N-CSRS 1 d589919dncsrs.htm MFS SERIES TRUST XIII N-CSRS MFS SERIES TRUST XIII N-CSRS
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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-CSR

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF

REGISTERED MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

Investment Company Act file number 811-3327

MFS SERIES TRUST XIII

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

111 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02199

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

Susan S. Newton

Massachusetts Financial Services Company

111 Huntington Avenue

Boston, Massachusetts 02199

(Name and address of agents for service)

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

Date of fiscal year end: February 28

Date of reporting period: August 31, 2013


Table of Contents
ITEM 1. REPORTS TO STOCKHOLDERS.


Table of Contents

SEMIANNUAL REPORT

August 31, 2013

 

LOGO

 

MFS® DIVERSIFIED INCOME FUND

 

LOGO

 

DIF-SEM

 


Table of Contents

MFS® DIVERSIFIED INCOME FUND

 

CONTENTS

 

Letter from the Chairman and CEO     1   
Portfolio composition     2   
Expense table     4   
Portfolio of investments     6   
Statement of assets and liabilities     24   
Statement of operations     26   
Statements of changes in net assets     27   
Financial highlights     28   
Notes to financial statements     36   
Board review of investment advisory agreement     54   
Proxy voting policies and information     58   
Quarterly portfolio disclosure     58   
Further information     58   
Provision of financial reports and summary prospectuses     58   
Contact information    back cover   

 

 

 

The report is prepared for the general information of shareholders.

It is authorized for distribution to prospective investors only when preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus.

 

NOT FDIC INSURED Ÿ MAY LOSE VALUE Ÿ NO BANK GUARANTEE


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO

 

Dear Shareholders:

Global economic trends appear to favor growth again despite risks created by the U.S. government’s gridlock. The U.S. economy’s slow but steady expansion is no longer the

exception. The eurozone has emerged from its 18-month-long recession, with Germany leading the way. China’s monthly gauges of economic activity once again point toward expansion. And Japan is picking up momentum in response to its government’s and central bank’s aggressive program of monetary easing.

However, geopolitical risks have risen, with violence erupting in Egypt and Syria and the possibility of further unrest in the Middle East. The U.S. Federal Reserve’s expected tapering of its bond-buying stimulus program has weighed on global markets

since May. Emerging markets, including Brazil and India, have borne much of the brunt, as their currency values have dropped and nervous investors have fled to safety elsewhere. In Europe, unemployment persists at historically high levels. The trend towards a pickup in global growth, while encouraging, appears tenuous, particularly with the risk of a U.S. debt default.

As always, managing risk in the face of uncertainty remains a top priority for investors. At MFS®, our uniquely collaborative investment process employs integrated, global research and active risk management. Our global team of investment professionals shares ideas and evaluates opportunities across continents, investment disciplines and asset classes — all with a goal of building better insights, and ultimately better results, for our clients.

We are mindful of the many economic challenges investors face, and believe it is more important than ever to maintain a long-term view and employ time-tested principles, such as asset allocation and diversification. We remain confident that our unique approach can serve investors well as they work with their financial advisors to identify and pursue the most suitable opportunities.

Respectfully,

 

LOGO

Robert J. Manning

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

MFS Investment Management®

October 17, 2013

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

 

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PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION

 

Portfolio structure (i)

 

LOGO

 

Top ten holdings (i)  
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.125%, 2015     2.9%  
Simon Property Group, Inc., REIT     2.2%   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 0.875%, 2016     1.6%   
Public Storage, Inc., REIT     1.5%   
Fannie Mae, 4.5%, 30 Years     1.3%   
Vornado Realty Trust, REIT     1.2%   
Exxon Mobil Corp.     1.1%   
Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., REIT     1.0%   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 3.125%, 2021     1.0%   
AvalonBay Communities, Inc., REIT     0.9%   
Equity sectors (i)  
Financial Services     22.4%  
Energy     2.8%   
Health Care     2.7%   
Utilities & Communications     2.4%   
Technology     1.7%   
Industrial Goods & Services     1.1%   
Autos & Housing     0.9%   
Basic Materials     0.8%   
Retailing     0.7%   
Consumer Staples     0.7%   
Leisure     0.6%   
Transportation     0.1%   
Special Products & Services     0.1%   
Fixed income sectors (i)  
High Yield Corporates     24.0%   
Emerging Markets Bonds     15.9%   
Mortgage-Backed Securities     8.9%   
U.S. Treasury Securities     7.6%   
Non-U.S. Government Bonds     1.0%   
High Grade Corporates     0.9%   
U.S. Government Agencies     0.9%   
Floating Rate Loans     0.5%   
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities     0.3%   
Municipal Bonds     0.1%   
Collateralized Debt Obligations (o)     0.0%   
Composition including fixed income credit quality (a)(i)    
AAA (o)     0.0%   
AA     0.4%   
A     1.7%   
BBB     9.5%   
BB     13.7%   
B     13.4%   
CCC     3.6%   
C (o)     0.0%   
U.S. Government     7.6%   
Federal Agencies     9.8%   
Not Rated     0.4%   
Non-Fixed Income     37.0%   
Cash & Other     2.9%   
 

 

2


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Portfolio Composition – continued

 

 

(a) For all securities other than those specifically described below, ratings are assigned to underlying securities utilizing ratings from Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard & Poor’s rating agencies and applying the following hierarchy: If all three agencies provide a rating, the middle rating (after dropping the highest and lowest ratings) is assigned; if two of the three agencies rate a security, the lower of the two is assigned. Ratings are shown in the S&P and Fitch scale (e.g., AAA). Securities rated BBB or higher are considered investment grade. All ratings are subject to change. U.S. Government includes securities issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Federal Agencies includes rated and unrated U.S. Agency fixed-income securities, U.S. Agency mortgage-backed securities, and collateralized mortgage obligations of U.S. Agency mortgage-backed securities. Not Rated includes fixed income securities, including fixed income futures contracts, which have not been rated by any rating agency. Non-Fixed Income includes equity securities (including convertible bonds and equity derivatives) and commodities. Cash & Other includes cash, other assets less liabilities, offsets to derivative positions, and short-term securities. The fund may not hold all of these instruments. The fund is not rated by these agencies.
(i) For purposes of this presentation, the components include the market value of securities, and reflect the impact of the equivalent exposure of derivative positions, if any. These amounts may be negative from time to time. Equivalent exposure is a calculated amount that translates the derivative position into a reasonable approximation of the amount of the underlying asset that the portfolio would have to hold at a given point in time to have the same price sensitivity that results from the portfolio’s ownership of the derivative contract. When dealing with derivatives, equivalent exposure is a more representative measure of the potential impact of a position on portfolio performance than market value. The bond component will include any accrued interest amounts.
(o) Less than 0.1%.

Where the fund holds convertible bonds, these are treated as part of the equity portion of the portfolio.

The fund invests a portion of its assets in the MFS High Yield Pooled Portfolio. Percentages reflect exposure to the underlying holdings of the MFS High Yield Pooled Portfolio and not to the exposure from investing directly in the MFS High Yield Pooled Portfolio itself.

Percentages are based on net assets as of 8/31/13.

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

 

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Table of Contents

EXPENSE TABLE

Fund expenses borne by the shareholders during the period, March 1, 2013 through August 31, 2013

As a shareholder of the fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including sales charges (loads) on certain purchase or redemption payments, and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees; distribution and service (12b-1) fees; and other fund expenses. This example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

In addition to the fees and expenses which the fund bears directly, the fund indirectly bears a pro rata share of the fees and expenses of the underlying MFS Pooled Portfolio in which the fund invests. MFS Pooled Portfolios are mutual funds advised by MFS that do not pay management fees to MFS but do incur investment and operating costs. If these transactional and indirect costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

The example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period March 1, 2013 through August 31, 2013.

Actual Expenses

The first line for each share class in the following table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes

The second line for each share class in the following table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the fund and other funds. To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

Please note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as sales charges (loads). Therefore, the second line for each share class in the table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

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Table of Contents

Expense Table – continued

 

 

Share
Class
       Annualized
Expense
Ratio
    Beginning
Account Value
3/01/13
    Ending
Account Value
8/31/13
    Expenses
Paid During
Period (p)
3/01/13-8/31/13
 
A   Actual     1.04%        $1,000.00        $996.25        $5.23   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.04%        $1,000.00        $1,019.96        $5.30   
C   Actual     1.79%        $1,000.00        $992.51        $8.99   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.79%        $1,000.00        $1,016.18        $9.10   
I   Actual     0.79%        $1,000.00        $997.50        $3.98   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.79%        $1,000.00        $1,021.22        $4.02   
R1   Actual     1.79%        $1,000.00        $992.50        $8.99   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.79%        $1,000.00        $1,016.18        $9.10   
R2   Actual     1.29%        $1,000.00        $995.01        $6.49   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.29%        $1,000.00        $1,018.70        $6.56   
R3   Actual     1.04%        $1,000.00        $995.41        $5.23   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.04%        $1,000.00        $1,019.96        $5.30   
R4   Actual     0.79%        $1,000.00        $998.36        $3.98   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.79%        $1,000.00        $1,021.22        $4.02   
R5   Actual     0.72%        $1,000.00        $997.86        $3.63   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.72%        $1,000.00        $1,021.58        $3.67   

 

(h) 5% class return per year before expenses.
(p) Expenses paid are equal to each class’s annualized expense ratio, as shown above, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the period, divided by the number of days in the year. Expenses paid do not include any applicable sales charges (loads). If these transaction costs had been included, your costs would have been higher. In addition to the fees and expenses which the fund bears directly, the fund indirectly bears a pro rata share of the fees and expenses of the underlying funds in which the fund invests. If these indirect costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

Notes to Expense Table

Changes to the fund’s fee arrangements occurred during the six month period. Had these fee changes been in effect throughout the entire six month period, the annualized expense ratios would have been 1.03%, 1.78%, 0.78%, 1.78%, 1.28%, 1.03%, 0.78%, and 0.71% for Classes A, C, I, R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5, respectively; the actual expenses paid during the period would have been approximately $5.18, $8.94, $3.93, $8.94, $6.44, $5.18, $3.93, and $3.58 for Classes A, C, I, R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5, respectively; and the hypothetical expenses paid during the period would have been approximately $5.24, $9.05, $3.97, $9.05, $6.51, $5.24, $3.97, and $3.62 for Classes A, C, I, R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5, respectively. For further information about the fund’s fee arrangements and changes to those fee arrangements, please see Note 3 in the Notes to Financial Statements.

 

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Table of Contents

PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS

8/31/13 (unaudited)

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

 

Bonds - 33.1%                 
Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Aerospace - 0.1%                 
Embraer Empresa Brasileria de Aeronaves, 5.15%, 2022    $ 2,211,000      $ 2,199,945   
Agency - Other - 0.2%                 
Financing Corp., 9.4%, 2018    $ 965,000      $ 1,274,838   
Financing Corp., 10.35%, 2018      715,000        992,366   
Financing Corp., STRIPS, 0%, 2017      860,000        799,166   
    

 

 

 
             $ 3,066,370   
Asset-Backed & Securitized - 0.3%                 
Citigroup Commercial Mortgage Trust, FRN, 5.885%, 2049    $ 198,555      $ 23,687   
Citigroup/Deutsche Bank Commercial Mortgage Trust, 5.322%, 2049      100,000        109,393   
Commercial Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, “A4”, 5.306%, 2046      199,556        218,984   
Credit Suisse Commercial Mortgage Trust, “A4”, FRN, 5.954%, 2039      918,488        1,015,090   
CWCapital Cobalt Ltd., “A4”, FRN, 5.966%, 2046      1,195,102        1,332,547   
G-Force LLC, CDO, “A2”, 4.83%, 2036 (z)      31,160        31,160   
Goldman Sachs Mortgage Securities Corp., FRN, 5.993%, 2045      1,410,458        1,552,837   
JPMorgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Corp., “A3”, FRN, 6.124%, 2051      105,201        108,948   
JPMorgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Corp., “A4”, FRN, 6.003%, 2049      1,437,604        1,601,294   
    

 

 

 
             $ 5,993,940   
Automotive - 0.0%                 
Automotores Gildemeister S.A., 8.25%, 2021 (n)    $ 667,000      $ 520,260   
Broadcasting - 0.1%                 
Globo Comunicacoes e Participacoes S.A., 6.25% to 2015, 9.375% to 2049 (n)    $ 1,499,000      $ 1,558,960   
Building - 0.4%                 
Cementos Pacasmayo S.A.A., 4.5%, 2023    $ 1,214,000      $ 1,059,215   
CEMEX Espana S.A., 9.25%, 2020      1,545,000        1,614,525   
CEMEX Finance LLC, 9.5%, 2016 (n)      143,000        150,865   
CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V., 9%, 2018 (n)      1,064,000        1,122,520   
CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V., 6.5%, 2019 (z)      1,293,000        1,254,210   
CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V., FRN, 5.276%, 2015 (n)      1,155,000        1,183,875   
Odebrecht Finance Ltd., 7.125%, 2042 (n)      1,706,000        1,484,220   
    

 

 

 
             $ 7,869,430   

 

6


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Bonds - continued                 
Business Services - 0.1%                 
Tencent Holdings Ltd., 3.375%, 2018 (n)    $ 1,326,000      $ 1,325,862   
Cable TV - 0.2%                 
Myriad International Holdings B.V., 6%, 2020 (n)    $ 3,692,000      $ 3,761,410   
Chemicals - 0.1%                 
Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A., 5.5%, 2020 (n)    $ 1,594,000      $ 1,679,799   
Conglomerates - 0.1%                 
Metalloinvest Finance Ltd., 5.625%, 2020 (n)    $ 1,764,000      $ 1,649,340   
Construction - 0.1%                 
Empresas ICA S.A.B. de C.V., 8.375%, 2017 (n)    $ 1,409,000      $ 1,352,640   
Emerging Market Quasi-Sovereign - 5.0%                 
Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. PJSC (TAQA), 5.875%, 2021 (n)    $ 955,000      $ 1,038,562   
Banco de Costa Rica, 5.25%, 2018 (z)      343,000        346,430   
Banco de Reservas de La Republica Dominicana, 7%, 2023 (n)      1,705,000        1,670,900   
Banco do Brasil S.A., 3.875%, 2017      1,472,000        1,503,280   
Banco do Brasil S.A., FRN, 6.25%, 2049 (n)      3,705,000        2,889,900   
Banco do Estado Rio Grande do Sul S.A., 7.375%, 2022 (n)      2,497,000        2,459,545   
Banco do Nordeste do Brasil (BNB), 3.625%, 2015 (n)      1,236,000        1,242,180   
Banco do Nordeste do Brasil (BNB), 4.375%, 2019 (n)      2,097,000        1,989,004   
Biz Finance PLC, 8.375%, 2015      1,153,000        1,115,527   
Brazil Minas SPE, 5.333%, 2028 (z)      536,000        501,160   
CNOOC Finance (2012) Ltd., 3.875%, 2022 (n)      1,123,000        1,084,874   
CNOOC Finance (2013) Ltd., 3%, 2023      2,512,000        2,231,824   
CNPC (HK) Overseas Capital Ltd., 4.5%, 2021 (n)      540,000        547,683   
CNPC General Capital Ltd., 3.4%, 2023 (n)      3,618,000        3,294,377   
Comision Federal de Electricidad, 5.75%, 2042 (n)      1,575,000        1,409,625   
Corporacion Financiera de Desarrollo S.A., 4.75%, 2022 (n)      2,106,000        2,027,025   
Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile, 3.75%, 2020 (n)      349,000        338,323   
Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile, 4.25%, 2042 (n)      1,234,000        973,959   
Development Bank of Kazakhstan, 4.125%, 2022      4,494,000        3,932,250   
Dolphin Energy Ltd., 5.5%, 2021 (n)      2,363,000        2,510,687   
Ecopetrol S.A., 7.625%, 2019      1,852,000        2,120,540   
Gaz Capital S.A., 3.85%, 2020 (n)      996,000        928,770   
Gaz Capital S.A., 5.999%, 2021 (n)      2,212,000        2,245,180   
Gaz Capital S.A., 4.95%, 2028 (n)      3,446,000        2,911,870   
Gazprom Neft, 4.375%, 2022 (n)      1,107,000        982,463   
Instituto Costarricense, 6.375%, 2043 (n)      1,007,000        845,880   
JSC Georgian Railway, 7.75%, 2022 (n)      1,203,000        1,269,165   
KazAgro National Management Holding, 4.625%, 2023 (n)      5,564,000        4,868,500   

 

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Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Bonds - continued                 
Emerging Market Quasi-Sovereign - continued                 
Kazakhstan Temir Zholy Co., 6.95%, 2042 (n)    $ 2,711,000      $ 2,585,616   
KazMunayGas National Co., 4.4%, 2023 (n)      5,329,000        4,729,488   
Magyar Export-Import Bank, 5.5%, 2018 (n)      2,580,000        2,566,650   
Naftogaz Ukraine, 9.5%, 2014      753,000        739,822   
OJSC Russian Agricultural Bank, 5.1%, 2018 (n)      566,000        563,095   
Pemex Project Funding Master Trust, 6.625%, 2035      1,446,000        1,485,765   
Pertamina PT, 4.875%, 2022 (n)      2,381,000        2,071,470   
Pertamina PT, 4.3%, 2023 (n)      2,705,000        2,204,575   
Petrobras Global Finance Co., 4.375%, 2023      3,650,000        3,193,724   
Petrobras International Finance Co., 5.375%, 2021      2,500,000        2,441,208   
Petroleos Mexicanos, 2.286%, 2018      611,000        628,414   
Petroleos Mexicanos, 5.5%, 2021      2,395,000        2,536,305   
Petroleos Mexicanos, 4.875%, 2024      584,000        575,240   
Petroleum Co. of Trinidad & Tobago Ltd., 6%, 2022      839,250        868,624   
Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Co. Ltd. III, 6.75%, 2019      747,000        866,520   
Rosneft, 3.149%, 2017 (n)      472,000        464,920   
Rosneft, 4.199%, 2022 (n)      1,997,000        1,787,315   
Sberbank of Russia, 6.125%, 2022 (n)      3,590,000        3,670,775   
Sinopec Capital (2013) Ltd., 3.125%, 2023 (n)      3,060,000        2,742,935   
Sinopec Capital (2013) Ltd., 4.25%, 2043 (n)      2,765,000        2,302,736   
Sinopec Group Overseas Development (2012) Ltd., 3.9%, 2022 (n)      1,445,000        1,402,413   
State Grid Overseas Investment (2013) Ltd., 3.125%, 2023 (n)      1,852,000        1,705,753   
Turkiye Ihracat Kredi Bankasi A.S., 5.875%, 2019 (n)      2,725,000        2,711,375   
Vnesheconombank, 6.025%, 2022 (n)      294,000        296,058   
    

 

 

 
             $ 94,420,279   
Emerging Market Sovereign - 3.9%                 
Dominican Republic, 7.5%, 2021 (n)    $ 1,270,000      $ 1,358,900   
Dominican Republic, 5.875%, 2024 (n)      1,706,000        1,586,580   
Dominican Republic, 8.625%, 2027      2,335,000        2,591,850   
Government of Ukraine, 9.25%, 2017 (n)      375,000        366,154   
Republic of Colombia, 6.125%, 2041      562,000        589,397   
Republic of Croatia, 5.5%, 2023 (n)      1,586,000        1,514,630   
Republic of Guatemala, 5.75%, 2022 (n)      1,764,000        1,781,640   
Republic of Guatemala, 4.875%, 2028 (n)      2,255,000        2,006,950   
Republic of Hungary, 6.25%, 2020      2,470,000        2,550,769   
Republic of Hungary, 6.375%, 2021      2,502,000        2,577,060   
Republic of Hungary, 5.375%, 2023      2,930,000        2,746,875   
Republic of Indonesia, 6.875%, 2018      1,100,000        1,188,000   
Republic of Indonesia, 4.875%, 2021 (n)      2,623,000        2,419,718   
Republic of Indonesia, 5.375%, 2023 (n)      3,600,000        3,384,000   
Republic of Latvia, 5.25%, 2017 (n)      1,133,000        1,219,448   

 

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Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Bonds - continued                 
Emerging Market Sovereign - continued                 
Republic of Lithuania, 6.625%, 2022 (n)    $ 1,794,000      $ 2,047,403   
Republic of Nigeria, 6.375%, 2023 (n)      1,978,000        1,995,308   
Republic of Paraguay, 4.625%, 2023 (n)      2,559,000        2,328,690   
Republic of Peru, 7.35%, 2025      787,000        975,880   
Republic of Philippines, 5.5%, 2026      1,293,000        1,377,045   
Republic of Philippines, 6.375%, 2034      1,396,000        1,580,970   
Republic of Romania, 6.75%, 2022 (n)      2,104,000        2,335,861   
Republic of Romania, 4.375%, 2023 (n)      796,000        743,766   
Republic of Serbia, 4.875%, 2020 (n)      587,000        532,820   
Republic of Slovakia, 4.375%, 2022 (n)      4,190,000        4,169,050   
Republic of Turkey, 5.625%, 2021      1,594,000        1,598,384   
Republic of Turkey, 6.25%, 2022      2,021,000        2,077,083   
Republic of Turkey, 7.375%, 2025      1,983,000        2,154,034   
Republic of Uruguay, 4.5%, 2024      976,000        939,400   
Republic of Uruguay, 7.625%, 2036      974,000        1,161,495   
Republic of Venezuela, 7.75%, 2019      2,212,000        1,808,310   
Republic of Venezuela, 12.75%, 2022      3,629,000        3,592,710   
Republic of Venezuela, 9.25%, 2027      4,059,000        3,247,200   
Republic of Venezuela, 7%, 2038      2,450,000        1,592,500   
Republic of Vietnam, 6.875%, 2016      497,000        524,335   
Russian Federation, 4.5%, 2022 (n)      1,800,000        1,800,000   
Russian Federation, 7.5%, 2030      1,215,095        1,401,381   
Russian Federation, 5.625%, 2042 (n)      1,200,000        1,194,000   
United Mexican States, 5.125%, 2020      1,672,000        1,837,528   
United Mexican States, 3.625%, 2022      3,416,000        3,328,892   
    

 

 

 
             $ 74,226,016   
Energy - Integrated - 0.2%                 
LUKOIL International Finance B.V., 3.416%, 2018 (n)    $ 823,000      $ 808,598   
LUKOIL International Finance B.V., 4.563%, 2023 (n)      1,278,000        1,153,395   
Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp., 7.25%, 2021 (n)      1,503,000        1,555,605   
Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp., 5.125%, 2023 (n)      705,000        623,925   
    

 

 

 
             $ 4,141,523   
Financial Institutions - 0.2%                 
TMK Capital S.A., 6.75%, 2020 (n)    $ 4,065,000      $ 3,902,400   
Food & Beverages - 0.4%                 
Ajecorp B.V., 6.5%, 2022 (n)    $ 1,956,000      $ 1,902,210   
Corporacion Lindley S.A., 6.75%, 2021 (n)      630,000        670,950   
Cosan Luxembourg S.A., 5%, 2023 (n)      2,579,000        2,288,862   
Grupo Bimbo S.A.B. de C.V., 4.5%, 2022 (n)      1,185,000        1,172,787   
Marfrig Holding Europe B.V., 9.875%, 2017 (n)      1,985,000        1,975,075   
    

 

 

 
             $ 8,009,884   

 

9


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Bonds - continued                 
Forest & Paper Products - 0.1%                 
Fibria Overseas Finance Ltd., 7.5%, 2020    $ 698,000      $ 741,625   
Inversiones CMPC S.A., 4.75%, 2018 (n)      525,000        546,022   
    

 

 

 
             $ 1,287,647   
Furniture & Appliances - 0.1%                 
Arcelik A.S., 5%, 2023 (n)    $ 1,698,000      $ 1,388,115   
International Market Quasi-Sovereign - 0.7%                 
Israel Electric Corp. Ltd., 6.7%, 2017 (n)    $ 402,000      $ 428,130   
Israel Electric Corp. Ltd., 5.625%, 2018 (n)      6,440,000        6,562,360   
Israel Electric Corp. Ltd., 6.875%, 2023 (n)      5,888,000        5,998,400   
    

 

 

 
             $ 12,988,890   
International Market Sovereign - 0.2%                 
Republic of Iceland, 4.875%, 2016 (n)    $ 1,933,000      $ 2,010,320   
Republic of Iceland, 5.875%, 2022 (n)      1,865,000        1,890,644   
    

 

 

 
             $ 3,900,964   
Internet - 0.3%                 
Baidu, Inc., 3.25%, 2018    $ 4,956,000      $ 4,894,288   
Baidu, Inc., 3.5%, 2022      383,000        348,904   
    

 

 

 
             $ 5,243,192   
Local Authorities - 0.1%                 
Nashville & Davidson County, TN, Metropolitan Government Convention Center Authority (Build America Bonds), 6.731%, 2043    $ 1,115,000      $ 1,241,463   
Port Authority NY & NJ (168th Series), 4.926%, 2051      395,000        370,941   
San Francisco, CA, City & County Public Utilities Commission, Water Rev. (Build America Bonds), 6%, 2040      15,000        16,421   
University of California Rev. (Build America Bonds), 5.77%, 2043      60,000        65,424   
    

 

 

 
             $ 1,694,249   
Machinery & Tools - 0.0%                 
Ferreycorp S.A.A., 4.875%, 2020 (n)    $ 1,031,000      $ 943,365   
Major Banks - 0.1%                 
DBS Bank Ltd., 3.625% to 2017, FRN to 2022 (n)    $ 1,801,000      $ 1,821,112   
Medical & Health Technology & Services - 0.0%                 
Catholic Health Initiatives, 2.95%, 2022    $ 569,000      $ 524,033   
Metals & Mining - 0.2%                 
Vale Overseas Ltd., 5.625%, 2019    $ 1,134,000      $ 1,211,318   
Vale Overseas Ltd., 4.375%, 2022      2,046,000        1,903,911   

 

10


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Bonds - continued                 
Metals & Mining - continued                 
Vale Overseas Ltd., 6.875%, 2039    $ 1,468,000      $ 1,419,469   
    

 

 

 
             $ 4,534,698   
Mortgage-Backed - 8.9%                 
Fannie Mae, 5.259%, 2013    $ 10,664      $ 10,692   
Fannie Mae, 4.607%, 2014      109,618        109,695   
Fannie Mae, 4.629%, 2014      48,900        49,359   
Fannie Mae, 4.854%, 2014      33,610        33,750   
Fannie Mae, 5.1%, 2014 - 2019      326,321        344,745   
Fannie Mae, 4.56%, 2015      68,818        72,116   
Fannie Mae, 4.6%, 2015 - 2019      153,554        167,125   
Fannie Mae, 4.7%, 2015      79,905        84,413   
Fannie Mae, 4.78%, 2015      77,106        81,156   
Fannie Mae, 4.81%, 2015      173,923        183,116   
Fannie Mae, 4.815%, 2015      104,898        109,853   
Fannie Mae, 4.832%, 2015      131,369        133,988   
Fannie Mae, 4.85%, 2015      167,910        174,350   
Fannie Mae, 4.856%, 2015      60,797        63,929   
Fannie Mae, 4.86%, 2015      146,279        151,431   
Fannie Mae, 4.908%, 2015      190,462        199,006   
Fannie Mae, 5.034%, 2015      121,357        128,581   
Fannie Mae, 5.275%, 2015      120,063        126,586   
Fannie Mae, 5.463%, 2015      448,710        481,551   
Fannie Mae, 5.5%, 2015 - 2040      7,677,502        8,350,249   
Fannie Mae, 5.09%, 2016      62,151        67,108   
Fannie Mae, 5.134%, 2016      232,201        250,037   
Fannie Mae, 5.273%, 2016      305,825        331,104   
Fannie Mae, 5.395%, 2016      102,807        111,796   
Fannie Mae, 5.424%, 2016      113,919        123,770   
Fannie Mae, 5.45%, 2016      110,000        122,389   
Fannie Mae, 5.724%, 2016      223,495        246,759   
Fannie Mae, 5.845%, 2016      28,810        30,546   
Fannie Mae, 5.93%, 2016      107,876        117,270   
Fannie Mae, 1.114%, 2017      1,200,000        1,179,866   
Fannie Mae, 1.9%, 2017      195,498        196,941   
Fannie Mae, 2.71%, 2017      56,083        58,128   
Fannie Mae, 3.308%, 2017      479,589        506,884   
Fannie Mae, 5.05%, 2017 - 2019      118,830        128,982   
Fannie Mae, 5.478%, 2017      194,701        219,939   
Fannie Mae, 5.508%, 2017      61,863        67,549   
Fannie Mae, 6%, 2017 - 2038      1,321,619        1,446,081   
Fannie Mae, 6.5%, 2017 - 2037      358,255        398,363   
Fannie Mae, 2.578%, 2018      1,415,000        1,443,955   
Fannie Mae, 3.8%, 2018      88,829        94,394   

 

11


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Bonds - continued                 
Mortgage-Backed - continued                 
Fannie Mae, 3.849%, 2018    $ 292,131      $ 314,020   
Fannie Mae, 3.91%, 2018      116,022        124,746   
Fannie Mae, 3.99%, 2018      150,000        161,792   
Fannie Mae, 4%, 2018 - 2041      4,205,982        4,365,797   
Fannie Mae, 4.19%, 2018      106,732        115,934   
Fannie Mae, 5.16%, 2018      210,872        228,353   
Fannie Mae, 5.34%, 2018      370,175        418,344   
Fannie Mae, 4.45%, 2019      89,499        97,402   
Fannie Mae, 4.5%, 2019 - 2041      1,354,854        1,436,859   
Fannie Mae, 4.67%, 2019      28,000        30,749   
Fannie Mae, 4.83%, 2019      71,115        78,574   
Fannie Mae, 4.864%, 2019      108,419        120,202   
Fannie Mae, 5%, 2019 - 2041      5,774,891        6,225,230   
Fannie Mae, 5.08%, 2019      23,586        25,679   
Fannie Mae, 5.51%, 2019      113,861        124,935   
Fannie Mae, 3.87%, 2020      69,778        73,575   
Fannie Mae, 4.14%, 2020      42,230        45,085   
Fannie Mae, 5.19%, 2020      106,227        115,716   
Fannie Mae, 4.5%, 2025      68,449        72,573   
Fannie Mae, 3%, 2027      1,347,371        1,380,373   
Fannie Mae, 3.5%, 2042      429,783        430,285   
Fannie Mae, TBA, 3%, 2028      7,207,000        7,337,626   
Fannie Mae, TBA, 3.5%, 2043      7,328,000        7,325,710   
Fannie Mae, TBA, 4%, 2043      9,971,000        10,232,739   
Fannie Mae, TBA, 4.5%, 2043      23,079,000        24,250,349   
Fannie Mae, TBA, 5%, 2043      4,000,000        4,280,000   
Freddie Mac, 1.655%, 2016      1,277,929        1,289,124   
Freddie Mac, 1.426%, 2017      1,656,000        1,640,031   
Freddie Mac, 3.882%, 2017      555,000        595,729   
Freddie Mac, 6%, 2017 - 2038      687,327        754,920   
Freddie Mac, 2.303%, 2018      1,515,000        1,519,613   
Freddie Mac, 2.323%, 2018      1,765,000        1,769,748   
Freddie Mac, 2.412%, 2018      2,578,000        2,604,654   
Freddie Mac, 2.699%, 2018      1,300,000        1,333,151   
Freddie Mac, 3.154%, 2018      514,000        537,547   
Freddie Mac, 5%, 2018 - 2040      945,005        1,014,053   
Freddie Mac, 1.883%, 2019      1,000,000        973,081   
Freddie Mac, 2.086%, 2019      1,175,000        1,158,068   
Freddie Mac, 2.13%, 2019      1,750,000        1,731,503   
Freddie Mac, 4.186%, 2019      1,346,000        1,455,262   
Freddie Mac, 5.085%, 2019      1,410,000        1,591,138   
Freddie Mac, 2.757%, 2020      266,723        275,666   
Freddie Mac, 3.32%, 2020      243,856        256,224   

 

12


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Bonds - continued                 
Mortgage-Backed - continued                 
Freddie Mac, 4.224%, 2020    $ 99,963      $ 107,328   
Freddie Mac, 4.251%, 2020      230,000        249,058   
Freddie Mac, 4.5%, 2024 - 2041      2,624,087        2,761,519   
Freddie Mac, 5.5%, 2024 - 2041      3,263,960        3,528,018   
Freddie Mac, 4%, 2025      178,294        187,739   
Freddie Mac, 2.5%, 2028      9,242,645        9,181,109   
Freddie Mac, 6.5%, 2037 - 2038      96,407        105,948   
Freddie Mac, 3.5%, 2041 - 2043      12,458,561        12,431,640   
Freddie Mac, 3%, 2043      5,214,268        4,994,893   
Freddie Mac, 3.25%, 2023      1,700,000        1,668,208   
Freddie Mac, 3.32%, 2023      677,000        666,029   
Freddie Mac, 3.3%, 2046      1,045,940        1,028,575   
Ginnie Mae, 4.5%, 2033 - 2041      3,499,163        3,747,868   
Ginnie Mae, 5.5%, 2033 - 2042      721,327        786,781   
Ginnie Mae, 4%, 2039 - 2041      769,287        805,545   
Ginnie Mae, 3.5%, 2041 - 2043      14,753,260        14,930,028   
Ginnie Mae, 3%, 2043      1,982,558        1,925,752   
Ginnie Mae, 5.612%, 2058      186,499        195,711   
Ginnie Mae, 6.357%, 2058      147,028        155,565   
Ginnie Mae, TBA, 4.5%, 2043      1,750,000        1,863,750   
    

 

 

 
             $ 169,430,775   
Municipals - 0.0%                 
South Carolina Public Service Authority Rev., “A”, 5.125%, 2043    $ 185,000      $ 182,604   
South Carolina Public Service Authority Rev., “B”, 5.125%, 2043      450,000        444,173   
    

 

 

 
             $ 626,777   
Network & Telecom - 0.1%                 
Telefonica Celular del Paraguay S.A., 6.75%, 2022 (n)    $ 1,333,000      $ 1,326,335   
Oil Services - 0.4%                 
Afren PLC, 11.5%, 2016 (n)    $ 200,000      $ 228,500   
Odebrecht Offshore Drilling Finance Ltd., 6.75%, 2022 (n)      4,599,000        4,484,025   
Qgog Constellation S.A., 6.25%, 2019 (n)      2,447,000        2,226,770   
    

 

 

 
             $ 6,939,295   
Other Banks & Diversified Financials - 1.0%                 
Alfa Bank, 7.5%, 2019 (n)    $ 1,274,000      $ 1,337,700   
Banco de Credito del Peru, 6.125% to 2022, FRN to 2027 (n)      1,874,000        1,841,205   
Banco de Credito e Inversiones, 4%, 2023 (n)      326,000        295,544   
Banco GNB Sudameris S.A., 3.875%, 2018 (n)      1,797,000        1,644,255   
Banco Santander S.A., 4.125%, 2022 (n)      1,607,000        1,458,352   
Bancolombia S.A., 5.95%, 2021      1,374,000        1,392,893   

 

13


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Bonds - continued                 
Other Banks & Diversified Financials - continued                 
Bancolombia S.A., 5.125%, 2022    $ 407,000      $ 362,230   
BBVA Banco Continental S.A., 5%, 2022 (n)      1,265,000        1,189,100   
BBVA Bancomer S.A. de C.V., 6.5%, 2021 (n)      1,770,000        1,792,125   
BBVA Bancomer S.A. de C.V., 6.75%, 2022 (n)      1,788,000        1,829,124   
BBVA Continental, 5.75%, 2017 (n)      500,000        527,500   
CorpBanca, 3.125%, 2018      629,000        557,200   
Grupo Aval Ltd., 4.75%, 2022 (n)      2,092,000        1,835,730   
Industrial Senior Trust, 5.5%, 2022 (n)      2,082,000        1,873,800   
PKO Finance AB, 4.63%, 2022 (n)      590,000        554,659   
    

 

 

 
             $ 18,491,417   
Retailers - 0.1%                 
Cencosud S.A., 4.875%, 2023 (n)    $ 1,999,000      $ 1,832,781   
Specialty Chemicals - 0.1%                 
SIBUR Securities Ltd., 3.914%, 2018 (n)    $ 2,690,000      $ 2,535,325   
Supranational - 0.1%                 
Eurasian Development Bank, 4.767%, 2022 (n)    $ 1,352,000      $ 1,257,630   
Telecommunications - Wireless - 0.4%                 
America Movil S.A.B. de C.V., 5%, 2020    $ 877,000      $ 930,368   
Bharti Airtel International Co., 5.125%, 2023 (n)      730,000        611,375   
Digicel Group Ltd., 10.5%, 2018 (n)      385,000        414,837   
Digicel Group Ltd., 8.25%, 2020 (n)      396,000        419,760   
Digicel Group Ltd., 6%, 2021 (n)      2,253,000        2,174,145   
Millicom International Cellular S.A., 4.75%, 2020 (n)      600,000        567,750   
MTS International Funding Ltd., 5%, 2023 (n)      748,000        665,720   
VimpelCom Ltd., 5.95%, 2023 (n)      1,709,000        1,528,478   
    

 

 

 
             $ 7,312,433   
Transportation - 0.2%                 
Far Eastern Shipping Co., 8%, 2018 (n)    $ 2,253,000      $ 2,010,802   
Far Eastern Shipping Co., 8.75%, 2020 (n)      1,700,000        1,521,500   
    

 

 

 
             $ 3,532,302   
Transportation - Services - 0.0%                 
Navios South American Logistics, Inc., 9.25%, 2019    $ 149,000      $ 160,920   
U.S. Government Agencies and Equivalents - 0.7%                 
Aid-Egypt, 4.45%, 2015    $ 170,000      $ 183,267   
Fannie Mae, 1.125%, 2017      5,500,000        5,481,707   
Fannie Mae, 0.875%, 2018      4,000,000        3,842,448   
Private Export Funding Corp., 1.875%, 2018      850,000        846,239   

 

14


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Bonds - continued                 
U.S. Government Agencies and Equivalents - continued           
Small Business Administration, 6.34%, 2021    $ 104,302      $ 114,059   
Small Business Administration, 6.07%, 2022      95,802        104,779   
Small Business Administration, 5.16%, 2028      183,003        200,743   
Small Business Administration, 2.21%, 2033      417,240        390,815   
Small Business Administration, 2.22%, 2033      791,000        744,304   
Small Business Administration, 3.15%, 2033      851,000        847,227   
Small Business Administration, 3.16%, 2033      1,000,000        997,050   
    

 

 

 
             $ 13,752,638   
U.S. Treasury Obligations - 7.6%                 
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 9.25%, 2016    $ 47,000      $ 56,914   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 6.375%, 2027      106,000        144,756   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 5.25%, 2029      86,000        106,627   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 4.5%, 2036      70,000        80,828   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 4.375%, 2038      638,000        722,834   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 4.5%, 2039      13,646,000        15,773,930   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 3.125%, 2043      776,700        697,695   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 3.125%, 2013      305,000        305,691   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 4%, 2014      18,000        18,316   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 1.875%, 2014      9,250,000        9,331,659   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 1.875%, 2014      417,000        421,838   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 4%, 2015      1,397,000        1,472,198   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.125%, 2015      52,319,000        53,937,645   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 0.875%, 2016      29,464,000        29,397,235   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.625%, 2018      1,752,000        1,841,927   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 3.125%, 2019      454,000        486,312   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 3.5%, 2020      1,584,000        1,725,446   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.625%, 2020      2,260,000        2,326,564   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 3.125%, 2021      17,642,000        18,602,660   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 1.75%, 2022      6,349,000        5,928,379   
    

 

 

 
             $ 143,379,454   
Utilities - Electric Power - 0.2%                 
E-CL S.A., 5.625%, 2021    $ 2,177,000      $ 2,232,953   
Empresa de Energia de Bogota S.A., 6.125%, 2021 (n)      200,000        203,000   
Transelec S.A., 4.625%, 2023 (n)      1,507,000        1,446,301   
    

 

 

 
             $ 3,882,254   
Utilities - Gas - 0.1%                 
Transport de Gas Peru, 4.25%, 2028 (n)    $ 3,039,000      $ 2,643,930   
Total Bonds (Identified Cost, $649,477,652)            $ 627,108,589   

 

15


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Common Stocks - 38.3%                 
Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Aerospace - 0.5%                 
L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc.      22,410      $ 2,024,295   
Lockheed Martin Corp.      37,720        4,617,682   
Northrop Grumman Corp.      25,500        2,352,885   
    

 

 

 
             $ 8,994,862   
Automotive - 0.5%                 
Delphi Automotive PLC      85,001      $ 4,676,755   
General Motors Co. (a)      91,720        3,125,818   
Johnson Controls, Inc.      34,344        1,391,962   
TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. (a)      14,600        1,008,422   
    

 

 

 
             $ 10,202,957   
Brokerage & Asset Managers - 0.0%                 
Prospect Capital Corp.      58,550      $ 648,149   
Cable TV - 0.4%                 
Comcast Corp., “A”      44,637      $ 1,878,771   
Time Warner Cable, Inc.      56,800        6,097,480   
    

 

 

 
             $ 7,976,251   
Chemicals - 0.4%                 
CF Industries Holdings, Inc.      16,743      $ 3,186,863   
LyondellBasell Industries N.V., “A”      65,030        4,561,854   
    

 

 

 
             $ 7,748,717   
Computer Software - 0.3%                 
CA, Inc.      77,830      $ 2,276,527   
Symantec Corp.      153,130        3,921,659   
    

 

 

 
             $ 6,198,186   
Computer Software - Systems - 0.7%                 
Hewlett-Packard Co.      301,807      $ 6,742,368   
Lexmark International, Inc., “A”      43,300        1,479,128   
Western Digital Corp.      66,020        4,093,240   
    

 

 

 
             $ 12,314,736   
Construction - 0.1%                 
Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.      22,117      $ 1,885,695   
Consumer Products - 0.3%                 
Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc., “A”      47,374      $ 3,965,678   
Procter & Gamble Co.      13,156        1,024,721   
    

 

 

 
             $ 4,990,399   

 

16


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Common Stocks - continued                 
Containers - 0.2%                 
Packaging Corp. of America      83,730      $ 4,441,039   
Electrical Equipment - 0.1%                 
General Electric Co.      102,708      $ 2,376,663   
Electronics - 0.4%                 
Intel Corp.      123,761      $ 2,720,267   
Microchip Technology, Inc.      104,985        4,074,468   
    

 

 

 
             $ 6,794,735   
Energy - Independent - 0.9%                 
HollyFrontier Corp.      58,256      $ 2,591,227   
Marathon Oil Corp.      37,170        1,279,763   
Marathon Petroleum Corp.      61,751        4,477,565   
Occidental Petroleum Corp.      66,736        5,886,783   
Valero Energy Corp.      75,493        2,682,266   
    

 

 

 
             $ 16,917,604   
Energy - Integrated - 1.9%                 
Chevron Corp.      126,941      $ 15,287,505   
Exxon Mobil Corp.      242,855        21,167,242   
    

 

 

 
             $ 36,454,747   
Entertainment - 0.1%                 
Regal Entertainment Group, “A” (l)      149,799      $ 2,679,904   
Food & Beverages - 0.1%                 
Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc.      18,197      $ 680,568   
General Mills, Inc.      34,827        1,717,668   
    

 

 

 
             $ 2,398,236   
Food & Drug Stores - 0.4%                 
CVS Caremark Corp.      31,642      $ 1,836,818   
Kroger Co.      140,460        5,140,836   
Safeway, Inc.      55,070        1,426,313   
    

 

 

 
             $ 8,403,967   
Forest & Paper Products - 0.1%                 
International Paper Co.      55,572      $ 2,623,554   
Furniture & Appliances - 0.2%                 
Whirlpool Corp.      24,926      $ 3,206,730   
General Merchandise - 0.3%                 
Macy’s, Inc.      115,698      $ 5,140,462   

 

17


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Common Stocks - continued                 
Health Maintenance Organizations - 0.5%                 
Aetna, Inc.      56,679      $ 3,592,882   
WellPoint, Inc.      58,280        4,961,959   
    

 

 

 
             $ 8,554,841   
Insurance - 1.9%                 
Aflac, Inc.      22,159      $ 1,280,569   
American International Group, Inc.      70,884        3,293,271   
Everest Re Group Ltd.      43,668        5,980,333   
Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.      25,978        768,949   
MetLife, Inc.      162,104        7,487,584   
Prudential Financial, Inc.      81,945        6,136,042   
Travelers Cos., Inc.      75,061        5,997,374   
Validus Holdings Ltd.      166,605        5,766,199   
    

 

 

 
             $ 36,710,321   
Internet - 0.4%                 
Yahoo!, Inc. (a)      252,650      $ 6,851,868   
Machinery & Tools - 0.4%                 
Eaton Corp. PLC      120,738      $ 7,645,130   
Joy Global, Inc.      17,060        837,987   
    

 

 

 
             $ 8,483,117   
Major Banks - 2.2%                 
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.      22,333      $ 3,397,519   
JPMorgan Chase & Co.      277,302        14,012,070   
KeyCorp      353,382        4,123,968   
PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.      100,074        7,232,348   
Wells Fargo & Co.      332,010        13,638,971   
    

 

 

 
             $ 42,404,876   
Medical Equipment - 0.3%                 
Medtronic, Inc.      25,578      $ 1,323,662   
St. Jude Medical, Inc.      35,050        1,766,871   
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.      26,350        2,340,671   
    

 

 

 
             $ 5,431,204   
Natural Gas - Distribution - 0.1%                 
NiSource, Inc.      47,712      $ 1,396,053   
Other Banks & Diversified Financials - 1.4%                 
Citigroup, Inc.      215,283      $ 10,404,627   
Discover Financial Services      148,290        7,006,702   
New York Community Bancorp, Inc.      274,610        4,023,037   

 

18


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Common Stocks - continued                 
Other Banks & Diversified Financials - continued                 
SLM Corp.      60,170      $ 1,443,478   
Western Union Co.      180,620        3,166,269   
    

 

 

 
             $ 26,044,113   
Pharmaceuticals - 2.0%                 
AbbVie, Inc.      48,999      $ 2,087,847   
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.      91,790        3,826,725   
Eli Lilly & Co.      69,830        3,589,262   
Johnson & Johnson      150,459        13,001,162   
Merck & Co., Inc.      29,807        1,409,573   
Pfizer, Inc.      497,500        14,034,475   
    

 

 

 
             $ 37,949,044   
Printing & Publishing - 0.1%                 
American Media Operations, Inc. (a)      6,684      $ 34,824   
Gannett Co. Inc.      44,830        1,079,955   
    

 

 

 
             $ 1,114,779   
Railroad & Shipping - 0.1%                 
Kansas City Southern Co.      13,385      $ 1,411,047   
Real Estate - 18.3%                 
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., REIT      175,513      $ 10,823,887   
Atrium European Real Estate Ltd.      531,129        3,074,614   
AvalonBay Communities, Inc., REIT      137,565        17,044,303   
Big Yellow Group PLC, REIT      542,950        3,407,709   
Boston Properties, Inc., REIT      142,915        14,648,787   
Corporate Office Properties Trust, REIT      331,350        7,548,153   
DDR Corp., REIT      559,530        8,683,906   
Digital Realty Trust, Inc., REIT      185,918        10,337,041   
EastGroup Properties, Inc., REIT      172,380        9,687,756   
Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc., REIT      465,122        16,162,989   
Equity Residential, REIT      162,380        8,425,898   
Federal Realty Investment Trust, REIT      104,187        10,138,437   
Home Properties, Inc., REIT      214,710        12,388,767   
Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., REIT      1,132,798        19,291,550   
Medical Properties Trust, Inc., REIT      772,347        8,920,608   
Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc., REIT      255,507        15,754,562   
National Health Investors, Inc., REIT      191,810        10,530,369   
Plum Creek Timber Co. Inc., REIT      370,806        16,430,414   
Public Storage, Inc., REIT      187,302        28,595,396   
Retail Opportunity Investment Corp., REIT      669,850        8,667,859   
Simon Property Group, Inc., REIT      280,581        40,861,011   
Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc., REIT      399,668        12,329,758   

 

19


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Common Stocks - continued                 
Real Estate - continued                 
Ventas, Inc., REIT      255,422      $ 15,902,574   
Vornado Realty Trust, REIT      275,993        22,438,231   
Weyerhaeuser Co., REIT      553,116        15,144,316   
    

 

 

 
             $ 347,238,895   
Telecommunications - Wireless - 0.4%                 
American Tower Corp., REIT      99,390      $ 6,906,611   
Telephone Services - 0.7%                 
AT&T, Inc.      82,143      $ 2,778,898   
CenturyLink, Inc.      113,380        3,755,146   
Frontier Communications Corp. (l)      769,920        3,333,754   
Windstream Corp. (a)      368,850        2,976,620   
    

 

 

 
             $ 12,844,418   
Tobacco - 0.3%                 
Altria Group, Inc.      20,049      $ 679,260   
Lorillard, Inc.      122,564        5,184,457   
    

 

 

 
             $ 5,863,717   
Utilities - Electric Power - 1.3%                 
AES Corp.      108,248      $ 1,375,832   
Alliant Energy Corp.      73,856        3,663,996   
American Electric Power Co., Inc.      123,658        5,292,562   
Entergy Corp.      40,640        2,569,667   
FirstEnergy Corp.      21,090        790,242   
PG&E Corp.      144,701        5,984,833   
PPL Corp.      151,027        4,636,529   
    

 

 

 
             $ 24,313,661   
Total Common Stocks (Identified Cost, $670,724,435)            $ 725,916,158   
Issuer/Expiration Date/Strike Price    Number
of
Contracts
        
Put Options Purchased - 0.1%                 
iShares Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate - December 2013 @ $60      6,000      $ 1,236,000   
iShares Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate - January 2014 @ $59      5,000        1,165,000   
iShares Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate - September 2013 @ $60      2,200        105,600   
Total Put Options Purchased
(Premiums Paid, $1,785,400)
      $ 2,506,600   

 

20


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Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Underlying Affiliated Funds - 25.7%                 
Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
MFS High Yield Pooled Portfolio
(Identified Cost, $487,293,652) (v)
     50,279,554      $ 488,214,471   
Money Market Funds - 5.5%                 
MFS Institutional Money Market Portfolio, 0.09%,
at Cost and Net Asset Value (v)
     104,274,645      $ 104,274,645   
Collateral for Securities Loaned - 0.3%                 
Goldman Sachs repurchase Agreement, 0.05%, dated 8/30/13, due 9/03/13, total to be received $772,318 (secured by U.S. Treasury and Federal Agency obligations valued at $787,761 in an individually traded account)      772,314      $ 772,314   
Morgan Stanley Repurchase Agreement, 0.05%, dated 8/30/13, due 9/03/13, total to be received $4,000,022 (secured by U.S. Treasury and Federal Agency obligations valued at $4,080,040 in an individually traded account)      4,000,000        4,000,000   
Total Collateral for Securities Loaned, at Identified Cost and Value            $ 4,772,314   
Total Investments (Identified Cost, $1,918,328,098)            $ 1,952,792,777   
Other Assets, Less Liabilities - (3.0)%              (56,299,356
Net Assets - 100.0%            $ 1,896,493,421   

 

(a) Non-income producing security.
(l) A portion of this security is on loan.
(n) Securities exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. These securities may be sold in the ordinary course of business in transactions exempt from registration, normally to qualified institutional buyers. At period end, the aggregate value of these securities was $199,828,648, representing 10.5% of net assets.
(v) Underlying affiliated fund that is available only to investment companies managed by MFS. The rate quoted for the MFS Institutional Money Market Portfolio is the annualized seven-day yield of the fund at period end.
(z) Restricted securities are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933 and are subject to legal restrictions on resale. These securities generally may be resold in transactions exempt from registration or to the public if the securities are subsequently registered. Disposal of these securities may involve time-consuming negotiations and prompt sale at an acceptable price may be difficult. The fund holds the following restricted securities:

 

Restricted Securities    Acquisition
Date
   Cost      Value  
Banco de Costa Rica, 5.25%, 2018    8/05/13      $343,000         $346,430   
Brazil Minas SPE, 5.333%, 2028    3/22/13      584,216         501,160   
CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V., 6.5%, 2019    8/05/13      1,293,000         1,254,210   
G-Force LLC, CDO, “A2”, 4.83%, 2036    1/20/11      30,275         31,160   
Total Restricted Securities            $2,132,960   
% of Net assets            0.1%   

 

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Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

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

 

CDO   Collateralized Debt Obligation
FRN   Floating Rate Note. Interest rate resets periodically and may not be the rate reported at period end.
PLC   Public Limited Company
REIT   Real Estate Investment Trust
STRIPS   Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities
TBA   To Be Announced

Derivative Contracts at 8/31/13

Swap Agreements at 8/31/13

 

Expiration          Notional
Amount
    Counterparty   Cash Flows
to Receive
  Cash Flows
to Pay
  Fair
Value
 
Liability Derivatives   
Credit Default Swap Agreements   
9/20/23     USD        6,148,000      Barclays Bank (a)   1% (fixed rate)   (1)     $(725,488
9/20/23     USD        4,716,000      Citibank (b)   1% (fixed rate)   (2)     (564,054
9/20/23     USD        5,570,000      Merrill Lynch (c)   1% (fixed rate)   (3)     (974,689
6/20/23     USD        5,250,000      Citibank (d)   1% (fixed rate)   (4)     (332,046
           

 

 

 
              $(2,596,277
           

 

 

 

 

(1) Fund, as protection seller, to pay notional amount upon a defined credit event by Federal Republic of Brazil, 12.25%, 3/6/30, a BBB rated bond. The fund entered into the contract to gain issuer exposure.
(2) Fund, as protection seller, to pay notional amount upon a defined credit event by Russian Federation, 7.5%, 3/31/30, a BBB rated bond. The fund entered into the contract to gain issuer exposure.
(3) Fund, as protection seller, to pay notional amount upon a defined credit event by Republic of Indonesia, 6.875%, 3/9/17, a BB+ rated bond. The fund entered into the contract to gain issuer exposure.
(4) Fund, as protection seller, to pay notional amount upon a defined credit event by Republic of Mexico, 5.95%, 3/19/19, a BBB rated bond. The fund entered into the contract to gain issuer exposure.
(a) Net unamortized premiums received by the fund amounted to $668,680.
(b) Net unamortized premiums received by the fund amounted to $550,353.
(c) Net unamortized premiums received by the fund amounted to $729,908.
(d) Net unamortized premiums received by the fund amounted to $155,922.

The credit ratings presented here are an indicator of the current payment/performance risk of the related swap agreement, the reference obligation for which may be either a single security or, in the case of a credit default index, a basket of securities issued by corporate or sovereign issuers. Ratings are assigned to each reference security, including each individual security within a reference basket of securities, utilizing ratings from Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard & Poor’s rating agencies and applying the following hierarchy: If all three agencies provide a rating, the middle rating (after dropping the highest and lowest ratings) is assigned; if two of the three agencies rate a security, the lower of the two is assigned. Ratings are shown in the S&P and Fitch scale (e.g., AAA). The ratings for a credit default index are calculated by MFS as a weighted average of the external credit ratings of the individual securities that compose the index’s reference basket of securities.

 

22


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Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

At August 31, 2013, the fund had cash collateral of $2,062,847 to cover any commitments for certain derivative contracts. Cash collateral is comprised of “Restricted cash” in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Statements

 

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

At 8/31/13 (unaudited)

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

 

Assets         

Investments-

  

Non-affiliated issuers, at value (identified cost, $1,326,759,801)

     $1,360,303,661   

Underlying affiliated funds, at value (identified cost, $591,568,297)

     592,489,116   

Total investments, at value, including $4,464,409 of securities on loan (identified cost, $1,918,328,098)

     $1,952,792,777   

Restricted cash

     2,062,847   

Receivables for

  

Investments sold

     825,056   

TBA sale commitments

     45,758,329   

Fund shares sold

     7,636,215   

Interest and dividends

     9,712,380   

Other assets

     2,232   

Total assets

     $2,018,789,836   
Liabilities         

Payables for

  

Distributions

     $683,977   

Investments purchased

     6,744,536   

TBA purchase commitments

     101,598,708   

Fund shares reacquired

     4,997,408   

Swaps, at value (net unamortized premiums received, $2,104,863)

     2,596,277   

Collateral for securities loaned, at value

     4,772,314   

Payable to affiliates

  

Investment adviser

     100,689   

Shareholder servicing costs

     706,234   

Distribution and service fees

     66,440   

Payable for independent Trustees’ compensation

     12   

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     29,820   

Total liabilities

     $122,296,415   

Net assets

     $1,896,493,421   
Net assets consist of         

Paid-in capital

     $1,848,689,620   

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

     33,973,265   

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

     17,224,148   

Accumulated distributions in excess of net investment income

     (3,393,612

Net assets

     $1,896,493,421   

Shares of beneficial interest outstanding

     163,761,630   

 

24


Table of Contents

Statement of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited) – continued

 

 

     Net assets      Shares
outstanding
     Net asset value
per share (a)
 

Class A

     $970,361,450         83,777,853         $11.58   

Class C

     568,797,254         49,135,220         11.58   

Class I

     348,505,079         30,086,239         11.58   

Class R1

     625,572         54,075         11.57   

Class R2

     857,402         74,060         11.58   

Class R3

     3,609,480         311,561         11.59   

Class R4

     2,021,540         174,488         11.59   

Class R5

     1,715,644         148,134         11.58   

 

(a) Maximum offering price per share was equal to the net asset value per share for all share classes, except for Class A, for which the maximum offering price per share was $12.16 [100 / 95.25 x $11.58]. On sales of $50,000 or more, the maximum offering price of Class A shares is reduced. A contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on redemptions of Class A and Class C shares. Redemption price per share was equal to the net asset value per share for Classes I, R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5.

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

Six months ended 8/31/13 (unaudited)

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

 

Net investment income         

Income

  

Interest

     $11,037,266   

Dividends

     9,712,062   

Dividends from underlying affiliated funds

     12,797,443   

Total investment income

     $33,546,771   

Expenses

  

Management fee

     $5,852,944   

Distribution and service fees

     3,855,384   

Shareholder servicing costs

     776,430   

Administrative services fee

     116,851   

Independent Trustees’ compensation

     12,943   

Custodian fee

     120,373   

Shareholder communications

     47,773   

Audit and tax fees

     31,899   

Legal fees

     6,525   

Miscellaneous

     167,755   

Total expenses

     $10,988,877   

Fees paid indirectly

     (377

Reduction of expenses by investment adviser and distributor

     (27,562

Net expenses

     $10,960,938   

Net investment income

     $22,585,833   
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency   

Realized gain (loss) (identified cost basis)

  

Investments

     $26,842,943   

Underlying affiliated funds

     (837,198

Swap agreements

     (866,274

Foreign currency

     92,163   

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency

     $25,231,634   

Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

  

Investments

     $(65,149,704

Swap agreements

     (344,017

Translation of assets and liabilities in foreign currencies

     (8,510

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

     $(65,502,231

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

     $(40,270,597

Change in net assets from operations

     $(17,684,764

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

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

 

     Six months ended
8/31/13
     Year ended
2/28/13
 
Change in net assets    (unaudited)         
From operations                  

Net investment income

     $22,585,833         $30,135,730   

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency

     25,231,634         19,458,662   

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

     (65,502,231      64,539,257   

Change in net assets from operations

     $(17,684,764      $114,133,649   
Distributions declared to shareholders                  

From net investment income

     $(23,984,237      $(34,119,558

From net realized gain on investments

     (4,248,463      (1,043,035

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(28,232,700      $(35,162,593

Change in net assets from fund share transactions

     $391,857,085         $688,808,285   

Total change in net assets

     $345,939,621         $767,779,341   
Net assets                  

At beginning of period

     1,550,553,800         782,774,459   

At end of period (including accumulated distributions in excess of net investment income of $3,393,612 and $1,995,208, respectively)

     $1,896,493,421         $1,550,553,800   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Statements

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

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

 

   

Six months
ended
8/31/13

(unaudited)

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
Class A     2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
                                 

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $11.82        $11.05        $10.79        $9.60        $6.88        $10.04   
Income (loss) from investment operations           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.16        $0.33        $0.34        $0.40        $0.43        $0.47   

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

    (0.20)        0.82        0.30        1.23        2.75        (3.13)   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.04)        $1.15        $0.64        $1.63        $3.18        $(2.66)   
Less distributions declared to shareholders           

From net investment income

    $(0.17)        $(0.37)        $(0.38)        $(0.44)        $(0.46)        $(0.49)   

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.03)        (0.01)                             (0.01)   

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.20)        $(0.38)        $(0.38)        $(0.44)        $(0.46)        $(0.50)   

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $11.58        $11.82        $11.05        $10.79        $9.60        $6.88   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

    (0.37) (n)      10.56        6.09        17.36        47.12        (27.43)   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense
reductions (f)(h)

    1.04 (a)      1.08        1.10        1.15        1.20        1.23   

Expenses after expense
reductions (f)(h)

    1.04 (a)      1.08        1.10        1.06        0.94        0.95   

Net investment income

    2.69 (a)      2.86        3.18        3.95        5.02        5.23   

Portfolio turnover

    38 (n)      64        64        59        79        80   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $970,361        $797,338        $447,034        $257,247        $116,318        $91,445   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

   

Six months
ended
8/31/13

(unaudited)

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
Class C     2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
                                 

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $11.82        $11.04        $10.78        $9.59        $6.88        $10.03   
Income (loss) from investment operations           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.12        $0.24        $0.26        $0.33        $0.37        $0.41   

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

    (0.20)        0.83        0.30        1.22        2.74        (3.13)   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.08)        $1.07        $0.56        $1.55        $3.11        $(2.72)   
Less distributions declared to shareholders           

From net investment income

    $(0.13)        $(0.28)        $(0.30)        $(0.36)        $(0.40)        $(0.42)   

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.03)        (0.01)                             (0.01)   

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.16)        $(0.29)        $(0.30)        $(0.36)        $(0.40)        $(0.43)   

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $11.58        $11.82        $11.04        $10.78        $9.59        $6.88   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

    (0.75) (n)      9.84        5.31        16.51        45.90        (27.88)   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense
reductions (f)(h)

    1.79 (a)      1.83        1.85        1.90        1.95        1.93   

Expenses after expense
reductions (f)(h)

    1.79 (a)      1.83        1.85        1.81        1.69        1.65   

Net investment income

    1.94 (a)      2.11        2.43        3.20        4.27        4.54   

Portfolio turnover

    38 (n)      64        64        59        79        80   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $568,797        $466,361        $238,332        $138,344        $63,377        $46,617   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

   

Six months
ended
8/31/13

(unaudited)

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
Class I     2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
                                 

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $11.82        $11.05        $10.79        $9.60        $6.88        $10.04   
Income (loss) from investment operations           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.18        $0.35        $0.36        $0.41        $0.45        $0.50   

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

    (0.20)        0.83        0.30        1.25        2.75        (3.14)   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.02)        $1.18        $0.66        $1.66        $3.20        $(2.64)   
Less distributions declared to shareholders           

From net investment income

    $(0.19)        $(0.40)        $(0.40)        $(0.47)        $(0.48)        $(0.51)   

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.03)        (0.01)                             (0.01)   

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.22)        $(0.41)        $(0.40)        $(0.47)        $(0.48)        $(0.52)   

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $11.58        $11.82        $11.05        $10.79        $9.60        $6.88   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    (0.25) (n)      10.83        6.35        17.65        47.47        (27.21)   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense
reductions (f)(h)

    0.79 (a)      0.83        0.85        0.89        0.93        0.93   

Expenses after expense
reductions (f)(h)

    0.79 (a)      0.83        0.85        0.83        0.69        0.65   

Net investment income

    2.93 (a)      3.09        3.43        3.94        4.95        5.56   

Portfolio turnover

    38 (n)      64        64        59        79        80   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $348,505        $280,443        $96,323        $30,993        $3,835        $1,036   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

   

Six months
ended
8/31/13

(unaudited)

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
Class R1     2013     2012     2011     2010     2009 (i)  
                                 

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $11.81        $11.04        $10.78        $9.59        $6.87        $9.83   
Income (loss) from investment operations           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.12        $0.23        $0.26        $0.34        $0.37        $0.27   

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

    (0.20)        0.83        0.30        1.21        2.75        (2.94)   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.08)        $1.06        $0.56        $1.55        $3.12        $(2.67)   
Less distributions declared to shareholders           

From net investment income

    $(0.13)        $(0.28)        $(0.30)        $(0.36)        $(0.40)        $(0.29)   

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.03)        (0.01)                               

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.16)        $(0.29)        $(0.30)        $(0.36)        $(0.40)        $(0.29)   

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $11.57        $11.81        $11.04        $10.78        $9.59        $6.87   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    (0.75) (n)      9.75        5.31        16.51        46.11        (27.52) (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense
reductions (f)(h)

    1.79 (a)      1.84        1.85        1.90        1.94        1.97 (a) 

Expenses after expense
reductions (f)(h)

    1.79 (a)      1.84        1.85        1.80        1.69        1.65 (a) 

Net investment income

    1.94 (a)      2.04        2.44        3.32        4.24        4.76 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

    38 (n)      64        64        59        79        80 (n) 

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $626        $375        $142        $126        $106        $73   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

   

Six months
ended
8/31/13

(unaudited)

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
Class R2     2013     2012     2011     2010     2009 (i)  
                                 

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $11.82        $11.04        $10.78        $9.59        $6.87        $9.83   
Income (loss) from investment operations           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.15        $0.30        $0.31        $0.39        $0.41        $0.29   

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

    (0.20)        0.83        0.30        1.21        2.75        (2.93)   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.05)        $1.13        $0.61        $1.60        $3.16        $(2.64)   
Less distributions declared to shareholders           

From net investment income

    $(0.16)        $(0.34)        $(0.35)        $(0.41)        $(0.44)        $(0.32)   

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.03)        (0.01)                               

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.19)        $(0.35)        $(0.35)        $(0.41)        $(0.44)        $(0.32)   

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $11.58        $11.82        $11.04        $10.78        $9.59        $6.87   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    (0.50) (n)      10.39        5.83        17.09        46.82        (27.27) (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense
reductions (f)(h)

    1.29 (a)      1.34        1.35        1.40        1.45        1.48 (a) 

Expenses after expense
reductions (f)(h)

    1.29 (a)      1.34        1.35        1.30        1.19        1.15 (a) 

Net investment income

    2.45 (a)      2.59        2.93        3.83        4.74        5.26 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

    38 (n)      64        64        59        79        80 (n) 

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $857        $702        $212        $125        $107        $73   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

   

Six months
ended
8/31/13

(unaudited)

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
Class R3     2013     2012     2011     2010     2009 (i)  
                                 

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $11.83        $11.05        $10.79        $9.59        $6.88        $9.84   
Income (loss) from investment operations           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.16        $0.31        $0.34        $0.41        $0.43        $0.31   

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

    (0.20)        0.85        0.30        1.23        2.74        (2.93)   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.04)        $1.16        $0.64        $1.64        $3.17        $(2.62)   
Less distributions declared to shareholders           

From net investment income

    $(0.17)        $(0.37)        $(0.38)        $(0.44)        $(0.46)        $(0.34)   

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.03)        (0.01)                               

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.20)        $(0.38)        $(0.38)        $(0.44)        $(0.46)        $(0.34)   

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $11.59        $11.83        $11.05        $10.79        $9.59        $6.88   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    (0.37) (n)      10.65        6.09        17.48        46.96        (27.12) (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense
reductions (f)(h)

    1.04 (a)      1.10        1.10        1.15        1.20        1.22 (a) 

Expenses after expense
reductions (f)(h)

    1.04 (a)      1.10        1.10        1.06        0.94        0.90 (a) 

Net investment income

    2.69 (a)      2.70        3.17        3.99        4.99        5.49 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

    38 (n)      64        64        59        79        80 (n) 

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $3,609        $2,783        $186        $185        $107        $73   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

33


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

   

Six months
ended
8/31/13

(unaudited)

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
Class R4     2013     2012     2011     2010     2009 (i)  
                                 

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $11.82        $11.05        $10.79        $9.59        $6.88        $9.84   
Income (loss) from investment operations           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.18        $0.36        $0.36        $0.44        $0.46        $0.32   

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

    (0.19)        0.82        0.30        1.23        2.73        (2.93)   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.01)        $1.18        $0.66        $1.67        $3.19        $(2.61)   
Less distributions declared to shareholders           

From net investment income

    $(0.19)        $(0.40)        $(0.40)        $(0.47)        $(0.48)        $(0.35)   

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.03)        (0.01)                               

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.22)        $(0.41)        $(0.40)        $(0.47)        $(0.48)        $(0.35)   

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $11.59        $11.82        $11.05        $10.79        $9.59        $6.88   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    (0.16) (n)      10.83        6.35        17.78        47.32        (26.99) (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense
reductions (f)(h)

    0.80 (a)      0.84        0.85        0.90        0.95        0.97 (a) 

Expenses after expense
reductions (f)(h)

    0.79 (a)      0.84        0.85        0.80        0.69        0.65 (a) 

Net investment income

    2.94 (a)      3.12        3.40        4.32        5.24        5.76 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

    38 (n)      64        64        59        79        80 (n) 

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $2,022        $1,159        $546        $127        $108        $73   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

   

Six months
ended
8/31/13

(unaudited)

    Period ended
2/28/13 (i)
 
Class R5    
         

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $11.82        $11.16   
Income (loss) from investment operations   

Net investment income (d)

    $0.18        $0.19   

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

    (0.20)        0.75   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.02)        $0.94   
Less distributions declared to shareholders   

From net investment income

    $(0.19)        $(0.27)   

From net realized gain on investments

    (0.03)        (0.01)   

Total distributions declared to shareholders

    $(0.22)        $(0.28)   

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $11.58        $11.82   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    (0.21) (n)      8.47 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)(h)

    0.72 (a)      0.79 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)(h)

    0.72 (a)      0.79 (a) 

Net investment income

    3.01 (a)      2.48 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

    38 (n)      64 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

    $1,716        $1,393   

 

(a) Annualized.
(d) Per share data is based on average shares outstanding.
(f) Ratios do not reflect reductions from fees paid indirectly, if applicable.
(h) For the six months ended August 31, 2013, in addition to the fees and expenses which the fund bears directly, the fund indirectly bears a pro rata share of the fees and expenses of the underlying affiliated funds in which the fund invests. Accordingly, the expense ratio for the fund reflects only those fees and expenses borne directly by the fund. Because the underlying affiliated funds have varied expense and fee levels and the fund may own different proportions of the underlying affiliated funds at different times, the amount of fees and expenses incurred indirectly by the fund will vary.
(i) For the period from the class’s inception, July 1, 2008 (Class R1, R2, R3, and R4) and July 2, 2012 (Class R5) through the stated period end.
(n) Not annualized.
(r) Certain expenses have been reduced without which performance would have been lower.
(s) From time to time the fund may receive proceeds from litigation settlements, without which performance would be lower.
(t) Total returns do not include any applicable sales charges.
(x) The net asset values per share and total returns have been calculated on net assets which include adjustments made in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles required at period end for financial reporting purposes.

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Table of Contents

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(unaudited)

(1) Business and Organization

MFS Diversified Income Fund (the fund) is a series of MFS Series Trust XIII (the trust). The trust is organized as a Massachusetts business trust and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as an open-end management investment company.

(2) Significant Accounting Policies

General – The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. In the preparation of these financial statements, management has evaluated subsequent events occurring after the date of the fund’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities through the date that the financial statements were issued. The accounting policies of the underlying funds in which the fund invests are outlined in the underlying funds’ shareholder reports, which are available without charge by calling 1-800-225-2606, at mfs.com and on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) web site at http://www.sec.gov or at the SEC’s public reference room in Washington, D.C. The underlying funds’ shareholder reports are not covered by this report. The fund invests in high-yield securities rated below investment grade. Investments in high-yield securities involve greater degrees of credit and market risk than investments in higher-rated securities and tend to be more sensitive to economic conditions. The fund invests in foreign securities, including securities of emerging market issuers. Investments in foreign securities are vulnerable to the effects of changes in the relative values of the local currency and the U.S. dollar and to the effects of changes in each country’s legal, political, and economic environment. The markets of emerging markets countries are generally more volatile than the markets of developed countries with more mature economies. All of the risks of investing in foreign securities previously described are heightened when investing in emerging markets countries.

In this reporting period, the fund adopted the disclosure provisions of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update 2011-11 (“ASU 2011-11”), Balance Sheet (Topic 210) – Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities along with the related scope clarification provisions of FASB Accounting Standards Update 2013-01 (“ASU 2013-01”) entitled Balance Sheet (Topic 210) – Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities. ASU 2011-11 is intended to enhance disclosures on the offsetting of financial assets and liabilities by requiring entities to disclose both gross and net information about financial instruments and transactions that are either offset in the statement of financial position or subject to a Master Netting Agreement or similar arrangement. ASU 2013-01 limits the scope of ASU 2011-11’s disclosure requirements on offsetting to financial assets and financial liabilities related to derivatives, repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements, and securities lending and securities borrowing transactions. The disclosures required by ASU 2011-11, to the extent applicable to the fund, have been included in the fund’s Significant Accounting Policies note under the captions for each of the fund’s in-scope financial instruments and transactions.

 

36


Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

In June 2013, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2013-08 Financial Services – Investment Companies (Topic 946) – Amendments to the Scope, Measurement, and Disclosure Requirements (“ASU 2013-08”) which is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years that begin after December 15, 2013. ASU 2013-08 sets forth a methodology for determining whether an entity should be characterized as an investment company and prescribes fair value accounting for an investment company’s non-controlling ownership interest in another investment company. FASB has determined that a fund registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 automatically meets ASU 2013-08’s criteria for an investment company. Although still evaluating the potential impacts of ASU 2013-08 to the fund, management expects that the impact of the fund’s adoption will be limited to additional financial statement disclosures.

Investment Valuations – Equity securities, including restricted equity securities, are generally valued at the last sale or official closing price as provided by a third-party pricing service on the market or exchange on which they are primarily traded. Equity securities, for which there were no sales reported that day, are generally valued at the last quoted daily bid quotation as provided by a third-party pricing service on the market or exchange on which such securities are primarily traded. Debt instruments and floating rate loans (other than short-term instruments), including restricted debt instruments, are generally valued at an evaluated or composite bid as provided by a third-party pricing service. Short-term instruments with a maturity at issuance of 60 days or less generally are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. Exchange-traded options are generally valued at the last sale or official closing price as provided by a third-party pricing service on the exchange on which such options are primarily traded. Exchange-traded options for which there were no sales reported that day are generally valued at the last daily bid quotation as provided by a third-party pricing service on the exchange on which such options are primarily traded. Options not traded on an exchange are generally valued at a broker/dealer bid quotation. Foreign currency options are generally valued at valuations provided by a third-party pricing service. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are generally valued at the mean of bid and asked prices for the time period interpolated from rates provided by a third-party pricing service for proximate time periods. Swap agreements are generally valued at valuations provided by a third-party pricing service, which for cleared swaps includes an evaluation of any trading activity at the clearinghouses. Open-end investment companies are generally valued at net asset value per share. Securities and other assets generally valued on the basis of information from a third-party pricing service may also be valued at a broker/dealer bid quotation. Values obtained from third-party pricing services can utilize both transaction data and market information such as yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics, and other market data. The values of foreign securities and other assets and liabilities expressed in foreign currencies are converted to U.S. dollars using the mean of bid and asked prices for rates provided by a third-party pricing service.

 

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The Board of Trustees has delegated primary responsibility for determining or causing to be determined the value of the fund’s investments (including any fair valuation) to the adviser pursuant to valuation policies and procedures approved by the Board. If the adviser determines that reliable market quotations are not readily available, investments are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the adviser in accordance with such procedures under the oversight of the Board of Trustees. Under the fund’s valuation policies and procedures, market quotations are not considered to be readily available for most types of debt instruments and floating rate loans and many types of derivatives. These investments are generally valued at fair value based on information from third-party pricing services. In addition, investments may be valued at fair value if the adviser determines that an investment’s value has been materially affected by events occurring after the close of the exchange or market on which the investment is principally traded (such as foreign exchange or market) and prior to the determination of the fund’s net asset value, or after the halting of trading of a specific security where trading does not resume prior to the close of the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded. Events that occur on a frequent basis after foreign markets close (such as developments in foreign markets and significant movements in the U.S. markets) and prior to the determination of the fund’s net asset value may be deemed to have a material effect on the value of securities traded in foreign markets. Accordingly, the fund’s foreign equity securities may often be valued at fair value. The adviser generally relies on third-party pricing services or other information (such as the correlation with price movements of similar securities in the same or other markets; the type, cost and investment characteristics of the security; the business and financial condition of the issuer; and trading and other market data) to assist in determining whether to fair value and at what value to fair value an investment. The value of an investment for purposes of calculating the fund’s net asset value can differ depending on the source and method used to determine value. When fair valuation is used, the value of an investment used to determine the fund’s net asset value may differ from quoted or published prices for the same investment. There can be no assurance that the fund could obtain the fair value assigned to an investment if it were to sell the investment at the same time at which the fund determines its net asset value per share.

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

 

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reflected in total investments, such as swap agreements. The following is a summary of the levels used as of August 31, 2013 in valuing the fund’s assets or liabilities:

 

Investments at Value   Level 1     Level 2     Level 3     Total  
Equity Securities        

United States

    $721,905,609        $—        $34,824        $721,940,433   

United Kingdom

    3,407,709                      3,407,709   

Austria

    3,074,614                      3,074,614   
U.S. Treasury Bonds & U.S. Government Agency & Equivalents            160,198,463               160,198,463   
Non-U.S. Sovereign Debt            186,292,618               186,292,618   
Municipal Bonds            626,777               626,777   
U.S. Corporate Bonds            2,218,281               2,218,281   
Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities            169,430,775               169,430,775   
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities            5,962,781               5,962,781   
Asset-Backed Securities (including CDOs)            31,160               31,160   
Foreign Bonds            102,347,736               102,347,736   
Short Term Securities            4,772,314               4,772,314   
Mutual Funds     592,489,116                      592,489,116   
Total Investments     $1,320,877,048        $631,880,905        $34,824        $1,952,792,777   
Other Financial Instruments                        
Swap Agreements     $—        $(2,596,277     $—        $(2,596,277

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

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

 

     Investments
in Securities
 
Balance as of 2/28/13      $35,091   

Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

     (267
Balance as of 8/31/13      $34,824   

The net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) from investments still held as level 3 at August 31, 2013 is $(267).

Repurchase Agreements – The fund enters into repurchase agreements under the terms of Master Repurchase Agreements with approved counterparties. Each repurchase agreement is recorded at cost. The fund requires that the securities collateral in a repurchase transaction be transferred to a custodian. The fund monitors, on a daily basis, the value of the collateral to ensure that its value, including accrued interest, is greater than amounts owed to the fund under each such repurchase agreement. Upon an event of default under a Master Repurchase Agreement, the non-defaulting party may close out all transactions traded under such agreement and net amounts owed under each transaction to one net amount payable by one party to

 

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the other. Absent an event of default, the Master Repurchase Agreement does not result in an offset of reported amounts of assets and liabilities in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities across transactions between the fund and the applicable counterparty.

At period end, the fund had investments in repurchase agreements with a gross value of $4,772,314 included in “Investments” in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The value of the related collateral exceeded the value of the repurchase agreements at period end.

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

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

The derivative instruments used by the fund were purchased options, forward foreign currency exchange contracts, and swap agreements. The fund’s period end derivatives, as presented in the Portfolio of Investments and the associated Derivative Contract tables, generally are indicative of the volume of its derivative activity during the period. The following table presents, by major type of derivative contract, the fair value, on a gross basis, of the asset and liability components of derivatives held by the fund at August 31, 2013 as reported in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities:

 

        Fair Value (a)  
Risk   Derivative Contracts   Asset Derivatives     Liability Derivatives  
Equity   Purchased Equity Options     $2,506,600        $—   
Credit   Credit Default Swaps            (2,596,277
Total       $2,506,600        $(2,596,277)   

 

(a) The value of purchased options outstanding is included in total investments, at value, within the fund’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

 

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The following table presents, by major type of derivative contract, the realized gain (loss) on derivatives held by the fund for the six months ended August 31, 2013 as reported in the Statement of Operations:

 

Risk    Swap
Agreements
       Foreign
Currency
     Investments
(Purchased
Options)
 
Foreign Exchange      $—           $25,018         $—   
Equity                        (647,487
Credit      (866,274                  
Total      $(866,274        $25,018         $(647,487

The following table presents, by major type of derivative contract, the change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on derivatives held by the fund for the six months ended August 31, 2013 as reported in the Statement of Operations:

 

Risk    Swap
Agreements
    Translation
of Assets
and
Liabilities in
Foreign
Currencies
     Investments
(Purchased
Options)
 
Foreign Exchange      $—        $(9,071      $—   
Equity                     1,265,189   
Credit      (344,017               
Total      $(344,017     $(9,071      $1,265,189   

Derivative counterparty credit risk is managed through formal evaluation of the creditworthiness of all potential counterparties. On certain, but not all, over-the-counter derivatives, the fund attempts to reduce its exposure to counterparty credit risk whenever possible by entering into an International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) Master Agreement on a bilateral basis with each of the counterparties with whom it undertakes a significant volume of transactions. The ISDA Master Agreement gives each party to the agreement the right to terminate all transactions traded under such agreement if there is a certain deterioration in the credit quality of the other party. Upon an event of default or a termination of the ISDA Master Agreement, the non-defaulting party has the right to close out all transactions traded under such agreement and to net amounts owed under each transaction to one net amount payable by one party to the other. This right to close out and net payments across all transactions traded under the ISDA Master Agreement could result in a reduction of the fund’s credit risk to such counterparty equal to any amounts payable by the fund under the applicable transactions, if any.

Collateral and margin requirements differ by type of derivative. Margin requirements are set by the broker or clearing house for cleared derivatives (i.e., futures contracts, cleared swaps, and exchange-traded options) while collateral terms are contract specific for over-the-counter traded derivatives (i.e., forward foreign currency exchange contracts, uncleared swap agreements, and over-the-counter options). For derivatives traded under an ISDA Master Agreement, the collateral requirements are netted across all transactions traded under such agreement and one amount is posted from one party to the other to collateralize such obligations. Cash that has been segregated to

 

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cover the fund’s collateral or margin obligations under derivative contracts, if any, will be reported separately in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as “Restricted cash”. Securities pledged as collateral or margin for the same purpose, if any, is noted in the Portfolio of Investments.

The fund’s accounting policy with respect to balance sheet offsetting is that, absent an event of default by the counterparty or a termination of the agreement, the ISDA Master Agreement does not result in an offset of reported amounts of financial assets and financial liabilities in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities across transactions between the fund and the applicable counterparty.

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

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

Whether or not the option is exercised, the fund’s maximum risk of loss from purchasing an option is the amount of premium paid. All option contracts involve credit risk if the counterparty to the option contract fails to perform. For over-the-counter options, this risk is mitigated in cases where there is an ISDA Master Agreement between the fund and the counterparty providing for netting as described above and for posting of collateral by the counterparty to the fund to cover the fund’s exposure to the counterparty under such ISDA Master Agreement.

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

 

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Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are adjusted by the daily exchange rate of the underlying currency and any unrealized gains or losses are recorded as a receivable or payable for forward foreign currency exchange contracts until the contract settlement date. On contract settlement date, any gain or loss on the contract is recorded as realized gains or losses on foreign currency.

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

Swap Agreements – During the period the fund entered into swap agreements. Effective June 10, 2013, certain types of swaps (“cleared swaps”) are required to be centrally cleared under provisions of the Dodd-Frank Regulatory Reform Bill. In a cleared swap transaction, the swap agreement is novated to a central counterparty (the “clearinghouse”) immediately following execution of the swap contract with an executing broker. Thereafter, throughout the term of the cleared swap, the fund interfaces indirectly with the clearinghouse through a clearing broker.

A swap agreement is generally an exchange of cash payments, at specified intervals or upon the occurrence of specified events, between the fund and a counterparty. The net cash payments exchanged are recorded as a realized gain or loss on swap agreements in the Statement of Operations. The value of the swap agreement, which is adjusted daily and includes any related interest accruals to be paid or received by the fund, is recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The daily change in value, including any related interest accruals to be paid or received, is recorded as unrealized appreciation or depreciation on swap agreements in the Statement of Operations. The daily change in valuation of centrally cleared swaps is recorded as a receivable or payable for variation margin in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Amounts paid or received at the inception of the swap agreement are reflected as premiums paid or received in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and are amortized using the effective interest method over the term of the agreement. A liquidation payment received or made upon early termination is recorded as a realized gain or loss on swap agreements in the Statement of Operations.

Risks related to swap agreements include the possible lack of a liquid market, unfavorable market and interest rate movements of the underlying instrument and the failure of the counterparty to perform under the terms of the agreements. To address counterparty risk, swap agreements are limited to only highly-rated counterparties. For uncleared swaps, that risk is further reduced by having an ISDA Master Agreement between the fund and the counterparty providing for netting as described above and by the posting of collateral by the counterparty to the fund to cover the fund’s exposure to the counterparty under such ISDA Master Agreement. Although not

 

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covered by an ISDA Master Agreement, the fund’s counterparty risk due to cleared swaps is mitigated by the clearinghouses’ margining requirements and financial safeguards in the event of a clearing broker default.

The fund entered into credit default swap agreements in order to manage its exposure to the market or certain sectors of the market, to reduce its credit risk exposure to defaults of corporate and sovereign issuers or to create exposure to corporate or sovereign issuers to which it is not otherwise exposed. In a credit default swap agreement, the protection buyer can make an upfront payment and will make a stream of payments based on a fixed percentage applied to the agreement notional amount to the protection seller in exchange for the right to receive a specified return upon the occurrence of a defined credit event on the reference obligation (which may be either a single security or a basket of securities issued by corporate or sovereign issuers) and, with respect to the rare cases where physical settlement applies, the delivery by the buyer to the seller of a defined deliverable obligation. Although agreement-specific, credit events generally consist of a combination of the following: bankruptcy, failure to pay, restructuring, obligation acceleration, obligation default, or repudiation/moratorium, each as defined in the 2003 ISDA Credit Derivatives Definitions as amended by the relevant agreement. Restructuring is generally not applicable when the reference obligation is issued by a North American corporation and obligation acceleration, obligation default, or repudiation/moratorium are generally only applicable when the reference obligation is issued by a sovereign entity or an entity in an emerging country. Upon determination of the final price for the deliverable obligation (or upon delivery of the deliverable obligation in the case of physical settlement), the difference between the value of the deliverable obligation and the swap agreement’s notional amount is recorded as realized gain or loss on swap agreements in the Statement of Operations.

Credit default swap agreements are considered to have credit-risk-related contingent features since they trigger payment by the protection seller to the protection buyer upon the occurrence of a defined credit event. The aggregate fair value of credit default swap agreements in a net liability position as of August 31, 2013 is disclosed in the footnotes to the Portfolio of Investments. The maximum amount of future, undiscounted payments that the fund, as protection seller, could be required to make is equal to the swap agreement’s notional amount. The protection seller’s payment obligation would be offset to the extent of the value of the agreement’s deliverable obligation. If a defined credit event had occurred as of August 31, 2013, the swap agreement’s credit-risk-related contingent features would have been triggered and, for those swap agreements in a net liability position for which the fund is the protection seller, the fund in order to settle these swap agreements would have been required to either (1) pay the swap agreement’s notional value of $21,684,000 less the value of the agreements’ related deliverable obligations as decided through an auction or (2) pay the notional value of the swap agreements in return for physical receipt of the deliverable obligations.

The fund’s maximum risk of loss from counterparty risk, either as the protection seller or as the protection buyer, is the fair value of the agreement. For uncleared swaps, counterparty risk is reduced by having an ISDA Master Agreement between the fund and the counterparty providing for netting as described above and by the posting of

 

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collateral by the counterparty to the fund to cover the fund’s exposure to the counterparty under such ISDA Master Agreement. For cleared swaps, the fund’s counterparty risk is mitigated by the clearinghouses’ margining requirements and financial safeguards in the event of a clearing broker default.

Security Loans – Under its Securities Lending Agency Agreement with the fund, JPMorgan Chase and Co. (“Chase”), as lending agent, loans the securities of the fund to certain qualified institutions (the “Borrowers”) approved by the fund. The loans are collateralized by cash and/or U.S. Treasury and federal agency obligations in an amount typically at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The market value of the loaned securities is determined at the close of business of the fund and any additional required collateral is delivered to the fund on the next business day. Chase provides the fund with indemnification against Borrower default. In the event of Borrower default, Chase will for the benefit of the fund either purchase securities identical to those loaned or, when such purchase is commercially impracticable, pay the fund the market value of the loaned securities. In return, Chase assumes the fund’s rights to the related collateral. If the collateral value is less than the cost to purchase identical securities, Chase is responsible for the shortfall, but only to the extent that such shortfall is not due to a decline in collateral value resulting from collateral reinvestment for which the fund bears the risk of loss. On loans collateralized by cash, the cash collateral is invested in repurchase agreements with approved counterparties. At period end, the fund had investment securities on loan with a fair value of $4,464,409 and a related liability of $4,772,314 for collateral received on securities loaned, both of which are presented gross on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. A portion of the income generated upon investment of the collateral is remitted to the Borrowers, and the remainder is allocated between the fund and the lending agent. On loans collateralized by U.S. Treasury and/or federal agency obligations, a fee is received from the Borrower, and is allocated between the fund and the lending agent. Income from securities lending is included in “Interest” income in the Statement of Operations. The dividend and interest income earned on the securities loaned is accounted for in the same manner as other dividend and interest income.

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

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

Investment Transactions and Income – Investment transactions are recorded on the trade date. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. All premium and discount is amortized or accreted for financial statement purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The fund earns certain fees in connection

 

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with its floating rate loan purchasing activities. These fees are in addition to interest payments earned and may include amendment fees, commitment fees, facility fees, consent fees, and prepayment fees. Commitment fees are recorded on an accrual basis as income in the accompanying financial statements. Dividends received in cash are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Certain dividends from foreign securities will be recorded when the fund is informed of the dividend if such information is obtained subsequent to the ex-dividend date. Dividend and interest payments received in additional securities are recorded on the ex-dividend or ex-interest date in an amount equal to the value of the security on such date.

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

The fund purchased or sold debt securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, or in a “To Be Announced” (TBA) or “forward commitment” transaction with delivery or payment to occur at a later date beyond the normal settlement period. TBA securities resulting from these transactions are included in the Portfolio of Investments. At the time a fund enters into a commitment to purchase or sell a security, the transaction is recorded and the value of the security acquired is reflected in the fund’s net asset value. The price of such security and the date that the security will be delivered and paid for are fixed at the time the transaction is negotiated. The value of the security may vary with market fluctuations. TBA purchase commitments are held at carrying amount, which approximates fair value and are categorized as level 2 within the fair value hierarchy disclosure. No interest accrues to the fund until payment takes place. At the time that a fund enters into this type of transaction, the fund is required to have sufficient cash and/or liquid securities to cover its commitments. Losses may arise due to changes in the value of the underlying securities or if the counterparty does not perform under the contract’s terms, or if the issuer does not issue the securities due to political, economic or other factors. Additionally, losses may arise due to declines in the value of the securities prior to settlement date.

Fees Paid Indirectly – The fund’s custody fee may be reduced according to an arrangement that measures the value of cash deposited with the custodian by the fund. This amount, for the six months ended August 31, 2013, is shown as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations.

Tax Matters and Distributions – The fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company, as defined under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, and to distribute all of its taxable income, including realized capital gains. As a result, no provision for federal income tax is required. The fund’s federal tax returns, when filed, will remain subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service for a three year period.

Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Income and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Certain capital accounts

 

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in the financial statements are periodically adjusted for permanent differences in order to reflect their tax character. These adjustments have no impact on net assets or net asset value per share. Temporary differences which arise from recognizing certain items of income, expense, gain or loss in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes will reverse at some time in the future. Distributions in excess of net investment income or net realized gains are temporary overdistributions for financial statement purposes resulting from differences in the recognition or classification of income or distributions for financial statement and tax purposes.

Book/tax differences primarily relate amortization and accretion of debt securities, wash sale loss deferrals and treating a portion of the proceeds from redemptions as a distribution for tax purposes.

The tax character of distributions made during the current period will be determined at fiscal year end. The tax character of distributions declared to shareholders for the last fiscal year is as follows:

 

     2/28/13  
Ordinary income (including any
short-term capital gains)
     $34,119,558   
Long-term capital gains      1,043,035   
Total distributions      $35,162,593   

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

 

As of 8/31/13       
Cost of investments      $1,923,912,126   
Gross appreciation      66,850,699   
Gross depreciation      (37,970,048
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)      $28,880,651   
As of 2/28/13       
Undistributed ordinary income      1,318,305   
Undistributed long-term capital gain      4,199,580   
Other temporary differences      (3,551,635
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)      91,755,015   

The aggregate cost above includes prior fiscal year end tax adjustments, if applicable.

Multiple Classes of Shares of Beneficial Interest – The fund offers multiple classes of shares, which differ in their respective distribution and service fees. The fund’s income and common expenses are allocated to shareholders based on the value of settled shares outstanding of each class. The fund’s realized and unrealized gain (loss) are allocated to shareholders based on the daily net assets of each class. Dividends are declared separately for each class. Differences in per share dividend rates are generally

 

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due to differences in separate class expenses. The fund’s distributions declared to shareholders as reported in the Statements of Changes in Net Assets are presented by class as follows:

 

     From net investment
income
     From net realized gain
on investments
 
     Six months
ended
8/31/13
     Year
ended
2/28/13 (i)
     Six months
ended
8/31/13
     Year
ended
2/28/13 (i)
 
Class A      $13,113,327         $19,218,114         $2,179,994         $541,503   
Class C      5,642,601         8,439,963         1,262,029         319,214   
Class I      5,114,636         6,376,885         789,363         179,492   
Class R1      5,018         4,540         923         123   
Class R2      9,840         13,081         1,725         562   
Class R3      47,219         27,427         6,998         1,315   
Class R4      25,907         26,771         3,857         743   
Class R5      25,689         12,777         3,574         83   
Total      $23,984,237         $34,119,558         $4,248,463         $1,043,035   

 

(i) For Class R5, the period is from inception, July 2, 2012, through the stated period end.

(3) Transactions with Affiliates

Investment Adviser – The fund has an investment advisory agreement with MFS to provide overall investment management and related administrative services and facilities to the fund.

The management fee is computed daily and paid monthly at an annual rate of 0.65% of the fund’s average daily net assets. Effective August 1, 2013, the investment adviser has agreed in writing to reduce its management fee to 0.60% of average daily net assets in excess of $1.5 billion up to $2.5 billion, and 0.55% of average daily net assets in excess of $2.5 billion. This written agreement will continue until modified by the fund’s Board of Trustees, but such agreement will continue at least until June 30, 2015. For the period August 1, 2013 through August 31, 2013, this management fee reduction amounted to $17,361, which is shown as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations. Effective April 1, 2013, MFS has agreed in writing to reduce its management fee by a specified amount if certain MFS mutual fund assets exceed thresholds agreed to by MFS and the fund’s Board of Trustees. For the period April 1, 2013 through August 31, 2013, this management fee reduction amounted to $4,130, which is shown as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations. The management fee incurred for the six months ended August 31, 2013 was equivalent to an annual effective rate of 0.65% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

The investment adviser has agreed in writing to pay a portion of the fund’s total annual operating expenses, exclusive of interest, taxes, extraordinary expenses, brokerage and transaction costs, and investment-related expenses (including fees and expenses associated with investments in investment companies and other similar investment vehicles), such that total fund operating expenses do not exceed the following rates annually of each class’s average daily net assets:

 

Class A     Class C     Class I     Class R1     Class R2     Class R3     Class R4     Class R5  
  1.10%        1.85     0.85     1.85     1.35     1.10     0.85     0.79

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

This written agreement will continue until modified by the fund’s Board of Trustees, but such agreement will continue at least until June 30, 2015. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, the fund’s actual operating expenses did not exceed the limit and therefore, the investment adviser did not pay any portion of the fund’s expenses related to this agreement.

Distributor – MFS Fund Distributors, Inc. (MFD), a wholly-owned subsidiary of MFS, as distributor, received $856,491 for the six months ended August 31, 2013, as its portion of the initial sales charge on sales of Class A shares of the fund.

The Board of Trustees has adopted a distribution plan for certain class shares pursuant to Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940.

The fund’s distribution plan provides that the fund will pay MFD for services provided by MFD and financial intermediaries in connection with the distribution and servicing of certain share classes. One component of the plan is a distribution fee paid to MFD and another component of the plan is a service fee paid to MFD. MFD may subsequently pay all, or a portion, of the distribution and/or service fees to financial intermediaries.

Distribution Plan Fee Table:

 

     Distribution
Fee Rate (d)
     Service
Fee Rate (d)
     Total
Distribution
Plan (d)
     Annual
Effective
Rate (e)
     Distribution
and Service
Fee
 
Class A              0.25%         0.25%         0.25%         $1,153,824   
Class C      0.75%         0.25%         1.00%         1.00%         2,693,117   
Class R1      0.75%         0.25%         1.00%         1.00%         2,397   
Class R2      0.25%         0.25%         0.50%         0.50%         1,894   
Class R3              0.25%         0.25%         0.25%         4,152   
Total Distribution and Service Fees         $3,855,384   

 

(d) In accordance with the distribution plan for certain classes, the fund pays distribution and/or service fees equal to these annual percentage rates of each class’s average daily net assets. The distribution and service fee rates disclosed by class represent the current rates in effect at the end of the reporting period.
(e) The annual effective rates represent actual fees incurred under the distribution plan for the six months ended August 31, 2013 based on each class’s average daily net assets. MFD has voluntarily agreed to rebate a portion of each class’s 0.25% service fee attributable to accounts for which MFD retains the 0.25% service fee except for accounts attributable to MFS or its subsidiaries’ seed money. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, this rebate amounted to $2,783 and $121 for Class A and Class C, respectively, and is reflected as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations.

Certain Class A shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) in the event of a shareholder redemption within 18 months of purchase for shares purchased on or after August 1, 2012, and within 24 months of purchase for shares purchased prior to August 1, 2012. Class C shares are subject to a CDSC in the event of a shareholder redemption within 12 months of purchase. All contingent deferred sales charges are paid to MFD and during the six months ended August 31, 2013, were as follows:

 

     Amount  
Class A      $9,044   
Class C      59,910   

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

Shareholder Servicing Agent – MFS Service Center, Inc. (MFSC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of MFS, receives a fee from the fund for its services as shareholder servicing agent calculated as a percentage of the average daily net assets of the fund as determined periodically under the supervision of the fund’s Board of Trustees. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, the fee was $101,348, which equated to 0.0113% annually of the fund’s average daily net assets. MFSC also receives payment from the fund for out-of-pocket expenses, sub-accounting and other shareholder servicing costs which may be paid to affiliated and unaffiliated service providers. Class R5 shares do not incur sub-accounting fees. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, these out-of-pocket expenses, sub-accounting and other shareholder servicing costs amounted to $675,082.

Administrator – MFS provides certain financial, legal, shareholder communications, compliance, and other administrative services to the fund. Under an administrative services agreement, the fund partially reimburses MFS the costs incurred to provide these services. The fund is charged an annual fixed amount of $17,500 plus a fee based on average daily net assets. The administrative services fee incurred for the six months ended August 31, 2013 was equivalent to an annual effective rate of 0.0130% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

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

Other – This fund and certain other funds managed by MFS (the funds) have entered into services agreements (the Agreements) which provide for payment of fees by the funds to Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC in return for the provision of services of an Independent Chief Compliance Officer (ICCO) and Assistant ICCO, respectively, for the funds. The ICCO and Assistant ICCO are officers of the funds and the sole members of Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC, respectively. The funds can terminate the Agreements with Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC at any time under the terms of the Agreements. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, the aggregate fees paid by the fund to Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC were $6,244 and are included in “Miscellaneous” expense in the Statement of Operations. MFS has agreed to reimburse the fund for a portion of the payments made by the fund in the amount of $3,167, which is shown as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations. Additionally, MFS has agreed to bear all expenses associated with office space, other administrative support, and supplies provided to the ICCO and Assistant ICCO.

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

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

The fund invests in the MFS High Yield Pooled Portfolio (the “High Yield Pooled Portfolio”). MFS Pooled Portfolios are mutual funds advised by MFS that do not pay management fees to MFS but do incur investment and operating costs. MFS Pooled Portfolios are designed to be used by MFS funds to invest in a particular security type rather than invest in the security type directly. The fund invests in the High Yield Pooled Portfolio to gain exposure to high income debt instruments, rather than investing in high income debt instruments directly.

At close of business on March 22, 2013, the fund and certain other MFS funds transferred high income debt instruments, accrued interest and cash to the High Yield Pooled Portfolio, a series of MFS Series Trust III, in exchange for shares of the High Yield Pooled Portfolio. The purpose of the transaction was to pool the portion of the assets of the fund and certain other MFS funds invested in high income debt instruments in the High Yield Pooled Portfolio. The transfer was accomplished by a tax-free exchange by the fund of investments valued at approximately $330,270,781 with a cost basis of approximately $336,367,600, accrued interest of approximately $6,096,819 and cash of approximately $17,836,705 for approximately 35,420,430 shares of the High Yield Pooled Portfolio (valued at approximately $354,204,304). For financial reporting purposes, investments transferred and shares received by the fund were recorded at fair value; however, the cost basis of the investments delivered to the High Yield Pooled Portfolio was carried forward to the shares received. Income earned on this investment is included in “Dividends from underlying affiliated funds” in the Statement of Operations. The High Yield Pooled Portfolio does not charge a management fee, distribution and/or service fee, or sales charge.

(4) Portfolio Securities

Purchases and sales of investments, other than purchased option transactions, and short-term obligations, were as follows:

 

     Purchases      Sales  
U.S. Government securities      $422,211,824         $334,728,242   
Investments (non-U.S. Government securities)      $631,039,972         $315,717,292   

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

(5) Shares of Beneficial Interest

The fund’s Declaration of Trust permits the Trustees to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest. Transactions in fund shares were as follows:

 

     Six months ended
8/31/13
     Year ended
2/28/13 (i)
 
     Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  
Shares sold            

Class A

     24,064,022         $288,373,259         39,010,733         $445,021,889   

Class C

     12,603,666         151,123,172         20,912,199         238,437,602   

Class I

     11,434,337         137,197,453         18,750,518         214,021,509   

Class R1

     22,601         269,343         18,494         215,264   

Class R2

     20,847         247,414         49,668         564,782   

Class R3

     120,054         1,425,496         256,335         2,952,073   

Class R4

     159,693         1,914,636         76,267         861,319   

Class R5

     35,558         424,208         167,077         1,921,929   
     48,460,778         $580,974,981         79,241,291         $903,996,367   
Shares issued to shareholders in reinvestment of distributions            

Class A

     1,193,887         $14,231,699         1,563,324         $17,887,514   

Class C

     441,823         5,266,355         563,309         6,443,965   

Class I

     311,754         3,716,316         357,156         4,093,307   

Class R1

     499         5,933         407         4,663   

Class R2

     971         11,565         1,189         13,643   

Class R3

     4,548         54,202         2,469         28,633   

Class R4

     2,497         29,759         2,335         26,783   

Class R5

     2,455         29,263         1,097         12,854   
     1,958,434         $23,345,092         2,491,286         $28,511,362   
Shares reacquired            

Class A

     (8,921,856      $(106,335,433      (13,592,609      $(154,248,250

Class C

     (3,377,173      (40,323,703      (3,590,428      (40,947,374

Class I

     (5,378,810      (64,010,990      (4,105,545      (46,987,667

Class R1

     (773      (9,379      (2      (26

Class R2

     (7,148      (84,967      (10,691      (123,251

Class R3

     (48,386      (575,250      (40,264      (465,152

Class R4

     (85,763      (1,030,062      (29,968      (335,648

Class R5

     (7,680      (93,204      (50,373      (592,076
     (17,827,589      $(212,462,988      (21,419,880      $(243,699,444

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

     Six months ended
8/31/13
     Year ended
2/28/13 (i)
 
     Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  
Net change            

Class A

     16,336,053         $196,269,525         26,981,448         $308,661,153   

Class C

     9,668,316         116,065,824         17,885,080         203,934,193   

Class I

     6,367,281         76,902,779         15,002,129         171,127,149   

Class R1

     22,327         265,897         18,899         219,901   

Class R2

     14,670         174,012         40,166         455,174   

Class R3

     76,216         904,448         218,540         2,515,554   

Class R4

     76,427         914,333         48,634         552,454   

Class R5

     30,333         360,267         117,801         1,342,707   
     32,591,623         $391,857,085         60,312,697         $688,808,285   

 

(i) For Class R5, the period is from inception, July 2, 2012, through the stated period end.

(6) Line of Credit

The fund and certain other funds managed by MFS participate in a $1.1 billion unsecured committed line of credit, subject to a $1 billion sublimit, provided by a syndication of banks under a credit agreement. Borrowings may be made for temporary financing needs. Interest is charged to each fund, based on its borrowings, generally at a rate equal to the higher of the Federal Reserve funds rate or one month LIBOR plus an agreed upon spread. A commitment fee, based on the average daily, unused portion of the committed line of credit, is allocated among the participating funds at the end of each calendar quarter. In addition, the fund and other funds managed by MFS have established unsecured uncommitted borrowing arrangements with certain banks for temporary financing needs. Interest is charged to each fund, based on its borrowings, at a rate equal to the Federal Reserve funds rate plus an agreed upon spread. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, the fund’s commitment fee and interest expense were $3,809 and $0, respectively, and are included in “Miscellaneous” expense in the Statement of Operations.

(7) Transactions in Underlying Affiliated Funds-Affiliated Issuers

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

 

Underlying Affiliated Funds    Beginning
Shares/Par
Amount
   

Acquisitions
Shares/Par

Amount

     Dispositions
Shares/Par
Amount
    Ending
Shares/Par
Amount
 
MFS High Yield Pooled Portfolio             50,558,619         (279,065     50,279,554   
MFS Institutional Money
Market Portfolio
     154,459,260        246,894,855         (297,079,470     104,274,645   
Underlying Affiliated Funds    Realized
Gain (Loss)
    Capital Gain
Distributions
     Dividend
Income
    Ending
Value
 
MFS High Yield Pooled Portfolio      $(837,198     $—         $12,717,749        $488,214,471   
MFS Institutional Money
Market Portfolio
                    79,694        104,274,645   
     $(837,198     $—         $12,797,443        $592,489,116   

 

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BOARD REVIEW OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

The Investment Company Act of 1940 requires that both the full Board of Trustees and a majority of the non-interested (“independent”) Trustees, voting separately, annually approve the continuation of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement with MFS. The Trustees consider matters bearing on the Fund and its advisory arrangements at their meetings throughout the year, including a review of performance data at each regular meeting. In addition, the independent Trustees met several times over the course of three months beginning in May and ending in July, 2013 (“contract review meetings”) for the specific purpose of considering whether to approve the continuation of the investment advisory agreement for the Fund and the other investment companies that the Board oversees (the “MFS Funds”). The independent Trustees were assisted in their evaluation of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement by independent legal counsel, from whom they received separate legal advice and with whom they met separately from MFS during various contract review meetings. The independent Trustees were also assisted in this process by the MFS Funds’ Independent Chief Compliance Officer, a full-time senior officer appointed by and reporting to the independent Trustees.

Effective May 1, 2011, the Board of Trustees terminated the Fund’s sub-advisory investment agreement among MFS Series Trust XIII, on behalf of the Fund, MFS and Sun Capital Advisers LLC (“Sun Capital”) and MFS assumed responsibility for day-to-day management of the Fund. The Sun Capital portfolio manager who was responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund became an employee of MFS on or about May 1, 2011 and continues to manage the Fund.

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

In connection with their contract review meetings, the Trustees received and relied upon materials that included, among other items: (i) information provided by Lipper Inc., an independent third party, on the investment performance of the Fund for various time periods ended December 31, 2012 and the investment performance of a group of funds with substantially similar investment classifications/objectives (the “Lipper performance universe”), (ii) information provided by Lipper Inc. on the Fund’s advisory fees and other expenses and the advisory fees and other expenses of comparable funds identified by Lipper Inc. (the “Lipper expense group”), (iii) information provided by MFS on the advisory fees of comparable portfolios of other clients of MFS, including institutional separate accounts and other clients, (iv) information as to whether and to what extent applicable expense waivers, reimbursements or fee “breakpoints” are observed for the Fund, (v) information regarding MFS’ financial results and financial condition, including MFS’ and certain of its affiliates’ estimated profitability from services performed for the Fund and the MFS

 

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Board Review of Investment Advisory Agreement – continued

 

Funds as a whole, and compared to MFS’ institutional business, (vi) MFS’ views regarding the outlook for the mutual fund industry and the strategic business plans of MFS, (vii) descriptions of various functions performed by MFS for the Funds, such as compliance monitoring and portfolio trading practices, and (viii) information regarding the overall organization of MFS, including information about MFS’ senior management and other personnel providing investment advisory, administrative and other services to the Fund and the other MFS Funds. The comparative performance, fee and expense information prepared and provided by Lipper Inc. was not independently verified and the independent Trustees did not independently verify any information provided to them by MFS.

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

Based on information provided by Lipper Inc. and MFS, the Trustees reviewed the Fund’s total return investment performance as well as the performance of peer groups of funds over various time periods. The Trustees placed particular emphasis on the total return performance of the Fund’s Class A shares in comparison to the performance of funds in its Lipper performance universe over the three-year period ended December 31, 2012, which the Trustees believed was a long enough period to reflect differing market conditions. The total return performance of the Fund’s Class A shares was in the 1st quintile relative to the other funds in the universe for this three-year period (the 1st quintile being the best performers and the 5th quintile being the worst performers). The total return performance of the Fund’s Class A shares was in the 1st quintile for each of the one- and five-year periods ended December 31, 2012 relative to the Lipper performance universe. Because of the passage of time, these performance results may differ from the performance results for more recent periods, including those shown elsewhere in this report.

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

In assessing the reasonableness of the Fund’s advisory fee, the Trustees considered, among other information, the Fund’s advisory fee and the total expense ratio of the Fund’s Class A shares as a percentage of average daily net assets and the advisory fee and total expense ratios of peer groups of funds based on information provided by

 

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Board Review of Investment Advisory Agreement – continued

 

Lipper Inc. The Trustees considered that MFS currently observes an expense limitation for the Fund, which may not be changed without the Trustees’ approval. The Trustees also considered that, according to the Lipper data (which takes into account any fee reductions or expense limitations that were in effect during the Fund’s last fiscal year), the Fund’s effective advisory fee rate was higher than the Lipper expense group median, and the Fund’s total expense ratio was approximately at the Lipper expense group median.

The Trustees also considered the advisory fees charged by MFS to any comparable institutional accounts. In comparing these fees, the Trustees considered information provided by MFS as to the generally broader scope of services provided by MFS to the Fund in comparison to institutional accounts, the higher demands placed on MFS’ investment personnel and trading infrastructure as a result of the daily cash in-flows and out-flows of the Fund, and the impact on MFS and expenses associated with the more extensive regulatory regime to which the Fund is subject in comparison to institutional accounts.

The Trustees also considered whether the Fund may benefit from any economies of scale in the management of the Fund in the event of growth in assets of the Fund and/or growth in assets of the MFS Funds as a whole. They noted that MFS has agreed in writing to reduce its advisory fee on the Fund’s average daily net assets over $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion, which may not be changed without the Trustees’ approval. The Trustees also noted that MFS has agreed in writing to waive a portion of the management fees of certain MFS Funds, including the Fund, if the total combined assets of certain funds within the MFS Funds’ complex increase above agreed upon thresholds (the “group fee waiver”), enabling the Fund’s shareholders to share in the benefits from any economies of scale at the complex level. The group fee waiver is reviewed and renewed annually between the Board and MFS. The Trustees concluded that the breakpoints and the group fee waiver were sufficient to allow the Fund to benefit from economies of scale as its assets and overall complex assets grow.

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

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

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

 

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Board Review of Investment Advisory Agreement – continued

 

The Trustees also considered the nature, quality, cost, and extent of administrative, transfer agency, and distribution services provided to the Fund by MFS and its affiliates under agreements and plans other than the investment advisory agreement, including any 12b-1 fees the Fund pays to MFS Fund Distributors, Inc., an affiliate of MFS. The Trustees also considered the nature, extent and quality of certain other services MFS performs or arranges for on the Fund’s behalf, which may include securities lending programs, directed expense payment programs, class action recovery programs, and MFS’ interaction with third-party service providers, principally custodians and sub-custodians. The Trustees concluded that the various non-advisory services provided by MFS and its affiliates on behalf of the Fund were satisfactory.

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

Based on their evaluation of factors that they deemed to be material, including those factors described above, the Board of Trustees, including the independent Trustees, concluded that the Fund’s investment advisory agreement with MFS should be continued for an additional one-year period, commencing August 1, 2013.

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

 

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PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND INFORMATION

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

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

QUARTERLY PORTFOLIO DISCLOSURE

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

Public Reference Room

Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, NE, Room 1580

Washington, D.C. 20549

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

FURTHER INFORMATION

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

PROVISION OF FINANCIAL REPORTS AND SUMMARY PROSPECTUSES

The fund produces financial reports every six months and updates its summary prospectus and prospectus annually. To avoid sending duplicate copies of materials to households, only one copy of the fund’s annual and semiannual report and summary prospectus may be mailed to shareholders having the same last name and residential address on the fund’s records. However, any shareholder may contact MFSC (please see back cover for address and telephone number) to request that copies of these reports and summary prospectuses be sent personally to that shareholder.

 

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If you own your MFS fund shares through a financial institution or a retirement plan, MFS® TALK, MFS® Access, or eDelivery may not be available to you.

 

CONTACT

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Shareholders

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P.O. Box 55824

Boston, MA 02205-5824

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Table of Contents

SEMIANNUAL REPORT

August 31, 2013

 

LOGO

 

MFS® GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND

 

LOGO

 

MFG-SEM

 


Table of Contents

MFS® GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND

 

CONTENTS

 

Letter from the Chairman and CEO     1   
Portfolio composition     2   
Expense table     4   
Portfolio of investments     6   
Statement of assets and liabilities     12   
Statement of operations     14   
Statements of changes in net assets     15   
Financial highlights     16   
Notes to financial statements     25   
Board review of investment advisory agreement     36   
Proxy voting policies and information     40   
Quarterly portfolio disclosure     40   
Further information     40   
Provision of financial reports and summary prospectuses     40   
Contact information    back cover   

 

 

 

The report is prepared for the general information of shareholders.

It is authorized for distribution to prospective investors only when preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus.

 

NOT FDIC INSURED Ÿ MAY LOSE VALUE Ÿ NO BANK GUARANTEE


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO

 

Dear Shareholders:

Global economic trends appear to favor growth again despite risks created by the U.S. government’s gridlock. The U.S. economy’s slow but steady expansion is no longer the

exception. The eurozone has emerged from its 18-month-long recession, with Germany leading the way. China’s monthly gauges of economic activity once again point toward expansion. And Japan is picking up momentum in response to its government’s and central bank’s aggressive program of monetary easing.

However, geopolitical risks have risen, with violence erupting in Egypt and Syria and the possibility of further unrest in the Middle East. The U.S. Federal Reserve’s expected tapering of its bond-buying stimulus program has weighed on global markets

since May. Emerging markets, including Brazil and India, have borne much of the brunt, as their currency values have dropped and nervous investors have fled to safety elsewhere. In Europe, unemployment persists at historically high levels. The trend towards a pickup in global growth, while encouraging, appears tenuous, particularly with the risk of a U.S. debt default.

As always, managing risk in the face of uncertainty remains a top priority for investors. At MFS®, our uniquely collaborative investment process employs integrated, global research and active risk management. Our global team of investment professionals shares ideas and evaluates opportunities across continents, investment disciplines and asset classes — all with a goal of building better insights, and ultimately better results, for our clients.

We are mindful of the many economic challenges investors face, and believe it is more important than ever to maintain a long-term view and employ time-tested principles, such as asset allocation and diversification. We remain confident that our unique approach can serve investors well as they work with their financial advisors to identify and pursue the most suitable opportunities.

Respectfully,

 

LOGO

Robert J. Manning

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

MFS Investment Management®

October 17, 2013

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

 

1


Table of Contents

PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION

 

Portfolio structure (i)

 

LOGO

 

Fixed income sectors (i)  
Mortgage-Backed Securities     52.6%  
U.S. Treasury Securities     32.4%   
U.S. Government Agencies     7.1%   
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities     2.7%   
High Grade Corporates     1.0%   
Municipal Bonds     0.5%   
Composition including fixed income credit quality (a)(i)    
AAA     1.1%  
AA     1.1%   
A     0.8%   
BBB     1.2%   
U.S. Government     32.4%   
Federal Agencies     59.7%   
Cash & Other     3.7%   
Portfolio facts (i)  
Average Duration (d)     4.8  
Average Effective Maturity (m)     6.2 yrs.   
 
(a) For all securities other than those specifically described below, ratings are assigned to underlying securities utilizing ratings from Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard & Poor’s rating agencies and applying the following hierarchy: If all three agencies provide a rating, the middle rating (after dropping the highest and lowest ratings) is assigned; if two of the three agencies rate a security, the lower of the two is assigned. Ratings are shown in the S&P and Fitch scale (e.g., AAA). Securities rated BBB or higher are considered investment grade. All ratings are subject to change. U.S. Government includes securities issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Federal Agencies includes rated and unrated U.S. Agency fixed-income securities, U.S. Agency mortgage-backed securities, and collateralized mortgage obligations of U.S. Agency mortgage-backed securities. Cash & Other includes cash, other assets less liabilities, offsets to derivative positions, and short-term securities. The fund may not hold all of these instruments. The fund is not rated by these agencies.
(d) Duration is a measure of how much a bond’s price is likely to fluctuate with general changes in interest rates, e.g., if rates rise 1.00%, a bond with a 5-year duration is likely to lose about 5.00% of its value due to the interest rate move.
(i) For purposes of this presentation, the components include the market value of securities, and reflect the impact of the equivalent exposure of derivative positions, if any. These amounts may be negative from time to time. Equivalent exposure is a calculated amount that translates the derivative position into a reasonable approximation of the amount of the underlying asset that the portfolio would have to hold at a given point in time to have the same price sensitivity that results from the portfolio’s ownership of the derivative contract. When dealing with derivatives, equivalent exposure is a more representative measure of the potential impact of a position on portfolio performance than market value. The bond component will include any accrued interest amounts.

 

2


Table of Contents

Portfolio Composition – continued

 

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

Where the fund holds convertible bonds, these are treated as part of the equity portion of the portfolio.

Percentages are based on net assets as of 8/31/13.

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

 

3


Table of Contents

EXPENSE TABLE

Fund expenses borne by the shareholders during the period, March 1, 2013 through August 31, 2013

As a shareholder of the fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including sales charges (loads) on certain purchase or redemption payments, and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees; distribution and service (12b-1) fees; and other fund expenses. This example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

The example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period March 1, 2013 through August 31, 2013.

The expenses include the payment of a portion of the transfer-agent-related expenses of MFS funds that invest in the fund. For further information, please see the Notes to the Financial Statements.

Actual Expenses

The first line for each share class in the following table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes

The second line for each share class in the following table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the fund and other funds. To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

Please note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as sales charges (loads). Therefore, the second line for each share class in the table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

4


Table of Contents

Expense Table – continued

 

Share
Class
      

Annualized
Expense

Ratio

    Beginning
Account Value
3/01/13
   

Ending

Account Value
8/31/13

   

Expenses

Paid During
Period (p)

3/01/13-8/31/13

 
A   Actual     0.88%        $1,000.00        $971.67        $4.37   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.88%        $1,000.00        $1,020.77        $4.48   
B   Actual     1.63%        $1,000.00        $968.90        $8.09   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.63%        $1,000.00        $1,016.99        $8.29   
C   Actual     1.63%        $1,000.00        $968.08        $8.09   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.63%        $1,000.00        $1,016.99        $8.29   
I   Actual     0.63%        $1,000.00        $972.89        $3.13   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.63%        $1,000.00        $1,022.03        $3.21   
R1   Actual     1.63%        $1,000.00        $967.96        $8.09   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.63%        $1,000.00        $1,016.99        $8.29   
R2   Actual     1.13%        $1,000.00        $970.41        $5.61   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.13%        $1,000.00        $1,019.51        $5.75   
R3   Actual     0.88%        $1,000.00        $972.60        $4.38   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.88%        $1,000.00        $1,020.77        $4.48   
R4   Actual     0.63%        $1,000.00        $972.89        $3.13   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.63%        $1,000.00        $1,022.03        $3.21   
R5   Actual     0.51%        $1,000.00        $973.46        $2.54   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.51%        $1,000.00        $1,022.63        $2.60   

 

(h) 5% class return per year before expenses.
(p) Expenses paid are equal to each class’s annualized expense ratio, as shown above, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the period, divided by the number of days in the year. Expenses paid do not include any applicable sales charges (loads). If these transaction costs had been included, your costs would have been higher.

Notes to Expense Table

Each class with a Rule 12b-1 service fee is subject to a rebate of a portion of such fee. Such rebates are included in the expense ratios above. For Class A shares, this rebate reduced the expense ratio above by 0.01%. See Note 3 in the Notes to Financial Statements for additional information.

 

5


Table of Contents

PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS

8/31/13 (unaudited)

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

 

Bonds - 95.9%                 
Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Agency - Other - 4.6%                 
Financing Corp., 10.7%, 2017    $ 14,360,000      $ 19,454,166   
Financing Corp., 9.4%, 2018      11,750,000        15,522,643   
Financing Corp., 9.8%, 2018      14,975,000        20,149,806   
Financing Corp., 10.35%, 2018      15,165,000        21,047,867   
Financing Corp., STRIPS, 0%, 2017      18,780,000        17,451,559   
    

 

 

 
      $ 93,626,041   
Asset-Backed & Securitized - 2.7%                 
Citigroup/Deutsche Bank Commercial Mortgage Trust, 5.322%, 2049    $ 4,260,000      $ 4,660,159   
Commercial Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, “A4”, 5.306%, 2046      9,314,763        10,221,620   
Credit Suisse Commercial Mortgage Trust, “A4”, FRN, 5.954%, 2039      5,869,762        6,487,114   
CWCapital Cobalt Ltd., “A4”, FRN, 5.966%, 2046      5,976,734        6,664,100   
Goldman Sachs Mortgage Securities Corp., FRN, 5.995%, 2045      9,064,670        9,979,703   
JPMorgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Corp., “A3”, FRN, 6.124%, 2051      5,341,614        5,531,872   
JPMorgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Corp., “A4”, FRN, 6.003%, 2049      9,239,502        10,291,539   
    

 

 

 
      $ 53,836,107   
Local Authorities - 1.0%                 
Catholic Health Initiatives, 2.95%, 2022    $ 4,861,000      $ 4,476,846   
Nashville & Davidson County, TN, Metropolitan Government Convention Center Authority (Build America Bonds), 6.731%, 2043      4,855,000        5,405,654   
Port Authority NY & NJ (168th Series), 4.926%, 2051      7,130,000        6,695,712   
San Francisco, CA, City & County Public Utilities Commission, Water Rev. (Build America Bonds), 6%, 2040      840,000        919,556   
University of California Rev. (Build America Bonds), 5.77%, 2043      2,750,000        2,998,600   
    

 

 

 
      $ 20,496,368   
Mortgage-Backed - 52.4%                 
Fannie Mae, 5.138%, 2013    $ 438,392      $ 439,576   
Fannie Mae, 4.61%, 2014      5,005,407        5,008,920   
Fannie Mae, 4.77%, 2014      1,387,266        1,409,616   
Fannie Mae, 4.783%, 2014      1,338,972        1,351,543   
Fannie Mae, 4.82%, 2014 - 2015      4,711,214        4,891,115   

 

6


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Bonds - continued                 
Mortgage-Backed - continued                 
Fannie Mae, 4.839%, 2014    $ 7,202,950      $ 7,320,814   
Fannie Mae, 4.902%, 2014      3,469,634        3,469,862   
Fannie Mae, 4.92%, 2014      232,134        235,103   
Fannie Mae, 5.1%, 2014 - 2019      3,662,080        3,814,732   
Fannie Mae, 4.56%, 2015      2,099,254        2,199,863   
Fannie Mae, 4.564%, 2015      349,262        356,223   
Fannie Mae, 4.62%, 2015      2,998,992        3,099,428   
Fannie Mae, 4.665%, 2015      1,419,901        1,476,164   
Fannie Mae, 4.7%, 2015      208,885        216,207   
Fannie Mae, 4.74%, 2015      1,618,663        1,689,437   
Fannie Mae, 4.78%, 2015      1,752,651        1,844,695   
Fannie Mae, 4.81%, 2015      1,687,053        1,776,223   
Fannie Mae, 4.815%, 2015      1,876,712        1,965,375   
Fannie Mae, 4.85%, 2015      1,300,440        1,350,318   
Fannie Mae, 4.87%, 2015      1,238,668        1,297,293   
Fannie Mae, 4.89%, 2015      1,147,596        1,195,381   
Fannie Mae, 4.925%, 2015      2,493,748        2,605,613   
Fannie Mae, 5.471%, 2015      4,917,833        5,277,761   
Fannie Mae, 5.08%, 2016 - 2019      1,953,394        2,103,178   
Fannie Mae, 5.09%, 2016      594,876        643,499   
Fannie Mae, 5.27%, 2016      627,552        708,982   
Fannie Mae, 5.273%, 2016      1,289,715        1,396,323   
Fannie Mae, 5.305%, 2016      862,460        928,710   
Fannie Mae, 5.45%, 2016      690,000        767,711   
Fannie Mae, 5.605%, 2016      3,981,248        4,325,544   
Fannie Mae, 5.915%, 2016      3,575,924        3,948,147   
Fannie Mae, 6.5%, 2016 - 2037      7,441,341        8,257,436   
Fannie Mae, 1.9%, 2017      811,318        817,305   
Fannie Mae, 3.308%, 2017      4,795,891        5,068,842   
Fannie Mae, 5.05%, 2017 - 2019      2,952,731        3,205,809   
Fannie Mae, 5.06%, 2017      1,769,130        1,918,248   
Fannie Mae, 5.158%, 2017      4,204,453        4,385,810   
Fannie Mae, 5.3%, 2017      727,497        791,653   
Fannie Mae, 5.38%, 2017      1,922,354        2,097,906   
Fannie Mae, 5.5%, 2017 - 2038      68,028,438        74,034,547   
Fannie Mae, 5.505%, 2017      1,343,304        1,466,783   
Fannie Mae, 6%, 2017 - 2037      19,030,994        20,763,292   
Fannie Mae, 2.578%, 2018      9,100,000        9,286,213   
Fannie Mae, 3.8%, 2018      1,688,724        1,794,503   
Fannie Mae, 3.91%, 2018      1,608,710        1,729,663   
Fannie Mae, 3.99%, 2018      1,600,000        1,725,777   
Fannie Mae, 4%, 2018 - 2041      26,494,173        27,537,141   
Fannie Mae, 4.19%, 2018      887,812        964,360   

 

7


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Bonds - continued                 
Mortgage-Backed - continued                 
Fannie Mae, 5.16%, 2018    $ 786,302      $ 851,485   
Fannie Mae, 5.37%, 2018      1,875,069        2,120,882   
Fannie Mae, 5.68%, 2018      1,091,824        1,200,047   
Fannie Mae, 2.43%, 2019      1,291,357        1,306,880   
Fannie Mae, 4.5%, 2019 - 2041      27,495,528        29,161,472   
Fannie Mae, 4.67%, 2019      1,180,000        1,295,841   
Fannie Mae, 4.83%, 2019      1,566,615        1,731,171   
Fannie Mae, 4.84%, 2019      594,542        657,097   
Fannie Mae, 4.94%, 2019      415,524        461,554   
Fannie Mae, 5%, 2019 - 2041      51,685,374        55,631,135   
Fannie Mae, 5.039%, 2019      5,011,446        5,556,070   
Fannie Mae, 5.28%, 2019      566,074        621,122   
Fannie Mae, 5.47%, 2019      377,748        410,159   
Fannie Mae, 5.6%, 2019      1,248,187        1,361,573   
Fannie Mae, 3.87%, 2020      1,823,780        1,923,031   
Fannie Mae, 4.14%, 2020      1,417,628        1,513,474   
Fannie Mae, 4.88%, 2020      805,034        877,540   
Fannie Mae, 5.19%, 2020      1,917,810        2,089,118   
Fannie Mae, 7.5%, 2024 - 2031      307,140        354,257   
Fannie Mae, 4.5%, 2025      1,166,717        1,237,003   
Fannie Mae, 3%, 2027      10,984,014        11,253,046   
Fannie Mae, 2.5%, 2028      3,018,315        3,001,093   
Fannie Mae, 3.5%, 2042      7,138,723        7,147,065   
Fannie Mae, TBA, 3%, 2028      11,407,000        11,613,751   
Fannie Mae, TBA, 3.5%, 2043      20,000,000        19,993,750   
Fannie Mae, TBA, 4%, 2043      53,973,000        55,389,794   
Fannie Mae, TBA, 4.5%, 2043      58,088,000        61,003,747   
Freddie Mac, 1.655%, 2016      8,873,478        8,951,210   
Freddie Mac, 5%, 2016 - 2040      14,356,978        15,424,522   
Freddie Mac, 6.5%, 2016 - 2038      2,061,183        2,264,238   
Freddie Mac, 3.882%, 2017      5,323,000        5,713,634   
Freddie Mac, 6%, 2017 - 2038      16,809,419        18,348,110   
Freddie Mac, 2.303%, 2018      2,438,882        2,446,308   
Freddie Mac, 2.323%, 2018      4,783,000        4,795,866   
Freddie Mac, 2.412%, 2018      7,000,000        7,072,373   
Freddie Mac, 3.154%, 2018      5,293,000        5,535,478   
Freddie Mac, 1.883%, 2019      1,100,000        1,070,389   
Freddie Mac, 2.13%, 2019      10,400,000        10,290,072   
Freddie Mac, 4.186%, 2019      2,800,000        3,027,290   
Freddie Mac, 5.085%, 2019      6,865,000        7,746,926   
Freddie Mac, 2.313%, 2020      6,978,000        6,841,461   
Freddie Mac, 2.757%, 2020      7,039,907        7,275,934   
Freddie Mac, 3.32%, 2020      7,180,630        7,544,796   

 

8


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Bonds - continued                 
Mortgage-Backed - continued                 
Freddie Mac, 4.224%, 2020    $ 4,281,146      $ 4,596,568   
Freddie Mac, 4.251%, 2020      3,106,000        3,363,369   
Freddie Mac, 5.5%, 2021 - 2038      19,786,293        21,379,968   
Freddie Mac, 4.5%, 2022 - 2041      15,186,010        15,989,194   
Freddie Mac, 3.25%, 2023      9,000,000        8,831,691   
Freddie Mac, 3.32%, 2023      4,605,000        4,530,376   
Freddie Mac, 4%, 2025      4,395,322        4,628,192   
Freddie Mac, 2.5%, 2028      69,912,697        69,431,900   
Freddie Mac, 3.5%, 2041 - 2043      93,799,952        93,596,783   
Freddie Mac, 3%, 2043      29,729,377        28,478,601   
Freddie Mac, 3.3%, 2046      4,629,861        4,552,996   
Ginnie Mae, 4.5%, 2033 - 2042      31,895,192        34,217,377   
Ginnie Mae, 5.5%, 2033 - 2042      14,776,109        16,143,367   
Ginnie Mae, 4%, 2039 - 2041      6,763,746        7,083,269   
Ginnie Mae, 3.5%, 2041 - 2043      84,951,642        85,975,984   
Ginnie Mae, 3%, 2043      14,155,286        13,749,693   
Ginnie Mae, 5.612%, 2058      6,960,788        7,304,637   
Ginnie Mae, 6.357%, 2058      3,483,012        3,685,250   
    

 

 

 
      $ 1,056,609,623   
Municipals - 0.5%                 
Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund Finance Corp. Rev., “A”, 1.298%, 2016    $ 45,000      $ 44,502   
Massachusetts School Building Authority, Dedicated Sales Tax Rev., “A”, 5%, 2023      605,000        698,944   
New York Environmental Facilities Corp., Clean Water and Drinking Revolving Funds Rev. (NYC Municipal Water Finance Authority Projects), “A”, 5%, 2023      760,000        880,962   
New York, NY, Transitional Finance Authority Rev., “I”, 5%, 2022      605,000        694,129   
New York, NY, Transitional Finance Authority Rev., “I”, 5%, 2023      1,205,000        1,378,508   
Riverside County, CA, Transportation Commission, Sales Tax Rev., “A”, 5%, 2021      1,035,000        1,198,644   
Riverside County, CA, Transportation Commission, Sales Tax Rev., “A”, 5%, 2023      1,065,000        1,226,188   
South Carolina Public Service Authority Rev., “A”, 5.125%, 2043      1,105,000        1,090,690   
South Carolina Public Service Authority Rev., “B”, 5.125%, 2043      2,650,000        2,615,683   
    

 

 

 
      $ 9,828,250   
U.S. Government Agencies and Equivalents - 2.4%                 
Aid-Egypt, 4.45%, 2015    $ 6,204,000      $ 6,688,166   
Private Export Funding Corp., 1.875%, 2018      5,330,000        5,306,415   

 

9


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Bonds - continued                 
U.S. Government Agencies and Equivalents - continued           
Small Business Administration, 6.35%, 2021    $ 703,092      $ 771,778   
Small Business Administration, 6.34%, 2021      677,962        741,386   
Small Business Administration, 6.44%, 2021      651,487        721,819   
Small Business Administration, 6.625%, 2021      636,074        703,649   
Small Business Administration, 6.07%, 2022      695,252        760,398   
Small Business Administration, 4.98%, 2023      916,374        997,309   
Small Business Administration, 4.89%, 2023      2,335,488        2,537,888   
Small Business Administration, 4.77%, 2024      2,123,712        2,265,309   
Small Business Administration, 5.52%, 2024      1,381,840        1,512,200   
Small Business Administration, 4.99%, 2024      2,036,197        2,195,121   
Small Business Administration, 4.86%, 2024      1,361,620        1,462,661   
Small Business Administration, 4.86%, 2025      2,214,496        2,367,717   
Small Business Administration, 5.11%, 2025      1,996,008        2,146,447   
Small Business Administration, 2.21%, 2033      3,320,374        3,110,085   
Small Business Administration, 2.22%, 2033      6,032,000        5,675,904   
Small Business Administration, 3.15%, 2033      5,329,000        5,305,374   
Small Business Administration, 3.16%, 2033      2,000,000        1,994,100   
U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, 6.36%, 2016      310,000        312,660   
U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, 6.59%, 2016      138,000        138,945   
    

 

 

 
      $ 47,715,331   
U.S. Treasury Obligations - 32.3%                 
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 7.5%, 2016    $ 3,421,000      $ 4,133,796   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 6.25%, 2023      1,445,000        1,893,853   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 6%, 2026      5,933,000        7,775,013   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 6.75%, 2026      981,000        1,370,641   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 6.375%, 2027      2,309,000        3,153,228   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 5.25%, 2029      2,438,000        3,022,740   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 4.5%, 2036      2,662,000        3,073,779   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 5%, 2037      4,133,000        5,108,777   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 4.375%, 2038      3,297,000        3,735,399   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 4.5%, 2039      64,440,300        74,488,992   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 3.125%, 2043      5,266,000        4,730,348   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 4%, 2014      2,232,000        2,271,234   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 1.875%, 2014      16,258,000        16,446,625   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.625%, 2014      16,750,000        17,092,203   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 4%, 2015      13,740,000        14,479,597   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.125%, 2015      161,986,000        166,997,523   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 0.375%, 2016      29,280,100        29,152,000   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.625%, 2016      4,787,000        5,036,824   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 0.875%, 2016      97,481,000        97,260,108   

 

10


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Bonds - continued                 
U.S. Treasury Obligations - continued           
U.S. Treasury Notes, 4.75%, 2017    $ 11,447,000      $ 13,018,284   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.625%, 2018      26,085,000        27,423,891   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.75%, 2019      19,471,600        20,481,689   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 3.125%, 2019      12,026,000        12,881,914   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 3.5%, 2020      6,007,000        6,543,407   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.625%, 2020      15,874,000        16,341,537   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 3.125%, 2021      25,810,000        27,215,432   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 1.75%, 2022      70,944,000        66,243,960   
    

 

 

 
      $ 651,372,794   
Total Bonds (Identified Cost, $1,910,384,269)      $ 1,933,484,514   
Money Market Funds - 11.4%                 
MFS Institutional Money Market Portfolio, 0.09%,
at Cost and Net Asset Value (v)
     229,881,589      $ 229,881,589   
Total Investments (Identified Cost, $2,140,265,858)      $ 2,163,366,103   
Other Assets, Less Liabilities - (7.3)%        (146,386,619
Net Assets - 100.0%      $ 2,016,979,484   

 

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

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

 

FRN   Floating Rate Note. Interest rate resets periodically and may not be the rate reported at period end.
STRIPS   Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities
TBA   To Be Announced

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

11


Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

At 8/31/13 (unaudited)

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

 

Assets         

Investments-

  

Non-affiliated issuers, at value (identified cost, $1,910,384,269)

     $1,933,484,514   

Underlying affiliated funds, at cost and value

     229,881,589   

Total investments, at value (identified cost, $2,140,265,858)

     $2,163,366,103   

Receivables for

  

Investments sold

     136,432,890   

Fund shares sold

     1,448,529   

Interest

     8,447,041   

Other assets

     3,409   

Total assets

     $2,309,697,972   
Liabilities         

Payables for

  

Distributions

     $460,889   

TBA purchase commitments

     286,827,743   

Fund shares reacquired

     3,918,268   

Payable to affiliates

  

Investment adviser

     67,369   

Shareholder servicing costs

     1,169,951   

Distribution and service fees

     28,784   

Payable for independent Trustees’ compensation

     60,960   

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     184,524   

Total liabilities

     $292,718,488   

Net assets

     $2,016,979,484   
Net assets consist of         

Paid-in capital

     $2,037,085,096   

Unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments

     23,100,245   

Accumulated distributions in excess of net realized gain on investments

     (38,424,021

Accumulated distributions in excess of net investment income

     (4,781,836

Net assets

     $2,016,979,484   

Shares of beneficial interest outstanding

     202,216,735   

 

12


Table of Contents

Statement of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited) – continued

 

     Net assets      Shares
outstanding
     Net asset value
per share (a)
 

Class A

     $737,611,618         73,924,095         $9.98   

Class B

     34,008,886         3,412,750         9.97   

Class C

     72,303,421         7,231,965         10.00   

Class I

     29,083,222         2,915,380         9.98   

Class R1

     5,372,496         538,967         9.97   

Class R2

     145,548,681         14,602,136         9.97   

Class R3

     102,072,199         10,232,424         9.98   

Class R4

     67,152,985         6,728,073         9.98   

Class R5

     823,825,976         82,630,945         9.97   

 

(a) Maximum offering price per share was equal to the net asset value per share for all share classes, except for Class A, for which the maximum offering price per share was $10.48 [100 / 95.25 x $9.98]. On sales of $50,000 or more, the maximum offering price of Class A shares is reduced. A contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on redemptions of Class A, Class B, and Class C shares. Redemption price per share was equal to the net asset value per share for Classes I, R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5.

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

13


Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

Six months ended 8/31/13 (unaudited)

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

 

Net investment income         

Income

  

Interest

     $26,546,211   

Dividends from underlying affiliated funds

     214,110   

Total investment income

     $26,760,321   

Expenses

  

Management fee

     $4,201,192   

Distribution and service fees

     2,216,175   

Shareholder servicing costs

     1,417,667   

Administrative services fee

     135,442   

Independent Trustees’ compensation

     21,672   

Custodian fee

     113,529   

Shareholder communications

     112,306   

Audit and tax fees

     29,153   

Legal fees

     12,917   

Miscellaneous

     119,035   

Total expenses

     $8,379,088   

Fees paid indirectly

     (13

Reduction of expenses by investment adviser and distributor

     (35,026

Net expenses

     $8,344,049   

Net investment income

     $18,416,272   
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments         

Realized gain (loss) on investments (identified cost basis)

     $(7,719,670

Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments

     $(69,691,239

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

     $(77,410,909

Change in net assets from operations

     $(58,994,637

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

14


Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

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

 

     Six months ended
8/31/13
     Year ended
2/28/13
 
Change in net assets    (unaudited)         
From operations                  

Net investment income

     $18,416,272         $38,700,747   

Net realized gain (loss) on investments

     (7,719,670      11,778,976   

Net unrealized gain (loss) on investments

     (69,691,239      (15,022,758

Change in net assets from operations

     $(58,994,637      $35,456,965   
Distributions declared to shareholders                  

From net investment income

     $(22,275,602      $(53,090,312

From net realized gain on investments

     (6,619,454      (9,521,417

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(28,895,056      $(62,611,729

Change in net assets from fund share transactions

     $2,915,888         $89,399,813   

Total change in net assets

     $(84,973,805      $62,245,049   
Net assets                  

At beginning of period

     2,101,953,289         2,039,708,240   

At end of period (including accumulated distributions in excess of net investment income of $4,781,836 and $922,506, respectively)

     $2,016,979,484         $2,101,953,289   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

15


Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

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

 

   

Six months

ended

8/31/13

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
Class A     2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.41        $10.54        $10.13        $10.15        $9.92        $9.78   
Income (loss) from investment operations           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.09        $0.20        $0.25        $0.30        $0.35        $0.39   

Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments

    (0.39     (0.02     0.46        (0.00 )(w)      0.27        0.17   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.30     $0.18        $0.71        $0.30        $0.62        $0.56   
Less distributions declared to shareholders           

From net investment income

    $(0.10     $(0.26     $(0.30     $(0.32     $(0.39     $(0.42

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.03     (0.05                            

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.13     $(0.31     $(0.30     $(0.32     $(0.39     $(0.42

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $9.98        $10.41        $10.54        $10.13        $10.15        $9.92   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

    (2.83 )(n)      1.74        7.04        2.96        6.31        5.95   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    0.88 (a)      0.87        0.86        0.87        0.88        0.91   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    0.88 (a)      0.87        0.86        0.87        0.88        0.80   

Net investment income

    1.67 (a)      1.88        2.39        2.88        3.49        3.98   

Portfolio turnover

    76 (n)      81        49        34        32        57   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $737,612        $847,276        $981,980        $915,576        $923,918        $888,523   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

16


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

   

Six months

ended

8/31/13

(unaudited)

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
Class B     2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
                                 

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.39        $10.53        $10.11        $10.14        $9.91        $9.77   
Income (loss) from investment operations           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.05        $0.12        $0.17        $0.22        $0.28        $0.32   

Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments

    (0.37     (0.03     0.47        (0.01     0.26        0.17   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.32     $0.09        $0.64        $0.21        $0.54        $0.49   
Less distributions declared to shareholders           

From net investment income

    $(0.07     $(0.18     $(0.22     $(0.24     $(0.31     $(0.35

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.03     (0.05                            

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.10     $(0.23     $(0.22     $(0.24     $(0.31     $(0.35

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $9.97        $10.39        $10.53        $10.11        $10.14        $9.91   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

    (3.11 )(n)      0.88        6.35        2.09        5.52        5.16   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    1.63 (a)      1.62        1.61        1.62        1.63        1.66   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    1.63 (a)      1.62        1.61        1.62        1.63        1.55   

Net investment income

    0.91 (a)      1.13        1.66        2.15        2.75        3.25   

Portfolio turnover

    76 (n)      81        49        34        32        57   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $34,009        $44,012        $46,645        $53,577        $74,842        $102,852   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

17


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

   

Six months
ended
8/31/13

(unaudited)

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
Class C     2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
                                 

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.43        $10.57        $10.15        $10.17        $9.95        $9.81   
Income (loss) from investment operations           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.05        $0.12        $0.17        $0.22        $0.27        $0.31   

Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments

    (0.38     (0.02     0.47        (0.00 )(w)      0.26        0.18   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.33     $0.10        $0.64        $0.22        $0.53        $0.49   
Less distributions declared to shareholders           

From net investment income

    $(0.07     $(0.19     $(0.22     $(0.24     $(0.31     $(0.35

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.03     (0.05                            

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.10     $(0.24     $(0.22     $(0.24     $(0.31     $(0.35

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $10.00        $10.43        $10.57        $10.15        $10.17        $9.95   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

    (3.19 )(n)      0.88        6.33        2.19        5.40        5.16   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    1.63 (a)      1.62        1.61        1.62        1.62        1.66   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    1.63 (a)      1.62        1.61        1.62        1.62        1.55   

Net investment income

    0.90 (a)      1.13        1.64        2.12        2.71        3.21   

Portfolio turnover

    76 (n)      81        49        34        32        57   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $72,303        $101,229        $112,961        $111,328        $116,622        $92,046   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

18


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

   

Six months
ended
8/31/13

(unaudited)

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
Class I     2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
                                 

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.41        $10.54        $10.12        $10.15        $9.92        $9.78   
Income (loss) from investment operations           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.10        $0.25        $0.27        $0.32        $0.38        $0.41   

Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments

    (0.38     (0.04     0.47        (0.00 )(w)      0.26        0.18   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.28     $0.21        $0.74        $0.32        $0.64        $0.59   
Less distributions declared to shareholders           

From net investment income

    $(0.12     $(0.29     $(0.32     $(0.35     $(0.41     $(0.45

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.03     (0.05                            

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.15     $(0.34     $(0.32     $(0.35     $(0.41     $(0.45

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $9.98        $10.41        $10.54        $10.12        $10.15        $9.92   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    (2.71 )(n)      1.99        7.41        3.11        6.57        6.21   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    0.63 (a)      0.59        0.61        0.62        0.63        0.66   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    0.63 (a)      0.59        0.60        0.62        0.63        0.55   

Net investment income

    1.89 (a)      2.33        2.64        3.13        3.73        4.26   

Portfolio turnover

    76 (n)      81        49        34        32        57   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $29,083        $40,628        $562,634        $434,682        $318,667        $286,371   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

19


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

   

Six months

ended

8/31/13

(unaudited)

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
Class R1     2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
                                 

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.40        $10.53        $10.11        $10.14        $9.91        $9.77   
Income (loss) from investment operations           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.05        $0.12        $0.17        $0.22        $0.28        $0.32   

Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments

    (0.38     (0.02     0.47        (0.01     0.26        0.17   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.33     $0.10        $0.64        $0.21        $0.54        $0.49   
Less distributions declared to shareholders           

From net investment income

    $(0.07     $(0.18     $(0.22     $(0.24     $(0.31     $(0.35

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.03     (0.05                            

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.10     $(0.23     $(0.22     $(0.24     $(0.31     $(0.35

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $9.97        $10.40        $10.53        $10.11        $10.14        $9.91   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    (3.20 )(n)      0.98        6.35        2.09        5.52        5.16   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    1.63 (a)      1.62        1.61        1.62        1.63        1.66   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    1.63 (a)      1.62        1.61        1.62        1.63        1.55   

Net investment income

    0.91 (a)      1.14        1.64        2.14        2.74        3.24   

Portfolio turnover

    76 (n)      81        49        34        32        57   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $5,372        $6,647        $7,902        $7,219        $6,246        $5,713   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

20


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

   

Six months

ended

8/31/13

(unaudited)

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
Class R2     2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
                                 

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.40        $10.53        $10.11        $10.14        $9.91        $9.77   
Income (loss) from investment operations           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.07        $0.17        $0.22        $0.27        $0.32        $0.36   

Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments

    (0.38     (0.01     0.47        (0.01     0.27        0.18   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.31     $0.16        $0.69        $0.26        $0.59        $0.54   
Less distributions declared to shareholders           

From net investment income

    $(0.09     $(0.24     $(0.27     $(0.29     $(0.36     $(0.40

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.03     (0.05                            

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.12     $(0.29     $(0.27     $(0.29     $(0.36     $(0.40

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $9.97        $10.40        $10.53        $10.11        $10.14        $9.91   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    (2.96 )(n)      1.48        6.88        2.60        6.04        5.69   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    1.13 (a)      1.12        1.11        1.12        1.13        1.16   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    1.13 (a)      1.12        1.11        1.12        1.12        1.05   

Net investment income

    1.42 (a)      1.63        2.13        2.62        3.22        3.74   

Portfolio turnover

    76 (n)      81        49        34        32        57   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $145,549        $165,865        $168,809        $123,672        $73,052        $35,616   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

   

Six months
ended
8/31/13

(unaudited)

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
Class R3     2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
                                 

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.40        $10.54        $10.12        $10.15        $9.92        $9.78   
Income (loss) from investment operations           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.09        $0.20        $0.25        $0.29        $0.35        $0.39   

Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments

    (0.38     (0.03     0.46        (0.00 )(w)      0.27        0.17   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.29     $0.17        $0.71        $0.29        $0.62        $0.56   
Less distributions declared to shareholders           

From net investment income

    $(0.10     $(0.26     $(0.29     $(0.32     $(0.39     $(0.42

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.03     (0.05                            

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.13     $(0.31     $(0.29     $(0.32     $(0.39     $(0.42

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $9.98        $10.40        $10.54        $10.12        $10.15        $9.92   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    (2.74 )(n)      1.64        7.14        2.86        6.31        5.95   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    0.88 (a)      0.87        0.86        0.87        0.88        0.91   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    0.88 (a)      0.87        0.86        0.87        0.87        0.80   

Net investment income

    1.67 (a)      1.88        2.36        2.87        3.47        3.98   

Portfolio turnover

    76 (n)      81        49        34        32        57   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $102,072        $104,515        $107,150        $70,988        $46,780        $25,009   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

22


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Financial Highlights – continued

 

   

Six months
ended
8/31/13

(unaudited)

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
Class R4     2013     2012     2011     2010     2009  
                                 

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.41        $10.55        $10.13        $10.15        $9.93        $9.78   
Income (loss) from investment operations           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.10        $0.22        $0.27        $0.32        $0.37        $0.41   

Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments

    (0.38     (0.02     0.47        0.01 (g)      0.26        0.19   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.28     $0.20        $0.74        $0.33        $0.63        $0.60   
Less distributions declared to shareholders           

From net investment income

    $(0.12     $(0.29     $(0.32     $(0.35     $(0.41     $(0.45

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.03     (0.05                            

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.15     $(0.34     $(0.32     $(0.35     $(0.41     $(0.45

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $9.98        $10.41        $10.55        $10.13        $10.15        $9.93   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    (2.71 )(n)      1.89        7.40        3.22        6.46        6.32   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    0.63 (a)      0.62        0.60        0.63        0.63        0.66   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    0.63 (a)      0.62        0.60        0.63        0.62        0.55   

Net investment income

    1.92 (a)      2.10        2.61        3.10        3.71        4.23   

Portfolio turnover

    76 (n)      81        49        34        32        57   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $67,153        $70,662        $51,626        $27,022        $11,337        $4,361   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

Class R5  

Six months

ended

8/31/13

    Years ended
2/28/13 (i)
 
    (unaudited)        

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.40        $10.53   
Income (loss) from investment operations                

Net investment income (d)

    $0.11        $0.13   

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

    (0.39     (0.06

Total from investment operations

    $(0.28     $0.07   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                

From net investment income

    $(0.12     $(0.20

From net realized gain on investments

    (0.03       

Total distributions declared to shareholders

    $(0.15     $(0.20

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $9.97        $10.40   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    (2.65 )(n)      0.62 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
               

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    0.51 (a)      0.54 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    0.51 (a)      0.54 (a) 

Net investment income

    2.05 (a)      1.81 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

    76 (n)      81   

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

    $823,826        $721,119   

 

(a) Annualized.
(d) Per share data is based on average shares outstanding.
(f) Ratios do not reflect reductions from fees paid indirectly, if applicable.
(g) The per share amount varies from the net realized and unrealized gain/loss for the period because of the timing of sales of fund shares and the per share amount of realized and unrealized gains and losses at such time.
(i) For the period from the class inception, July 2, 2012, through the stated period end.
(n) Not annualized.
(r) Certain expenses have been reduced without which performance would have been lower.
(s) From time to time the fund may receive proceeds from litigation settlements, without which performance would be lower.
(t) Total returns do not include any applicable sales charges.
(w) Per share amount was less than $0.01.
(x) The net asset values per share and total returns have been calculated on net assets which include adjustments made in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles required at period end for financial reporting purposes.

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

24


Table of Contents

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(unaudited)

(1) Business and Organization

MFS Government Securities Fund (the fund) is a series of MFS Series Trust XIII (the trust). The trust is organized as a Massachusetts business trust and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as an open-end management investment company.

(2) Significant Accounting Policies

General – The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. In the preparation of these financial statements, management has evaluated subsequent events occurring after the date of the fund’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities through the date that the financial statements were issued. The fund invests a significant portion of its assets in asset-backed and/or mortgage-backed securities. The value of these securities may depend, in part, on the issuer’s or borrower’s credit quality or ability to pay principal and interest when due and may fall if an issuer or borrower defaults on its obligation to pay principal or interest or if the instrument’s credit rating is downgraded by a credit rating agency. U.S. Government securities not supported as to the payment of principal or interest by the U.S. Treasury, such as those issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks, are subject to greater credit risk than are U.S. Government securities supported by the U.S. Treasury, such as those issued by Ginnie Mae.

In this reporting period, the fund adopted the disclosure provisions of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update 2011-11 (“ASU 2011-11”), Balance Sheet (Topic 210) – Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities along with the related scope clarification provisions of FASB Accounting Standards Update 2013-01 (“ASU 2013-01”) entitled Balance Sheet (Topic 210) – Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities. ASU 2011-11 is intended to enhance disclosures on the offsetting of financial assets and liabilities by requiring entities to disclose both gross and net information about financial instruments and transactions that are either offset in the statement of financial position or subject to a Master Netting Agreement or similar arrangement. ASU 2013-01 limits the scope of ASU 2011-11’s disclosure requirements on offsetting to financial assets and financial liabilities related to derivatives, repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements, and securities lending and securities borrowing transactions. The disclosures required by ASU 2011-11, to the extent applicable to the fund, have been included in the fund’s Significant Accounting Policies note under the captions for each of the fund’s in-scope financial instruments and transactions.

In June 2013, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2013-08 Financial Services – Investment Companies (Topic 946) – Amendments to the Scope, Measurement, and Disclosure Requirements (“ASU 2013-08”) which is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years that begin after December 15, 2013. ASU 2013-08 sets forth a methodology for determining whether an entity

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

should be characterized as an investment company and prescribes fair value accounting for an investment company’s non-controlling ownership interest in another investment company. FASB has determined that a fund registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 automatically meets ASU 2013-08’s criteria for an investment company. Although still evaluating the potential impacts of ASU 2013-08 to the fund, management expects that the impact of the fund’s adoption will be limited to additional financial statement disclosures.

Investment Valuations Debt instruments and floating rate loans (other than short-term instruments), including restricted debt instruments, are generally valued at an evaluated or composite bid as provided by a third-party pricing service. Short-term instruments with a maturity at issuance of 60 days or less generally are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. Open-end investment companies are generally valued at net asset value per share. Securities and other assets generally valued on the basis of information from a third-party pricing service may also be valued at a broker/dealer bid quotation. Values obtained from third-party pricing services can utilize both transaction data and market information such as yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics, and other market data.

The Board of Trustees has delegated primary responsibility for determining or causing to be determined the value of the fund’s investments (including any fair valuation) to the adviser pursuant to valuation policies and procedures approved by the Board. If the adviser determines that reliable market quotations are not readily available, investments are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the adviser in accordance with such procedures under the oversight of the Board of Trustees. Under the fund’s valuation policies and procedures, market quotations are not considered to be readily available for most types of debt instruments and floating rate loans and many types of derivatives. These investments are generally valued at fair value based on information from third-party pricing services. In addition, investments may be valued at fair value if the adviser determines that an investment’s value has been materially affected by events occurring after the close of the exchange or market on which the investment is principally traded (such as foreign exchange or market) and prior to the determination of the fund’s net asset value, or after the halting of trading of a specific security where trading does not resume prior to the close of the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded. The adviser generally relies on third-party pricing services or other information (such as the correlation with price movements of similar securities in the same or other markets; the type, cost and investment characteristics of the security; the business and financial condition of the issuer; and trading and other market data) to assist in determining whether to fair value and at what value to fair value an investment. The value of an investment for purposes of calculating the fund’s net asset value can differ depending on the source and method used to determine value. When fair valuation is used, the value of an investment used to determine the fund’s net asset value may differ from quoted or published prices for the same investment. There can be no assurance that the fund could obtain the fair value assigned to an investment if it were to sell the investment at the same time at which the fund determines its net asset value per share.

Various inputs are used in determining the value of the fund’s assets or liabilities. These inputs are categorized into three broad levels. In certain cases, the inputs used to

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, an investment’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The fund’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers factors specific to the investment. Level 1 includes unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Level 2 includes other significant observable market-based inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speed, and credit risk). Level 3 includes unobservable inputs, which may include the adviser’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments. The following is a summary of the levels used as of August 31, 2013 in valuing the fund’s assets or liabilities:

 

Investments at Value    Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  
U.S. Treasury Bonds & U.S. Government Agency & Equivalents      $—         $792,714,166         $—         $792,714,166   
Municipal Bonds              9,828,250                 9,828,250   
U.S. Corporate Bonds              20,496,368                 20,496,368   
Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities              1,056,609,623                 1,056,609,623   
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities              53,836,107                 53,836,107   
Mutual Funds      229,881,589                         229,881,589   
Total Investments      $229,881,589         $1,933,484,514         $—         $2,163,366,103   

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

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

Investment Transactions and Income – Investment transactions are recorded on the trade date. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. All premium and discount is amortized or accreted for financial statement purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Interest payments received in additional securities are recorded on the ex-interest date in an amount equal to the value of the security on such date.

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

The fund purchased or sold debt securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, or in a “To Be Announced” (TBA) or “forward commitment” transaction with delivery

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

or payment to occur at a later date beyond the normal settlement period. TBA securities resulting from these transactions are included in the Portfolio of Investments. At the time a fund enters into a commitment to purchase or sell a security, the transaction is recorded and the value of the security acquired is reflected in the fund’s net asset value. The price of such security and the date that the security will be delivered and paid for are fixed at the time the transaction is negotiated. The value of the security may vary with market fluctuations. TBA purchase commitments are held at carrying amount, which approximates fair value and are categorized as level 2 within the fair value hierarchy disclosure. No interest accrues to the fund until payment takes place. At the time that a fund enters into this type of transaction, the fund is required to have sufficient cash and/or liquid securities to cover its commitments. Losses may arise due to changes in the value of the underlying securities or if the counterparty does not perform under the contract’s terms, or if the issuer does not issue the securities due to political, economic or other factors. Additionally, losses may arise due to declines in the value of the securities prior to settlement date.

Fees Paid Indirectly – The fund’s custody fee may be reduced according to an arrangement that measures the value of cash deposited with the custodian by the fund. This amount, for the six months ended August 31, 2013, is shown as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations.

Tax Matters and Distributions – The fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company, as defined under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, and to distribute all of its taxable income, including realized capital gains. As a result, no provision for federal income tax is required. The fund’s federal tax returns, when filed, will remain subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service for a three year period.

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

Book/tax differences primarily relate to amortization and accretion of debt securities.

The tax character of distributions made during the current period will be determined at fiscal year end. The tax character of distributions declared to shareholders for the last fiscal year is as follows:

 

     2/28/13  
Ordinary income (including any short-term capital gains)      $54,540,894   
Long-term capital gains      8,070,835   
Total distributions      $62,611,729   

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

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

 

As of 8/31/13       
Cost of investments      $2,167,609,848   
Gross appreciation      37,218,065   
Gross depreciation      (41,461,810
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)      $(4,243,745
As of 2/28/13       
Undistributed ordinary income      9,876,951   
Post-October capital loss deferral      (2,988,073
Other temporary differences      (4,929,497
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)      65,824,700   

The aggregate cost above includes prior fiscal year end tax adjustments, if applicable.

Multiple Classes of Shares of Beneficial Interest – The fund offers multiple classes of shares, which differ in their respective distribution and service fees. The fund’s income and common expenses are allocated to shareholders based on the value of settled shares outstanding of each class. The fund’s realized and unrealized gain (loss) are allocated to shareholders based on the daily net assets of each class. Dividends are declared separately for each class. Differences in per share dividend rates are generally due to differences in separate class expenses. Class B shares will convert to Class A shares approximately eight years after purchase. The fund’s distributions declared to shareholders as reported in the Statements of Changes in Net Assets are presented by class as follows:

 

     From net investment
income
     From net realized gain on
investments
 
     Six months
ended
8/31/13
     Year
ended
2/28/13 (i)
     Six months
ended
8/31/13
     Year
ended
2/28/13 (i)
 
Class A      $8,235,523         $23,727,857         $2,545,083         $4,419,398   
Class B      257,228         827,611         126,410         216,076   
Class C      576,765         1,965,696         285,650         520,156   
Class I      427,751         6,811,018         119,771         2,769,801   
Class R1      39,160         129,706         18,634         33,904   
Class R2      1,419,809         3,957,416         493,835         801,446   
Class R3      1,093,575         2,789,529         340,540         516,221   
Class R4      797,725         1,489,916         218,191         244,415   
Class R5      9,428,066         11,391,563         2,471,340           
Total      $22,275,602         $53,090,312         $6,619,454         $9,521,417   

 

(i) For Class R5, the period is from inception, July 2, 2012, through the stated period end.

(3) Transactions with Affiliates

Investment Adviser – The fund has an investment advisory agreement with MFS to provide overall investment management and related administrative services and facilities to the fund. The management fee is computed daily and paid monthly at an annual rate of 0.40% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

Effective April 1, 2013, MFS has agreed in writing to reduce its management fee by a specified amount if certain MFS mutual fund assets exceed thresholds agreed to by MFS and the fund’s Board of Trustees. For the period April 1, 2013 through August 31, 2013, this management fee reduction amounted to $4,709, which is shown as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations. The management fee incurred for the six months ended August 31, 2013 was equivalent to an annual effective rate of 0.40% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

Distributor – MFS Fund Distributors, Inc. (MFD), a wholly-owned subsidiary of MFS, as distributor, received $124,189 for the six months ended August 31, 2013, as its portion of the initial sales charge on sales of Class A shares of the fund.

The Board of Trustees has adopted a distribution plan for certain class shares pursuant to Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940.

The fund’s distribution plan provides that the fund will pay MFD for services provided by MFD and financial intermediaries in connection with the distribution and servicing of certain share classes. One component of the plan is a distribution fee paid to MFD and another component of the plan is a service fee paid to MFD. MFD may subsequently pay all, or a portion, of the distribution and/or service fees to financial intermediaries.

Distribution Plan Fee Table:

 

     Distribution
Fee Rate (d)
     Service
Fee Rate (d)
     Total
Distribution
Plan (d)
     Annual
Effective
Rate (e)
     Distribution
and Service
Fee
 
Class A              0.25%         0.25%         0.24%         $1,010,080   
Class B      0.75%         0.25%         1.00%         1.00%         199,121   
Class C      0.75%         0.25%         1.00%         1.00%         445,436   
Class R1      0.75%         0.25%         1.00%         1.00%         30,324   
Class R2      0.25%         0.25%         0.50%         0.50%         396,912   
Class R3              0.25%         0.25%         0.25%         134,302   
Total Distribution and Service Fees               $2,216,175   

 

(d) In accordance with the distribution plan for certain classes, the fund pays distribution and/or service fees equal to these annual percentage rates of each class’s average daily net assets. The distribution and service fee rates disclosed by class represent the current rates in effect at the end of the reporting period.
(e) The annual effective rates represent actual fees incurred under the distribution plan for the six months ended August 31, 2013 based on each class’s average daily net assets. MFD has voluntarily agreed to rebate a portion of each class’s 0.25% service fee attributable to accounts for which MFD retains the 0.25% service fee except for accounts attributable to MFS or its subsidiaries’ seed money. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, this rebate amounted to $26,055, $272, $147, and $48 for Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class R2, respectively, and is reflected as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations.

Certain Class A shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) in the event of a shareholder redemption within 18 months of purchase for shares purchased on or after August 1, 2012, and within 24 months of purchase for shares purchased prior to August 1, 2012. Class C shares are subject to a CDSC in the event of a shareholder redemption within 12 months of purchase. Class B shares are subject to a

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

CDSC in the event of a shareholder redemption within six years of purchase. All contingent deferred sales charges are paid to MFD and during the six months ended August 31, 2013, were as follows:

 

     Amount  
Class A      $14,574   
Class B      60,556   
Class C      14,263   

Shareholder Servicing Agent – MFS Service Center, Inc. (MFSC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of MFS, receives a fee from the fund for its services as shareholder servicing agent calculated as a percentage of the average daily net assets of the fund as determined periodically under the supervision of the fund’s Board of Trustees. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, the fee was $208,050, which equated to 0.0198% annually of the fund’s average daily net assets. MFSC also receives payment from the fund for out-of-pocket expenses, sub-accounting and other shareholder servicing costs which may be paid to affiliated and unaffiliated service providers. Class R5 shares do not incur sub-accounting fees. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, these out-of-pocket expenses, sub-accounting and other shareholder servicing costs amounted to $920,350.

Under a Special Servicing Agreement among MFS, each MFS fund which invests in other MFS funds (“MFS fund-of-funds”) and certain underlying funds in which a MFS fund-of-funds invests (“underlying funds”), each underlying fund may pay a portion of each MFS fund-of-fund’s transfer agent-related expenses, including sub-accounting fees payable to financial intermediaries, to the extent such payments do not exceed the benefits realized or expected to be realized by the underlying fund from the investment in the underlying fund by the MFS fund-of-fund. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, these costs for the fund amounted to $289,267 and are reflected in the “Shareholder servicing costs” in the Statement of Operations.

Administrator – MFS provides certain financial, legal, shareholder communications, compliance, and other administrative services to the fund. Under an administrative services agreement, the fund partially reimburses MFS the costs incurred to provide these services. The fund is charged an annual fixed amount of $17,500 plus a fee based on average daily net assets. The administrative services fee incurred for the six months ended August 31, 2013 was equivalent to an annual effective rate of 0.0129% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

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

Prior to December 31, 2001, the fund had an unfunded defined benefit plan (“DB plan”) for independent Trustees. As of December 31, 2001, the Board took action to terminate the DB plan with respect to then-current and any future independent Trustees, such that the DB plan covers only certain of those former independent

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

Trustees who retired on or before December 31, 2001. Effective January 1, 2002, accrued benefits under the DB plan for then-current independent Trustees who continued were credited to an unfunded retirement deferral plan (the “Retirement Deferral plan”), which was established for and exists solely with respect to these credited amounts, and is not available for other deferrals by these or other independent Trustees. Although the Retirement Deferral plan is unfunded, amounts deferred under the plan are periodically adjusted for investment experience as if they had been invested in shares of the fund. The DB plan resulted in a pension expense of $1,604 and the Retirement Deferral plan resulted in a net decrease in expense of $836. Both amounts are included in independent Trustees’ compensation for the six months ended August 31, 2013. The liability for deferred retirement benefits payable to certain independent Trustees under both plans amounted to $60,484 at August 31, 2013, and is included in “Payable for independent Trustees’ compensation” in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

Other – This fund and certain other funds managed by MFS (the funds) have entered into services agreements (the Agreements) which provide for payment of fees by the funds to Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC in return for the provision of services of an Independent Chief Compliance Officer (ICCO) and Assistant ICCO, respectively, for the funds. The ICCO and Assistant ICCO are officers of the funds and the sole members of Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC, respectively. The funds can terminate the Agreements with Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC at any time under the terms of the Agreements. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, the aggregate fees paid by the fund to Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC were $7,835 and are included in “Miscellaneous” expense in the Statement of Operations. MFS has agreed to reimburse the fund for a portion of the payments made by the fund in the amount of $3,795, which is shown as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations. Additionally, MFS has agreed to bear all expenses associated with office space, other administrative support, and supplies provided to the ICCO and Assistant ICCO.

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

On June 29, 2012, MFS purchased 9,497 shares of Class R5 for an aggregate amount of $100,000.

(4) Portfolio Securities

Purchases and sales of investments, other than short-term obligations, were as follows:

 

     Purchases      Sales  
U.S. Government securities      $1,502,880,265         $1,593,231,688   
Investments (non-U.S. Government securities)      $73,121,610         $18,385,253   

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

(5) Shares of Beneficial Interest

The fund’s Declaration of Trust permits the Trustees to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest. Transactions in fund shares were as follows:

 

     Six months ended
8/31/13
     Year ended
2/28/13 (i)
 
     Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  
Shares sold            

Class A

     7,428,918         $76,019,617         19,324,791         $203,271,251   

Class B

     203,461         2,096,873         1,107,143         11,637,204   

Class C

     553,172         5,708,664         2,965,801         31,274,468   

Class I

     745,781         7,646,670         7,517,986         79,192,395   

Class R1

     45,982         471,155         187,327         1,967,965   

Class R2

     1,282,074         13,138,408         4,803,800         50,439,705   

Class R3

     2,038,069         21,009,765         3,674,269         38,608,698   

Class R4

     915,346         9,378,386         5,137,378         53,893,566   

Class R5

     12,544,122         128,304,531         68,774,393         725,004,633   
     25,756,925         $263,774,069         113,492,888         $1,195,289,885   
Shares issued to shareholders in
reinvestment of distributions
         

Class A

     759,007         $7,745,056         1,947,717         $20,509,344   

Class B

     34,202         348,718         87,264         917,581   

Class C

     62,867         643,453         172,413         1,819,446   

Class I

     24,552         250,480         808,136         8,518,305   

Class R1

     5,652         57,666         15,504         163,124   

Class R2

     174,815         1,782,102         420,973         4,427,835   

Class R3

     140,632         1,433,963         313,790         3,302,614   

Class R4

     82,863         845,345         136,578         1,436,753   

Class R5

     1,168,425         11,899,365         1,085,283         11,391,532   
     2,453,015         $25,006,148         4,987,658         $52,486,534   
Shares reacquired            

Class A

     (15,675,586      $(159,834,805      (32,984,988      $(346,824,129

Class B

     (1,059,182      (10,795,477      (1,389,242      (14,570,937

Class C

     (3,090,990      (31,584,780      (4,121,907      (43,376,063

Class I

     (1,759,011      (17,862,817      (57,786,744      (610,566,814

Class R1

     (151,979      (1,559,309      (313,640      (3,295,793

Class R2

     (2,808,190      (28,703,428      (5,296,892      (55,615,422

Class R3

     (1,991,059      (20,353,449      (4,107,019      (43,124,948

Class R4

     (1,057,476      (10,832,454      (3,381,281      (35,521,097

Class R5

     (424,570      (4,337,810      (516,708      (5,481,403
     (28,018,043      $(285,864,329      (109,898,421      $(1,158,376,606

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

     Six months ended
8/31/13
     Year ended
2/28/13 (i)
 
     Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  
Net change            

Class A

     (7,487,661      $(76,070,132      (11,712,480      $(123,043,534

Class B

     (821,519      (8,349,886      (194,835      (2,016,152

Class C

     (2,474,951      (25,232,663      (983,693      (10,282,149

Class I

     (988,678      (9,965,667      (49,460,622      (522,856,114

Class R1

     (100,345      (1,030,488      (110,809      (1,164,704

Class R2

     (1,351,301      (13,782,918      (72,119      (747,882

Class R3

     187,642         2,090,279         (118,960      (1,213,636

Class R4

     (59,267      (608,723      1,892,675         19,809,222   

Class R5

     13,287,977         135,866,086         69,342,968         730,914,762   
     191,897         $2,915,888         8,582,125         $89,399,813   

 

(i) For Class R5, the period is from inception, July 2, 2012, through the stated period end.

The fund is one of several mutual funds in which the MFS funds-of-funds may invest. The MFS funds-of-funds do not invest in the underlying MFS funds for the purpose of exercising management or control. At the end of the period, the MFS Moderate Allocation Fund, the MFS Conservative Allocation Fund, MFS Lifetime 2020 Fund, MFS Lifetime Retirement Income Fund, and the MFS Lifetime 2010 Fund were the owners of record of approximately 25%, 12%, 2%, 1%, and 1% respectively, of the value of outstanding voting shares of the fund. In addition, the MFS Lifetime 2015 Fund and the MFS Lifetime 2025 Fund were each the owners of record of less than 1% of the value of outstanding voting shares of the fund.

(6) Line of Credit

The fund and certain other funds managed by MFS participate in a $1.1 billion unsecured committed line of credit, subject to a $1 billion sublimit, provided by a syndication of banks under a credit agreement. Borrowings may be made for temporary financing needs. Interest is charged to each fund, based on its borrowings, generally at a rate equal to the higher of the Federal Reserve funds rate or one month LIBOR plus an agreed upon spread. A commitment fee, based on the average daily, unused portion of the committed line of credit, is allocated among the participating funds at the end of each calendar quarter. In addition, the fund and other funds managed by MFS have established unsecured uncommitted borrowing arrangements with certain banks for temporary financing needs. Interest is charged to each fund, based on its borrowings, at a rate equal to the Federal Reserve funds rate plus an agreed upon spread. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, the fund’s commitment fee and interest expense were $5,366 and $0, respectively, and are included in “Miscellaneous” expense in the Statement of Operations.

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

(7) Transactions in Underlying Affiliated Funds-Affiliated Issuers

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

 

Underlying Affiliated Fund    Beginning
Shares/Par
Amount
     Acquisitions
Shares/Par
Amount
     Dispositions
Shares/Par
Amount
    Ending
Shares/Par
Amount
 
MFS Institutional Money
Market Portfolio
     473,727,945         364,173,090         (608,019,446     229,881,589   
Underlying Affiliated Fund    Realized
Gain (Loss)
     Capital Gain
Distributions
     Dividend
Income
    Ending
Value
 
MFS Institutional Money
Market Portfolio
     $—         $—         $214,110        $229,881,589   

 

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BOARD REVIEW OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

The Investment Company Act of 1940 requires that both the full Board of Trustees and a majority of the non-interested (“independent”) Trustees, voting separately, annually approve the continuation of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement with MFS. The Trustees consider matters bearing on the Fund and its advisory arrangements at their meetings throughout the year, including a review of performance data at each regular meeting. In addition, the independent Trustees met several times over the course of three months beginning in May and ending in July, 2013 (“contract review meetings”) for the specific purpose of considering whether to approve the continuation of the investment advisory agreement for the Fund and the other investment companies that the Board oversees (the “MFS Funds”). The independent Trustees were assisted in their evaluation of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement by independent legal counsel, from whom they received separate legal advice and with whom they met separately from MFS during various contract review meetings. The independent Trustees were also assisted in this process by the MFS Funds’ Independent Chief Compliance Officer, a full-time senior officer appointed by and reporting to the independent Trustees.

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

In connection with their contract review meetings, the Trustees received and relied upon materials that included, among other items: (i) information provided by Lipper Inc., an independent third party, on the investment performance of the Fund for various time periods ended December 31, 2012 and the investment performance of a group of funds with substantially similar investment classifications/objectives (the “Lipper performance universe”), (ii) information provided by Lipper Inc. on the Fund’s advisory fees and other expenses and the advisory fees and other expenses of comparable funds identified by Lipper Inc. (the “Lipper expense group”), (iii) information provided by MFS on the advisory fees of comparable portfolios of other clients of MFS, including institutional separate accounts and other clients, (iv) information as to whether and to what extent applicable expense waivers, reimbursements or fee “breakpoints” are observed for the Fund, (v) information regarding MFS’ financial results and financial condition, including MFS’ and certain of its affiliates’ estimated profitability from services performed for the Fund and the MFS Funds as a whole, and compared to MFS’ institutional business, (vi) MFS’ views regarding the outlook for the mutual fund industry and the strategic business plans of MFS, (vii) descriptions of various functions performed by MFS for the Funds, such as compliance monitoring and portfolio trading practices, and (viii) information regarding the overall organization of MFS, including information about MFS’ senior management and other personnel providing investment advisory, administrative and other services to

 

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Board Review of Investment Advisory Agreement – continued

 

the Fund and the other MFS Funds. The comparative performance, fee and expense information prepared and provided by Lipper Inc. was not independently verified and the independent Trustees did not independently verify any information provided to them by MFS.

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

Based on information provided by Lipper Inc. and MFS, the Trustees reviewed the Fund’s total return investment performance as well as the performance of peer groups of funds over various time periods. The Trustees placed particular emphasis on the total return performance of the Fund’s Class A shares in comparison to the performance of funds in its Lipper performance universe over the three-year period ended December 31, 2012, which the Trustees believed was a long enough period to reflect differing market conditions. The total return performance of the Fund’s Class A shares was in the 3rd quintile relative to the other funds in the universe for this three-year period (the 1st quintile being the best performers and the 5th quintile being the worst performers). The total return performance of the Fund’s Class A shares was in the 4th quintile for the one-year period and the 2nd quintile for the five-year period ended December 31, 2012 relative to the Lipper performance universe. Because of the passage of time, these performance results may differ from the performance results for more recent periods, including those shown elsewhere in this report.

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

In assessing the reasonableness of the Fund’s advisory fee, the Trustees considered, among other information, the Fund’s advisory fee and the total expense ratio of the Fund’s Class A shares as a percentage of average daily net assets and the advisory fee and total expense ratios of peer groups of funds based on information provided by Lipper Inc. The Trustees considered that, according to the Lipper data (which takes into account any fee reductions or expense limitations that were in effect during the Fund’s last fiscal year), the Fund’s effective advisory fee rate was lower than the Lipper expense group median, and the Fund’s total expense ratio was approximately at the Lipper expense group median.

 

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Board Review of Investment Advisory Agreement – continued

 

The Trustees also considered the advisory fees charged by MFS to any comparable institutional accounts. In comparing these fees, the Trustees considered information provided by MFS as to the generally broader scope of services provided by MFS to the Fund in comparison to institutional accounts, the higher demands placed on MFS’ investment personnel and trading infrastructure as a result of the daily cash in-flows and out-flows of the Fund, and the impact on MFS and expenses associated with the more extensive regulatory regime to which the Fund is subject in comparison to institutional accounts.

The Trustees also considered whether the Fund may benefit from any economies of scale in the management of the Fund in the event of growth in assets of the Fund and/or growth in assets of the MFS Funds as a whole. They noted that the Fund’s advisory fee rate schedule is not subject to any breakpoints. Taking into account that the Fund’s effective advisory fee rate was lower than the Lipper expense group median described above, the Trustees determined not to recommend any advisory fee breakpoints for the Fund at this time. The Trustees also noted that MFS has agreed in writing to waive a portion of the management fees of certain MFS Funds, including the Fund, if the total combined assets of certain funds within the MFS Funds’ complex increase above agreed upon thresholds (the “group fee waiver”), enabling the Fund’s shareholders to share in the benefits from any economies of scale at the complex level. The group fee waiver is reviewed and renewed annually between the Board and MFS. The Trustees concluded that the group fee waiver was sufficient to allow the Fund to benefit from economies of scale as its assets and overall complex assets grow.

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

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

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

The Trustees also considered the nature, quality, cost, and extent of administrative, transfer agency, and distribution services provided to the Fund by MFS and its affiliates under agreements and plans other than the investment advisory agreement, including any 12b-1 fees the Fund pays to MFS Fund Distributors, Inc., an affiliate of MFS. The

 

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Board Review of Investment Advisory Agreement – continued

 

Trustees also considered the nature, extent and quality of certain other services MFS performs or arranges for on the Fund’s behalf, which may include securities lending programs, directed expense payment programs, class action recovery programs, and MFS’ interaction with third-party service providers, principally custodians and sub-custodians. The Trustees concluded that the various non-advisory services provided by MFS and its affiliates on behalf of the Fund were satisfactory.

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

Based on their evaluation of factors that they deemed to be material, including those factors described above, the Board of Trustees, including the independent Trustees, concluded that the Fund’s investment advisory agreement with MFS should be continued for an additional one-year period, commencing August 1, 2013.

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

 

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Table of Contents

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND INFORMATION

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

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

QUARTERLY PORTFOLIO DISCLOSURE

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

Public Reference Room

Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, NE, Room 1580

Washington, D.C. 20549

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

FURTHER INFORMATION

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

PROVISION OF FINANCIAL REPORTS AND SUMMARY PROSPECTUSES

The fund produces financial reports every six months and updates its summary prospectus and prospectus annually. To avoid sending duplicate copies of materials to households, only one copy of the fund’s annual and semiannual report and summary prospectus may be mailed to shareholders having the same last name and residential address on the fund’s records. However, any shareholder may contact MFSC (please see back cover for address and telephone number) to request that copies of these reports and summary prospectuses be sent personally to that shareholder.

 

40


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

Save paper with eDelivery.

 

LOGO

MFS® will send you prospectuses,

reports, and proxies directly via e-mail so you will get information faster with less mailbox clutter.

To sign up:

1. Go to mfs.com.

2. Log in via MFS® Access.

3. Select eDelivery.

If you own your MFS fund shares through a financial institution or a retirement plan, MFS® TALK, MFS® Access, or eDelivery may not be available to you.

 

CONTACT

WEB SITE

mfs.com

MFS TALK

1-800-637-8255

24 hours a day

ACCOUNT SERVICE AND LITERATURE

Shareholders

1-800-225-2606

Financial advisors

1-800-343-2829

Retirement plan services

1-800-637-1255

MAILING ADDRESS

MFS Service Center, Inc.

P.O. Box 55824

Boston, MA 02205-5824

OVERNIGHT MAIL

MFS Service Center, Inc.

c/o Boston Financial Data Services

30 Dan Road

Canton, MA 02021-2809

 


Table of Contents

SEMIANNUAL REPORT

August 31, 2013

 

LOGO

 

MFS® GLOBAL REAL ESTATE FUND

 

LOGO

 

GRE-SEM

 


Table of Contents

MFS® GLOBAL REAL ESTATE FUND

 

CONTENTS

 

Letter from the Chairman and CEO     1   
Portfolio composition     2   
Expense table     3   
Portfolio of investments     5   
Statement of assets and liabilities     7   
Statement of operations     8   
Statements of changes in net assets     9   
Financial highlights     10   
Notes to financial statements     13   
Board review of investment advisory agreement     22   
Proxy voting policies and information     26   
Quarterly portfolio disclosure     26   
Further information     26   
Provision of financial reports and summary prospectuses     26   
Contact information    back cover   

 

The report is prepared for the general information of shareholders.

It is authorized for distribution to prospective investors only when preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus.

 

NOT FDIC INSURED Ÿ MAY LOSE VALUE Ÿ NO BANK GUARANTEE


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO

 

Dear Shareholders:

Global economic trends appear to favor growth again despite risks created by the U.S. government’s gridlock. The U.S. economy’s slow but steady expansion is no longer the

exception. The eurozone has emerged from its 18-month-long recession, with Germany leading the way. China’s monthly gauges of economic activity once again point toward expansion. And Japan is picking up momentum in response to its government’s and central bank’s aggressive program of monetary easing.

However, geopolitical risks have risen, with violence erupting in Egypt and Syria and the possibility of further unrest in the Middle East. The U.S. Federal Reserve’s expected tapering of its bond-buying stimulus program has weighed on global markets

since May. Emerging markets, including Brazil and India, have borne much of the brunt, as their currency values have dropped and nervous investors have fled to safety elsewhere. In Europe, unemployment persists at historically high levels. The trend towards a pickup in global growth, while encouraging, appears tenuous, particularly with the risk of a U.S. debt default.

As always, managing risk in the face of uncertainty remains a top priority for investors. At MFS®, our uniquely collaborative investment process employs integrated, global research and active risk management. Our global team of investment professionals shares ideas and evaluates opportunities across continents, investment disciplines and asset classes — all with a goal of building better insights, and ultimately better results, for our clients.

We are mindful of the many economic challenges investors face, and believe it is more important than ever to maintain a long-term view and employ time-tested principles, such as asset allocation and diversification. We remain confident that our unique approach can serve investors well as they work with their financial advisors to identify and pursue the most suitable opportunities.

Respectfully,

 

LOGO

Robert J. Manning

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

MFS Investment Management®

October 17, 2013

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

 

1


Table of Contents

PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION

 

Portfolio structure

 

LOGO

 

Top ten holdings  
Simon Property Group, Inc., REIT     4.6%   
Mitsui Fudosan Co. Ltd.     4.2%   
Mitsubishi Estate Co. Ltd.     3.7%   
Public Storage, Inc., REIT     3.6%   
Hang Lung Properties Ltd.     3.5%   
Corio N.V., REIT     3.3%   
Unibail-Rodamco, REIT     3.1%   
Vornado Realty Trust, REIT     2.8%   
Link REIT     2.7%   
SEGRO PLC, REIT     2.7%   
Equity industries  
Real Estate     94.0%   
Telecommunications-wireless     0.8%   
Issuer country weightings (x)  
United States     49.5%   
Japan     11.9%   
Hong Kong     9.8%   
United Kingdom     6.2%   
Australia     5.9%   
Singapore     3.5%   
Netherlands     3.3%   
France     3.1%   
Germany     2.2%   
Other Countries     4.6%   
Currency exposure weightings (y)   
United States Dollar     49.5%   
Japanese Yen     11.9%   
Euro     10.5%   
Hong Kong Dollar     9.8%   
British Pound Sterling     6.2%   
Australian Dollar     5.9%   
Singapore Dollar     3.5%   
Brazilian Real     1.8%   
Mexican Peso     0.9%   
 

 

(x) Represents the portfolio’s exposure to issuer countries as a percentage of a portfolio’s net assets.
(y) Represents the portfolio’s exposure to a particular currency as a percentage of a portfolio’s net assets.

Percentages are based on net assets as of 8/31/13.

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

 

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Table of Contents

EXPENSE TABLE

Fund expenses borne by the shareholders during the period,

March 1, 2013 through August 31, 2013

As a shareholder of the fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including sales charges (loads) on certain purchase or redemption payments, and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees; distribution and service (12b-1) fees; and other fund expenses. This example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

The example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period March 1, 2013 through August 31, 2013.

Actual Expenses

The first line for each share class in the following table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes

The second line for each share class in the following table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the fund and other funds. To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

Please note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as sales charges (loads). Therefore, the second line for each share class in the table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

3


Table of Contents

Expense Table – continued

 

Share

Class

      

Annualized

Expense

Ratio

   

Beginning

Account Value

3/01/13

   

Ending

Account Value

8/31/13

   

Expenses

Paid During

Period (p)

3/01/13-8/31/13

 
A   Actual     1.22%        $1,000.00        $950.99        $6.00   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.22%        $1,000.00        $1,019.06        $6.21   
I   Actual     0.97%        $1,000.00        $952.73        $4.77   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.97%        $1,000.00        $1,020.32        $4.94   
R5   Actual     0.97%        $1,000.00        $952.73        $4.77   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.97%        $1,000.00        $1,020.32        $4.94   

 

(h) 5% class return per year before expenses.
(p) Expenses paid are equal to each class’s annualized expense ratio, as shown above, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the period, divided by the number of days in the year. Expenses paid do not include any applicable sales charges (loads). If these transaction costs had been included, your costs would have been higher.

 

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Table of Contents

PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS

8/31/13 (unaudited)

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

 

Common Stocks - 94.8%                 
Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Real Estate - 94.0%                 
Advance Residence Investment Corp., REIT      1,647      $ 3,340,089   
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., REIT      76,978        4,747,233   
alstria office AG, REIT      235,210        2,779,136   
Ascendas India Trust, IEU      10,702,000        5,033,866   
Asesor de Activos Prisma S.A.P.I. de C.V., REIT      1,253,900        1,504,380   
Atrium European Real Estate Ltd.      1,108,310        6,415,815   
AvalonBay Communities, Inc., REIT      60,220        7,461,258   
Big Yellow Group PLC, REIT      1,067,240        6,698,304   
Boston Properties, Inc., REIT      58,513        5,997,583   
BR Malls Participacoes S.A.      370,871        2,813,456   
British Land Co. PLC, REIT      591,186        5,112,180   
CFS Retail Property Trust Group, REIT      3,236,553        5,798,473   
Corio N.V., REIT      285,146        11,196,606   
Corporate Office Properties Trust, REIT      130,330        2,968,917   
DDR Corp., REIT      251,240        3,899,245   
Digital Realty Trust, Inc., REIT      78,961        4,390,232   
EastGroup Properties, Inc., REIT      99,100        5,569,420   
Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc., REIT      210,652        7,320,157   
Equity Residential, REIT      72,700        3,772,403   
Federal Realty Investment Trust, REIT      45,885        4,465,069   
Global Logistic Properties Ltd.      3,217,901        6,784,930   
Hang Lung Properties Ltd.      3,803,256        11,823,187   
Henderson Land Development Co. Ltd.      1,237,339        7,225,127   
Home Properties, Inc., REIT      97,153        5,605,728   
Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., REIT      462,166        7,870,687   
Kenedix Realty Investment Corp., REIT      867        3,262,566   
LEG Immobilien AG      42,680        2,295,242   
Link REIT      2,043,405        9,326,408   
Macquarie Mexico Real Estate S.A. de C.V., REIT      807,700        1,470,799   
Medical Properties Trust, Inc., REIT      408,663        4,720,058   
Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc., REIT      113,651        7,007,721   
Mitsubishi Estate Co. Ltd.      483,135        12,496,795   
Mitsui Fudosan Co. Ltd.      458,274        14,355,057   
Multiplan Empreendimentos Imobiliarios S.A.      174,600        3,508,172   
National Health Investors, Inc., REIT      81,260        4,461,174   
NTT Urban Development Corp.      6,048        7,104,990   
Plum Creek Timber Co. Inc., REIT      160,254        7,100,855   
Public Storage, Inc., REIT      80,332        12,264,286   
Retail Opportunity Investment Corp., REIT      292,820        3,789,091   

 

5


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Common Stocks - continued                 
Real Estate - continued                 
SEGRO PLC, REIT      2,055,652      $ 9,302,083   
Simon Property Group, Inc., REIT      108,219        15,759,933   
Stockland, IEU      2,387,505        7,884,492   
Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd.      396,661        5,119,933   
TAG Immobilien AG      213,320        2,493,991   
Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc., REIT      174,272        5,376,291   
Unibail-Rodamco, REIT      47,009        10,568,218   
Ventas, Inc., REIT      122,693        7,638,866   
Vornado Realty Trust, REIT      117,213        9,529,417   
Westfield Group, REIT      666,871        6,547,767   
Weyerhaeuser Co., REIT      247,569        6,778,439   
    

 

 

 
             $ 320,756,125   
Telecommunications - Wireless - 0.8%                 
American Tower Corp., REIT      41,700      $ 2,897,733   
Total Common Stocks (Identified Cost, $273,483,301)            $ 323,653,858   
Money Market Funds - 4.8%                 
MFS Institutional Money Market Portfolio, 0.09%,
at Cost and Net Asset Value (v)
     16,418,429      $ 16,418,429   
Total Investments (Identified Cost, $289,901,730)            $ 340,072,287   
Other Assets, Less Liabilities - 0.4%              1,336,637   
Net Assets - 100.0%            $ 341,408,924   

 

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

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

 

IEU   International Equity Unit
PLC   Public Limited Company
REIT   Real Estate Investment Trust

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

At 8/31/13 (unaudited)

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

 

Assets         

Investments-

  

Non-affiliated issuers, at value (identified cost, $273,483,301)

     $323,653,858   

Underlying affiliated funds, at cost and value

     16,418,429   

Total investments, at value (identified cost, $289,901,730)

     $340,072,287   

Foreign currency, at value (identified cost, $512,621)

     506,185   

Receivables for

  

Fund shares sold

     735,839   

Interest and dividends

     173,663   

Other assets

     537   

Total assets

     $341,488,511   
Liabilities         

Payable for fund shares reacquired

     $19,536   

Payable to affiliates

  

Investment adviser

     25,635   

Shareholder servicing costs

     73   

Distribution and service fees

     5   

Payable for independent Trustees’ compensation

     58   

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     34,280   

Total liabilities

     $79,587   

Net assets

     $341,408,924   
Net assets consist of         

Paid-in capital

     $288,222,471   

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

     50,164,120   

Accumulated distributions in excess of net realized gain on investments and foreign currency

     (3,602,104

Undistributed net investment income

     6,624,437   

Net assets

     $341,408,924   

Shares of beneficial interest outstanding

     24,027,998   

 

     Net assets     

Shares

outstanding

    

Net asset value

per share (a)

 

Class A

     $265,154         18,691         $14.19   

Class I

     111,001         7,812         14.21   

Class R5

     341,032,769         24,001,495         14.21   

 

(a) Maximum offering price per share was equal to the net asset value per share for all share classes, except for Class A, for which the maximum offering price per share was $15.06 [100 / 94.25 x $14.19]. On sales of $50,000 or more, the maximum offering price of Class A shares is reduced. A contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on redemptions of Class A shares. Redemption price per share was equal to the net asset value per share for Classes I and R5.

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

Six months ended 8/31/13 (unaudited)

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

 

Net investment income         

Income

  

Dividends

     $5,620,245   

Dividends from underlying affiliated funds

     2,778   

Foreign taxes withheld

     (253,256

Total investment income

     $5,369,767   

Expenses

  

Management fee

     $1,486,714   

Distribution and service fees

     361   

Shareholder servicing costs

     126   

Administrative services fee

     26,094   

Independent Trustees’ compensation

     4,570   

Custodian fee

     37,542   

Shareholder communications

     3,020   

Audit and tax fees

     27,360   

Legal fees

     1,549   

Miscellaneous

     13,183   

Total expenses

     $1,600,519   

Fees paid indirectly

     (11

Reduction of expenses by investment adviser

     (1,330

Net expenses

     $1,599,178   

Net investment income

     $3,770,589   
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency   

Realized gain (loss) (identified cost basis)

  

Investments

     $9,146,744   

Foreign currency

     (38,603

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency

     $9,108,141   

Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

  

Investments

     $(29,683,224

Translation of assets and liabilities in foreign currencies

     1,211   

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

     $(29,682,013

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

     $(20,573,872

Change in net assets from operations

     $(16,803,283

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

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

 

   

Six months ended

8/31/13

    

Year ended

2/28/13

 
Change in net assets   (unaudited)         
From operations                 

Net investment income

    $3,770,589         $5,464,776   

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency

    9,108,141         15,386,959   

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

    (29,682,013      28,333,599   

Change in net assets from operations

    $(16,803,283      $49,185,334   
Distributions declared to shareholders                 

From net investment income

    $(538,093      $(9,892,136

From net realized gain on investments

    (3,690,194      (9,487,195

Total distributions declared to shareholders

    $(4,228,287      $(19,379,331

Change in net assets from fund share transactions

    $59,144,855         $30,737,340   

Total change in net assets

    $38,113,285         $60,543,343   
Net assets                 

At beginning of period

    303,295,639         242,752,296   

At end of period (including undistributed net investment income of $6,624,437 and $3,391,941, respectively)

    $341,408,924         $303,295,639   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

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

 

   

Six months

ended

8/31/13

(unaudited)

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
Class A     2013     2012     2011     2010 (c)  
                           

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $15.12        $13.51        $14.57        $14.02        $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations                   

Net investment income (d)

    $0.16        $0.26        $0.23        $0.49        $0.42   

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

    (0.89     2.38        (0.55     2.46        8.68   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.73     $2.64        $(0.32     $2.95        $9.10   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                   

From net investment income

    $(0.02     $(0.51     $(0.30     $(0.77     $(2.00

From net realized gain on investments

    (0.18     (0.52     (0.44     (1.63     (3.08

Total distributions declared to shareholders

    $(0.20     $(1.03     $(0.74     $(2.40     $(5.08

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $14.19        $15.12        $13.51        $14.57        $14.02   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

    (4.90 )(n)      20.14        (1.81     23.61        91.24 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                       

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    1.22 (a)      1.23        1.24        1.25        1.28 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    1.22 (a)      1.23        1.24        1.25        1.28 (a) 

Net investment income

    2.08 (a)      1.85        1.74        3.45        2.89 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

    15 (n)      46        37        33        91   

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

    $265        $279        $232        $236        $191   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

10


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

   

Six months

ended

8/31/13

(unaudited)

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
Class I     2013     2012     2011     2010 (c)  
                           

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $15.13        $13.52        $14.58        $14.03        $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations                   

Net investment income (d)

    $0.18        $0.44        $0.27        $0.54        $0.47   

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

    (0.89     2.23        (0.56     2.45        8.67   

Total from investment operations

    $(0.71     $2.67        $(0.29     $2.99        $9.14   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                   

From net investment income

    $(0.03     $(0.54     $(0.33     $(0.81     $(2.03

From net realized gain on investments

    (0.18     (0.52     (0.44     (1.63     (3.08

Total distributions declared to shareholders

    $(0.21     $(1.06     $(0.77     $(2.44     $(5.11

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $14.21        $15.13        $13.52        $14.58        $14.03   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    (4.79 )(n)      20.41        (1.54     23.89        91.71 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                       

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    0.97 (a)      0.98        0.99        1.00        1.03 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    0.97 (a)      0.98        0.99        1.00        1.03 (a) 

Net investment income

    2.33 (a)      3.30        1.98        3.77        3.22 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

    15 (n)      46        37        33        91   

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

    $111        $117        $242,520        $216,082        $164,347   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

Class R5   

Six months

ended

8/31/13

   

Period ended

2/28/13 (i)

 
     (unaudited)        

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $15.13        $13.74   
Income (loss) from investment operations                 

Net investment income (d)

     $0.18        $0.14   

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

     (0.89     2.10   

Total from investment operations

     $(0.71     $2.24   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                 

From net investment income

     $(0.03     $(0.50

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.18     (0.35

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.21     $(0.85

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $14.21        $15.13   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

     (4.79 )(n)      16.56 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     0.97 (a)      0.98 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     0.97 (a)      0.98 (a) 

Net investment income

     2.28 (a)      1.48 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

     15 (n)      46 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $341,033        $302,900   

 

(a) Annualized.
(c) For the period from the commencement of the fund’s investment operations, March 11, 2009, through the stated period end.
(d) Per share data is based on average shares outstanding.
(f) Ratios do not reflect reductions from fees paid indirectly, if applicable.
(i) For the period from the class inception, July 2, 2012, through the stated period end.
(n) Not annualized.
(r) Certain expenses have been reduced without which performance would have been lower.
(s) From time to time the fund may receive proceeds from litigation settlements, without which performance would be lower.
(t) Total returns do not include any applicable sales charges.
(x) The net asset values per share and total returns have been calculated on net assets which include adjustments made in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles required at period end for financial reporting purposes.

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

12


Table of Contents

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(unaudited)

(1) Business and Organization

MFS Global Real Estate Fund (the fund) is a series of MFS Series Trust XIII (the trust). The trust is organized as a Massachusetts business trust and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as an open-end management investment company.

(2) Significant Accounting Policies

General – The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. In the preparation of these financial statements, management has evaluated subsequent events occurring after the date of the fund’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities through the date that the financial statements were issued. The fund invests a significant amount of its net assets in U.S. and foreign real estate related investments and as a result is subject to certain risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate and the real estate industry in general. These include risks related to general, regional and local economic conditions; fluctuations in interest rates; property tax rates, zoning laws, environmental regulations and other governmental action; cash flow dependency; increased operating expenses; lack of availability of mortgage funds; losses due to natural disasters; changes in property values and rental rates; and other factors. The fund invests in foreign securities. Investments in foreign securities are vulnerable to the effects of changes in the relative values of the local currency and the U.S. dollar and to the effects of changes in each country’s legal, political, and economic environment.

In this reporting period, the fund adopted the disclosure provisions of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update 2011-11 (“ASU 2011-11”), Balance Sheet (Topic 210) – Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities along with the related scope clarification provisions of FASB Accounting Standards Update 2013-01 (“ASU 2013-01”) entitled Balance Sheet (Topic 210) – Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities. ASU 2011-11 is intended to enhance disclosures on the offsetting of financial assets and liabilities by requiring entities to disclose both gross and net information about financial instruments and transactions that are either offset in the statement of financial position or subject to a Master Netting Agreement or similar arrangement. ASU 2013-01 limits the scope of ASU 2011-11’s disclosure requirements on offsetting to financial assets and financial liabilities related to derivatives, repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements, and securities lending and securities borrowing transactions. The disclosures required by ASU 2011-11, to the extent applicable to the fund, have been included in the fund’s Significant Accounting Policies note under the captions for each of the fund’s in-scope financial instruments and transactions.

In June 2013, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2013-08 Financial Services – Investment Companies (Topic 946) – Amendments to the Scope, Measurement, and Disclosure Requirements (“ASU 2013-08”) which is effective for

 

13


Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years that begin after December 15, 2013. ASU 2013-08 sets forth a methodology for determining whether an entity should be characterized as an investment company and prescribes fair value accounting for an investment company’s non-controlling ownership interest in another investment company. FASB has determined that a fund registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 automatically meets ASU 2013-08’s criteria for an investment company. Although still evaluating the potential impacts of ASU 2013-08 to the fund, management expects that the impact of the fund’s adoption will be limited to additional financial statement disclosures.

Investment Valuations Equity securities, including restricted equity securities, are generally valued at the last sale or official closing price as provided by a third-party pricing service on the market or exchange on which they are primarily traded. Equity securities, for which there were no sales reported that day, are generally valued at the last quoted daily bid quotation as provided by a third-party pricing service on the market or exchange on which such securities are primarily traded. Short-term instruments with a maturity at issuance of 60 days or less generally are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. Open-end investment companies are generally valued at net asset value per share. Securities and other assets generally valued on the basis of information from a third-party pricing service may also be valued at a broker/dealer bid quotation. Values obtained from third-party pricing services can utilize both transaction data and market information such as yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics, and other market data. The values of foreign securities and other assets and liabilities expressed in foreign currencies are converted to U.S. dollars using the mean of bid and asked prices for rates provided by a third-party pricing service.

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

 

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

Various inputs are used in determining the value of the fund’s assets or liabilities. These inputs are categorized into three broad levels. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, an investment’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The fund’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers factors specific to the investment. Level 1 includes unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Level 2 includes other significant observable market-based inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speed, and credit risk). Level 3 includes unobservable inputs, which may include the adviser’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments. The following is a summary of the levels used as of August 31, 2013 in valuing the fund’s assets or liabilities:

 

Investments at Value    Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  
Equity Securities:            

United States

     $151,391,796         $—         $—         $151,391,796   

Japan

             40,559,497                 40,559,497   

Hong Kong

             33,494,655                 33,494,655   

United Kingdom

     21,112,567                         21,112,567   

Australia

             20,230,732                 20,230,732   

Singapore

     5,033,866         6,784,930                 11,818,796   

Netherlands

     11,196,606                         11,196,606   

France

     10,568,218                         10,568,218   

Germany

     7,568,369                         7,568,369   

Other Countries

     15,712,622                         15,712,622   
Mutual Funds      16,418,429                         16,418,429   
Total Investments      $239,002,473         $101,069,814         $—         $340,072,287   

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

Of the level 2 investments presented above, equity investments amounting to $74,054,152 would have been considered level 1 investments at the beginning of the period. Of the level 1 investments presented above, equity investments amounting to $21,342,652 would have been considered level 2 investments at the beginning of the period. The primary reason for changes in the classifications between levels 1 and 2 occurs when foreign equity securities are fair valued using other observable market-based inputs in place of the closing exchange price due to events occurring

 

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after the close of the exchange or market on which the investment is principally traded. The fund’s foreign equity securities may often be valued at fair value. The fund’s policy is to recognize transfers between the levels as of the end of the period.

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

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

Investment Transactions and Income – Investment transactions are recorded on the trade date. Dividends received in cash are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Certain dividends from foreign securities will be recorded when the fund is informed of the dividend if such information is obtained subsequent to the ex-dividend date. Dividend payments received in additional securities are recorded on the ex-dividend date in an amount equal to the value of the security on such date.

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

Fees Paid Indirectly – The fund’s custody fee may be reduced according to an arrangement that measures the value of cash deposited with the custodian by the fund. This amount, for the six months ended August 31, 2013, is shown as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations.

Tax Matters and Distributions – The fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company, as defined under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, and to distribute all of its taxable income, including realized capital gains. As a result, no provision for federal income tax is required. The fund’s federal tax returns, when filed, will remain subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service for a three year period. Foreign taxes have been accrued by the fund in the accompanying financial statements in accordance with the applicable foreign tax law. Foreign income taxes may be withheld by certain countries in which the fund invests.

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

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

Book/tax differences primarily relate to passive foreign investment companies, wash sale loss deferrals, and treating a portion of the proceeds from redemptions as a distribution for tax purposes.

The tax character of distributions made during the current period will be determined at fiscal year end. The tax character of distributions declared to shareholders for the last fiscal year is as follows:

 

     2/28/13  
Ordinary income (including any short-term capital gains)      $13,925,927   
Long-term capital gains      5,453,404   
Total distributions      $19,379,331   

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

 

As of 8/31/13       
Cost of investments      $302,611,627   
Gross appreciation      46,250,346   
Gross depreciation      (8,789,686
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)      $37,460,660   
As of 2/28/13       
Undistributed ordinary income      4,779,703   
Undistributed long-term capital gain      2,302,084   
Other temporary differences      (7,648
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)      67,143,884   

The aggregate cost above includes prior fiscal year end tax adjustments, if applicable.

Multiple Classes of Shares of Beneficial Interest – The fund offers multiple classes of shares, which differ in their respective distribution and/or service fees. The fund’s income, realized and unrealized gain (loss), and common expenses are allocated to shareholders based on the daily net assets of each class. Dividends are declared separately for each class. Differences in per share dividend rates are generally due to

 

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differences in separate class expenses. The fund’s distributions declared to shareholders as reported in the Statements of Changes in Net Assets are presented by class as follows:

 

     From net investment
income
     From net realized gain
on investments
 
     Six months
ended
8/31/13
     Year
ended
2/28/13 (i)
     Six months
ended
8/31/13
     Year
ended
2/28/13 (i)
 
Class A      $376         $8,821         $3,340         $8,986   
Class I      204         745,043         1,395         3,157,110   
Class R5      537,513         9,138,272         3,685,459         6,321,099   
Total      $538,093         $9,892,136         $3,690,194         $9,487,195   

 

(i) For Class R5, the period is from inception, July 2, 2012, through the stated period end.

(3) Transactions with Affiliates

Investment Adviser – The fund has an investment advisory agreement with MFS to provide overall investment management and related administrative services and facilities to the fund. The management fee is computed daily and paid monthly at the following annual rates:

 

First $1 billion of average daily net assets      0.90
Next $1.5 billion of average daily net assets      0.75
Average daily net assets in excess of $2.5 billion      0.65

Effective April 1, 2013, MFS has agreed in writing to reduce its management fee by a specified amount if certain MFS mutual fund assets exceed thresholds agreed to by MFS and the fund’s Board of Trustees. For the period April 1, 2013 through August 31, 2013, this management fee reduction amounted to $749, which is shown as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations. The management fee incurred for the six months ended August 31, 2013 was equivalent to an annual effective rate of 0.90% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

Distributor – MFS Fund Distributors, Inc. (MFD), a wholly-owned subsidiary of MFS, as distributor, received $0 for the six months ended August 31, 2013, as its portion of the initial sales charge on sales of Class A shares of the fund.

The Board of Trustees has adopted a distribution plan for certain class shares pursuant to Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940.

The fund’s distribution plan provides that the fund will pay MFD for services provided by MFD and financial intermediaries in connection with the distribution and servicing of certain share classes. One component of the plan is a distribution fee paid to MFD and another component of the plan is a service fee paid to MFD. MFD may subsequently pay all, or a portion, of the distribution and/or service fees to financial intermediaries.

Distribution Plan Fee Table:

 

     Distribution
Fee Rate (d)
     Service
Fee Rate (d)
     Total
Distribution
Plan (d)
     Annual
Effective
Rate (e)
     Distribution
and Service
Fee
 
Class A              0.25%         0.25%         0.25%         $361   

 

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(d) In accordance with the distribution plan for certain classes, the fund pays distribution and/or service fees equal to these annual percentage rates of each class’s average daily net assets. The distribution and service fee rates disclosed by class represent the current rates in effect at the end of the reporting period.
(e) The annual effective rates represent actual fees incurred under the distribution plan for the six months ended August 31, 2013 based on each class’s average daily net assets.

Certain Class A shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) in the event of a shareholder redemption within 18 months of purchase for shares purchased on or after August 1, 2012, and within 24 months of purchase for shares purchased prior to August 1, 2012. There were no contingent deferred sales charges imposed during the six months ended August 31, 2013.

Shareholder Servicing Agent – MFS Service Center, Inc. (MFSC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of MFS, provides transfer agent and recordkeeping functions in connection with the issuance, transfer, and redemption of shares of the fund under a Shareholder Servicing Agent Agreement. MFSC is not paid a fee for providing these services. MFSC receives payment from the fund for out-of-pocket expenses, sub-accounting and other shareholder servicing costs which may be paid to affiliated and unaffiliated service providers. Class R5 shares do not incur sub-accounting fees. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, out-of-pocket expenses amounted to $126. The fund may also pay shareholder servicing related costs to non-related parties.

Administrator – MFS provides certain financial, legal, shareholder communications, compliance, and other administrative services to the fund. Under an administrative services agreement, the fund partially reimburses MFS the costs incurred to provide these services. The fund is charged an annual fixed amount of $17,500 plus a fee based on average daily net assets. The administrative services fee incurred for the six months ended August 31, 2013 was equivalent to an annual effective rate of 0.0158% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

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

Other – This fund and certain other funds managed by MFS (the funds) have entered into services agreements (the Agreements) which provide for payment of fees by the funds to Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC in return for the provision of services of an Independent Chief Compliance Officer (ICCO) and Assistant ICCO, respectively, for the funds. The ICCO and Assistant ICCO are officers of the funds and the sole members of Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC, respectively. The funds can terminate the Agreements with Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC at any time under the terms of the Agreements. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, the aggregate fees paid by the fund to Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC were $1,153 and are included in “Miscellaneous” expense in the Statement of Operations. MFS has agreed to reimburse the fund for a portion of the payments made by the fund

 

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in the amount of $581, which is shown as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations. Additionally, MFS has agreed to bear all expenses associated with office space, other administrative support, and supplies provided to the ICCO and Assistant ICCO.

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

On June 29, 2012, MFS purchased 7,278 shares of Class R5 for an aggregate amount of $100,000. At August 31, 2013, MFS held 100% and 100% of the outstanding shares of Class A and Class I, respectively.

(4) Portfolio Securities

Purchases and sales of investments, other than short-term obligations, aggregated $95,876,138 and $46,504,975, respectively.

(5) Shares of Beneficial Interest

The fund’s Declaration of Trust permits the Trustees to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest. Transactions in fund shares were as follows:

 

     Six months ended
8/31/13
     Year ended
2/28/13 (i)
 
     Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  
Shares sold            

Class I

             $—         696,721         $9,351,221   

Class R5

     4,343,950         65,276,480         20,161,300         280,296,080   
     4,343,950         $65,276,480         20,858,021         $289,647,301   
Shares issued to shareholders in reinvestment of distributions            

Class A

     247         $3,716         1,262         $17,807   

Class I

     106         1,599         303,616         3,902,153   

Class R5

     279,667         4,222,972         1,069,113         15,459,371   
     280,020         $4,228,287         1,373,991         $19,379,331   
Shares reacquired            

Class I

             $—         (18,934,608      $(260,810,383

Class R5

     (647,621      (10,359,912      (1,204,914      (17,478,909
     (647,621      $(10,359,912      (20,139,522      $(278,289,292
Net change            

Class A

     247         $3,716         1,262         $17,807   

Class I

     106         1,599         (17,934,271      (247,557,009

Class R5

     3,975,996         59,139,540         20,025,499         278,276,542   
     3,976,349         $59,144,855         2,092,490         $30,737,340   

 

(i) For Class R5, the period is from inception, July 2, 2012, through the stated period end.

 

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Class A, Class B, Class C, Class R1, Class R2, Class R3, and Class R4 shares were not available for sale during the period. During the period, the fund’s Class I and Class R5 shares were available for sale only to funds distributed by MFD that invest primarily in shares of other MFS funds (“MFS fund-of-funds”). Please see the fund’s prospectus for details.

The fund is solely invested in by MFS and the MFS funds-of-funds. The MFS funds-of-funds do not invest in the underlying MFS funds for the purpose of exercising management or control. At the end of the period, the MFS Growth Allocation Fund, MFS Moderate Allocation Fund, MFS Aggressive Growth Allocation Fund, MFS Conservative Allocation Fund, MFS Liftetime 2040 Fund, MFS Liftetime 2030 Fund, and MFS Liftetime 2020 Fund were the owners of record of approximately 35%, 29%, 19%, 7%, 3%, 3%, and 1%, respectively, of the value of outstanding voting shares of the fund. In addition, the MFS Lifetime Retirement Income Fund, MFS Lifetime 2055 Fund, MFS Lifetime 2050 Fund, MFS Lifetime 2045 Fund, MFS Lifetime 2035 Fund, MFS Lifetime 2025 Fund, MFS Lifetime 2015 Fund, and the MFS Lifetime 2010 Fund were each the owners of record of less than 1% of the value of outstanding voting shares of the fund.

(6) Line of Credit

The fund and certain other funds managed by MFS participate in a $1.1 billion unsecured committed line of credit, subject to a $1 billion sublimit, provided by a syndication of banks under a credit agreement. Borrowings may be made for temporary financing needs. Interest is charged to each fund, based on its borrowings, generally at a rate equal to the higher of the Federal Reserve funds rate or one month LIBOR plus an agreed upon spread. A commitment fee, based on the average daily, unused portion of the committed line of credit, is allocated among the participating funds at the end of each calendar quarter. In addition, the fund and other funds managed by MFS have established unsecured uncommitted borrowing arrangements with certain banks for temporary financing needs. Interest is charged to each fund, based on its borrowings, at a rate equal to the Federal Reserve funds rate plus an agreed upon spread. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, the fund’s commitment fee and interest expense were $751 and $0, respectively, and are included in “Miscellaneous” expense in the Statement of Operations.

(7) Transactions in Underlying Affiliated Funds-Affiliated Issuers

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

 

Underlying Affiliated Fund    Beginning
Shares/Par
Amount
     Acquisitions
Shares/Par
Amount
     Dispositions
Shares/Par
Amount
     Ending
Shares/Par
Amount
 
MFS Institutional Money Market Portfolio      4,064,702         74,296,523         (61,942,796      16,418,429   
Underlying Affiliated Fund    Realized
Gain (Loss)
     Capital Gain
Distributions
     Dividend
Income
     Ending
Value
 
MFS Institutional Money Market Portfolio      $—         $—         $2,778         $16,418,429   

 

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BOARD REVIEW OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

The Investment Company Act of 1940 requires that both the full Board of Trustees and a majority of the non-interested (“independent”) Trustees, voting separately, annually approve the continuation of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement with MFS. The Trustees consider matters bearing on the Fund and its advisory arrangements at their meetings throughout the year, including a review of performance data at each regular meeting. In addition, the independent Trustees met several times over the course of three months beginning in May and ending in July, 2013 (“contract review meetings”) for the specific purpose of considering whether to approve the continuation of the investment advisory agreement for the Fund and the other investment companies that the Board oversees (the “MFS Funds”). The independent Trustees were assisted in their evaluation of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement by independent legal counsel, from whom they received separate legal advice and with whom they met separately from MFS during various contract review meetings. The independent Trustees were also assisted in this process by the MFS Funds’ Independent Chief Compliance Officer, a full-time senior officer appointed by and reporting to the independent Trustees.

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

In connection with their contract review meetings, the Trustees received and relied upon materials that included, among other items: (i) information provided by Lipper Inc., an independent third party, on the investment performance of the Fund for various time periods ended December 31, 2012 and the investment performance of a group of funds with substantially similar investment classifications/objectives (the “Lipper performance universe”), (ii) information provided by Lipper Inc. on the Fund’s advisory fees and other expenses and the advisory fees and other expenses of comparable funds identified by Lipper Inc. (the “Lipper expense group”), (iii) information provided by MFS on the advisory fees of comparable portfolios of other clients of MFS, including institutional separate accounts and other clients, (iv) information as to whether and to what extent applicable expense waivers, reimbursements or fee “breakpoints” are observed for the Fund, (v) information regarding MFS’ financial results and financial condition, including MFS’ and certain of its affiliates’ estimated profitability from services performed for the Fund and the MFS Funds as a whole, and compared to MFS’ institutional business, (vi) MFS’ views regarding the outlook for the mutual fund industry and the strategic business plans of MFS, (vii) descriptions of various functions performed by MFS for the Funds, such as compliance monitoring and portfolio trading practices, and (viii) information regarding the overall organization of MFS, including information about MFS’ senior management and other personnel providing investment advisory, administrative and other services to

 

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the Fund and the other MFS Funds. The comparative performance, fee and expense information prepared and provided by Lipper Inc. was not independently verified and the independent Trustees did not independently verify any information provided to them by MFS.

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

Effective May 1, 2011, the Board of Trustees terminated the Fund’s subadvisory investment agreement among MFS Series Trust XIII, on behalf of the Fund, MFS and Sun Capital Advisers LLC (“Sun Capital”), and MFS assumed responsibility for day-to-day management of the Fund. The Sun Capital portfolio manager who was responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund became an employee of MFS on or about May 1, 2011 and continues to manage the Fund.

Based on information provided by Lipper Inc. and MFS, the Trustees reviewed the Fund’s total return investment performance as well as the performance of peer groups of funds over various time periods. The Trustees placed particular emphasis on the total return performance of the Fund’s Class A shares in comparison to the performance of funds in its Lipper performance universe over the three-year period ended December 31, 2012, which the Trustees believed was a long enough period to reflect differing market conditions. The total return performance of the Fund’s Class A shares was in the 4th quintile relative to the other funds in the universe for this three-year period (the 1st quintile being the best performers and the 5th quintile being the worst performers). The total return performance of the Fund’s Class A shares was in the 2nd quintile for the one-year period ended December 31, 2012 relative to the Lipper performance universe. The Fund commenced operations on March 11, 2009; therefore no performance data for the five-year period was available. Because of the passage of time, these performance results may differ from the performance results for more recent periods, including those shown elsewhere in this report.

The Trustees expressed concern to MFS about the substandard investment performance of the Fund. In the course of their deliberations, the Trustees took into account information provided by MFS in connection with the contract review meetings, as well as during investment review meetings conducted with portfolio management personnel during the course of the year, as to MFS’ efforts to improve the Fund’s performance, including the termination of the sub-advisory relationship with Sun Capital in 2011 and the availability of MFS’ global resources to the Fund’s portfolio management team since that time. In addition, the Trustees requested that they receive a separate update on the Fund’s performance at each of their regular meetings. After reviewing these and related factors, the Trustees concluded, within the context of their

 

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overall conclusions regarding the investment advisory agreement, that MFS’ responses and efforts and plans to improve investment performance were sufficient to support approval of the continuance of the investment advisory agreement for an additional one-year period, but that they would continue to closely monitor the performance of the Fund.

In assessing the reasonableness of the Fund’s advisory fee, the Trustees considered, among other information, the Fund’s advisory fee and the total expense ratio of the Fund’s Class A shares as a percentage of average daily net assets and the advisory fee and total expense ratios of peer groups of funds based on information provided by Lipper Inc. The Trustees considered that, according to the Lipper data (which takes into account any fee reductions or expense limitations that were in effect during the Fund’s last fiscal year), the Fund’s effective advisory fee rate was higher than the Lipper expense group median, and the Fund’s total expense ratio was lower than the Lipper expense group median.

The Trustees also considered the advisory fees charged by MFS to any comparable institutional accounts. In comparing these fees, the Trustees considered information provided by MFS as to the generally broader scope of services provided by MFS to the Fund in comparison to institutional accounts, the higher demands placed on MFS’ investment personnel and trading infrastructure as a result of the daily cash in-flows and out-flows of the Fund, and the impact on MFS and expenses associated with the more extensive regulatory regime to which the Fund is subject in comparison to institutional accounts.

The Trustees also considered whether the Fund may benefit from any economies of scale in the management of the Fund in the event of growth in assets of the Fund and/or growth in assets of the MFS Funds as a whole. They noted that the Fund’s advisory fee rate schedule is subject to contractual breakpoints that reduce the Fund’s advisory fee rate on average daily net assets over $1 billion and $2.5 billion. The Trustees also noted that MFS has agreed in writing to waive a portion of the management fees of certain MFS Funds, including the Fund, if the total combined assets of certain funds within the MFS Funds’ complex increase above agreed upon thresholds (the “group fee waiver”), enabling the Fund’s shareholders to share in the benefits from any economies of scale at the complex level. The group fee waiver is reviewed and renewed annually between the Board and MFS. The Trustees concluded that the existing breakpoints and the group fee waiver were sufficient to allow the Fund to benefit from economies of scale as its assets and overall complex assets grow.

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

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

 

24


Table of Contents

Board Review of Investment Advisory Agreement – continued

 

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

The Trustees also considered the nature, quality, cost, and extent of administrative, transfer agency, and distribution services provided to the Fund by MFS and its affiliates under agreements and plans other than the investment advisory agreement, including any 12b-1 fees the Fund pays to MFS Fund Distributors, Inc., an affiliate of MFS. The Trustees also considered the nature, extent and quality of certain other services MFS performs or arranges for on the Fund’s behalf, which may include securities lending programs, directed expense payment programs, class action recovery programs, and MFS’ interaction with third-party service providers, principally custodians and sub-custodians. The Trustees concluded that the various non-advisory services provided by MFS and its affiliates on behalf of the Fund were satisfactory.

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

Based on their evaluation of factors that they deemed to be material, including those factors described above, the Board of Trustees, including the independent Trustees, concluded that the Fund’s investment advisory agreement with MFS should be continued for an additional one-year period, commencing August 1, 2013.

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

 

25


Table of Contents

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND INFORMATION

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

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

QUARTERLY PORTFOLIO DISCLOSURE

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

Public Reference Room

Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, NE, Room 1580

Washington, D.C. 20549

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

FURTHER INFORMATION

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

PROVISION OF FINANCIAL REPORTS AND SUMMARY PROSPECTUSES

The fund produces financial reports every six months and updates its summary prospectus and prospectus annually. To avoid sending duplicate copies of materials to households, only one copy of the fund’s annual and semiannual report and summary prospectus may be mailed to shareholders having the same last name and residential address on the fund’s records. However, any shareholder may contact MFSC (please see back cover for address and telephone number) to request that copies of these reports and summary prospectuses be sent personally to that shareholder.

 

26


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

Save paper with eDelivery.

 

LOGO

MFS® will send you prospectuses,

reports, and proxies directly via e-mail so you will get information faster with less mailbox clutter.

To sign up:

1. Go to mfs.com.

2. Log in via MFS® Access.

3. Select eDelivery.

If you own your MFS fund shares through a financial institution or a retirement plan, MFS® TALK, MFS® Access, or eDelivery may not be available to you.

 

CONTACT

WEB SITE

mfs.com

MFS TALK

1-800-637-8255

24 hours a day

ACCOUNT SERVICE AND LITERATURE

Shareholders

1-800-225-2606

Financial advisors

1-800-343-2829

Retirement plan services

1-800-637-1255

MAILING ADDRESS

MFS Service Center, Inc.

P.O. Box 55824

Boston, MA 02205-5824

OVERNIGHT MAIL

MFS Service Center, Inc.

c/o Boston Financial Data Services

30 Dan Road

Canton, MA 02021-2809

 


Table of Contents

SEMIANNUAL REPORT

August 31, 2013

 

LOGO

 

MFS® NEW DISCOVERY

VALUE FUND

 

LOGO

 

NDV-SEM

 


Table of Contents

MFS® NEW DISCOVERY VALUE FUND

 

CONTENTS

 

Letter from the Chairman and CEO     1   
Portfolio composition     2   
Expense table     3   
Portfolio of investments     5   
Statement of assets and liabilities     10   
Statement of operations     12   
Statements of changes in net assets     13   
Financial highlights     14   
Notes to financial statements     22   
Board review of investment advisory agreement     33   
Proxy voting policies and information     37   
Quarterly portfolio disclosure     37   
Further information     37   
Provision of financial reports and summary prospectuses     37   
Contact information    back cover   

 

 

The report is prepared for the general information of shareholders.

It is authorized for distribution to prospective investors only when preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus.

 

NOT FDIC INSURED Ÿ MAY LOSE VALUE Ÿ NO BANK GUARANTEE


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO

 

Dear Shareholders:

Global economic trends appear to favor growth again despite risks created by the U.S. government’s gridlock. The U.S. economy’s slow but steady expansion is no longer the

exception. The eurozone has emerged from its 18-month-long recession, with Germany leading the way. China’s monthly gauges of economic activity once again point toward expansion. And Japan is picking up momentum in response to its government’s and central bank’s aggressive program of monetary easing.

However, geopolitical risks have risen, with violence erupting in Egypt and Syria and the possibility of further unrest in the Middle East. The U.S. Federal Reserve’s expected tapering of its bond-buying stimulus program has weighed on global markets

since May. Emerging markets, including Brazil and India, have borne much of the brunt, as their currency values have dropped and nervous investors have fled to safety elsewhere. In Europe, unemployment persists at historically high levels. The trend towards a pickup in global growth, while encouraging, appears tenuous, particularly with the risk of a U.S. debt default.

As always, managing risk in the face of uncertainty remains a top priority for investors. At MFS®, our uniquely collaborative investment process employs integrated, global research and active risk management. Our global team of investment professionals shares ideas and evaluates opportunities across continents, investment disciplines and asset classes — all with a goal of building better insights, and ultimately better results, for our clients.

We are mindful of the many economic challenges investors face, and believe it is more important than ever to maintain a long-term view and employ time-tested principles, such as asset allocation and diversification. We remain confident that our unique approach can serve investors well as they work with their financial advisors to identify and pursue the most suitable opportunities.

Respectfully,

 

LOGO

Robert J. Manning

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

MFS Investment Management®

October 17, 2013

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

 

1


Table of Contents

PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION

 

Portfolio structure

 

LOGO

 

Top ten holdings  
CAI International, Inc.     1.6%   
Global Payments, Inc.     1.5%   
Huntington Bancshares, Inc.     1.4%   
Foster Wheeler AG     1.4%   
PrivateBancorp, Inc.     1.4%   
GrafTech International Ltd.     1.3%   
SM Energy Co.     1.3%   
Diana Shipping, Inc.     1.3%   
TCF Financial Corp.     1.3%   
Ingram Micro, Inc., “A”     1.3%   
Equity sectors  
Financial Services     28.2%   
Technology     12.2%   
Industrial Goods & Services     11.6%   
Basic Materials     7.8%   
Retailing     6.6%   
Energy     6.5%   
Leisure     5.1%   
Health Care     4.6%   
Transportation     4.2%   
Utilities & Communications     3.6%   
Special Products & Services     3.5%   
Consumer Staples     2.0%   
Autos & Housing     1.1%   
 

 

Percentages are based on net assets as of 8/31/13.

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

 

2


Table of Contents

EXPENSE TABLE

Fund expenses borne by the shareholders during the period,

March 1, 2013 through August 31, 2013

As a shareholder of the fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including sales charges (loads) on certain purchase or redemption payments, and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees; distribution and service (12b-1) fees; and other fund expenses. This example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

The example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period March 1, 2013 through August 31, 2013.

The expenses include the payment of a portion of the transfer-agent-related expenses of MFS funds that invest in the fund. For further information, please see the Notes to the Financial Statements.

Actual Expenses

The first line for each share class in the following table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes

The second line for each share class in the following table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the fund and other funds. To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

Please note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as sales charges (loads). Therefore, the second line for each share class in the table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

3


Table of Contents

Expense Table – continued

 

 

Share
Class
      

Annualized
Expense

Ratio

    Beginning
Account Value
3/01/13
   

Ending

Account Value
8/31/13

   

Expenses

Paid During

Period (p)

3/01/13-8/31/13

 
A   Actual     1.45%        $1,000.00        $1,102.14        $7.68   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.45%        $1,000.00        $1,017.90        $7.38   
B   Actual     2.20%        $1,000.00        $1,098.07        $11.63   
  Hypothetical (h)     2.20%        $1,000.00        $1,014.12        $11.17   
C   Actual     2.20%        $1,000.00        $1,098.25        $11.64   
  Hypothetical (h)     2.20%        $1,000.00        $1,014.12        $11.17   
I   Actual     1.20%        $1,000.00        $1,103.74        $6.36   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.20%        $1,000.00        $1,019.16        $6.11   
R1   Actual     2.20%        $1,000.00        $1,098.07        $11.63   
  Hypothetical (h)     2.20%        $1,000.00        $1,014.12        $11.17   
R2   Actual     1.70%        $1,000.00        $1,101.16        $9.00   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.70%        $1,000.00        $1,016.64        $8.64   
R3   Actual     1.45%        $1,000.00        $1,101.96        $7.68   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.45%        $1,000.00        $1,017.90        $7.38   
R4   Actual     1.20%        $1,000.00        $1,104.60        $6.37   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.20%        $1,000.00        $1,019.16        $6.11   
R5   Actual     1.18%        $1,000.00        $1,103.87        $6.26   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.18%        $1,000.00        $1,019.26        $6.01   

 

(h) 5% class return per year before expenses.
(p) Expenses paid are equal to each class’s annualized expense ratio, as shown above, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the period, divided by the number of days in the year. Expenses paid do not include any applicable sales charges (loads). If these transaction costs had been included, your costs would have been higher.

Notes to Expense Table

Changes to the fund’s fee arrangements occurred during the six month period. Had these fee changes been in effect throughout the entire six month period, the annualized expense ratios would have been 1.16% for Class R5; the actual expenses paid during the period would have been approximately $6.15 for Class R5; and the hypothetical expenses paid during the period would have been approximately $5.90 for Class R5. For further information about the fund’s fee arrangements and changes to those fee arrangements, please see Note 3 in the Notes to Financial Statements.

 

4


Table of Contents

PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS

8/31/13 (unaudited)

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

 

Common Stocks - 97.0%                 
Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Aerospace - 0.6%                 
Kaman Corp.      46,660      $ 1,642,427   
Apparel Manufacturers - 2.1%                 
Guess?, Inc.      76,380      $ 2,329,590   
Hanesbrands, Inc.      50,467        3,001,777   
    

 

 

 
             $ 5,331,367   
Broadcasting - 0.8%                 
Stroer Out-of-Home Media AG (a)      143,790      $ 2,088,540   
Brokerage & Asset Managers - 2.8%                 
FXCM, Inc., “A”      141,800      $ 2,692,782   
GFI Group, Inc.      454,524        1,822,641   
NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.      84,972        2,537,264   
    

 

 

 
             $ 7,052,687   
Business Services - 2.8%                 
Forrester Research, Inc.      62,410      $ 2,058,282   
G&K Services, Inc., “A”      23,969        1,232,965   
Global Payments, Inc.      82,530        3,932,555   
    

 

 

 
             $ 7,223,802   
Chemicals - 0.9%                 
Intrepid Potash, Inc.      177,560      $ 2,208,846   
Computer Software - 1.2%                 
OBIC Co. Ltd.      10,550      $ 3,086,705   
Computer Software - Systems - 2.5%                 
Ingram Micro, Inc., “A” (a)      147,459      $ 3,258,844   
NICE Systems Ltd., ADR      82,009        3,116,342   
    

 

 

 
             $ 6,375,186   
Construction - 1.1%                 
Lennox International, Inc.      40,042      $ 2,748,883   
Consumer Products - 1.2%                 
Sensient Technologies Corp.      73,220      $ 3,035,701   

 

5


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Common Stocks - continued                 
Consumer Services - 0.7%                 
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (a)      51,140      $ 1,764,841   
Containers - 1.8%                 
Greif, Inc., “A”      58,566      $ 3,154,950   
Packaging Corp. of America      25,990        1,378,510   
    

 

 

 
             $ 4,533,460   
Electronics - 7.9%                 
CEVA, Inc. (a)      96,010      $ 1,740,661   
Entegris, Inc. (a)      158,650        1,491,310   
Entropic Communications, Inc. (a)      462,098        1,931,570   
Lattice Semiconductor Corp. (a)      309,960        1,475,410   
M/A-COM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc. (a)      189,740        3,104,146   
MaxLinear, Inc., “A” (a)      352,017        2,963,983   
Micrel, Inc.      161,600        1,486,720   
MKS Instruments, Inc.      52,010        1,302,851   
Ultratech, Inc. (a)      86,840        2,455,835   
Veeco Instruments, Inc. (a)      62,573        2,197,564   
    

 

 

 
             $ 20,150,050   
Energy - Independent - 2.5%                 
Energen Corp.      27,000      $ 1,790,370   
Rosetta Resources, Inc. (a)      27,720        1,289,812   
SM Energy Co.      48,240        3,295,757   
    

 

 

 
             $ 6,375,939   
Engineering - Construction - 1.4%                 
Foster Wheeler AG (a)      151,625      $ 3,514,668   
Entertainment - 2.1%                 
Carmike Cinemas, Inc. (a)      154,520      $ 2,708,736   
Cinemark Holdings, Inc.      88,625        2,611,779   
    

 

 

 
             $ 5,320,515   
Food & Beverages - 0.8%                 
Pinnacle Foods, Inc.      78,780      $ 2,134,938   
Health Maintenance Organizations - 1.0%                 
Centene Corp. (a)      25,830      $ 1,476,185   
Molina Healthcare, Inc. (a)      35,220        1,175,996   
    

 

 

 
             $ 2,652,181   

 

6


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Common Stocks - continued                 
Insurance - 6.8%                 
Allied World Assurance Co.      28,853      $ 2,646,686   
Aspen Insurance Holdings Ltd.      66,429        2,362,880   
Everest Re Group Ltd.      23,447        3,211,067   
Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.      52,050        2,772,704   
Symetra Financial Corp.      166,729        2,879,410   
Third Point Reinsurance Ltd. (a)      155,880        2,056,057   
Willis Group Holdings PLC      32,910        1,358,525   
    

 

 

 
             $ 17,287,329   
Leisure & Toys - 2.2%                 
Brunswick Corp.      76,760      $ 2,790,994   
Callaway Golf Co.      404,371        2,798,247   
    

 

 

 
             $ 5,589,241   
Machinery & Tools - 8.4%                 
Columbus McKinnon Corp. (a)      144,850      $ 3,099,790   
Douglas Dynamics, Inc.      177,545        2,496,283   
EnPro Industries, Inc. (a)      43,090        2,455,268   
Herman Miller, Inc.      91,815        2,338,528   
Joy Global, Inc.      51,520        2,530,662   
Kennametal, Inc.      69,420        2,951,738   
Polypore International, Inc. (a)      66,500        2,842,875   
Regal Beloit Corp.      39,580        2,521,246   
    

 

 

 
             $ 21,236,390   
Major Banks - 2.5%                 
Comerica, Inc.      69,340      $ 2,831,846   
Huntington Bancshares, Inc.      431,860        3,558,526   
    

 

 

 
             $ 6,390,372   
Medical & Health Technology & Services - 2.6%                 
Almost Family, Inc.      72,125      $ 1,360,999   
Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (a)      401,381        2,267,803   
MEDNAX, Inc. (a)      30,910        3,009,707   
    

 

 

 
             $ 6,638,509   
Medical Equipment - 0.9%                 
Teleflex, Inc.      30,073      $ 2,318,027   
Metals & Mining - 4.1%                 
GrafTech International Ltd. (a)      425,720      $ 3,329,130   
Horsehead Holding Corp. (a)      135,300        1,606,011   
Iluka Resources Ltd.      285,530        2,704,184   

 

7


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Common Stocks - continued                 
Metals & Mining - continued                 
TMS International Corp., “A”      155,950      $ 2,715,090   
    

 

 

 
             $ 10,354,415   
Natural Gas - Distribution - 1.8%                 
AGL Resources, Inc.      51,097      $ 2,245,713   
UGI Corp.      57,601        2,257,959   
    

 

 

 
             $ 4,503,672   
Network & Telecom - 0.6%                 
Polycom, Inc. (a)      147,840      $ 1,468,051   
Oil Services - 4.0%                 
C&J Energy Services, Inc. (a)      125,770      $ 2,582,058   
Superior Energy Services, Inc. (a)      101,410        2,490,630   
Tesco Corp. (a)      159,400        2,462,730   
Tidewater, Inc.      46,140        2,489,714   
    

 

 

 
             $ 10,025,132   
Other Banks & Diversified Financials - 11.8%                 
Aaron’s, Inc.      105,300      $ 2,850,471   
Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc.      72,580        1,803,613   
Brookline Bancorp, Inc.      309,425        2,800,296   
CAI International, Inc. (a)      184,320        4,040,294   
Cathay General Bancorp, Inc.      126,046        2,775,533   
First Interstate BancSystem, Inc.      94,720        2,152,986   
PrivateBancorp, Inc.      157,760        3,442,323   
Regional Management Corp. (a)      44,350        1,218,738   
Sandy Spring Bancorp, Inc.      126,498        2,827,230   
TCF Financial Corp.      232,750        3,270,138   
Textainer Group Holdings Ltd.      75,910        2,646,223   
    

 

 

 
             $ 29,827,845   
Pollution Control - 1.2%                 
Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd.      123,196      $ 2,982,575   
Railroad & Shipping - 1.3%                 
Diana Shipping, Inc. (a)      302,264      $ 3,282,587   
Real Estate - 4.3%                 
BioMed Realty Trust, Inc., REIT      133,820      $ 2,463,626   
Capstead Mortgage Corp., REIT      164,312        1,929,023   
EPR Properties, REIT      59,638        2,921,069   
Hatteras Financial Corp., REIT      81,630        1,493,829   

 

8


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
Common Stocks - continued                 
Real Estate - continued                 
Select Income, REIT      90,150      $ 2,193,350   
    

 

 

 
             $ 11,000,897   
Specialty Chemicals - 1.1%                 
Tronox Ltd., “A”      125,960      $ 2,690,506   
Specialty Stores - 4.5%                 
ANN, Inc. (a)      92,590      $ 3,212,873   
Children’s Place Retail Store, Inc. (a)      57,530        3,059,445   
Gordmans Stores, Inc. (a)      127,552        1,762,769   
Kirkland’s, Inc. (a)      89,220        1,740,682   
Tilly’s, Inc. (a)      125,770        1,736,884   
    

 

 

 
             $ 11,512,653   
Trucking - 2.9%                 
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (a)      62,690      $ 2,896,278   
Celadon Group, Inc.      78,840        1,430,158   
Marten Transport Ltd.      166,440        2,944,324   
    

 

 

 
             $ 7,270,760   
Utilities - Electric Power - 1.8%                 
El Paso Electric Co.      66,000      $ 2,270,400   
Great Plains Energy, Inc.      101,607        2,227,225   
    

 

 

 
             $ 4,497,625   
Total Common Stocks (Identified Cost, $215,118,297)            $ 246,117,322   
Money Market Funds - 4.2%                 
MFS Institutional Money Market Portfolio, 0.09%,
at Cost and Net Asset Value (v)
     10,665,700      $ 10,665,700   
Total Investments (Identified Cost, $225,783,997)            $ 256,783,022   
Other Assets, Less Liabilities - (1.2)%              (2,921,547
Net Assets - 100.0%            $ 253,861,475   

 

(a) Non-income producing security.
(v) Underlying affiliated fund that is available only to investment companies managed by MFS. The rate quoted for the MFS Institutional Money Market Portfolio is the annualized seven-day yield of the fund at period end.

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

 

ADR   American Depositary Receipt
PLC   Public Limited Company
REIT   Real Estate Investment Trust

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

9


Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

At 8/31/13 (unaudited)

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

 

Assets         

Investments-

  

Non-affiliated issuers, at value (identified cost, $215,118,297)

     $246,117,322   

Underlying affiliated funds, at cost and value

     10,665,700   

Total investments, at value (identified cost, $225,783,997)

     $256,783,022   

Receivables for

  

Investments sold

     760,101   

Fund shares sold

     223,989   

Dividends

     251,636   

Other assets

     51,232   

Total assets

     $258,069,980   
Liabilities         

Payables for

  

Investments purchased

     $3,806,856   

Fund shares reacquired

     220,025   

Payable to affiliates

  

Investment adviser

     6,661   

Shareholder servicing costs

     144,486   

Distribution and service fees

     447   

Payable for independent Trustees’ compensation

     22   

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     30,008   

Total liabilities

     $4,208,505   

Net assets

     $253,861,475   
Net assets consist of         

Paid-in capital

     $206,592,871   

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

     30,998,989   

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

     15,976,627   

Undistributed net investment income

     292,988   

Net assets

     $253,861,475   

Shares of beneficial interest outstanding

     20,322,915   

 

10


Table of Contents

Statement of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited) – continued

 

 

     Net assets      Shares
outstanding
     Net asset value
per share (a)
 

Class A

     $11,912,842         956,497         $12.45   

Class B

     620,284         50,167         12.36   

Class C

     1,619,040         131,215         12.34   

Class I

     4,450,478         356,280         12.49   

Class R1

     233,604         18,894         12.36   

Class R2

     423,749         34,027         12.45   

Class R3

     365,092         29,270         12.47   

Class R4

     135,156         10,814         12.50   

Class R5

     234,101,230         18,735,751         12.49   

 

(a) Maximum offering price per share was equal to the net asset value per share for all share classes, except for Class A, for which the maximum offering price per share was $13.21 [100 / 94.25 x $12.45]. On sales of $50,000 or more, the maximum offering price of Class A shares is reduced. A contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on redemptions of Class A, Class B, and Class C shares. Redemption price per share was equal to the net asset value per share for Classes I, R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5.

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

11


Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

Six months ended 8/31/13 (unaudited)

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

 

Net investment income         

Income

  

Dividends

     $1,894,329   

Dividends from underlying affiliated funds

     5,915   

Foreign taxes withheld

     (11,610

Total investment income

     $1,888,634   

Expenses

  

Management fee

     $1,083,814   

Distribution and service fees

     19,733   

Shareholder servicing costs

     276,350   

Administrative services fee

     20,573   

Independent Trustees’ compensation

     2,372   

Custodian fee

     16,605   

Shareholder communications

     6,264   

Audit and tax fees

     25,453   

Legal fees

     1,082   

Miscellaneous

     65,347   

Total expenses

     $1,517,593   

Fees paid indirectly

     (7

Reduction of expenses by investment adviser and distributor

     (76,571

Net expenses

     $1,441,015   

Net investment income

     $447,619   
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency   

Realized gain (loss) (identified cost basis)

  

Investments

     $16,699,675   

Foreign currency

     (4,936

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency

     $16,694,739   

Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

  

Investments

     $6,123,452   

Translation of assets and liabilities in foreign currencies

     (36

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

     $6,123,416   

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

     $22,818,155   

Change in net assets from operations

     $23,265,774   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

12


Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

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

 

     Six months ended
8/31/13
     Year ended
2/28/13
 
Change in net assets    (unaudited)         
From operations                  

Net investment income

     $447,619         $1,531,591   

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency

     16,694,739         10,585,807   

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

     6,123,416         21,109,225   

Change in net assets from operations

     $23,265,774         $33,226,623   
Distributions declared to shareholders                  

From net investment income

     $(31,155      $(1,600,024

From net realized gain on investments

     (1,566,400      (10,275,610

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(1,597,555      $(11,875,634

Change in net assets from fund share transactions

     $18,996,815         $25,592,968   

Total change in net assets

     $40,665,034         $46,943,957   
Net assets                  

At beginning of period

     213,196,441         166,252,484   

At end of period (including undistributed net investment income of $292,988 and accumulated distributions in excess of net investment income of $123,476, respectively)

     $253,861,475         $213,196,441   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

13


Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

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

 

Class A    Six months
ended
8/31/13
    Year ended
2/28/13
    Period ended
2/29/12 (c)
 
     (unaudited)              

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $11.37        $10.27        $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations                   

Net investment income (d)

     $0.00 (w)      $0.06        $0.01   

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

     1.16        1.69        0.30   

Total from investment operations

     $1.16        $1.75        $0.31   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                   

From net investment income

     $—        $(0.07     $(0.03

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.08     (0.58     (0.01

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.08     $(0.65     $(0.04

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $12.45        $11.37        $10.27   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

     10.21 (n)      18.04        3.22 (n) 

Ratios (%) (to average net assets)

and Supplemental data:

                        

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     1.53 (a)      1.39        1.25 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     1.45 (a)      1.34        1.25 (a) 

Net investment income

     0.06 (a)(l)      0.53        0.17 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      67        56 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $11,913        $4,596        $1,872   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

14


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

Class B    Six months
ended
8/31/13
    Year ended
2/28/13
    Period ended
2/29/12 (c)
 
     (unaudited)              

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $11.33        $10.24        $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations                   

Net investment loss (d)

     $(0.04     $(0.02     $(0.04

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

     1.15        1.69        0.29   

Total from investment operations

     $1.11        $1.67        $0.25   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                   

From net realized gain on investments

     $(0.08     $(0.58     $(0.01

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $12.36        $11.33        $10.24   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

     9.81 (n)      17.24        2.56 (n) 

Ratios (%) (to average net assets)

and Supplemental data:

                        

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     2.28 (a)      2.14        2.01 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     2.20 (a)      2.08        2.01 (a) 

Net investment loss

     (0.65 )(a)(l)      (0.17     (0.57 )(a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      67        56 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $620        $353        $200   
Class C    Six months
ended
8/31/13
   

Year ended

2/28/13

   

Period ended

2/29/12 (c)

 
     (unaudited)              

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $11.31        $10.24        $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations                   

Net investment loss (d)

     $(0.04     $(0.02     $(0.04

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

     1.15        1.69        0.29   

Total from investment operations

     $1.11        $1.67        $0.25   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                   

From net investment income

     $—        $(0.02     $(0.00 )(w) 

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.08     (0.58     (0.01

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.08     $(0.60     $(0.01

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $12.34        $11.31        $10.24   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

     9.82 (n)      17.22        2.62 (n) 

Ratios (%) (to average net assets)

and Supplemental data:

                        

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     2.28 (a)      2.15        2.01 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     2.20 (a)      2.09        2.01 (a) 

Net investment loss

     (0.65 )(a)(l)      (0.22     (0.53 )(a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      67        56 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $1,619        $691        $182   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

15


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

Class I    Six months
ended
8/31/13
   

Year ended

2/28/13

    Period ended
2/29/12 (c)
 
     (unaudited)              

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $11.39        $10.28        $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations                   

Net investment income (d)

     $0.02        $0.11        $0.03   

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

     1.16        1.67        0.30   

Total from investment operations

     $1.18        $1.78        $0.33   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                   

From net investment income

     $(0.00 )(w)      $(0.09     $(0.04

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.08     (0.58     (0.01

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.08     $(0.67     $(0.05

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $12.49        $11.39        $10.28   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

     10.37 (n)      18.35        3.39 (n) 

Ratios (%) (to average net assets)

and Supplemental data:

                        

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     1.28 (a)      1.02        1.01 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     1.20 (a)      1.02        1.01 (a) 

Net investment income

     0.33 (a)(l)      1.04        0.47 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      67        56 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $4,450        $1,633        $163,585   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

16


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

Class R1    Six months
ended
8/31/13
   

Year ended

2/28/13

   

Period ended

2/29/12 (c)

 
     (unaudited)              

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $11.34        $10.25        $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations                   

Net investment loss (d)

     $(0.04     $(0.01     $(0.04

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

     1.14        1.68        0.30   

Total from investment operations

     $1.10        $1.67        $0.26   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                   

From net investment income

     $—        $(0.00 )(w)      $—   

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.08     (0.58     (0.01

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.08     $(0.58     $(0.01

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $12.36        $11.34        $10.25   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

     9.71 (n)      17.25        2.66 (n) 

Ratios (%) (to average net assets)

and Supplemental data:

                        

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     2.28 (a)      2.13        2.01 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     2.20 (a)      2.08        2.01 (a) 

Net investment loss

     (0.67 )(a)(l)      (0.14     (0.56 )(a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      67        56 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $234        $148        $103   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

17


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

Class R2    Six months
ended
8/31/13
   

Year ended

2/28/13

    

Period ended

2/29/12 (c)

 
     (unaudited)               

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $11.39        $10.27         $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations                    

Net investment income (loss) (d)

     $(0.01     $0.04         $(0.00 )(w) 

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

     1.15        1.70         0.29   

Total from investment operations

     $1.14        $1.74         $0.29   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                    

From net investment income

     $—        $(0.04      $(0.01

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.08     (0.58      (0.01

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.08     $(0.62      $(0.02

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $12.45        $11.39         $10.27   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

     10.02 (n)      17.92         2.98 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                    

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     1.78 (a)      1.63         1.51 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     1.70 (a)      1.58         1.51 (a) 

Net investment income (loss)

     (0.20 )(a)(l)      0.34         (0.06 )(a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      67         56 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $424        $137         $105   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

18


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

Class R3    Six months
ended
8/31/13
   

Year ended

2/28/13

    

Period ended

2/29/12 (c)

 
     (unaudited)               

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $11.39        $10.28         $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations                    

Net investment income (d)

     $0.01        $0.05         $0.01   

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

     1.15        1.70         0.30   

Total from investment operations

     $1.16        $1.75         $0.31   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                    

From net investment income

     $—        $(0.06      $(0.02

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.08     (0.58      (0.01

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.08     $(0.64      $(0.03

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $12.47        $11.39         $10.28   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

     10.20 (n)      18.08         3.23 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                    

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     1.53 (a)      1.40         1.26 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     1.45 (a)      1.34         1.26 (a) 

Net investment income

     0.10 (a)(l)      0.47         0.19 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      67         56 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $365        $215         $103   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

19


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

Class R4    Six months
ended
8/31/13
   

Year ended

2/28/13

    

Period ended

2/29/12 (c)

 
     (unaudited)               

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $11.40        $10.28         $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations                    

Net investment income (d)

     $0.02        $0.09         $0.03   

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

     1.16        1.70         0.30   

Total from investment operations

     $1.18        $1.79         $0.33   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                    

From net investment income

     $—        $(0.09      $(0.04

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.08     (0.58      (0.01

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.08     $(0.67      $(0.05

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $12.50        $11.40         $10.28   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

     10.36 (n)      18.46         3.39 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                         

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     1.28 (a)      1.12         1.01 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     1.20 (a)      1.08         1.01 (a) 

Net investment income

     0.37 (a)(l)      0.85         0.44 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      67         56 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $135        $122         $103   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

20


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

Class R5    Six months
ended
8/31/13
   

Period ended

2/28/13 (i)

 
     (unaudited)        

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $11.40        $10.10   
Income (loss) from investment operations                 

Net investment income (d)

     $0.02        $0.05   

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

     1.15        1.71   

Total from investment operations

     $1.17        $1.76   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                 

From net investment income

     $(0.00 )(w)      $(0.09

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.08     (0.37

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.08     $(0.46

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $12.49        $11.40   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

     10.29 (n)      18.05 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     1.24 (a)      1.12 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     1.18 (a)      1.09 (a) 

Net investment income

     0.39 (a)(l)      0.76 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      67   

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $234,101        $205,301   

 

(a) Annualized.
(c) For the period from the commencement of the fund’s investment operations, May 26, 2011, through the stated period end.
(d) Per share data is based on average shares outstanding.
(f) Ratios do not reflect reductions from fees paid indirectly, if applicable.
(i) For the period from the class inception, July 2, 2012, through the stated period end.
(l) Recognition of net investment income by the fund may be affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by companies in which the fund invests and the actual annual net investment income ratio may differ.
(n) Not annualized.
(r) Certain expenses have been reduced without which performance would have been lower.
(s) From time to time the fund may receive proceeds from litigation settlements, without which performance would be lower.
(t) Total returns do not include any applicable sales charges.
(w) Per share amount was less than $0.01.
(x) The net asset values per share and total returns have been calculated on net asset values which include adjustments made in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles required at period end for financial reporting purposes.

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

21


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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(unaudited)

(1) Business and Organization

MFS New Discovery Value Fund (the fund) is a series of MFS Series Trust XIII (the trust). The trust is organized as a Massachusetts business trust and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as an open-end management investment company.

(2) Significant Accounting Policies

General – The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. In the preparation of these financial statements, management has evaluated subsequent events occurring after the date of the fund’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities through the date that the financial statements were issued. The fund will generally focus on securities of small size companies which may be more volatile than those of larger companies.

In this reporting period, the fund adopted the disclosure provisions of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update 2011-11 (“ASU 2011-11”), Balance Sheet (Topic 210) – Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities along with the related scope clarification provisions of FASB Accounting Standards Update 2013-01 (“ASU 2013-01”) entitled Balance Sheet (Topic 210) – Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities. ASU 2011-11 is intended to enhance disclosures on the offsetting of financial assets and liabilities by requiring entities to disclose both gross and net information about financial instruments and transactions that are either offset in the statement of financial position or subject to a Master Netting Agreement or similar arrangement. ASU 2013-01 limits the scope of ASU 2011-11’s disclosure requirements on offsetting to financial assets and financial liabilities related to derivatives, repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements, and securities lending and securities borrowing transactions. The disclosures required by ASU 2011-11, to the extent applicable to the fund, have been included in the fund’s Significant Accounting Policies note under the captions for each of the fund’s in-scope financial instruments and transactions.

In June 2013, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2013-08 Financial Services – Investment Companies (Topic 946) – Amendments to the Scope, Measurement, and Disclosure Requirements (“ASU 2013-08”) which is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years that begin after December 15, 2013. ASU 2013-08 sets forth a methodology for determining whether an entity should be characterized as an investment company and prescribes fair value accounting for an investment company’s non-controlling ownership interest in another investment company. FASB has determined that a fund registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 automatically meets ASU 2013-08’s criteria for an investment company. Although still evaluating the potential impacts of ASU 2013-08 to the fund, management expects that the impact of the fund’s adoption will be limited to additional financial statement disclosures.

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

Investment Valuations – Equity securities, including restricted equity securities, are generally valued at the last sale or official closing price as provided by a third-party pricing service on the market or exchange on which they are primarily traded. Equity securities, for which there were no sales reported that day, are generally valued at the last quoted daily bid quotation as provided by a third-party pricing service on the market or exchange on which such securities are primarily traded. Short-term instruments with a maturity at issuance of 60 days or less generally are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. Open-end investment companies are generally valued at net asset value per share. Securities and other assets generally valued on the basis of information from a third-party pricing service may also be valued at a broker/dealer bid quotation. Values obtained from third-party pricing services can utilize both transaction data and market information such as yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics, and other market data. The values of foreign securities and other assets and liabilities expressed in foreign currencies are converted to U.S. dollars using the mean of bid and asked prices for rates provided by a third-party pricing service.

The Board of Trustees has delegated primary responsibility for determining or causing to be determined the value of the fund’s investments (including any fair valuation) to the adviser pursuant to valuation policies and procedures approved by the Board. If the adviser determines that reliable market quotations are not readily available, investments are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the adviser in accordance with such procedures under the oversight of the Board of Trustees. Under the fund’s valuation policies and procedures, market quotations are not considered to be readily available for most types of debt instruments and floating rate loans and many types of derivatives. These investments are generally valued at fair value based on information from third-party pricing services. In addition, investments may be valued at fair value if the adviser determines that an investment’s value has been materially affected by events occurring after the close of the exchange or market on which the investment is principally traded (such as foreign exchange or market) and prior to the determination of the fund’s net asset value, or after the halting of trading of a specific security where trading does not resume prior to the close of the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded. Events that occur on a frequent basis after foreign markets close (such as developments in foreign markets and significant movements in the U.S. markets) and prior to the determination of the fund’s net asset value may be deemed to have a material effect on the value of securities traded in foreign markets. Accordingly, the fund’s foreign equity securities may often be valued at fair value. The adviser generally relies on third-party pricing services or other information (such as the correlation with price movements of similar securities in the same or other markets; the type, cost and investment characteristics of the security; the business and financial condition of the issuer; and trading and other market data) to assist in determining whether to fair value and at what value to fair value an investment. The value of an investment for purposes of calculating the fund’s net asset value can differ depending on the source and method used to determine value. When fair valuation is used, the value of an investment used to determine the fund’s net asset value may differ from quoted or published prices for the same investment. There can be no assurance that

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

the fund could obtain the fair value assigned to an investment if it were to sell the investment at the same time at which the fund determines its net asset value per share.

Various inputs are used in determining the value of the fund’s assets or liabilities. These inputs are categorized into three broad levels. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, an investment’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The fund’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers factors specific to the investment. Level 1 includes unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Level 2 includes other significant observable market-based inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speed, and credit risk). Level 3 includes unobservable inputs, which may include the adviser’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments. The following is a summary of the levels used as of August 31, 2013 in valuing the fund’s assets or liabilities:

 

Investments at Value    Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  
Equity Securities:            

United States

     $226,800,332         $—         $—         $226,800,332   

Greece

     3,282,587                         3,282,587   

Israel

     3,116,342                         3,116,342   

Japan

             3,086,705                 3,086,705   

Canada

     2,982,575                         2,982,575   

Australia

             2,704,184                 2,704,184   

Germany

     2,088,540                         2,088,540   

Bermuda

     2,056,057                         2,056,057   
Mutual Funds      10,665,700                         10,665,700   
Total Investments      $250,992,133         $5,790,889         $—         $256,783,022   

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

Of the level 2 investments presented above, equity investments amounting to $3,086,705 would have been considered level 1 investments at the beginning of the period. The primary reason for changes in the classifications between levels 1 and 2 occurs when foreign equity securities are fair valued using other observable market-based inputs in place of the closing exchange price due to events occurring after the close of the exchange or market on which the investment is principally traded. The fund’s foreign equity securities may often be valued at fair value. The fund’s policy is to recognize transfers between the levels as of the end of the period.

Foreign Currency Translation – Purchases and sales of foreign investments, income, and expenses are converted into U.S. dollars based upon currency exchange rates prevailing on the respective dates of such transactions or on the reporting date for foreign denominated receivables and payables. Gains and losses attributable to foreign currency exchange rates on sales of securities are recorded for financial statement purposes as net realized gains and losses on investments. Gains and losses attributable to foreign exchange rate movements on receivables, payables, income and expenses are recorded for financial statement purposes as foreign currency transaction gains and

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

losses. That portion of both realized and unrealized gains and losses on investments that results from fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates is not separately disclosed.

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

Investment Transactions and Income – Investment transactions are recorded on the trade date. Dividends received in cash are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Certain dividends from foreign securities will be recorded when the fund is informed of the dividend if such information is obtained subsequent to the ex-dividend date. Dividend payments received in additional securities are recorded on the ex-dividend date in an amount equal to the value of the security on such date.

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

Fees Paid Indirectly – The fund’s custody fee may be reduced according to an arrangement that measures the value of cash deposited with the custodian by the fund. This amount, for the six months ended August 31, 2013, is shown as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations.

Tax Matters and Distributions – The fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company, as defined under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, and to distribute all of its taxable income, including realized capital gains. As a result, no provision for federal income tax is required. The fund’s federal tax returns, when filed, will remain subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service for a three year period. Foreign taxes have been accrued by the fund in the accompanying financial statements in accordance with the applicable foreign tax law. Foreign income taxes may be withheld by certain countries in which the fund invests.

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

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

Book/tax differences primarily relate to wash sale loss deferrals and treating a portion of the proceeds from redemptions as a distribution for tax purposes.

The tax character of distributions made during the current period will be determined at fiscal year end. The tax character of distributions declared to shareholders for the last fiscal year is as follows:

 

     2/28/13  
Ordinary income (including any
short-term capital gains)
     $11,875,634   

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

 

As of 8/31/13       
Cost of investments      $226,517,474   
Gross appreciation      34,526,574   
Gross depreciation      (4,261,026
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)      $30,265,548   
As of 2/28/13       
Undistributed ordinary income      1,594,533   
Late year ordinary loss deferral      (154,261
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)      24,160,113   

The aggregate cost above includes prior fiscal year end tax adjustments, if applicable.

Multiple Classes of Shares of Beneficial Interest – The fund offers multiple classes of shares, which differ in their respective distribution and service fees. The fund’s income, realized and unrealized gain (loss), and common expenses are allocated to shareholders based on the daily net assets of each class. Dividends are declared separately for each class. Differences in per share dividend rates are generally due to differences in separate class expenses. Class B shares will convert to Class A shares approximately eight years after purchase. The fund’s distributions declared to shareholders as reported in the Statements of Changes in Net Assets are presented by class as follows:

 

     From net investment
income
     From net realized gain on
investments
 
     Six months
ended
8/31/13
     Year
ended
2/28/13 (i)
     Six months
ended
8/31/13
     Year
ended
2/28/13 (i)
 
Class A      $—         $19,095         $40,425         $158,761   
Class B                      2,806         13,586   
Class C              841         7,050         25,995   
Class I      68         10,699         19,826         3,479,620   
Class R1              21         1,414         6,785   
Class R2              421         1,706         6,339   
Class R3              690         2,212         6,208   
Class R4              900         850         5,926   
Class R5      31,087         1,567,357         1,490,111         6,572,390   
Total      $31,155         $1,600,024         $1,566,400         $10,275,610   

 

(i) For Class R5, the period is from inception, July 2, 2012, through the stated period end.

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

(3) Transactions with Affiliates

Investment Adviser – The fund has an investment advisory agreement with MFS to provide overall investment management and related administrative services and facilities to the fund. The management fee is computed daily and paid monthly at the following annual rates:

 

First $1 billion of average daily net assets      0.90
Next $1.5 billion of average daily net assets      0.80
Average daily net assets in excess of $2.5 billion      0.75

Effective April 1, 2013, MFS has agreed in writing to reduce its management fee by a specified amount if certain MFS mutual fund assets exceed thresholds agreed to by MFS and the fund’s Board of Trustees. For the period April 1, 2013 through August 31, 2013, this management fee reduction amounted to $550, which is shown as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations. The management fee incurred for the six months ended August 31, 2013 was equivalent to an annual effective rate of 0.90% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

The investment adviser has agreed in writing to pay a portion of the fund’s total annual operating expenses, exclusive of interest, taxes, extraordinary expenses, brokerage and transaction costs, and investment-related expenses such that total fund operating expenses do not exceed the following rates annually of each class’s average daily net assets:

 

Classes  
A     B     C     I     R1     R2     R3     R4     R5  
  1.45%        2.20%        2.20%        1.20%        2.20%        1.70%        1.45%        1.20%        1.16%   

Effective July 1, 2013, Class R5 total annual operating expenses were reduced from 1.20% to 1.16% under the expense limitation agreement. This written agreement will continue until modified by the fund’s Board of Trustees, but such agreement will continue at least until June 30, 2015. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, this reduction amounted to $75,459 and is reflected as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations.

Distributor – MFS Fund Distributors, Inc. (MFD), a wholly-owned subsidiary of MFS, as distributor, received $8,555 for the six months ended August 31, 2013, as its portion of the initial sales charge on sales of Class A shares of the fund.

The Board of Trustees has adopted a distribution plan for certain class shares pursuant to Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940.

The fund’s distribution plan provides that the fund will pay MFD for services provided by MFD and financial intermediaries in connection with the distribution and servicing of certain share classes. One component of the plan is a distribution fee paid to MFD and another component of the plan is a service fee paid to MFD. MFD may subsequently pay all, or a portion, of the distribution and/or service fees to financial intermediaries.

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

Distribution Plan Fee Table:

 

     Distribution
Fee Rate (d)
    

Service

Fee Rate (d)

     Total
Distribution
Plan (d)
     Annual
Effective
Rate (e)
    

Distribution

and Service
Fee

 
Class A              0.25%         0.25%         0.25%         $9,512   
Class B      0.75%         0.25%         1.00%         1.00%         2,399   
Class C      0.75%         0.25%         1.00%         1.00%         5,733   
Class R1      0.75%         0.25%         1.00%         1.00%         1,045   
Class R2      0.25%         0.25%         0.50%         0.50%         652   
Class R3              0.25%         0.25%         0.25%         392   
Total Distribution and Service Fees         $19,733   

 

(d) In accordance with the distribution plan for certain classes, the fund pays distribution and/or service fees equal to these annual percentage rates of each class’s average daily net assets. The distribution and service fee rates disclosed by class represent the current rates in effect at the end of the reporting period.
(e) The annual effective rates represent actual fees incurred under the distribution plan for the six months ended August 31, 2013 based on each class’s average daily net assets. MFD has voluntarily agreed to rebate a portion of each class’s 0.25% service fee attributable to accounts for which MFD retains the 0.25% service fee except for accounts attributable to MFS or its subsidiaries’ seed money. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, this rebate amounted to $137 and $1 for Class A and Class C, respectively, and is reflected as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations.

Certain Class A shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) in the event of a shareholder redemption within 18 months of purchase for shares purchased on or after August 1, 2012, and within 24 months of purchase for shares purchased prior to August 1, 2012. Class C shares are subject to a CDSC in the event of a shareholder redemption within 12 months of purchase. Class B shares are subject to a CDSC in the event of a shareholder redemption within six years of purchase. All contingent deferred sales charges are paid to MFD and during the six months ended August 31, 2013, were as follows:

 

     Amount  
Class A      $—   
Class B        
Class C      40   

Shareholder Servicing Agent – MFS Service Center, Inc. (MFSC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of MFS, receives a fee from the fund for its services as shareholder servicing agent calculated as a percentage of the average daily net assets of the fund as determined periodically under the supervision of the fund’s Board of Trustees. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, the fee was $2,320, which equated to 0.0019% annually of the fund’s average daily net assets. MFSC also receives payment from the fund for out-of-pocket expenses, sub-accounting and other shareholder servicing costs which may be paid to affiliated and unaffiliated service providers. Class R5 shares do not incur sub-accounting fees. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, these out-of-pocket expenses, sub-accounting and other shareholder servicing costs amounted to $4,312.

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

Under a Special Servicing Agreement among MFS, each MFS fund which invests in other MFS funds (“MFS fund-of-funds”) and certain underlying funds in which a MFS fund-of-funds invests (“underlying funds”), each underlying fund may pay a portion of each MFS fund-of-fund’s transfer agent-related expenses, including sub-accounting fees payable to financial intermediaries, to the extent such payments do not exceed the benefits realized or expected to be realized by the underlying fund from the investment in the underlying fund by the MFS fund-of-fund. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, these costs for the fund amounted to $269,718 and are reflected in the “Shareholder servicing costs” in the Statement of Operations.

Administrator – MFS provides certain financial, legal, shareholder communications, compliance, and other administrative services to the fund. Under an administrative services agreement, the fund partially reimburses MFS the costs incurred to provide these services. The fund is charged an annual fixed amount of $17,500 plus a fee based on average daily net assets. The administrative services fee incurred for the six months ended August 31, 2013 was equivalent to an annual effective rate of 0.0171% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

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

Other – This fund and certain other funds managed by MFS (the funds) have entered into services agreements (the Agreements) which provide for payment of fees by the funds to Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC in return for the provision of services of an Independent Chief Compliance Officer (ICCO) and Assistant ICCO, respectively, for the funds. The ICCO and Assistant ICCO are officers of the funds and the sole members of Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC, respectively. The funds can terminate the Agreements with Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC at any time under the terms of the Agreements. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, the aggregate fees paid by the fund to Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC were $832 and are included in “Miscellaneous” expense in the Statement of Operations. MFS has agreed to reimburse the fund for a portion of the payments made by the fund in the amount of $424, which is shown as a reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations. Additionally, MFS has agreed to bear all expenses associated with office space, other administrative support, and supplies provided to the ICCO and Assistant ICCO.

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

On June 29, 2012, MFS purchased 9,901 shares of Class R5 for an aggregate amount of $100,000. On April 2, 2012, MFS redeemed 10,048 shares of Class A and 30,171 shares

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

of Class I for an aggregate amount of $431,852. At August 31, 2013, MFS held 57% and 100% of the outstanding shares of Class R1 and Class R4, respectively.

(4) Portfolio Securities

Purchases and sales of investments, other than short-term obligations, aggregated $87,461,561 and $63,833,272, respectively.

(5) Shares of Beneficial Interest

The fund’s Declaration of Trust permits the Trustees to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest. Transactions in fund shares were as follows:

 

     Six months ended
8/31/13
     Year ended
2/28/13 (i)
 
     Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  
Shares sold            

Class A

     631,042         $7,747,614         470,145         $4,935,450   

Class B

     22,450         271,153         17,843         185,668   

Class C

     87,296         1,046,215         46,852         480,959   

Class I

     229,582         2,765,789         1,028,623         10,375,139   

Class R1

     6,025         70,069         2,367         24,532   

Class R2

     23,980         299,655         1,180         12,039   

Class R3

     10,662         127,316         11,239         119,762   

Class R5

     1,324,795         15,543,630         18,470,131         187,876,080   
     2,335,832         $27,871,441         20,048,380         $204,009,629   
Shares issued to shareholders in reinvestment of distributions            

Class A

     3,316         $40,155         17,288         $171,856   

Class B

     219         2,635         1,241         12,281   

Class C

     587         7,050         2,706         26,836   

Class I

     1,585         19,250         360,340         3,490,278   

Class R1

     117         1,414         687         6,806   

Class R2

     141         1,706         681         6,760   

Class R3

     182         2,212         694         6,898   

Class R4

     70         850         686         6,815   

Class R5

     125,304         1,521,198         808,316         8,139,747   
     131,521         $1,596,470         1,192,639         $11,868,277   
Shares reacquired            

Class A

     (81,931      $(992,549      (265,719      $(2,671,266

Class B

     (3,604      (43,647      (7,507      (73,632

Class C

     (17,779      (209,357      (6,219      (65,424

Class I

     (18,186      (215,718      (17,162,199      (173,917,452

Class R1

     (318      (3,890                

Class R2

     (2,137      (27,007                

Class R3

     (456      (5,543      (3,093      (30,760

Class R5

     (729,688      (8,973,385      (1,263,107      (13,526,404
     (854,099      $(10,471,096      (18,707,844      $(190,284,938

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

     Six months ended
8/31/13
     Year ended
2/28/13 (i)
 
     Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  
Net change            

Class A

     552,427         $6,795,220         221,714         $2,436,040   

Class B

     19,065         230,141         11,577         124,317   

Class C

     70,104         843,908         43,339         442,371   

Class I

     212,981         2,569,321         (15,773,236      (160,052,035

Class R1

     5,824         67,593         3,054         31,338   

Class R2

     21,984         274,354         1,861         18,799   

Class R3

     10,388         123,985         8,840         95,900   

Class R4

     70         850         686         6,815   

Class R5

     720,411         8,091,443         18,015,340         182,489,423   
     1,613,254         $18,996,815         2,533,175         $25,592,968   

 

(i) For Class R5, the period is from inception, July 2, 2012, through the stated period end.

The fund is one of several mutual funds in which the MFS funds-of-funds may invest. The MFS funds-of-funds do not invest in the underlying MFS funds for the purpose of exercising management or control. At the end of the period, the MFS Growth Allocation Fund, MFS Moderate Allocation Fund, MFS Aggressive Growth Allocation Fund, MFS Conservative Allocation Fund, MFS Lifetime 2030 Fund, MFS Lifetime 2040 Fund, MFS Lifetime 2020 Fund, and MFS Lifetime Retirement Income Fund were the owners of record of approximately 31%, 29%, 13%, 10%, 2%, 2%, 1%, and 1%, respectively, of the value of outstanding voting shares of the fund. In addition, the MFS Lifetime 2010 Fund, MFS Lifetime 2015 Fund, MFS Lifetime 2025 Fund, MFS Lifetime 2035 Fund, MFS Lifetime 2045 Fund, MFS Lifetime 2050 Fund, and MFS Lifetime 2055 Fund were each the owners of record of less than 1% of the value of outstanding voting shares of the fund.

(6) Line of Credit

The fund and certain other funds managed by MFS participate in a $1.1 billion unsecured committed line of credit, subject to a $1 billion sublimit, provided by a syndication of banks under a credit agreement. Borrowings may be made for temporary financing needs. Interest is charged to each fund, based on its borrowings, generally at a rate equal to the higher of the Federal Reserve funds rate or one month LIBOR plus an agreed upon spread. A commitment fee, based on the average daily, unused portion of the committed line of credit, is allocated among the participating funds at the end of each calendar quarter. In addition, the fund and other funds managed by MFS have established unsecured uncommitted borrowing arrangements with certain banks for temporary financing needs. Interest is charged to each fund, based on its borrowings, at a rate equal to the Federal Reserve funds rate plus an agreed upon spread. For the six months ended August 31, 2013, the fund’s commitment fee and interest expense were $505 and $0, respectively, and are included in “Miscellaneous” expense in the Statement of Operations.

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

(7) Transactions in Underlying Affiliated Funds-Affiliated Issuers

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

 

Underlying Affiliated Fund    Beginning
Shares/Par
Amount
     Acquisitions
Shares/Par
Amount
     Dispositions
Shares/Par
Amount
    Ending
Shares/Par
Amount
 
MFS Institutional Money
Market Portfolio
     9,711,634         33,817,394         (32,863,328     10,665,700   
Underlying Affiliated Fund    Realized
Gain (Loss)
     Capital Gain
Distributions
     Dividend
Income
    Ending
Value
 
MFS Institutional Money
Market Portfolio
     $—         $—         $5,915        $10,665,700   

 

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BOARD REVIEW OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

The Investment Company Act of 1940 requires that both the full Board of Trustees and a majority of the non-interested (“independent”) Trustees, voting separately, annually approve the continuation of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement with MFS. The Trustees consider matters bearing on the Fund and its advisory arrangements at their meetings throughout the year, including a review of performance data at each regular meeting. In addition, the independent Trustees met several times over the course of three months beginning in May and ending in July, 2013 (“contract review meetings”) for the specific purpose of considering whether to approve the continuation of the investment advisory agreement for the Fund and the other investment companies that the Board oversees (the “MFS Funds”). The independent Trustees were assisted in their evaluation of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement by independent legal counsel, from whom they received separate legal advice and with whom they met separately from MFS during various contract review meetings. The independent Trustees were also assisted in this process by the MFS Funds’ Independent Chief Compliance Officer, a full-time senior officer appointed by and reporting to the independent Trustees.

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

In connection with their contract review meetings, the Trustees received and relied upon materials that included, among other items: (i) information provided by Lipper Inc., an independent third party, on the investment performance of the Fund for the one-year period ended December 31, 2012 and the investment performance of a group of funds with substantially similar investment classifications/objectives (the “Lipper performance universe”), (ii) information provided by Lipper Inc. on the Fund’s advisory fees and other expenses and the advisory fees and other expenses of comparable funds identified by Lipper Inc. (the “Lipper expense group”), (iii) information provided by MFS on the advisory fees of comparable portfolios of other clients of MFS, including institutional separate accounts and other clients, (iv) information as to whether and to what extent applicable expense waivers, reimbursements or fee “breakpoints” are observed for the Fund, (v) information regarding MFS’ financial results and financial condition, including MFS’ and certain of its affiliates’ estimated profitability from services performed for the Fund and the MFS Funds as a whole, and compared to MFS’ institutional business, (vi) MFS’ views regarding the outlook for the mutual fund industry and the strategic business plans of MFS, (vii) descriptions of various functions performed by MFS for the Funds, such as compliance monitoring and portfolio trading practices, and (viii) information regarding the overall organization of MFS, including information about MFS’ senior management and other personnel providing investment advisory, administrative and other services to

 

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Board Review of Investment Advisory Agreement – continued

 

the Fund and the other MFS Funds. The comparative performance, fee and expense information prepared and provided by Lipper Inc. was not independently verified and the independent Trustees did not independently verify any information provided to them by MFS.

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

Based on information provided by Lipper Inc. and MFS, the Trustees reviewed the Fund’s total return investment performance as well as the performance of peer groups of funds for the one-year period ended December 31, 2012. The total return performance of the Fund’s Class A shares was in the 1st quintile relative to the other funds in the universe for this one-year period (the 1st quintile being the best performers and the 5th quintile being the worst performers). The Fund commenced operations on May 26, 2011 and has a limited operating history and performance record; therefore no performance data for the three- or five-year periods was available. Because of the passage of time, these performance results may differ from the performance results for more recent periods, including those shown elsewhere in this report.

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

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

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

 

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Board Review of Investment Advisory Agreement – continued

 

provided by MFS as to the generally broader scope of services provided by MFS to the Fund in comparison to institutional accounts, the higher demands placed on MFS’ investment personnel and trading infrastructure as a result of the daily cash in-flows and out-flows of the Fund, and the impact on MFS and expenses associated with the more extensive regulatory regime to which the Fund is subject in comparison to institutional accounts.

The Trustees also considered whether the Fund may benefit from any economies of scale in the management of the Fund in the event of growth in assets of the Fund and/or growth in assets of the MFS Funds as a whole. They noted that the Fund’s advisory fee rate schedule is subject to contractual breakpoints that reduce the Fund’s advisory fee rate on average daily net assets over $1 billion and $2.5 billion. The Trustees also noted that MFS has agreed in writing to waive a portion of the management fees of certain MFS Funds, including the Fund, if the total combined assets of certain funds within the MFS Funds’ complex increase above agreed upon thresholds (the “group fee waiver”), enabling the Fund’s shareholders to share in the benefits from any economies of scale at the complex level. The group fee waiver is reviewed and renewed annually between the Board and MFS. The Trustees concluded that the existing breakpoints and the group fee waiver were sufficient to allow the Fund to benefit from economies of scale as its assets and overall complex assets grow.

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

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

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

The Trustees also considered the nature, quality, cost, and extent of administrative, transfer agency, and distribution services provided to the Fund by MFS and its affiliates under agreements and plans other than the investment advisory agreement, including any 12b-1 fees the Fund pays to MFS Fund Distributors, Inc., an affiliate of MFS. The Trustees also considered the nature, extent and quality of certain other services MFS performs or arranges for on the Fund’s behalf, which may include securities lending programs, directed expense payment programs, class action recovery programs, and

 

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Board Review of Investment Advisory Agreement – continued

 

MFS’ interaction with third-party service providers, principally custodians and sub-custodians. The Trustees concluded that the various non-advisory services provided by MFS and its affiliates on behalf of the Fund were satisfactory.

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

Based on their evaluation of factors that they deemed to be material, including those factors described above, the Board of Trustees, including the independent Trustees, concluded that the Fund’s investment advisory agreement with MFS should be continued for an additional one-year period, commencing August 1, 2013.

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

 

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PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND INFORMATION

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

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

QUARTERLY PORTFOLIO DISCLOSURE

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

Public Reference Room

Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, NE, Room 1580

Washington, D.C. 20549

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

FURTHER INFORMATION

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

PROVISION OF FINANCIAL REPORTS AND SUMMARY PROSPECTUSES

The fund produces financial reports every six months and updates its summary prospectus and prospectus annually. To avoid sending duplicate copies of materials to households, only one copy of the fund’s annual and semiannual report and summary prospectus may be mailed to shareholders having the same last name and residential address on the fund’s records. However, any shareholder may contact MFSC (please see back cover for address and telephone number) to request that copies of these reports and summary prospectuses be sent personally to that shareholder.

 

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LOGO

 

Save paper with eDelivery.

 

LOGO

MFS® will send you prospectuses,

reports, and proxies directly via e-mail so you will get information faster with less mailbox clutter.

To sign up:

1. Go to mfs.com.

2. Log in via MFS® Access.

3. Select eDelivery.

If you own your MFS fund shares through a financial institution or a retirement plan, MFS® TALK, MFS® Access, or eDelivery may not be available to you.

 

CONTACT

WEB SITE

mfs.com

MFS TALK

1-800-637-8255

24 hours a day

ACCOUNT SERVICE AND LITERATURE

Shareholders

1-800-225-2606

Financial advisors

1-800-343-2829

Retirement plan services

1-800-637-1255

MAILING ADDRESS

MFS Service Center, Inc.

P.O. Box 55824

Boston, MA 02205-5824

OVERNIGHT MAIL

MFS Service Center, Inc.

c/o Boston Financial Data Services

30 Dan Road

Canton, MA 02021-2809

 


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ITEM 2. CODE OF ETHICS.

During the period covered by this report, the Registrant has not amended any provision in its Code of Ethics (the “Code”) that relates to an element of the Code’s definitions enumerated in paragraph (b) of Item 2 of this Form N-CSR. During the period covered by this report, the Registrant did not grant a waiver, including an implicit waiver, from any provision of the Code.

 

ITEM 3. AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT.

Not applicable for semi-annual reports.

 

ITEM 4. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES.

Not applicable for semi-annual reports.

 

ITEM 5. AUDIT COMMITTEE OF LISTED REGISTRANTS.

Not applicable to the Registrant.

 

ITEM 6. INVESTMENTS

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

 

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

Not applicable to the Registrant.

 

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

Not applicable to the Registrant.

 

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

Not applicable to the Registrant.


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

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

 

ITEM 11. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

 

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

 

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

 

ITEM 12. EXHIBITS.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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


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Notice

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


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SIGNATURES

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

(Registrant) MFS SERIES TRUST XIII

 

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

Date: October 17, 2013

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

 

By (Signature and Title)*    JOHN M. CORCORAN
 

John M. Corcoran, President

(Principal Executive Officer)

Date: October 17, 2013

 

By (Signature and Title)*    DAVID L. DILORENZO
 

David L. DiLorenzo, Treasurer

(Principal Financial Officer

and Accounting Officer)

Date: October 17, 2013

 

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