy material to the appropriate research analyst or portfolio manager to obtain their recommended vote. Research analysts and portfolio managers determine votes on a case-by-case basis taking into account the voting guidelines contained in these procedures. For avoidance of doubt, depending on the best interest of each individual client, Western Asset may vote the same proxy differently for different clients. The analyst’s or portfolio manager’s basis for their decision is documented and maintained by the Legal and Compliance Department.

 

  f. Legal and Compliance Department staff votes the proxy pursuant to the instructions received in (d) or (e) and returns the voted proxy as indicated in the proxy materials.

Timing

Western Asset personnel act in such a manner to ensure that, absent special circumstances, the proxy gathering and proxy voting steps noted above can be completed before the applicable deadline for returning proxy votes.


Recordkeeping

Western Asset maintains records of proxies voted pursuant to Section 204-2 of the Advisers Act and ERISA DOL Bulletin 94-2. These records include:

 

  a. A copy of Western Asset’s policies and procedures.

 

  b. Copies of proxy statements received regarding client securities.

 

  c. A copy of any document created by Western Asset that was material to making a decision how to vote proxies.

 

  d. Each written client request for proxy voting records and Western Asset’s written response to both verbal and written client requests.

 

  e. A proxy log including:

 

  1. Issuer name;

 

  2. Exchange ticker symbol of the issuer’s shares to be voted;

 

  3. Committee on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) number for the shares to be voted;

 

  4. A brief identification of the matter voted on;

 

  5. Whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or by a shareholder of the issuer;

 

  6. Whether a vote was cast on the matter;

 

  7. A record of how the vote was cast; and

 

  8. Whether the vote was cast for or against the recommendation of the issuer’s management team.

Records are maintained in an easily accessible place for five years, the first two in Western Asset’s offices.

Disclosure

Part II of the WA Form ADV, the WAML Form ADV, the WAMCL Form ADV and the WAMC Form ADV, each, contain a description of Western Asset’s proxy policies. Clients will be provided a copy of these policies and procedures upon request. In addition, upon request, clients may receive reports on how their proxies have been voted.

Conflicts of Interest

All proxies are reviewed by the Legal and Compliance Department for material conflicts of interest. Issues to be reviewed include, but are not limited to:

 

  1. Whether Western Asset (or, to the extent required to be considered by applicable law, its affiliates) manages assets for the company or an employee group of the company or otherwise has an interest in the company;

 

  2. Whether Western Asset or an officer or director of Western Asset or the applicable portfolio manager or analyst responsible for recommending the proxy vote (together, “Voting Persons”) is a close relative of or has a personal or business relationship with an executive, director or person who is a candidate for director of the company or is a participant in a proxy contest; and

 

  3. Whether there is any other business or personal relationship where a Voting Person has a personal interest in the outcome of the matter before shareholders.


Voting Guidelines

Western Asset’s substantive voting decisions turn on the particular facts and circumstances of each proxy vote and are evaluated by the designated research analyst or portfolio manager. The examples outlined below are meant as guidelines to aid in the decision making process.

Guidelines are grouped according to the types of proposals generally presented to shareholders. Part I deals with proposals which have been approved and are recommended by a company’s board of directors; Part II deals with proposals submitted by shareholders for inclusion in proxy statements; Part III addresses issues relating to voting shares of investment companies; and Part IV addresses unique considerations pertaining to foreign issuers.

I. Board Approved Proposals

The vast majority of matters presented to shareholders for a vote involve proposals made by a company itself that have been approved and recommended by its board of directors. In view of the enhanced corporate governance practices currently being implemented in public companies, Western Asset generally votes in support of decisions reached by independent boards of directors. More specific guidelines related to certain board-approved proposals are as follows:

1. Matters relating to the Board of Directors

Western Asset votes proxies for the election of the company’s nominees for directors and for board-approved proposals on other matters relating to the board of directors with the following exceptions:

 

  a. Votes are withheld for the entire board of directors if the board does not have a majority of independent directors or the board does not have nominating, audit and compensation committees composed solely of independent directors.

 

  b. Votes are withheld for any nominee for director who is considered an independent director by the company and who has received compensation from the company other than for service as a director.

 

  c. Votes are withheld for any nominee for director who attends less than 75% of board and committee meetings without valid reasons for absences.

 

  d. Votes are cast on a case-by-case basis in contested elections of directors.

2. Matters relating to Executive Compensation

Western Asset generally favors compensation programs that relate executive compensation to a company’s long-term performance. Votes are cast on a case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals relating to executive compensation, except as follows:

 

  a. Except where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors, Western Asset votes for stock option plans that will result in a minimal annual dilution.

 

  b. Western Asset votes against stock option plans or proposals that permit replacing or repricing of underwater options.


  c. Western Asset votes against stock option plans that permit issuance of options with an exercise price below the stock’s current market price.

 

  d. Except where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors, Western Asset votes for employee stock purchase plans that limit the discount for shares purchased under the plan to no more than 15% of their market value, have an offering period of 27 months or less and result in dilution of 10% or less.

3. Matters relating to Capitalization

The management of a company’s capital structure involves a number of important issues, including cash flows, financing needs and market conditions that are unique to the circumstances of each company. As a result, Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals involving changes to a company’s capitalization except where Western Asset is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors.

 

  a. Western Asset votes for proposals relating to the authorization of additional common stock.

 

  b. Western Asset votes for proposals to effect stock splits (excluding reverse stock splits).

 

  c. Western Asset votes for proposals authorizing share repurchase programs.

4. Matters relating to Acquisitions, Mergers, Reorganizations and Other Transactions

Western Asset votes these issues on a case-by-case basis on board-approved transactions.

5. Matters relating to Anti-Takeover Measures

Western Asset votes against board-approved proposals to adopt anti-takeover measures except as follows:

 

  a. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to ratify or approve shareholder rights plans.

 

  b. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to adopt fair price provisions.

6. Other Business Matters

Western Asset votes for board-approved proposals approving such routine business matters such as changing the company’s name, ratifying the appointment of auditors and procedural matters relating to the shareholder meeting.

 

  a. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to amend a company’s charter or bylaws.

 

  b. Western Asset votes against authorization to transact other unidentified, substantive business at the meeting.


II. Shareholder Proposals

SEC regulations permit shareholders to submit proposals for inclusion in a company’s proxy statement. These proposals generally seek to change some aspect of a company’s corporate governance structure or to change some aspect of its business operations. Western Asset votes in accordance with the recommendation of the company’s board of directors on all shareholder proposals, except as follows:

1. Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals to require shareholder approval of shareholder rights plans.

2. Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals that are consistent with Western Asset’s proxy voting guidelines for board-approved proposals.

3. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on other shareholder proposals where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors.

III. Voting Shares of Investment Companies

Western Asset may utilize shares of open or closed-end investment companies to implement its investment strategies. Shareholder votes for investment companies that fall within the categories listed in Parts I and II above are voted in accordance with those guidelines.

1. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals relating to changes in the investment objectives of an investment company taking into account the original intent of the fund and the role the fund plays in the clients’ portfolios.

2. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis all proposals that would result in increases in expenses (e.g., proposals to adopt 12b-1 plans, alter investment advisory arrangements or approve fund mergers) taking into account comparable expenses for similar funds and the services to be provided.

IV. Voting Shares of Foreign Issuers

In the event Western Asset is required to vote on securities held in non-U.S. issuers – i.e. issuers that are incorporated under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction and that are not listed on a U.S. securities exchange or the NASDAQ stock market, the following guidelines are used, which are premised on the existence of a sound corporate governance and disclosure framework. These guidelines, however, may not be appropriate under some circumstances for foreign issuers and therefore apply only where applicable.

1. Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals calling for a majority of the directors to be independent of management.

2. Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals seeking to increase the independence of board nominating, audit and compensation committees.

3. Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals that implement corporate governance standards similar to those established under U.S. federal law and the listing requirements of U.S. stock exchanges, and that do not otherwise violate the laws of the jurisdiction under which the company is incorporated.

4. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals relating to (1) the issuance of common stock in excess of 20% of a company’s outstanding common stock where shareholders do not have preemptive rights, or (2) the issuance of common stock in excess of 100% of a company’s outstanding common stock where shareholders have preemptive rights.


Retirement Accounts

For accounts subject to ERISA, as well as other Retirement Accounts, Western Asset is presumed to have the responsibility to vote proxies for the client. The Department of Labor (“DOL”) has issued a bulletin that states that investment managers have the responsibility to vote proxies on behalf of Retirement Accounts unless the authority to vote proxies has been specifically reserved to another named fiduciary. Furthermore, unless Western Asset is expressly precluded from voting the proxies, the DOL has determined that the responsibility remains with the investment manager.

In order to comply with the DOL’s position, Western Asset will be presumed to have the obligation to vote proxies for its Retirement Accounts unless Western Asset has obtained a specific written instruction indicating that: (a) the right to vote proxies has been reserved to a named fiduciary of the client, and (b) Western Asset is precluded from voting proxies on behalf of the client. If Western Asset does not receive such an instruction, Western Asset will be responsible for voting proxies in the best interests of the Retirement Account client and in accordance with any proxy voting guidelines provided by the client.

 

S. Kenneth Leech

 

Western Asset

385 East

Colorado Blvd.

Pasadena, CA

91101

   Since March 31, 2014    Responsible for the day-to-day management with other members of the Fund’s portfolio management team; Chief Investment Officer of Western Asset from 1998 to 2008 and since 2014; Senior Advisor/Chief Investment Officer Emeritus of Western Asset from 2008-2013; Co- Chief Investment Officer of Western Asset from 2013-2014.

Christopher F. Kilpatrick

 

Western Asset

385 East

Colorado Blvd.

Pasadena, CA

91101

   Since 2012    Responsible for the day-to-day management with other members of the Fund’s portfolio management team; employed by Western Asset Management as an investment professional for at least the past five years.

Michael C. Buchanan

 

Western Asset

385 East

Colorado Blvd.

Pasadena, CA

91101

   Since 2010    Responsible for the day-to-day management with other members of the Fund’s portfolio management team; formerly, Managing Director and head of U.S. Credit Products from 2003-2005 at Credit Suisse Asset Management


(a)(2): DATA TO BE PROVIDED BY FINANCIAL CONTROL

The following tables set forth certain additional information with respect to the fund’s investment professionals for the fund. Unless noted otherwise, all information is provided as of August 31, 2014.

Other Accounts Managed by Investment Professionals

The table below identifies the number of accounts (other than the fund) for which the fund’s investment professionals have day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts. For each category, the number of accounts and total assets in the accounts where fees are based on performance is also indicated.

 

Name of PM

  

Type of Account

   Number of
Accounts

Managed
     Total Assets
Managed
     Number of
Accounts
Managed for
which
Advisory

Fee is
Performance-
Based
     Assets
Managed for
which
Advisory

Fee is
Performance-
Based
 

S. Kenneth Leech‡

   Other Registered Investment Companies      110       $ 199.7 billion         None         None   
   Other Pooled Vehicles      237       $ 93.0 billion         9       $ 2.1 billion   
   Other Accounts      669       $ 178.1 billion         56       $ 17.3 billion   

Michael C. Buchanan ‡

   Other Registered Investment Companies      44       $ 36.4 billion         None         None   
   Other Pooled Vehicles      57       $ 33.9 billion         4       $ 1.3 billion   
   Other Accounts      187       $ 52.8 billion         20       $ 8.1 billion   

Christopher Kilpatrick ‡

   Other Registered Investment Companies      9       $ 3.7 billion         None         None   
   Other Pooled Vehicles      None         None         None         None   
   Other Accounts      None         None         None         None   

 

The numbers above reflect the overall number of portfolios managed by employees of Western Asset Management Company (“Western Asset”). Mr.Leech is involved in the management of all the Firm’s portfolios, but they are not solely responsible for particular portfolios. Western Asset’s investment discipline emphasizes a team approach that combines the efforts of groups of specialists working in different market sectors. They are responsible for overseeing implementation of Western Asset’s overall investment ideas and coordinating the work of the various sector teams. This structure ensures that client portfolios benefit from a consensus that draws on the expertise of all team members.


(a)(3): Investment Professional Compensation

With respect to the compensation of the investment professionals, Western Asset’s compensation system assigns each employee a total compensation range, which is derived from annual market surveys that benchmark each role with its job function and peer universe. This method is designed to reward employees with total compensation reflective of the external market value of their skills, experience, and ability to produce desired results. Standard compensation includes competitive base salaries, generous employee benefits, and a retirement plan.

In addition, the subadviser’s employees are eligible for bonuses. These are structured to closely align the interests of employees with those of the subadviser, and are determined by the professional’s job function and pre-tax performance as measured by a formal review process. All bonuses are completely discretionary. The principal factor considered is an investment professional’s investment performance versus appropriate peer groups and benchmarks (e.g., a securities index and with respect to a fund, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s Prospectus to which the fund’s average annual total returns are compared or, if none, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s annual report). Performance is reviewed on a 1, 3 and 5 year basis for compensation—with 3 years having the most emphasis. The subadviser may also measure an investment professional’s pre-tax investment performance against other benchmarks, as it determines appropriate. Because investment professionals are generally responsible for multiple accounts (including the funds) with similar investment strategies, they are generally compensated on the performance of the aggregate group of similar accounts, rather than a specific account. Other factors that may be considered when making bonus decisions include client service, business development, length of service to the subadviser, management or supervisory responsibilities, contributions to developing business strategy and overall contributions to the subadviser’s business.

Finally, in order to attract and retain top talent, all professionals are eligible for additional incentives in recognition of outstanding performance. These are determined based upon the factors described above and include Legg Mason stock options and long-term incentives that vest over a set period of time past the award date.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of Interest

The manager, the subadviser and investment professionals have interests which conflict with the interests of the fund. There is no guarantee that the policies and procedures adopted by the manager, the subadviser and the fund will be able to identify or mitigate these conflicts of interest.

Some examples of material conflicts of interest include:

Allocation of Limited Time and Attention. An investment professional who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. An investment professional may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for each of those funds and accounts as might be the case if he or she were to devote substantially more attention to the management of a single fund. Such an investment


professional may make general determinations across multiple funds, rather than tailoring a unique approach for each fund. The effects of this conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular investment professional have different investment strategies.

Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities; Aggregation of Orders. If an investment professional identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit the fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity. Additionally, the subadviser may aggregate transaction orders for multiple accounts for purpose of execution. Such aggregation may cause the price or brokerage costs to be less favorable to a particular client than if similar transactions were not being executed concurrently for other accounts. In addition, the subadviser’s trade allocation policies may result in the fund’s orders not being fully executed or being delayed in execution.

Pursuit of Differing Strategies. At times, an investment professional may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the investment professional may place separate transactions for one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts. For example, an investment professional may determine that it would be in the interest of another account to sell a security that the fund holds long, potentially resulting in a decrease in the market value of the security held by the fund.

Cross Trades. Investment professionals may manage funds that engage in cross trades, where one of the manager’s funds or accounts sells a particular security to another fund or account managed by the same manager. Cross trades may pose conflicts of interest because of, for example, the possibility that one account sells a security to another account at a higher price than an independent third party would pay or otherwise enters into a transaction that it would not enter into with an independent party, such as the sale of a difficult-to-obtain security.

Selection of Broker/Dealers. Investment professionals may select or influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the funds and/or accounts that they supervise. In addition to executing trades, some brokers and dealers provide the subadviser with brokerage and research services, These services may be taken into account in the selection of brokers and dealers whether a broker is being selected to effect a trade on an agency basis for a commission or (as is normally the case for the funds) whether a dealer is being selected to effect a trade on a principal basis. This may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees and/or execution at a less favorable price than might have otherwise been available. The services obtained may ultimately be more beneficial to certain of the manager’s funds or accounts than to others (but not necessarily to the funds that pay the increased commission or incur the less favorable execution). A decision as to the selection of brokers and dealers could therefore yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the funds and/or accounts managed.

Variation in Financial and Other Benefits. A conflict of interest arises where the financial or other benefits available to an investment professional differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the amount or structure of the investment manager’s management fee and/or an investment professional’s compensation differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management fees), the investment professional might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. Similarly, the desire to maintain assets under management or to enhance the investment professional’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the investment professional in affording preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the investment professional. An investment professional may, for example, have an incentive to allocate favorable or limited opportunity investments or structure the timing of investments to favor such funds and/or accounts. Also, an investment professional’s or the manager’s or the subadviser’s desire to increase assets under management could influence the investment professional to keep a fund open for new investors without regard to potential benefits of closing the fund to new investors. Additionally, the investment professional might be motivated to favor funds


and/or accounts in which he or she has an ownership interest or in which the investment manager and/or its affiliates have ownership interests. Conversely, if an investment professional does not personally hold an investment in the fund, the investment professional’s conflicts of interest with respect to the fund may be more acute.

Related Business Opportunities. The investment manager or its affiliates may provide more services (such as distribution or recordkeeping) for some types of funds or accounts than for others. In such cases, an investment professional may benefit, either directly or indirectly, by devoting disproportionate attention to the management of funds and/or accounts that provide greater overall returns to the investment manager and its affiliates.

(a)(4): Investment Professional Securities Ownership

The table below identifies the dollar range of securities beneficially owned by each investment professional as of August 31, 2014.

 

Investment Professional(s)

   Dollar Range of
Portfolio
Securities
Beneficially
Owned

S. Kenneth Leech

   A

Christopher F. Kilpatrick

   A

Michael C. Buchanan

   A

Dollar Range ownership is as follows:

A: none

B: $1 - $10,000

C: 10,001 - $50,000

D: $50,001 - $100,000

E: $100,001 - $500,000

F: $500,001 - $1 million

G: over $1 million


ITEM 8. INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS OF CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES.

(a)(1):

 

NAME AND

ADDRESS

  

LENGTH OF

TIME SERVED

  

PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) DURING

PAST 5 YEARS

Stephen A. Walsh

 

Western Asset

385 East

Colorado Blvd.

Pasadena, CA

91101

   Since 2010    Responsible for the day-to-day management with other members of the Fund’s portfolio management team; Deputy Chief Investment Officer of Western Asset from 2000 to 2008; Chief Investment Officer of Western Asset from 2008-2013; Co- Chief Investment Officer of Western Asset since 2013.

Christopher F. Kilpatrick

 

Western Asset

385 East

Colorado Blvd.

Pasadena, CA

91101

   Since 2012    Responsible for the day-to-day management with other members of the Fund’s portfolio management team; employed by Western Asset Management as an investment professional for at least the past five years.

Michael C. Buchanan

 

Western Asset

385 East

Colorado

Blvd.

Pasadena, CA

91101

   Since 2010    Responsible for the day-to-day management with other members of the Fund’s portfolio management team; formerly, Managing Director and head of U.S. Credit Products from 2003-2005 at Credit Suisse Asset Management

(a)(2): DATA TO BE PROVIDED BY FINANCIAL CONTROL

The following tables set forth certain additional information with respect to the fund’s investment professionals for the fund. Unless noted otherwise, all information is provided as of August 31, 2013.

Other Accounts Managed by Investment Professionals

The table below identifies the number of accounts (other than the fund) for which the fund’s investment professionals have day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts. For each category, the number of accounts and total assets in the accounts where fees are based on performance is also indicated.


Investment Professional(s)

  

Registered

Investment

Companies

  

Other Pooled

Investment

Vehicles

  

Other

Accounts

Stephen A. Walsh ‡

   101 registered investment companies with $184.2 billion in total assets under management    239 Other pooled investment vehicles with $88.1 billion in assets under management*    712 Other accounts with $166.2 billion in total assets under management**

Michael C. Buchanan ‡

   42 registered investment Companies with $31.9 billion in total assets Under management    55 Other pooled investment vehicles with $28.8 billion in assets under management***    198 Other accounts with $49.0 billion in total assets under management****

Christopher Kilpatrick ‡

   8 registered investment companies with $3.4 billion in total assets under management    1 Other pooled investment vehicle with $250 million in assets under management    1 Other Account with with $330 million in total assets under management

 

* Includes 6 accounts managed, totaling $810 million, for which advisory fee is performance based.
** Includes 62 accounts managed, totaling $15.9 billion, for which advisory fee is performance based.
*** Includes 3 accounts managed, totaling $360 million, for which advisory fee is performance based.
**** Includes 21 accounts managed, totaling $7.4 billion, for which advisory fee is performance based.
The numbers above reflect the overall number of portfolios managed by employees of Western Asset Management Company (“Western Asset”). Mr. Walsh is involved in the management of all the Firm’s portfolios, but they are not solely responsible for particular portfolios. Western Asset’s investment discipline emphasizes a team approach that combines the efforts of groups of specialists working in different market sectors. They are responsible for overseeing implementation of Western Asset’s overall investment ideas and coordinating the work of the various ector teams. This structure ensures that client portfolios benefit from a consensus that draws on the expertise of all team members.

(a)(3): Investment Professional Compensation

With respect to the compensation of the investment professionals, Western Asset’s compensation system assigns each employee a total compensation range, which is derived from annual market surveys that benchmark each role with its job function and peer universe. This method is designed to reward employees with total compensation reflective of the external market value of their skills, experience, and ability to produce desired results. Standard compensation includes competitive base salaries, generous employee benefits, and a retirement plan.

In addition, the subadviser’s employees are eligible for bonuses. These are structured to closely align the interests of employees with those of the subadviser, and are determined by the professional’s job function and pre-tax performance as measured by a formal review process. All bonuses are completely discretionary. The principal factor considered is an investment professional’s investment performance versus appropriate peer groups and benchmarks (e.g., a securities index and with respect to a fund, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s Prospectus to which the fund’s average annual total returns are compared or, if none, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s annual report). Performance is reviewed on a 1, 3 and 5 year basis for


compensation—with 3 years having the most emphasis. The subadviser may also measure an investment professional’s pre-tax investment performance against other benchmarks, as it determines appropriate. Because investment professionals are generally responsible for multiple accounts (including the funds) with similar investment strategies, they are generally compensated on the performance of the aggregate group of similar accounts, rather than a specific account. Other factors that may be considered when making bonus decisions include client service, business development, length of service to the subadviser, management or supervisory responsibilities, contributions to developing business strategy and overall contributions to the subadviser’s business.

Finally, in order to attract and retain top talent, all professionals are eligible for additional incentives in recognition of outstanding performance. These are determined based upon the factors described above and include Legg Mason stock options and long-term incentives that vest over a set period of time past the award date.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of Interest

The manager, the subadviser and investment professionals have interests which conflict with the interests of the fund. There is no guarantee that the policies and procedures adopted by the manager, the subadviser and the fund will be able to identify or mitigate these conflicts of interest.

Some examples of material conflicts of interest include:

Allocation of Limited Time and Attention. An investment professional who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. An investment professional may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for each of those funds and accounts as might be the case if he or she were to devote substantially more attention to the management of a single fund. Such an investment professional may make general determinations across multiple funds, rather than tailoring a unique approach for each fund. The effects of this conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular investment professional have different investment strategies.

Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities; Aggregation of Orders. If an investment professional identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit the fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity. Additionally, the subadviser may aggregate transaction orders for multiple accounts for purpose of execution. Such aggregation may cause the price or brokerage costs to be less favorable to a particular client than if similar transactions were not being executed concurrently for other accounts. In addition, the subadviser’s trade allocation policies may result in the fund’s orders not being fully executed or being delayed in execution.

Pursuit of Differing Strategies. At times, an investment professional may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the investment professional may place separate transactions for one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts. For example, an investment professional may determine that it would be in the interest of another account to sell a security that the fund holds long, potentially resulting in a decrease in the market value of the security held by the fund.

Cross Trades. Investment professionals may manage funds that engage in cross trades, where one of the manager’s funds or accounts sells a particular security to another fund or account managed by the same manager. Cross trades may pose conflicts of interest because of, for example, the possibility that one account sells a security to another account at a higher price than an independent third party would pay or otherwise enters into a transaction that it would not enter into with an independent party, such as the sale of a difficult-to-obtain security.


Selection of Broker/Dealers. Investment professionals may select or influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the funds and/or accounts that they supervise. In addition to executing trades, some brokers and dealers provide the subadviser with brokerage and research services, These services may be taken into account in the selection of brokers and dealers whether a broker is being selected to effect a trade on an agency basis for a commission or (as is normally the case for the funds) whether a dealer is being selected to effect a trade on a principal basis. This may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees and/or execution at a less favorable price than might have otherwise been available. The services obtained may ultimately be more beneficial to certain of the manager’s funds or accounts than to others (but not necessarily to the funds that pay the increased commission or incur the less favorable execution). A decision as to the selection of brokers and dealers could therefore yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the funds and/or accounts managed.

Variation in Financial and Other Benefits. A conflict of interest arises where the financial or other benefits available to an investment professional differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the amount or structure of the investment manager’s management fee and/or an investment professional’s compensation differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management fees), the investment professional might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. Similarly, the desire to maintain assets under management or to enhance the investment professional’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the investment professional in affording preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the investment professional. An investment professional may, for example, have an incentive to allocate favorable or limited opportunity investments or structure the timing of investments to favor such funds and/or accounts. Also, an investment professional’s or the manager’s or the subadviser’s desire to increase assets under management could influence the investment professional to keep a fund open for new investors without regard to potential benefits of closing the fund to new investors. Additionally, the investment professional might be motivated to favor funds and/or accounts in which he or she has an ownership interest or in which the investment manager and/or its affiliates have ownership interests. Conversely, if an investment professional does not personally hold an investment in the fund, the investment professional’s conflicts of interest with respect to the fund may be more acute.

Related Business Opportunities. The investment manager or its affiliates may provide more services (such as distribution or recordkeeping) for some types of funds or accounts than for others. In such cases, an investment professional may benefit, either directly or indirectly, by devoting disproportionate attention to the management of funds and/or accounts that provide greater overall returns to the investment manager and its affiliates.


(a)(4): Investment Professional Securities Ownership

The table below identifies the dollar range of securities beneficially owned by each investment professional as of August 31, 2013.

 

Investment Professional(s)

   Dollar Range of
Portfolio
Securities
Beneficially
Owned

Stephen A. Walsh

   A

Christopher F. Kilpatrick

   A

Michael C. Buchanan

   A

Dollar Range ownership is as follows:

A: none

B: $1 - $10,000

C: 10,001 - $50,000

D: $50,001 - $100,000

E: $100,001 - $500,000

F: $500,001 - $1 million

G: over $1 million

 

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

NONE.

 

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

NONE.

 

ITEM 11. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

 

  (a) The registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a- 3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”)) are effective as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report that includes the disclosure required by this paragraph, based on their evaluation of the disclosure controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act and 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

  (b) There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act) that occurred during the second fiscal quarter of the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are likely to materially affect the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

.


ITEM 12. EXHIBITS.

(a) (1) Code of Ethics attached hereto.

Exhibit 99.CODE ETH

(a) (2) Certifications pursuant to section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 attached hereto.

Exhibit 99.CERT

(b) Certifications pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 attached hereto.

Exhibit 99.906CERT


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, there unto duly authorized.

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc.

 

By:  

/s/ Kenneth D. Fuller

  Kenneth D. Fuller
  Chief Executive Officer
Date:   October 24, 2014

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:  

/s/ Kenneth D. Fuller

  Kenneth D. Fuller
  Chief Executive Officer
Date:   October 24, 2014
By:  

/s/ Richard F. Sennett

  Richard F. Sennett
  Principal Financial Officer
Date:   October 24, 2014