N-CSRS 1 d780026dncsrs.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, 2014


Table of Contents
ITEM 1. REPORTS TO STOCKHOLDERS.


Table of Contents

SEMIANNUAL REPORT

August 31, 2014

 

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     55   
Proxy voting policies and information     59   
Quarterly portfolio disclosure     59   
Further information     59   
Provision of financial reports and summary prospectuses     59   
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:

The U.S. economy continues to gain strength. Manufacturing output, construction activity and consumer confidence are all at multi-year highs, auto sales are robust, and

U.S. labor market reports show broad progress. Even a slowdown in the pace of rising house prices is seen as making the market more sustainable. Economists have a favorable outlook, and broad stock indices reflect that.

However, challenges dominate the rest of the global economy. China is struggling to boost its industrial output and Japan’s economic turnaround appears to have hit a setback after its sales tax increase in April. The eurozone economy is being held back by persistently high unemployment and dangerously low inflation, leading the European Central Bank to take more

aggressive stimulus action. With robust corporate earnings, the market’s greatest concerns relate to conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. In addition, speculation continues on when the U.S. Federal Reserve will begin tightening its monetary policy now that the U.S. economy has regained some traction.

As always at MFS®, active risk management is integral to how we manage your investments. We use a collaborative process, sharing insights across asset classes, regions and economic sectors. Our global team of investment professionals uses a multidisciplined, long-term, diversified investment approach.

We understand that these are challenging economic times. We believe we can serve you best by applying proven principles, such as asset allocation and diversification, over the long term. We are confident that this approach can help you as you work with your financial advisors to reach your goals in the years ahead.

Respectfully,

 

LOGO

Robert J. Manning

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

MFS Investment Management

October 16, 2014

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

 

1


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PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION

 

Portfolio structure (i)

 

LOGO

 

Top ten holdings (i)  
Simon Property Group, Inc., REIT     2.5%   
AvalonBay Communities, Inc., REIT     1.3%   
Public Storage, Inc., REIT     1.3%   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 0.375%, 2/15/16     1.3%   
Vornado Realty Trust, REIT     1.3%   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 0.875%, 12/31/16     1.3%   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.125%, 5/31/15     1.2%   
Fannie Mae, 4%, 30 Years     1.1%   
Weyerhaeuser Co., REIT     1.0%   
Boston Properties, Inc., REIT     1.0%   
Equity sectors (i)  
Financial Services     25.8%   
Health Care     3.2%   
Energy     3.0%   
Utilities & Communications     2.8%   
Technology     1.8%   
Industrial Goods & Services     1.3%   
Consumer Staples     1.2%   
Retailing     0.8%   
Leisure     0.8%   
Autos & Housing     0.7%   
Basic Materials     0.6%   
Transportation     0.2%   

Special Products & Services (o)

    (0.0)%   
Fixed income sectors (i)  
High Yield Corporates     22.9%   
Emerging Markets Bonds     13.0%   
U.S. Treasury Securities     7.5%   
Mortgage-Backed Securities     7.2%   
Floating Rate Loans     1.1%   
Non-U.S. Government Bonds     1.0%   
U.S. Government Agencies     1.0%   
Investment Grade Corporates     0.6%   
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities     0.4%   
Municipal Bonds (o)     0.0%   
 

 

2


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Portfolio Composition – continued

 

Composition including fixed income credit quality (a)(i)    
AAA     0.1%   
AA     0.2%   
A     1.4%   
BBB     7.8%   
BB     12.3%   
B     13.5%   
CCC     3.3%   
C (o)     0.0%   
U.S. Government     7.7%   
Federal Agencies     8.2%   
Not Rated     0.2%   
Non-Fixed Income     42.2%   
Cash & Other     3.1%   
(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. 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 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 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.

Cash & Other can include cash, other assets less liabilities, offsets to derivative positions, and short-term securities.

Percentages are based on net assets as of 8/31/14.

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

 

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EXPENSE TABLE

Fund expenses borne by the shareholders during the period, March 1, 2014 through August 31, 2014

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, 2014 through August 31, 2014.

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
3/01/14
   

Ending

Account Value
8/31/14

   

Expenses
Paid During

Period (p)

3/01/14-8/31/14

 
A   Actual     1.02%        $1,000.00        $1,059.81        $5.30   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.02%        $1,000.00        $1,020.06        $5.19   
C   Actual     1.77%        $1,000.00        $1,055.92        $9.17   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.77%        $1,000.00        $1,016.28        $9.00   
I   Actual     0.77%        $1,000.00        $1,061.12        $4.00   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.77%        $1,000.00        $1,021.32        $3.92   
R1   Actual     1.77%        $1,000.00        $1,055.09        $9.17   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.77%        $1,000.00        $1,016.28        $9.00   
R2   Actual     1.27%        $1,000.00        $1,058.54        $6.59   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.27%        $1,000.00        $1,018.80        $6.46   
R3   Actual     1.02%        $1,000.00        $1,059.81        $5.30   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.02%        $1,000.00        $1,020.06        $5.19   
R4   Actual     0.77%        $1,000.00        $1,061.12        $4.00   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.77%        $1,000.00        $1,021.32        $3.92   
R5   Actual     0.69%        $1,000.00        $1,061.56        $3.59   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.69%        $1,000.00        $1,021.73        $3.52   

 

(h) 5% class return per year before expenses.
(p) “Expenses Paid During Period” are equal to each class’s annualized expense ratio, as shown above, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 184/365 (to reflect the one-half year period). 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.

 

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PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS

8/31/14 (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 - 30.0%                 
Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Agency - Other - 0.1%                 
Financing Corp., 9.4%, 2/08/18    $ 965,000      $ 1,223,466   
Financing Corp., 10.35%, 8/03/18      715,000        953,879   
Financing Corp., STRIPS, 0%, 11/30/17      860,000        822,253   
    

 

 

 
             $ 2,999,598   
Asset-Backed & Securitized - 0.4%                 
Citigroup Commercial Mortgage Trust, FRN, 5.898%, 12/10/49    $ 198,555      $ 23,390   
Citigroup/Deutsche Bank Commercial Mortgage Trust, 5.322%, 12/11/49      100,000        107,819   
Commercial Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, “A4”, 5.306%, 12/10/46      199,556        214,193   
Credit Suisse Commercial Mortgage Trust, “A4”, FRN, 6.097%, 9/15/39      765,325        836,189   
Credit Suisse Commercial Mortgage Trust, “AM”, FRN, 5.892%, 6/15/39      852,108        901,365   
Credit Suisse Commercial Mortgage Trust, “C4”, FRN, 6.097%, 9/15/39      809,025        883,404   
CWCapital Cobalt Ltd., “A4”, FRN, 5.969%, 5/15/46      1,184,738        1,303,566   
Goldman Sachs Mortgage Securities Corp., FRN, 5.991%, 8/10/45      1,279,921        1,404,337   
JPMorgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Corp., “A3”, FRN, 6.145%, 2/15/51      10,595        10,620   
JPMorgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Corp., “A4”, FRN, 5.985%, 6/15/49      1,437,604        1,563,230   
Morgan Stanley Capital I Trust, “AM”, FRN, 5.869%, 4/15/49      945,000        1,000,385   
    

 

 

 
             $ 8,248,498   
Automotive - 0.0%                 
Tupy Overseas S.A., 6.625%, 7/17/24 (n)    $ 367,000      $ 380,029   
Broadcasting - 0.2%                 
Myriad International Holdings B.V., 6%, 7/18/20 (n)    $ 3,692,000      $ 4,043,478   
Building - 0.3%                 
Cementos Pacasmayo S.A.A., 4.5%, 2/08/23    $ 1,214,000      $ 1,156,335   
CEMEX Espana S.A., 9.25%, 5/12/20      1,545,000        1,676,325   
CEMEX Finance LLC, 9.375%, 10/12/22      1,060,000        1,250,800   
CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V., 7.25%, 1/15/21 (n)      1,164,000        1,278,945   
Cimpor Financial Operations B.V., 5.75%, 7/17/24 (n)      921,000        907,185   

 

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Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Building - continued                 
Odebrecht Finance Ltd., 7.125%, 6/26/42 (n)    $ 1,706,000      $ 1,880,865   
    

 

 

 
             $ 8,150,455   
Business Services - 0.2%                 
Tencent Holdings Ltd., 3.375%, 3/05/18 (n)    $ 1,326,000      $ 1,365,885   
Tencent Holdings Ltd., 3.375%, 5/02/19 (n)      2,950,000        3,012,549   
    

 

 

 
             $ 4,378,434   
Cable TV - 0.2%                 
Globo Comunicacoes e Participacoes S.A., 6.25% to 7/20/15, 9.375% to 7/29/49 (n)    $ 1,499,000      $ 1,554,463   
VTR Finance B.V., 6.875%, 1/15/24 (n)      2,623,000        2,813,168   
    

 

 

 
             $ 4,367,631   
Chemicals - 0.1%                 
Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A., 5.5%, 4/21/20 (n)    $ 1,594,000      $ 1,749,699   
Conglomerates - 0.1%                 
Alfa S.A.B de C.V., 5.25%, 3/25/24 (n)    $ 550,000      $ 594,000   
Metalloinvest Finance Ltd., 5.625%, 4/17/20 (n)      1,764,000        1,609,650   
    

 

 

 
             $ 2,203,650   
Construction - 0.2%                 
Empresas ICA S.A.B. de C.V., 8.375%, 7/24/17 (n)    $ 1,409,000      $ 1,482,973   
Empresas ICA S.A.B. de C.V., 8.875%, 5/29/24 (n)      2,044,000        2,120,650   
    

 

 

 
             $ 3,603,623   
Emerging Market Quasi-Sovereign - 3.2%                 
Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. PJSC (TAQA), 5.875%, 12/13/21 (n)    $ 955,000      $ 1,126,900   
Banco de Reservas de la Republica Dominicana, 7%, 2/01/23 (n)      1,705,000        1,751,887   
Banco do Brasil S.A., 6.25% to 1/31/13, FRN to 10/29/49 (n)      3,705,000        2,973,262   
Banco do Estado Rio Grande do Sul S.A., 7.375%, 2/02/22 (n)      2,497,000        2,648,068   
Brazil Minas SPE (State of Minas Gerais, CLN), 5.333%, 2/15/28 (n)      536,000        546,720   
Caixa Economica Federal, 4.25%, 5/13/19 (n)      509,000        515,973   
CNOOC Finance (2012) Ltd., 3.875%, 5/02/22 (n)      1,123,000        1,150,847   
CNOOC Finance (2013) Ltd., 3%, 5/09/23      2,512,000        2,387,716   
CNPC (HK) Overseas Capital Ltd., 4.5%, 4/28/21 (n)      540,000        578,560   
CNPC General Capital Ltd., 3.4%, 4/16/23 (n)      3,618,000        3,526,732   
Comision Federal de Electricidad, 4.875%, 1/15/24 (n)      372,000        399,900   
Comision Federal de Electricidad, 5.75%, 2/14/42 (n)      1,575,000        1,737,367   
Corporacion Financiera de Desarrollo S.A., 4.75%, 2/08/22 (n)      2,106,000        2,216,565   
Corporacion Financiera de Desarrollo S.A., FRN, 5.25%, 7/15/29 (n)      259,000        264,568   
Development Bank of Kazakhstan, 4.125%, 12/10/22      4,494,000        4,235,595   
Ecopetrol S.A., 7.375%, 9/18/43      2,767,000        3,534,842   
Ecopetrol S.A., 5.875%, 5/28/45      589,000        635,213   

 

7


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Emerging Market Quasi-Sovereign - continued                 
Empresa de Transporte de Pasajeros Metro S.A., 4.75%, 2/04/24 (n)    $ 345,000      $ 362,250   
Gaz Capital S.A., 4.95%, 2/06/28 (n)      3,446,000        2,964,249   
Instituto Costarricense, 6.375%, 5/15/43 (n)      1,007,000        901,174   
JSC Georgian Railway, 7.75%, 7/11/22 (n)      1,203,000        1,327,511   
KazAgro National Management Holding, 4.625%, 5/24/23 (n)      5,564,000        5,412,103   
Kazakhstan Temir Zholy Co., 6.95%, 7/10/42 (n)      2,711,000        3,063,430   
KazMunayGas National Co., 4.4%, 4/30/23 (n)      5,329,000        5,347,652   
Magyar Export-Import Bank, 5.5%, 2/12/18 (n)      1,290,000        1,383,525   
Majapahit Holding B.V., 7.875%, 6/29/37      2,000,000        2,427,500   
Office Cherifien des Phosphates, 6.875%, 4/25/44 (n)      838,000        900,850   
Oleoducto Central S.A., 4%, 5/07/21 (n)      267,000        270,204   
Pemex Project Funding Master Trust, 6.625%, 6/15/35      1,446,000        1,782,195   
Pertamina PT, 4.875%, 5/03/22 (n)      2,381,000        2,440,525   
Pertamina PT, 4.3%, 5/20/23 (n)      2,705,000        2,652,253   
Pertamina PT, 6.45%, 5/30/44 (n)      503,000        535,695   
Petroleos Mexicanos, 4.875%, 1/18/24      584,000        635,392   
Petroleos Mexicanos, 4.875%, 1/18/24 (n)      694,000        755,072   
Petroleum Co. of Trinidad & Tobago Ltd., 6%, 5/08/22      746,000        803,815   
PT Perusahaan Gas Negara (Persero) Tbk, 5.125%, 5/16/24 (n)      745,000        769,213   
Sinopec Capital (2013) Ltd., 3.125%, 4/24/23 (n)      3,060,000        2,931,948   
Sinopec Capital (2013) Ltd., 4.25%, 4/24/43 (n)      2,765,000        2,667,990   
Sinopec Group Overseas Development (2014) Ltd., 4.375%, 4/10/24 (n)      367,000        385,796   
State Grid Overseas Investment (2013) Ltd., 3.125%, 5/22/23 (n)      926,000        909,312   
Turkiye Ihracat Kredi Bankasi A.S., 5.875%, 4/24/19 (n)      2,725,000        2,925,833   
    

 

 

 
             $ 74,786,202   
Emerging Market Sovereign - 3.7%                 
Dominican Republic, 7.5%, 5/06/21 (n)    $ 1,270,000      $ 1,463,675   
Dominican Republic, 6.6%, 1/28/24 (n)      447,000        489,465   
Dominican Republic, 5.875%, 4/18/24 (n)      1,706,000        1,812,625   
Dominican Republic, 8.625%, 4/20/27      2,335,000        2,947,938   
Dominican Republic, 7.45%, 4/30/44 (n)      860,000        952,450   
Gabonese Republic, 6.375%, 12/12/24 (n)      641,000        700,293   
Government of Jamaica, 7.625%, 7/09/25      555,000        591,075   
Oriental Republic of Uruguay, 4.5%, 8/14/24      976,000        1,056,471   
Republic of Argentina, 7%, 10/03/15      3,301,000        3,019,223   
Republic of Argentina, 7%, 4/17/17      2,289,000        1,913,286   
Republic of Azerbaijan, 4.75%, 3/18/24 (n)      693,000        712,924   
Republic of Colombia, 6.125%, 1/18/41      562,000        694,070   
Republic of Colombia, 5.625%, 2/26/44      552,000        640,320   
Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, 5.375%, 7/23/24 (n)      267,000        262,995   

 

8


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Emerging Market Sovereign - continued                 
Republic of Croatia, 5.5%, 4/04/23 (n)    $ 3,210,000      $ 3,350,277   
Republic of Croatia, 6%, 1/26/24 (n)      2,652,000        2,850,900   
Republic of Ecuador, 7.95%, 6/20/24 (n)      878,000        970,190   
Republic of Guatemala, 4.875%, 2/13/28 (n)      2,255,000        2,300,100   
Republic of Hungary, 6.25%, 1/29/20      2,470,000        2,791,100   
Republic of Hungary, 6.375%, 3/29/21      2,502,000        2,852,280   
Republic of Hungary, 5.375%, 2/21/23      2,930,000        3,142,425   
Republic of Hungary, 5.75%, 11/22/23      810,000        891,000   
Republic of Hungary, 5.375%, 3/25/24      654,000        704,685   
Republic of Indonesia, 6.875%, 1/17/18      1,100,000        1,254,000   
Republic of Indonesia, 4.875%, 5/05/21 (n)      2,623,000        2,803,331   
Republic of Indonesia, 5.375%, 10/17/23 (n)      3,600,000        3,946,500   
Republic of Indonesia, 5.875%, 1/15/24 (n)      527,000        600,121   
Republic of Indonesia, 6.75%, 1/15/44 (n)      1,060,000        1,297,175   
Republic of Kenya, 6.875%, 6/24/24 (n)      222,000        239,760   
Republic of Lithuania, 6.625%, 2/01/22 (n)      1,794,000        2,181,953   
Republic of Paraguay, 4.625%, 1/25/23 (n)      2,559,000        2,654,963   
Republic of Paraguay, 6.1%, 8/11/44 (z)      329,000        352,030   
Republic of Peru, 7.35%, 7/21/25      787,000        1,058,515   
Republic of Philippines, 5.5%, 3/30/26      1,293,000        1,517,659   
Republic of Philippines, 6.375%, 10/23/34      1,396,000        1,814,800   
Republic of Romania, 4.375%, 8/22/23 (n)      796,000        830,825   
Republic of Romania, 4.875%, 1/22/24 (n)      768,000        821,760   
Republic of Serbia, 4.875%, 2/25/20 (n)      587,000        597,273   
Republic of Slovakia, 4.375%, 5/21/22 (n)      4,190,000        4,509,823   
Republic of Slovenia, 5.25%, 2/18/24 (n)      621,000        673,785   
Republic of Turkey, 5.625%, 3/30/21      1,594,000        1,752,284   
Republic of Turkey, 6.25%, 9/26/22      2,021,000        2,303,940   
Republic of Turkey, 7.375%, 2/05/25      1,983,000        2,466,852   
Republic of Turkey, 6.625%, 2/17/45      630,000        750,645   
Republic of Venezuela, 9.25%, 9/15/27      1,015,000        799,313   
Republic of Venezuela, 7%, 3/31/38      2,450,000        1,522,675   
Republic of Vietnam, 6.875%, 1/15/16      497,000        529,057   
Russian Federation, 4.5%, 4/04/22 (n)      1,800,000        1,757,700   
Russian Federation, 5.625%, 4/04/42 (n)      1,200,000        1,170,120   
Russian Federation, 5.875%, 9/16/43 (n)      4,000,000        4,000,800   
United Mexican States, 3.625%, 3/15/22      3,416,000        3,556,056   
United Mexican States, 4%, 10/02/23      1,672,000        1,772,320   
    

 

 

 
             $ 86,645,802   
Energy - Independent - 0.2%                 
Afren PLC, 11.5%, 2/01/16 (n)    $ 200,000      $ 209,000   
Nostrum Oil & Gas Finance B.V., 6.375%, 2/14/19 (n)      2,495,000        2,594,551   

 

9


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Energy - Independent - continued                 
Tullow Oil PLC, 6.25%, 4/15/22 (n)    $ 1,385,000      $ 1,385,000   
    

 

 

 
             $ 4,188,551   
Energy - Integrated - 0.4%                 
Inkia Energy Ltd., 8.375%, 4/04/21    $ 3,013,000      $ 3,284,170   
LUKOIL International Finance B.V., 4.563%, 4/24/23 (n)      3,560,000        3,200,440   
Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp., 7.25%, 12/12/21 (n)      2,923,000        3,244,530   
Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp., 5.125%, 3/28/23 (n)      705,000        712,050   
    

 

 

 
             $ 10,441,190   
Food & Beverages - 0.4%                 
BRF S.A., 4.75%, 5/22/24 (n)    $ 1,008,000      $ 1,018,080   
Corporacion Lindley S.A., 6.75%, 11/23/21      1,331,000        1,457,445   
Corporacion Lindley S.A., 6.75%, 11/23/21 (n)      630,000        689,850   
Corporacion Lindley S.A., 4.625%, 4/12/23 (n)      2,059,000        1,992,082   
Cosan Luxembourg S.A., 5%, 3/14/23 (n)      2,579,000        2,488,735   
Embotelladora Andina S.A., 5%, 10/01/23 (n)      868,000        926,111   
JBS Investments GmbH, 7.75%, 10/28/20 (n)      606,000        654,480   
Minerva Luxembourg S.A., 7.75%, 1/31/23 (n)      452,000        479,120   
    

 

 

 
             $ 9,705,903   
International Market Quasi-Sovereign - 0.6%                 
Israel Electric Corp. Ltd., 5.625%, 6/21/18 (n)    $ 6,440,000      $ 6,866,650   
Israel Electric Corp. Ltd., 6.875%, 6/21/23 (n)      5,888,000        6,775,793   
    

 

 

 
             $ 13,642,443   
International Market Sovereign - 0.3%                 
Republic of Iceland, 4.875%, 6/16/16 (n)    $ 1,933,000      $ 2,018,139   
Republic of Iceland, 5.875%, 5/11/22 (n)      4,811,000        5,474,942   
    

 

 

 
             $ 7,493,081   
Internet - 0.1%                 
Baidu, Inc., 3.25%, 8/06/18    $ 2,884,000      $ 2,986,904   
Local Authorities - 0.1%                 
Nashville & Davidson County, TN, Metropolitan Government Convention Center Authority (Build America Bonds), 6.731%, 7/01/43    $ 1,115,000      $ 1,457,450   
San Francisco, CA, City & County Public Utilities Commission, Water Rev. (Build America Bonds), 6%, 11/01/40      15,000        19,287   
University of California Rev. (Build America Bonds), 5.77%, 5/15/43      60,000        76,361   
    

 

 

 
             $ 1,553,098   

 

10


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Machinery & Tools - 0.1%                 
Ferreycorp S.A.A., 4.875%, 4/26/20 (n)    $ 2,681,000      $ 2,681,000   
Major Banks - 0.1%                 
DBS Bank Ltd., 3.625% to 9/21/17, FRN to 9/21/22 (n)    $ 1,801,000      $ 1,864,896   
Metals & Mining - 0.1%                 
Vale Overseas Ltd., 5.625%, 9/15/19    $ 1,134,000      $ 1,280,694   
Mortgage-Backed - 7.2%                 
Fannie Mae, 2.62%, 5/01/23    $ 293,467      $ 292,551   
Fannie Mae, 5.1%, 9/01/14 - 3/01/19      321,964        337,553   
Fannie Mae, 4.86%, 1/01/15      141,104        141,185   
Fannie Mae, 4.96%, 1/01/15      69,620        69,561   
Fannie Mae, 4.85%, 2/01/15      163,990        164,307   
Fannie Mae, 5.5%, 2/01/15 - 4/01/40      7,885,988        8,771,781   
Fannie Mae, 4.56%, 3/01/15      67,120        68,105   
Fannie Mae, 4.877%, 4/01/15      140,566        142,081   
Fannie Mae, 4.815%, 6/01/15      103,098        104,714   
Fannie Mae, 4.6%, 8/01/15 - 9/01/19      151,283        165,206   
Fannie Mae, 4.7%, 8/01/15      78,005        79,961   
Fannie Mae, 4.78%, 8/01/15      75,245        76,865   
Fannie Mae, 4.81%, 8/01/15      169,816        173,486   
Fannie Mae, 4.856%, 8/01/15      59,351        60,608   
Fannie Mae, 5.138%, 8/01/15      73,239        75,311   
Fannie Mae, 5.275%, 11/01/15      117,353        119,598   
Fannie Mae, 5.447%, 11/01/15      395,181        409,093   
Fannie Mae, 5.09%, 2/01/16      60,827        63,776   
Fannie Mae, 5.133%, 2/01/16      222,917        233,279   
Fannie Mae, 5.432%, 2/01/16      100,472        105,669   
Fannie Mae, 5.273%, 4/01/16      299,439        315,809   
Fannie Mae, 5.845%, 6/01/16      19,420        20,173   
Fannie Mae, 5.732%, 7/01/16      204,994        220,467   
Fannie Mae, 5.93%, 9/01/16      104,684        111,117   
Fannie Mae, 5.395%, 12/01/16      100,731        108,993   
Fannie Mae, 5.45%, 12/01/16      110,000        119,730   
Fannie Mae, 5.05%, 1/01/17 - 8/01/19      116,909        126,003   
Fannie Mae, 6.5%, 2/01/17 - 10/01/37      250,640        286,261   
Fannie Mae, 1.114%, 2/25/17      1,194,727        1,196,996   
Fannie Mae, 5.508%, 4/01/17      60,813        65,246   
Fannie Mae, 1.9%, 6/01/17      191,493        193,754   
Fannie Mae, 5.478%, 6/01/17      191,445        208,186   
Fannie Mae, 2.71%, 11/01/17      54,940        57,219   
Fannie Mae, 3.306%, 12/01/17      472,024        496,534   

 

11


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Mortgage-Backed - continued                 
Fannie Mae, 6%, 12/01/17 - 6/01/38    $ 1,153,327      $ 1,294,273   
Fannie Mae, 5.205%, 1/01/18      149,871        158,278   
Fannie Mae, 3.8%, 2/01/18      202,444        216,825   
Fannie Mae, 3.91%, 2/01/18      137,998        147,427   
Fannie Mae, 4%, 3/01/18 - 2/01/41      3,708,328        3,936,221   
Fannie Mae, 4.19%, 3/01/18      105,223        113,303   
Fannie Mae, 3.99%, 4/01/18      150,000        161,390   
Fannie Mae, 5.341%, 6/01/18      364,580        409,557   
Fannie Mae, 3.849%, 7/01/18      287,681        308,327   
Fannie Mae, 5%, 9/01/18 - 10/01/44      8,826,023        9,707,864   
Fannie Mae, 2.578%, 9/25/18      1,415,000        1,460,320   
Fannie Mae, 5.51%, 3/01/19      112,177        127,251   
Fannie Mae, 5.08%, 4/01/19      23,204        25,159   
Fannie Mae, 4.5%, 6/01/19 - 5/01/41      5,719,711        6,174,093   
Fannie Mae, 4.83%, 8/01/19 - 9/01/19      69,972        78,362   
Fannie Mae, 4.864%, 8/01/19      92,158        103,366   
Fannie Mae, 4.67%, 9/01/19      28,000        31,169   
Fannie Mae, 4.45%, 10/01/19      88,140        97,408   
Fannie Mae, 4.14%, 8/01/20      41,554        45,602   
Fannie Mae, 3.87%, 9/01/20      68,561        74,396   
Fannie Mae, 5.19%, 9/01/20      102,406        111,506   
Fannie Mae, 2.41%, 5/01/23      246,725        242,240   
Fannie Mae, 2.55%, 5/01/23      213,306        211,574   
Fannie Mae, 4.5%, 5/01/25      46,433        49,565   
Fannie Mae, 3%, 3/01/27 - 4/01/27      1,154,060        1,199,280   
Fannie Mae, 3.5%, 1/01/42 - 6/01/43      4,823,341        4,972,830   
Fannie Mae, 3.5%, 4/01/43      1,219,986        1,257,586   
Fannie Mae, TBA, 3%, 10/01/29      5,400,000        5,585,456   
Fannie Mae, TBA, 4%, 10/01/44 - 11/01/44      21,333,000        22,530,125   
Freddie Mac, 3.034%, 10/25/20      505,000        528,428   
Freddie Mac, 1.655%, 11/25/16      1,277,929        1,296,612   
Freddie Mac, 6%, 8/01/17 - 10/01/38      1,558,540        1,763,744   
Freddie Mac, 1.426%, 8/25/17      1,656,000        1,665,967   
Freddie Mac, 5%, 10/01/17 - 6/01/40      739,175        801,050   
Freddie Mac, 3.882%, 11/25/17      555,000        596,190   
Freddie Mac, 3.154%, 2/25/18      514,000        541,948   
Freddie Mac, 2.699%, 5/25/18      1,300,000        1,351,362   
Freddie Mac, 2.412%, 8/25/18      2,578,000        2,649,733   
Freddie Mac, 2.303%, 9/25/18      1,515,000        1,548,735   
Freddie Mac, 2.323%, 10/25/18      1,765,000        1,804,873   
Freddie Mac, 2.13%, 1/25/19      1,750,000        1,772,677   
Freddie Mac, 2.086%, 3/25/19      1,175,000        1,186,879   
Freddie Mac, 5.085%, 3/25/19      1,410,000        1,596,065   

 

12


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Mortgage-Backed - continued                 
Freddie Mac, 1.883%, 5/25/19    $ 1,000,000      $ 1,000,412   
Freddie Mac, 4.186%, 8/25/19      1,484,668        1,628,702   
Freddie Mac, 4.251%, 1/25/20      230,000        253,661   
Freddie Mac, 4.224%, 3/25/20      99,963        110,241   
Freddie Mac, 2.757%, 5/25/20      198,300        205,620   
Freddie Mac, 3.32%, 7/25/20 - 2/25/23      866,731        908,575   
Freddie Mac, 2.856%, 1/25/21      1,344,000        1,388,778   
Freddie Mac, 2.682%, 10/25/22      400,000        400,910   
Freddie Mac, 3.25%, 4/25/23      1,700,000        1,769,506   
Freddie Mac, 3.3%, 4/25/23      1,045,940        1,092,032   
Freddie Mac, 3.06%, 7/25/23      330,000        338,166   
Freddie Mac, 3.458%, 8/25/23      675,000        711,761   
Freddie Mac, 4.5%, 9/01/24 - 4/01/44      11,893,971        12,871,384   
Freddie Mac, 5.5%, 10/01/24 - 6/01/41      2,299,046        2,574,300   
Freddie Mac, 4%, 7/01/25 - 11/01/43      1,384,647        1,467,450   
Freddie Mac, 2.5%, 5/01/28 - 7/01/28      8,413,017        8,537,267   
Freddie Mac, 6.5%, 5/01/37 - 2/01/38      72,241        81,386   
Freddie Mac, 3.5%, 12/01/41 - 7/01/43      7,108,391        7,315,375   
Freddie Mac, 3%, 4/01/43 - 5/01/43      4,857,867        4,860,750   
Ginnie Mae, 3%, 2/15/43      318,779        324,432   
Ginnie Mae, 5.5%, 5/15/33 - 1/20/42      752,365        843,707   
Ginnie Mae, 4.5%, 7/20/33 - 10/20/43      8,148,261        8,885,490   
Ginnie Mae, 4%, 10/15/39 - 4/20/41      654,682        699,502   
Ginnie Mae, 3.5%, 12/15/41 - 6/20/43      7,213,587        7,514,775   
Ginnie Mae, 3%, 7/20/43      1,873,745        1,904,151   
Ginnie Mae, 5.612%, 4/20/58      115,285        118,735   
Ginnie Mae, 6.357%, 4/20/58      82,080        85,882   
Ginnie Mae, TBA, 4%, 10/01/44      7,000,000        7,443,243   
    

 

 

 
             $ 170,452,387   
Natural Gas - Distribution - 0.1%                 
GNL Quintero S.A., 4.634%, 7/31/29 (n)    $ 1,125,000      $ 1,151,674   
Network & Telecom - 0.5%                 
Columbus International, Inc., 7.375%, 3/30/21 (n)    $ 371,000      $ 403,926   
Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones S.A., 4.875%, 10/30/24 (n)      1,557,000        1,615,275   
Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones S.A., 4.75%, 8/01/26 (n)      9,197,000        9,333,143   
Telefonica Celular del Paraguay S.A., 6.75%, 12/13/22 (n)      1,333,000        1,432,975   
    

 

 

 
             $ 12,785,319   

 

13


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Oil Services - 0.3%                 
Odebrecht Offshore Drilling Finance Ltd., 6.75%, 10/01/22 (n)    $ 4,434,356      $ 4,766,932   
Odebrecht Oil & Finance Co., 7.00% to 6/17/24, FRN to 12/29/49 (n)      443,000        454,075   
QGOG Constellation S.A., 6.25%, 11/09/19 (n)      2,447,000        2,520,410   
    

 

 

 
             $ 7,741,417   
Other Banks & Diversified Financials - 0.6%                 
Banco de Credito del Peru, 6.125% to 4/24/22, FRN to 4/24/27 (n)    $ 2,760,000      $ 2,953,200   
Banco GNB Sudameris S.A., 3.875%, 5/02/18 (n)      1,797,000        1,788,015   
Banco Inbursa S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Inbursa, 4.125%, 6/06/24 (n)      1,528,000        1,508,442   
BBVA Banco Continental S.A., 5%, 8/26/22 (n)      1,265,000        1,334,575   
BBVA Bancomer S.A. de C.V., 6.5%, 3/10/21 (n)      1,770,000        1,991,250   
BBVA Bancomer S.A. de C.V., 6.75%, 9/30/22 (n)      1,788,000        2,031,168   
BBVA Continental, 5.75%, 1/18/17 (n)      500,000        542,600   
Industrial Senior Trust, 5.5%, 11/01/22 (n)      2,082,000        2,061,180   
    

 

 

 
             $ 14,210,430   
Real Estate - Retail - 0.0%                 
InRetail Shopping Malls Co., 6.5%, 7/09/21 (n)    $ 159,000      $ 165,360   
Retailers - 0.0%                 
Cencosud S.A., 4.875%, 1/20/23 (n)    $ 500,000      $ 501,250   
Supranational - 0.1%                 
Eurasian Development Bank, 4.767%, 9/20/22 (n)    $ 1,352,000      $ 1,318,200   
Inter-American Development Bank, 4.375%, 1/24/44      511,000        582,627   
    

 

 

 
             $ 1,900,827   
Telecommunications - Wireless - 0.8%                 
Altice Financing S.A., 6.5%, 1/15/22 (n)    $ 2,769,000      $ 2,914,372   
Altice Finco S.A., 8.125%, 1/15/24 (n)      1,416,000        1,539,900   
America Movil S.A.B. de C.V., 5%, 3/30/20      877,000        970,506   
Bharti Airtel International B.V., 5.35%, 5/20/24 (n)      1,500,000        1,610,580   
Comcel Trust, 6.875%, 2/06/24 (n)      2,895,000        3,184,500   
Digicel Group Ltd., 6%, 4/15/21 (n)      2,253,000        2,320,590   
Digicel Group Ltd., 7.125%, 4/01/22 (n)      881,000        914,037   
Millicom International Cellular S.A., 4.75%, 5/22/20 (n)      600,000        598,500   
Millicom International Cellular S.A., 6.625%, 10/15/21 (n)      1,182,000        1,288,380   
MTS International Funding Ltd., 5%, 5/30/23 (n)      2,819,000        2,537,100   
    

 

 

 
             $ 17,878,465   
Telephone Services - 0.3%                 
B Communications Ltd., 7.375%, 2/15/21 (n)    $ 6,602,000      $ 7,014,625   

 

14


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
Transportation - 0.1%                 
Far East Capital Ltd. S.A., 8%, 5/02/18    $ 1,300,000      $ 945,750   
Far Eastern Shipping Co., 8%, 5/02/18 (n)      1,127,000        819,893   
Far Eastern Shipping Co., 8.75%, 5/02/20 (n)      850,000        586,500   
    

 

 

 
             $ 2,352,143   
Transportation - Services - 0.0%                 
Topaz Marine S.A., 8.625%, 11/01/18 (n)    $ 583,000      $ 609,235   
U.S. Government Agencies and Equivalents - 0.8%                 
Aid-Egypt, 4.45%, 9/15/15    $ 170,000      $ 177,071   
Fannie Mae, 1.125%, 4/27/17      5,500,000        5,530,344   
Fannie Mae, 0.875%, 5/21/18      4,000,000        3,924,480   
Government of Ukraine, 1.844%, 5/16/19      1,290,000        1,289,355   
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, 1.945%, 6/23/19      987,000        987,000   
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, 2.503%, 10/30/20      1,108,000        1,125,808   
Private Export Funding Corp., 1.875%, 7/15/18      850,000        865,012   
Small Business Administration, 6.34%, 5/01/21      70,462        76,300   
Small Business Administration, 6.07%, 3/01/22      67,519        73,063   
Small Business Administration, 5.16%, 2/01/28      162,554        179,394   
Small Business Administration, 2.21%, 2/01/33      386,503        373,833   
Small Business Administration, 2.22%, 3/01/33      752,853        728,310   
Small Business Administration, 3.15%, 7/01/33      812,424        833,182   
Small Business Administration, 3.16%, 8/01/33      932,741        955,293   
Small Business Administration, 3.62%, 9/01/33      785,425        832,336   
Tennessee Valley Authority, 1.75%, 10/15/18      863,000        868,189   
Tunisian Republic, 2.452%, 7/24/21      728,000        732,514   
    

 

 

 
             $ 19,551,484   
U.S. Treasury Obligations - 7.7%                 
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 9.25%, 2/15/16    $ 47,000      $ 53,055   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 6.375%, 8/15/27      106,000        150,851   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 5.25%, 2/15/29      2,965,000        3,887,394   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 4.5%, 2/15/36      231,000        291,240   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 4.375%, 2/15/38      346,000        429,094   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 4.5%, 8/15/39      11,474,000        14,550,466   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 3.125%, 2/15/43      5,123,900        5,171,937   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 2.875%, 5/15/43      5,255,800        5,044,748   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 4%, 2/15/15      1,397,000        1,421,720   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.125%, 5/31/15      28,031,000        28,454,745   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 0.375%, 2/15/16      30,815,700        30,851,816   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.625%, 4/30/16      2,800,000        2,903,359   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 0.875%, 12/31/16      29,991,000        30,126,889   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.625%, 4/30/18      1,752,000        1,837,547   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.75%, 2/15/19      2,949,000        3,104,283   

 

15


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued                 
U.S. Treasury Obligations - continued                 
U.S. Treasury Notes, 3.125%, 5/15/19    $ 1,116,000      $ 1,193,772   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 1%, 6/30/19      11,566,000        11,229,869   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.625%, 8/15/20      2,260,000        2,356,755   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2%, 11/30/20      1,761,000        1,768,153   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 3.125%, 5/15/21      19,451,000        20,855,129   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 1.75%, 5/15/22      3,949,000        3,841,635   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.5%, 8/15/23      7,758,000        7,905,278   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.75%, 2/15/24      3,609,000        3,743,211   
    

 

 

 
             $ 181,172,946   
Utilities - Electric Power - 0.3%                 
Colbun S.A., 4.5%, 7/10/24 (n)    $ 728,000      $ 723,500   
E-CL S.A., 5.625%, 1/15/21      2,177,000        2,383,815   
Empresa Nacional de Electricidad S.A., 4.25%, 4/15/24      521,000        528,887   
Greenko Dutch B.V., 8%, 8/01/19 (n)      1,309,000        1,300,819   
Transelec S.A., 4.625%, 7/26/23 (n)      1,507,000        1,567,179   
Transelec S.A., 4.25%, 1/14/25 (n)      1,240,000        1,245,922   
    

 

 

 
             $ 7,750,122   
Utilities - Gas - 0.1%                 
Transport de Gas Peru, 4.25%, 4/30/28 (n)    $ 3,039,000      $ 2,928,684   
Total Bonds (Identified Cost, $690,989,470)            $ 705,561,227   
Common Stocks - 42.7%                 
Aerospace - 0.5%                 
Exelis, Inc.      179,152      $ 3,079,623   
Lockheed Martin Corp.      26,891        4,679,034   
Northrop Grumman Corp.      27,916        3,551,474   
    

 

 

 
             $ 11,310,131   
Airlines - 0.1%                 
Copa Holdings S.A., “A”      14,180      $ 1,743,856   
Automotive - 0.6%                 
Delphi Automotive PLC      48,773      $ 3,393,625   
General Motors Co.      179,590        6,249,732   
Johnson Controls, Inc.      37,611        1,835,793   
TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. (a)      15,975        1,538,233   
    

 

 

 
             $ 13,017,383   
Business Services - 0.2%                 
Accenture PLC, “A”      60,733      $ 4,923,017   
Veritiv Corp. (a)      716        31,876   
    

 

 

 
             $ 4,954,893   

 

16


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Common Stocks - continued                 
Cable TV - 0.4%                 
Comcast Corp., “A”      48,858      $ 2,673,998   
Time Warner Cable, Inc.      52,028        7,696,502   
    

 

 

 
             $ 10,370,500   
Chemicals - 0.3%                 
LyondellBasell Industries N.V., “A”      56,460      $ 6,456,201   
Computer Software - 0.1%                 
CA, Inc.      97,314      $ 2,748,147   
Computer Software - Systems - 1.0%                 
EMC Corp.      92,514      $ 2,731,938   
Hewlett-Packard Co.      317,775        12,075,450   
Western Digital Corp.      52,377        5,395,355   
Xerox Corp.      172,450        2,381,535   
    

 

 

 
             $ 22,584,278   
Consumer Products - 0.4%                 
Procter & Gamble Co.      127,070      $ 10,560,788   
Consumer Services - 0.1%                 
DeVry, Inc.      62,755      $ 2,694,072   
Containers - 0.2%                 
Packaging Corp. of America      77,714      $ 5,283,775   
Electrical Equipment - 0.1%                 
General Electric Co.      110,947      $ 2,882,403   
Electronics - 0.4%                 
Intel Corp.      135,470      $ 4,730,612   
Microchip Technology, Inc.      114,917        5,611,397   
    

 

 

 
             $ 10,342,009   
Energy - Independent - 1.2%                 
CVR Energy, Inc. (l)      62,885      $ 3,120,982   
Marathon Oil Corp.      40,695        1,696,575   
Marathon Petroleum Corp.      55,634        5,063,250   
Noble Energy, Inc.      16,085        1,160,372   
Occidental Petroleum Corp.      89,333        9,266,512   
Valero Energy Corp.      158,150        8,562,241   
    

 

 

 
             $ 28,869,932   

 

17


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Common Stocks - continued                 
Energy - Integrated - 1.7%                 
Chevron Corp.      134,151      $ 17,365,847   
Exxon Mobil Corp.      145,185        14,440,100   
Hess Corp.      80,771        8,165,948   
    

 

 

 
             $ 39,971,895   
Entertainment - 0.1%                 
Regal Entertainment Group, “A” (l)      163,972      $ 3,451,611   
Food & Beverages - 0.5%                 
Archer Daniels Midland Co.      134,334      $ 6,697,893   
General Mills, Inc.      91,903        4,905,782   
    

 

 

 
             $ 11,603,675   
Food & Drug Stores - 0.3%                 
Kroger Co.      153,755      $ 7,838,430   
Forest & Paper Products - 0.1%                 
International Paper Co.      37,500      $ 1,816,875   
Furniture & Appliances - 0.2%                 
Whirlpool Corp.      27,285      $ 4,175,151   
General Merchandise - 0.5%                 
Kohl’s Corp.      28,205      $ 1,658,172   
Macy’s, Inc.      126,643        7,888,592   
Target Corp.      27,060        1,625,494   
    

 

 

 
             $ 11,172,258   
Health Maintenance Organizations - 0.3%                 
WellPoint, Inc.      69,239      $ 8,067,036   
Insurance - 2.0%                 
Everest Re Group Ltd.      44,822      $ 7,343,636   
Lincoln National Corp.      88,719        4,883,094   
MetLife, Inc.      177,433        9,712,682   
Prudential Financial, Inc.      100,128        8,981,482   
Travelers Cos., Inc.      84,269        7,981,117   
Validus Holdings Ltd.      195,939        7,663,174   
    

 

 

 
             $ 46,565,185   
Internet - 0.2%                 
Yahoo!, Inc. (a)      144,402      $ 5,560,921   

 

18


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Common Stocks - continued                 
Machinery & Tools - 0.6%                 
Caterpillar, Inc.      30,018      $ 3,274,063   
Eaton Corp. PLC      112,610        7,861,304   
Joy Global, Inc.      49,748        3,141,586   
    

 

 

 
             $ 14,276,953   
Major Banks - 2.4%                 
Bank of America Corp.      265,221      $ 4,267,406   
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.      61,076        10,939,322   
JPMorgan Chase & Co.      312,343        18,568,791   
PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.      28,588        2,422,833   
Wells Fargo & Co.      393,450        20,239,068   
    

 

 

 
             $ 56,437,420   
Medical & Health Technology & Services - 0.8%                 
Capital Senior Living Corp. (a)      190,005      $ 4,345,414   
Cardinal Health, Inc.      86,090        6,344,833   
HCA Holdings, Inc. (a)      100,123        6,990,588   
    

 

 

 
             $ 17,680,835   
Medical Equipment - 0.6%                 
Abbott Laboratories      98,828      $ 4,174,495   
Covidien PLC      76,609        6,651,959   
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.      28,843        3,467,217   
    

 

 

 
             $ 14,293,671   
Oil Services - 0.1%                 
Seadrill Ltd. (l)      43,673      $ 1,626,819   
Other Banks & Diversified Financials - 1.5%                 
Assured Guaranty Ltd.      63,841      $ 1,541,760   
BB&T Corp.      112,303        4,192,271   
Citigroup, Inc.      235,655        12,171,581   
Discover Financial Services      162,319        10,123,836   
New York Community Bancorp, Inc. (l)      169,999        2,711,484   
Western Union Co.      305,229        5,332,351   
    

 

 

 
             $ 36,073,283   
Pharmaceuticals - 1.5%                 
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.      105,780      $ 5,357,757   
Eli Lilly & Co.      48,702        3,095,499   
Johnson & Johnson      78,241        8,115,939   
Merck & Co., Inc.      32,624        1,961,029   
Pfizer, Inc.      544,566        16,004,795   
    

 

 

 
             $ 34,535,019   

 

19


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Common Stocks - continued                 
Pollution Control - 0.1%                 
Republic Services, Inc.      35,655      $ 1,402,311   
Printing & Publishing - 0.0%                 
American Media Operations, Inc. (a)      6,684      $ 1,200   
Railroad & Shipping - 0.1%                 
Kansas City Southern Co.      14,651      $ 1,690,139   
Real Estate - 20.2%                 
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., REIT      253,424      $ 20,035,701   
AvalonBay Communities, Inc., REIT      205,347        31,643,973   
Big Yellow Group PLC, REIT      556,019        4,864,605   
Boston Properties, Inc., REIT      188,139        22,843,837   
Corporate Office Properties Trust, REIT      509,777        14,467,471   
DDR Corp., REIT      405,782        7,393,348   
Digital Realty Trust, Inc., REIT      155,911        10,173,193   
EastGroup Properties, Inc., REIT      74,809        4,850,616   
Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc., REIT      477,583        21,820,767   
Federal Realty Investment Trust, REIT      127,505        15,910,074   
Gramercy Property Trust, Inc., REIT      1,675,808        10,373,252   
Home Properties, Inc., REIT      262,750        16,873,805   
Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., REIT      908,963        20,742,536   
Medical Properties Trust, Inc., REIT      964,002        13,582,788   
Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc., REIT      312,674        22,612,584   
National Health Investors, Inc., REIT      77,681        5,011,201   
Plum Creek Timber Co. Inc., REIT      512,108        20,806,948   
Public Storage, Inc., REIT      176,293        30,883,008   
Rexford Industrial Realty, Inc., REIT      1,088,414        16,043,222   
Simon Property Group, Inc., REIT      343,359        58,381,331   
Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc., REIT      489,084        17,073,922   
Ventas, Inc., REIT      312,571        20,560,920   
Vornado Realty Trust, REIT      290,667        30,772,915   
Washington Prime Group, Inc. REIT      710,463        13,868,238   
Weyerhaeuser Co., REIT      676,874        22,979,872   
    

 

 

 
             $ 474,570,127   
Restaurants - 0.2%                 
Aramark      48,154      $ 1,247,189   
McDonald’s Corp.      35,472        3,324,436   
    

 

 

 
             $ 4,571,625   
Telecommunications - Wireless - 0.5%                 
American Tower Corp., REIT      121,635      $ 11,993,211   

 

20


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Common Stocks - continued                 
Telephone Services - 0.8%                 
AT&T, Inc.      69,321      $ 2,423,462   
CenturyLink, Inc.      124,106        5,087,105   
Frontier Communications Corp.      842,764        5,730,795   
Verizon Communications, Inc.      122,472        6,101,555   
    

 

 

 
             $ 19,342,917   
Tobacco - 0.3%                 
Lorillard, Inc.      126,440      $ 7,548,468   
Trucking - 0.1%                 
Swift Transportation Co. (a)      80,503      $ 1,705,054   
Utilities - Electric Power - 1.4%                 
AES Corp.      279,103      $ 4,236,783   
Alliant Energy Corp.      80,847        4,728,741   
American Electric Power Co., Inc.      135,358        7,268,725   
Edison International      18,634        1,102,015   
Entergy Corp.      44,480        3,443,197   
Great Plains Energy, Inc.      153,864        3,949,689   
PG&E Corp.      70,515        3,277,537   
PPL Corp.      165,315        5,724,858   
    

 

 

 
             $ 33,731,545   
Total Common Stocks (Identified Cost, $805,515,667)            $ 1,005,522,002   
Issuer/Expiration Date/Strike Price    Number
of
Contracts
        
Put Options Purchased - 0.0%                 
iShares Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate - December 2014 @ $63      3,000      $ 45,000   
iShares Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate - January 2015 @ $55      3,000        15,000   
iShares Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate - January 2015 @ $57      3,000        15,000   
iShares Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate - January 2015 @ $60      3,000        39,000   
iShares Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate - January 2015 @ $62      3,000        63,000   
iShares Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate - September 2014 @ $58      2,000        6,000   
iShares Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate - September 2014 @ $60      2,000        6,000   
S&P 500 Index - June 2015 @ $1,700      220        772,200   
Total Put Options Purchased
(Premiums Paid, $3,379,060)
           $ 961,200   

 

21


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Underlying Affiliated Funds - 24.9%                 
Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
MFS High Yield Pooled Portfolio (Identified Cost, $570,615,897) (v)      58,819,564      $ 585,842,855   
Money Market Funds - 3.6%                 
MFS Institutional Money Market Portfolio, 0.09%,
at Cost and Net Asset Value (v)
     84,361,022      $ 84,361,022   
Collateral for Securities Loaned - 0.4%                 
JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund, 0.06%,
at Cost and Net Asset Value (j)
     8,179,794      $ 8,179,794   
Total Investments (Identified Cost, $2,163,040,910)            $ 2,390,428,100   
Other Assets, Less Liabilities - (1.6)%              (38,532,583
Net Assets - 100.0%            $ 2,351,895,517   

 

(a) Non-income producing security.
(j) The rate quoted is the annualized seven-day yield of the fund at period end.
(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 $243,942,671, representing 10.4% 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  
Republic of Paraguay, 6.1%, 8/11/44    8/04/14      $329,000         $352,030   
% of Net assets         0.0%   

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

 

CLN   Credit-Linked Note
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

 

22


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Derivative Contracts at 8/31/14

Swap Agreements at 8/31/14

 

Expiration          Notional
Amount
    Counterparty   Cash Flows
to Receive
  Cash Flows
to Pay
  Fair
Value
 
Liability Derivatives      
Credit Default Swap Agreements    
9/20/24     USD        6,148,000      Barclays Bank (a)   1% (fixed rate)   (1)     $(405,522
           

 

 

 

 

(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.
(a) Net unamortized premiums received by the fund amounted to $449,790.

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.

At August 31, 2014, the fund had cash collateral of $510,000 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

 

23


Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

At 8/31/14 (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, $1,508,063,991)

     $1,720,224,223   

Underlying affiliated funds, at value (identified cost, $654,976,919)

     670,203,877   

Total investments, at value, including $7,990,605 of securities on loan
(identified cost, $2,163,040,910)

     $2,390,428,100   

Restricted cash

     510,000   

Receivables for

  

Investments sold

     1,150,708   

TBA sale commitments

     4,408,125   

Fund shares sold

     9,325,190   

Interest and dividends

     7,770,254   

Other assets

     2,833   

Total assets

     $2,413,595,210   
Liabilities         

Payables for

  

Distributions

     $648,904   

Investments purchased

     2,147,700   

TBA purchase commitments

     44,157,938   

Fund shares reacquired

     3,843,456   

Swaps, at value (net unamortized premiums received, $449,790)

     405,522   

Collateral for securities loaned, at value

     8,179,794   

Payable to affiliates

  

Investment adviser

     156,868   

Shareholder servicing costs

     1,416,183   

Distribution and service fees

     108,161   

Payable for independent Trustees’ compensation

     659   

Deferred country tax expense payable

     513,492   

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     121,016   

Total liabilities

     $61,699,693   

Net assets

     $2,351,895,517   
Net assets consist of         

Paid-in capital

     $2,121,464,049   

Unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments (net of $415,548 deferred country tax)

     227,015,910   

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

     4,426,421   

Accumulated distributions in excess of net investment income

     (1,010,863

Net assets

     $2,351,895,517   

Shares of beneficial interest outstanding

     185,590,592   

 

24


Table of Contents

Statement of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited) – continued

 

 

     Net assets     

Shares

outstanding

    

Net asset value

per share (a)

 

Class A

     $1,134,973,162         89,548,926         $12.67   

Class C

     705,460,925         55,691,424         12.67   

Class I

     495,823,157         39,116,413         12.68   

Class R1

     672,782         53,163         12.66   

Class R2

     1,638,271         129,328         12.67   

Class R3

     7,630,384         601,928         12.68   

Class R4

     3,213,393         253,467         12.68   

Class R5

     2,483,443         195,943         12.67   

 

(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 $13.30 [100 / 95.25 x $12.67]. 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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Financial Statements

 

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

Six months ended 8/31/14 (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

     $12,103,085   

Interest

     12,163,075   

Dividends from underlying affiliated funds

     17,144,408   

Total investment income

     $41,410,568   

Expenses

  

Management fee

     $7,215,957   

Distribution and service fees

     4,771,800   

Shareholder servicing costs

     1,058,989   

Administrative services fee

     141,326   

Independent Trustees’ compensation

     21,296   

Custodian fee

     121,381   

Shareholder communications

     64,642   

Audit and tax fees

     33,879   

Legal fees

     9,113   

Miscellaneous

     148,835   

Total expenses

     $13,587,218   

Fees paid indirectly

     (330

Reduction of expenses by investment adviser and distributor

     (229,816

Net expenses

     $13,357,072   

Net investment income

     $28,053,496   
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments and
foreign currency
        

Realized gain (loss) (identified cost basis)

  

Investments:

  

Non-affiliated issuers (net of $97,944 country tax)

     $13,348,494   

Underlying affiliated funds

     (91,490

Capital gain distributions from underlying affiliated funds

     269,989   

Swap agreements

     258,979   

Foreign currency

     392   

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency

     $13,786,364   

Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

  

Investments (net of $415,548 increase in deferred country tax)

     $83,235,752   

Swap agreements

     4,160   

Net unrealized gain (loss) on investments

     $83,239,912   

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

     $97,026,276   

Change in net assets from operations

     $125,079,772   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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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

8/31/14

    

Year ended

2/28/14

 
Change in net assets    (unaudited)         
From operations                  

Net investment income

     $28,053,496         $50,145,378   

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency

     13,786,364         43,479,502   

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

     83,239,912         44,300,502   

Change in net assets from operations

     $125,079,772         $137,925,382   
Distributions declared to shareholders                  

From net investment income

     $(27,764,111      $(51,204,939

From net realized gain on investments

     (15,172,358      (28,187,612

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(42,936,469      $(79,392,551

Change in net assets from fund share transactions

     $184,122,224         $476,543,359   

Total change in net assets

     $266,265,527         $535,076,190   
Net assets                  

At beginning of period

     2,085,629,990         1,550,553,800   

At end of period (including accumulated distributions in excess of net investment income of $1,010,863 and $1,300,248, respectively)

     $2,351,895,517         $2,085,629,990   

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.

 

Class A  

Six months

ended

8/31/14

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
      2014     2013     2012     2011     2010  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $12.21        $11.82        $11.05        $10.79        $9.60        $6.88   
Income (loss) from investment operations                                           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.17        $0.34        $0.33        $0.34        $0.40        $0.43   

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

    0.55        0.57        0.82        0.30        1.23        2.75   

Total from investment operations

    $0.72        $0.91        $1.15        $0.64        $1.63        $3.18   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                                   

From net investment income

    $(0.17     $(0.35     $(0.37     $(0.38     $(0.44     $(0.46

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.09     (0.17     (0.01                     

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.26     $(0.52     $(0.38     $(0.38     $(0.44     $(0.46

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $12.67        $12.21        $11.82        $11.05        $10.79        $9.60   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

    5.90 (n)      7.87        10.56        6.09        17.36        47.12   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                           

Expenses before expense
reductions (f)

    1.04 (a)(h)      1.07 (h)      1.08        1.10        1.15        1.20   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    1.02 (a)(h)      1.06 (h)      1.08        1.10        1.06        0.94   

Net investment income

    2.71 (a)      2.83        2.86        3.18        3.95        5.02   

Portfolio turnover

    19 (n)      63        64        64        59        79   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $1,134,973        $1,071,400        $797,338        $447,034        $257,247        $116,318   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

Class C  

Six months

ended

8/31/14

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
      2014     2013     2012     2011     2010  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $12.20        $11.82        $11.04        $10.78        $9.59        $6.88   
Income (loss) from investment operations                                           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.12        $0.25        $0.24        $0.26        $0.33        $0.37   

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

    0.56        0.56        0.83        0.30        1.22        2.74   

Total from investment operations

    $0.68        $0.81        $1.07        $0.56        $1.55        $3.11   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                                   

From net investment income

    $(0.12     $(0.26     $(0.28     $(0.30     $(0.36     $(0.40

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.09     (0.17     (0.01                     

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.21     $(0.43     $(0.29     $(0.30     $(0.36     $(0.40

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $12.67        $12.20        $11.82        $11.04        $10.78        $9.59   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

    5.59 (n)      6.97        9.84        5.31        16.51        45.90   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                           

Expenses before expense
reductions (f)

    1.79 (a)(h)      1.82 (h)      1.83        1.85        1.90        1.95   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    1.77 (a)(h)      1.81 (h)      1.83        1.85        1.81        1.69   

Net investment income

    1.96 (a)      2.08        2.11        2.43        3.20        4.27   

Portfolio turnover

    19 (n)      63        64        64        59        79   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $705,461        $630,810        $466,361        $238,332        $138,344        $63,377   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

Class I  

Six months

ended

8/31/14

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
      2014     2013     2012     2011     2010  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $12.21        $11.82        $11.05        $10.79        $9.60        $6.88   
Income (loss) from investment operations                                           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.19        $0.37        $0.35        $0.36        $0.41        $0.45   

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

    0.55        0.57        0.83        0.30        1.25        2.75   

Total from investment operations

    $0.74        $0.94        $1.18        $0.66        $1.66        $3.20   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                                   

From net investment income

    $(0.18     $(0.38     $(0.40     $(0.40     $(0.47     $(0.48

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.09     (0.17     (0.01                     

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.27     $(0.55     $(0.41     $(0.40     $(0.47     $(0.48

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $12.68        $12.21        $11.82        $11.05        $10.79        $9.60   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    6.11 (n)      8.14        10.83        6.35        17.65        47.47   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                           

Expenses before expense
reductions (f)

    0.79 (a)(h)      0.82 (h)      0.83        0.85        0.89        0.93   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    0.77 (a)(h)      0.81 (h)      0.83        0.85        0.83        0.69   

Net investment income

    2.95 (a)      3.08        3.09        3.43        3.94        4.95   

Portfolio turnover

    19 (n)      63        64        64        59        79   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $495,823        $371,274        $280,443        $96,323        $30,993        $3,835   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

Class R1   Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
      2014     2013     2012     2011     2010  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $12.20        $11.81        $11.04        $10.78        $9.59        $6.87   
Income (loss) from investment operations                                           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.12        $0.25        $0.23        $0.26        $0.34        $0.37   

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

    0.55        0.57        0.83        0.30        1.21        2.75   

Total from investment operations

    $0.67        $0.82        $1.06        $0.56        $1.55        $3.12   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                                           

From net investment income

    $(0.12     $(0.26     $(0.28     $(0.30     $(0.36     $(0.40

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.09     (0.17     (0.01                     

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.21     $(0.43     $(0.29     $(0.30     $(0.36     $(0.40

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $12.66        $12.20        $11.81        $11.04        $10.78        $9.59   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    5.51 (n)      7.06        9.75        5.31        16.51        46.11   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                           

Expenses before expense
reductions (f)

    1.79 (a)(h)      1.82 (h)      1.84        1.85        1.90        1.94   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    1.77 (a)(h)      1.81 (h)      1.84        1.85        1.80        1.69   

Net investment income

    1.96 (a)      2.11        2.04        2.44        3.32        4.24   

Portfolio turnover

    19 (n)      63        64        64        59        79   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $673        $775        $375        $142        $126        $106   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

Class R2   Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
      2014     2013     2012     2011     2010  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $12.20        $11.82        $11.04        $10.78        $9.59        $6.87   
Income (loss) from investment operations                                           

Net investment income (d)

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

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

    0.56        0.56        0.83        0.30        1.21        2.75   

Total from investment operations

    $0.71        $0.87        $1.13        $0.61        $1.60        $3.16   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                                           

From net investment income

    $(0.15     $(0.32     $(0.34     $(0.35     $(0.41     $(0.44

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.09     (0.17     (0.01                     

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.24     $(0.49     $(0.35     $(0.35     $(0.41     $(0.44

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $12.67        $12.20        $11.82        $11.04        $10.78        $9.59   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    5.85 (n)      7.51        10.39        5.83        17.09        46.82   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                           

Expenses before expense
reductions (f)

    1.29 (a)(h)      1.32 (h)      1.34        1.35        1.40        1.45   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    1.27 (a)(h)      1.31 (h)      1.34        1.35        1.30        1.19   

Net investment income

    2.44 (a)      2.59        2.59        2.93        3.83        4.74   

Portfolio turnover

    19 (n)      63        64        64        59        79   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $1,638        $1,180        $702        $212        $125        $107   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

Class R3  

Six months

ended

8/31/14

    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
      2014     2013     2012     2011     2010  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $12.21        $11.83        $11.05        $10.79        $9.59        $6.88   
Income (loss) from investment operations                                           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.17        $0.34        $0.31        $0.34        $0.41        $0.43   

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

    0.56        0.56        0.85        0.30        1.23        2.74   

Total from investment operations

    $0.73        $0.90        $1.16        $0.64        $1.64        $3.17   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                                           

From net investment income

    $(0.17     $(0.35     $(0.37     $(0.38     $(0.44     $(0.46

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.09     (0.17     (0.01                     

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.26     $(0.52     $(0.38     $(0.38     $(0.44     $(0.46

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $12.68        $12.21        $11.83        $11.05        $10.79        $9.59   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    5.98 (n)      7.77        10.65        6.09        17.48        46.96   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                           

Expenses before expense
reductions (f)

    1.04 (a)(h)      1.07 (h)      1.10        1.10        1.15        1.20   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    1.02 (a)(h)      1.06 (h)      1.10        1.10        1.06        0.94   

Net investment income

    2.70 (a)      2.84        2.70        3.17        3.99        4.99   

Portfolio turnover

    19 (n)      63        64        64        59        79   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $7,630        $5,256        $2,783        $186        $185        $107   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

Class R4   Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/28, 2/29  
      2014     2013     2012     2011     2010  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $12.21        $11.82        $11.05        $10.79        $9.59        $6.88   
Income (loss) from investment operations                                           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.19        $0.37        $0.36        $0.36        $0.44        $0.46   

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

    0.55        0.57        0.82        0.30        1.23        2.73   

Total from investment operations

    $0.74        $0.94        $1.18        $0.66        $1.67        $3.19   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                                           

From net investment income

    $(0.18     $(0.38     $(0.40     $(0.40     $(0.47     $(0.48

From net realized gain on
investments

    (0.09     (0.17     (0.01                     

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.27     $(0.55     $(0.41     $(0.40     $(0.47     $(0.48

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $12.68        $12.21        $11.82        $11.05        $10.79        $9.59   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    6.11 (n)      8.13        10.83        6.35        17.78        47.32   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                           

Expenses before expense
reductions (f)

    0.79 (a)(h)      0.82 (h)      0.84        0.85        0.90        0.95   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    0.77 (a)(h)      0.81 (h)      0.84        0.85        0.80        0.69   

Net investment income

    2.96 (a)      3.08        3.12        3.40        4.32        5.24   

Portfolio turnover

    19 (n)      63        64        64        59        79   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $3,213        $2,834        $1,159        $546        $127        $108   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

34


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Financial Highlights – continued

 

Class R5   

Six months

ended

8/31/14

    Years ended 2/28  
       2014     2013 (i)  
     (unaudited)              

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $12.21        $11.82        $11.16   
Income (loss) from investment operations                         

Net investment income (d)

     $0.19        $0.38        $0.19   

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

     0.55        0.57        0.75   

Total from investment operations

     $0.74        $0.95        $0.94   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                         

From net investment income

     $(0.19     $(0.39     $(0.27

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.09     (0.17     (0.01

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.28     $(0.56     $(0.28

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $12.67        $12.21        $11.82   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

     6.07 (n)      8.23        8.47 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                        

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     0.71 (a)(h)      0.73 (h)      0.79 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     0.69 (a)(h)      0.72 (h)      0.79 (a) 

Net investment income

     3.05 (a)      3.18        2.48 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

     19 (n)      63        64   

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $2,483        $2,101        $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) 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 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

 

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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(unaudited)

(1) Business and Organization

MFS Diversified Income Fund (the fund) is a diversified 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.

The fund is an investment company and accordingly follows the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standard Codification Topic 946 Financial Services – Investment Companies.

(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 increases and decreases in net assets from operations 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 in the MFS High Yield Pooled Portfolio (“High Yield Pooled Portfolio”). The accounting policies of the High Yield Pooled Portfolio are outlined in its shareholder report, which is available without charge by calling 1-800-225-2606 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 accounting policies detailed in the Significant Accounting Policies note cover both the fund and the High Yield Pooled Portfolio. For purposes of this policy disclosure, “fund” refers to both the fund and the High Yield Pooled Portfolio in which the fund invests. The High Yield Pooled Portfolio’s shareholder report is not covered by this report. The fund and the High Yield Pooled Portfolio invest 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 June 2014, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2014-11, Transfers and Servicing (Topic 860) – Repurchase-to-Maturity Transactions, Repurchase Financings, and Disclosures (“ASU 2014-11”). ASU 2014-11 changes the accounting for repurchase-to-maturity transactions (i.e., repurchase agreements that settle at the same time as the maturity of the transferred financial asset) and enhances the required disclosures for repurchase agreements and other similar transactions. Although still

 

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evaluating the potential impacts of ASU 2014-11 to the fund, management expects that the impact of the fund’s adoption will be limited to additional financial statement disclosures which would first be effective for interim reporting periods beginning after March 15, 2015.

Balance Sheet Offsetting – 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 International Swaps and Derivatives Association (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. The fund’s right to setoff may be restricted or prohibited by the bankruptcy or insolvency laws of the particular jurisdiction to which a specific master netting agreement counterparty is subject. Balance sheet offsetting disclosures, 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.

Investment Valuations – The investments of the fund and the High Yield Pooled Portfolio are valued as described below.

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. Futures contracts are generally valued at last posted settlement price as provided by a third-party pricing service on the market on which they are primarily traded. Futures contracts for which there were no trades that day for a particular position are generally valued at the closing bid quotation as provided by a third-party pricing service on the market on which such futures contracts are primarily traded. 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

 

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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 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

 

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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 reflected in total investments, such as swap agreements. The following is a summary of the levels used as of August 31, 2014 in valuing the fund’s assets or liabilities:

 

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

United States

     $997,285,525         $962,400        $—         $998,247,925   

United Kingdom

     4,864,605                        4,864,605   

Panama

     1,743,856                        1,743,856   

Bermuda

     1,626,819                        1,626,819   
U.S. Treasury Bonds & U.S. Government Agency & Equivalents              203,724,026                203,724,026   
Non-U.S. Sovereign Debt              183,921,632                183,921,632   
U.S. Corporate Bonds              1,553,099                1,553,099   
Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities              170,452,387                170,452,387   
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities              8,248,499                8,248,499   
Foreign Bonds              137,661,581                137,661,581   
Mutual Funds      678,383,671                        678,383,671   
Total Investments      $1,683,904,476         $706,523,624        $—         $2,390,428,100   
Other Financial Instruments                      
Swap Agreements      $—         $(405,522     $—         $(405,522

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 2/28/14     $32,685   

Change in unrealized appreciation(depreciation)

    (31,485

Transfers out of Level 3

    (1,200
Balance as of 8/31/14     $—   

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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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 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, 2014 as reported in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities:

 

        Fair Value (a)  
Risk   Derivative Contracts   Asset Derivatives     Liability Derivatives  
Equity   Purchased Equity Options     $961,200        $—   
Credit   Credit Default Swaps            (405,522
Total       $961,200        $(405,522)   

 

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

The following table presents, by major type of derivative contract, the realized gain (loss) on derivatives held by the fund for the year ended August 31, 2014 as reported in the Statement of Operations:

 

Risk   

Swap

Agreements

    

Investments

(Purchased

Options)

 
Equity      $—         $(837,452
Credit      258,979           
Total      $258,979         $(837,452

The following table presents, by major type of derivative contract, the change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on derivatives held by the fund for the year ended August 31, 2014 as reported in the Statement of Operations:

 

Risk   

Swap

Agreements

    

Investments

(Purchased

Options)

 
Equity      $—         $(1,173,808
Credit      4,160           
Total      $4,160         $(1,173,808

 

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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 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. The fund’s right to setoff may be restricted or prohibited by the bankruptcy or insolvency laws of the particular jurisdiction to which a specific ISDA counterparty is subject.

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 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” or “Deposits with brokers.” Securities pledged as collateral or margin for the same purpose, if any, are noted in the Portfolio of Investments.

Purchased Options – The fund purchased put options for a premium. Purchased put options entitle the holder to 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 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 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 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

 

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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.

Futures Contracts – The fund entered into futures contracts which may be used to hedge against or obtain broad market exposure, interest rate exposure, currency exposure, or to manage duration. A futures contract represents a commitment for the future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a specified date.

Upon entering into a futures contract, the fund is required to deposit with the broker, either in cash or securities, an initial margin in an amount equal to a certain percentage of the notional amount of the contract. Subsequent payments (variation margin) are made or received by the fund each day, depending on the daily fluctuations in the value of the contract, and are recorded for financial statement purposes as unrealized gain or loss by the fund until the contract is closed or expires at which point the gain or loss on futures contracts is realized.

The fund bears the risk of interest rates, exchange rates or securities prices moving unexpectedly, in which case, the fund may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the futures contracts and may realize a loss. While futures contracts may present less counterparty risk to the fund since the contracts are exchange traded and the exchange’s clearinghouse guarantees payments to the broker, there is still counterparty credit risk due to the insolvency of the broker. The fund’s maximum risk of loss due to counterparty credit risk is equal to the margin posted by the fund to the broker plus any gains or minus any losses on the outstanding futures contracts.

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.

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

 

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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. 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, as “Swaps, at value” for uncleared swaps and is included in “Due from brokers” or “Due to brokers” for cleared swaps. 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 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 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 to the protection seller based on a fixed percentage applied to the agreement notional amount 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

 

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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, 2014 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, 2014, 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 $6,148,000 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 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.

Hybrid Instruments – The fund invests in indexed or hybrid securities on which any combination of interest payments, the principal or stated amount payable at maturity is determined by reference to prices of other securities, currencies, indices, economic factors or other measures, including interest rates, currency exchange rates, or securities indices. The risks of investing in hybrid instruments reflect a combination of the risks of investing in securities, swap agreements, options, futures contracts and currencies. Hybrid instruments are potentially more volatile and carry greater market risks than traditional debt instruments. Depending on the structure of the particular

 

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hybrid instrument, changes in a benchmark, underlying assets or economic indicator may be magnified by the terms of the hybrid instrument and have an even more dramatic and substantial effect upon the value of the hybrid instrument. Also, the prices of the hybrid instrument and the benchmark, underlying asset or economic indicator may not move in the same direction or at the same time.

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. On loans collateralized by cash, the cash collateral is invested in a money market fund. 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. At period end, the fund had investment securities on loan with a fair value of $7,990,605 and a related liability of $8,179,794 for cash collateral received on securities loaned, both of which are presented gross in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The collateral received on securities loaned exceeded the value of securities on loan at period end. The liability for cash collateral for securities loaned is carried at fair value, which is categorized as level 2 within the fair value hierarchy. 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.

Dollar Roll Transactions – The fund enters into dollar roll transactions, with respect to mortgage-backed securities issued by Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac, in which the fund sells mortgage backed securities to financial institutions and simultaneously agrees to purchase similar (same issuer, type and coupon) securities at a later date at an agreed-upon price. During the period between the sale and repurchase in a dollar roll transaction the fund will not be entitled to receive interest and principal payments on the securities sold but is compensated by interest earned on the proceeds of the initial sale and by a lower purchase price on the securities to be repurchased which enhances the fund’s total return. The fund accounts for dollar roll transactions as purchases and sales and realizes gains and losses on these transactions.

Loans and Other Direct Debt Instruments – The fund invests in loans and loan participations or other receivables. These investments may include standby financing

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

commitments, including revolving credit facilities, which contractually obligate the fund to supply additional cash to the borrower on demand. The fund generally provides this financial support in order to preserve its existing investment or to obtain a more senior secured interest in the assets of the borrower. 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. 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. 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 securities resulting from these transactions are included in the Portfolio of Investments. TBA purchase (sale) commitments are held at carrying amount, which approximates fair value and are categorized as level 2 within the fair value hierarchy. 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.

 

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To mitigate this risk of loss on TBA securities and other types of forward settling mortgage-backed securities, the fund whenever possible enters into a Master Securities Forward Transaction Agreement (“MSFTA”) on a bilateral basis with each of the counterparties with whom it undertakes a significant volume of transactions. The MSFTA 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 MSFTA, 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 MSFTA 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.

For mortgage-backed securities traded under a MSFTA, the collateral and margining requirements are contract specific. Collateral amounts across all transactions traded under such agreement are netted and one amount is posted from one party to the other to collateralize such obligations. Cash that has been pledged to cover the fund’s collateral or margin obligations under a MSFTA, if any, will be reported separately on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as restricted cash. Securities pledged as collateral or margin for the same purpose, if any, are noted in the Portfolio of Investments.

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, 2014, 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. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken on federal and state tax returns for all open tax years and does not believe that there are any uncertain tax positions that require recognition of a tax liability. Foreign taxes, if any, 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. Additionally, capital gains realized by the fund on securities issued in or by certain foreign countries may be subject to capital gains tax imposed by those countries.

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

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

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, wash sale loss deferrals, derivative transactions 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:

 

     2/28/14  
Ordinary income (including any
short-term capital gains)
     $58,438,112   
Long-term capital gains      20,954,439   
Total distributions      $79,392,551   

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

 

As of 8/31/14       
Cost of investments      $2,170,571,421   
Gross appreciation      230,789,405   
Gross depreciation      (10,932,726
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)      $219,856,679   
As of 2/28/14       
Undistributed ordinary income      4,508,200   
Undistributed long-term capital gain      13,701,583   
Other temporary differences      (3,202,094
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)      133,280,476   

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.

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

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
8/31/14
     Year
ended
2/28/14
     Six months
ended
8/31/14
     Year
ended
2/28/14
 
Class A      $15,074,296         $27,978,308         $7,776,243         $14,415,631   
Class C      6,490,044         12,134,907         4,579,134         8,489,323   
Class I      6,007,284         10,823,265         2,719,759         5,134,206   
Class R1      7,058         12,769         5,288         9,858   
Class R2      17,653         23,176         10,773         13,230   
Class R3      88,373         113,059         46,163         65,729   
Class R4      45,480         62,237         21,510         32,879   
Class R5      33,923         57,218         13,488         26,756   
Total      $27,764,111         $51,204,939         $15,172,358         $28,187,612   

(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. Prior to August 1, 2014, the investment adviser had 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 terminated on July 31, 2014. For the period March 1, 2014 through July 31, 2014, this management fee reduction amounted to $142,989, which is included in the reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations. Effective August 1, 2014, 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, 0.55% of average daily net assets in excess of $2.5 billion up to $5 billion, and 0.50% of average daily net assets in excess of $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, 2016. For the period August 1, 2014 through August 31, 2014, this management fee reduction amounted to $34,008, which is included in the reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations. MFS has also 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 six months ended August 31, 2014, this management fee reduction amounted to $48,582, which is included in the reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations. The management fee incurred for the six months ended August 31, 2014 was equivalent to an annual effective rate of 0.63% 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 as fees and expenses

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

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

This written agreement will continue until modified by the fund’s Board of Trustees, but such agreement will continue at least until June 30, 2016. For the six months ended August 31, 2014, 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 $469,454 for the six months ended August 31, 2014, 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 share classes 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%         $1,406,630   
Class C      0.75%         0.25%         1.00%         1.00%         3,349,651   
Class R1      0.75%         0.25%         1.00%         1.00%         3,637   
Class R2      0.25%         0.25%         0.50%         0.50%         3,632   
Class R3              0.25%         0.25%         0.25%         8,250   
Total Distribution and Service Fees               $4,771,800   

 

(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. Any rate changes, if applicable, are detailed below.
(e) The annual effective rates represent actual fees incurred under the distribution plan for the six months ended August 31, 2014 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 affiliates’ seed money. For the six months ended August 31, 2014, this rebate amounted to $1,984 and $11 for Class A and Class C, respectively, and is included in the 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

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

shareholder redemption within 12 months of purchase. All contingent deferred sales charges are paid to MFD and during the six months ended August 31, 2014, were as follows:

 

     Amount  
Class A      $26,515   
Class C      30,352   

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, 2014, the fee was $96,475, which equated to 0.0087% 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, 2014, these out-of-pocket expenses, sub-accounting and other shareholder servicing costs amounted to $962,514.

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, 2014 was equivalent to an annual effective rate of 0.0127% 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 funds can terminate the Agreements with Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC at any time under the terms of the Agreements. The ICCO is an officer of the funds and the sole member of Tarantino LLC. Prior to June 1, 2014, Robyn L. Griffin served as the Assistant ICCO and was an officer of the funds. Ms. Griffin is the sole member of Griffin Compliance LLC. Effective May 31, 2014, Ms. Griffin resigned as Assistant ICCO and the service agreement between the funds and Griffin Compliance LLC was terminated. For the six months ended August 31, 2014, the aggregate fees paid by the fund to Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC were $4,313 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

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

by the fund in the amount of $2,242 which is included in the 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.

The fund invests in the High Yield Pooled Portfolio. The High Yield Pooled Portfolio is a mutual fund advised by MFS that does not pay management fees to MFS but does incur investment and operating costs. The High Yield Pooled Portfolio is 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 pay a management fee, distribution and/or service fee, or sales charge.

(4) Portfolio Securities

For the six months ended August 31, 2014, purchases and sales of investments, other than purchased option transactions, and short-term obligations, were as follows:

 

     Purchases      Sales  
U.S. Government securities      $264,057,889         $194,220,527   
Investments (non-U.S. Government securities)      $326,885,059         $221,345,370   

 

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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
8/31/14
    Year ended
2/28/14
 
     Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount  
Shares sold         

Class A

     12,617,843        $156,953,676        37,587,136        $450,027,361   

Class C

     7,150,474        88,941,929        18,996,227        227,450,288   

Class I

     12,043,910        150,531,325        18,322,679        219,645,574   

Class R1

     42,795        535,660        32,155        384,614   

Class R2

     36,837        456,984        54,627        653,110   

Class R3

     194,338        2,414,401        281,740        3,362,171   

Class R4

     38,975        482,197        265,541        3,183,122   

Class R5

     41,629        519,499        57,178        681,829   
     32,166,801        $400,835,671        75,597,283        $905,388,069   
Shares issued to shareholders in reinvestment of distributions         

Class A

     1,764,636        $22,006,640        3,369,159        $40,255,619   

Class C

     704,450        8,782,770        1,350,335        16,127,467   

Class I

     479,894        5,989,992        868,527        10,377,666   

Class R1

     977        12,168        1,895        22,615   

Class R2

     2,278        28,412        3,047        36,405   

Class R3

     10,778        134,533        14,959        178,768   

Class R4

     5,363        66,910        7,955        95,113   

Class R5

     3,800        47,411        7,027        83,974   
     2,972,176        $37,068,836        5,622,904        $67,177,627   
Shares reacquired         

Class A

     (12,578,410     $(156,913,794     (20,653,238     $(246,624,589

Class C

     (3,851,448     (47,848,966     (8,125,518     (97,027,988

Class I

     (3,812,025     (47,288,366     (12,505,530     (149,098,458

Class R1

     (54,177     (678,600     (2,230     (26,678

Class R2

     (6,450     (79,948     (20,401     (243,948

Class R3

     (33,568     (417,800     (101,664     (1,210,384

Class R4

     (22,917     (286,629     (139,511     (1,669,858

Class R5

     (21,531     (268,180     (9,961     (120,434
     (20,380,526     $(253,782,283     (41,558,053     $(496,022,337

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

     Six months ended
8/31/14
     Year ended
2/28/14
 
     Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  
Net change            

Class A

     1,804,069         $22,046,522         20,303,057         $243,658,391   

Class C

     4,003,476         49,875,733         12,221,044         146,549,767   

Class I

     8,711,779         109,232,951         6,685,676         80,924,782   

Class R1

     (10,405      (130,772      31,820         380,551   

Class R2

     32,665         405,448         37,273         445,567   

Class R3

     171,548         2,131,134         195,035         2,330,555   

Class R4

     21,421         262,478         133,985         1,608,377   

Class R5

     23,898         298,730         54,244         645,369   
     14,758,451         $184,122,224         39,662,134         $476,543,359   

(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, 2014, the fund’s commitment fee and interest expense were $4,108 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      50,175,922        9,017,829         (374,187     58,819,564   
MFS Institutional Money
Market Portfolio
     99,410,765        169,008,164         (184,057,907     84,361,022   
Underlying Affiliated Funds    Realized
Gain (Loss)
   

Capital Gain

Distributions

    

Dividend

Income

   

Ending

Value

 
MFS High Yield Pooled Portfolio      $(91,490     $269,989         $17,105,208        $585,842,855   
MFS Institutional Money
Market Portfolio
                    39,200        84,361,022   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
     $(91,490     $269,989         $17,144,408        $670,203,877   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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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, 2014 (“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, 2013 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, 2013, 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 3rd quintile for the one-year period and the 1st quintile for the five-year period ended December 31, 2013 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 rate on the Fund’s average daily net assets over $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion, and that MFS has agreed in writing to implement an additional breakpoint that reduces its advisory fee rate on the Fund’s average daily net assets over $5 billion, each of 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

 

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Board Review of Investment Advisory Agreement – continued

 

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, 2014.

 

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PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND INFORMATION

MFS votes proxies on behalf of the fund pursuant to proxy voting policies and procedures that are 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 “Commentary & Announcements” and “Market Outlooks” sections 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

 


Table of Contents

SEMIANNUAL REPORT

August 31, 2014

 

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     4   
Portfolio of investments     6   
Statement of assets and liabilities     9   
Statement of operations     10   
Statements of changes in net assets     11   
Financial highlights     12   
Notes to financial statements     15   
Board review of investment advisory agreement     24   
Proxy voting policies and information     28   
Quarterly portfolio disclosure     28   
Further information     28   
Provision of financial reports and summary prospectuses     28   
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:

The U.S. economy continues to gain strength. Manufacturing output, construction activity and consumer confidence are all at multi-year highs, auto sales are robust, and

U.S. labor market reports show broad progress. Even a slowdown in the pace of rising house prices is seen as making the market more sustainable. Economists have a favorable outlook, and broad stock indices reflect that.

However, challenges dominate the rest of the global economy. China is struggling to boost its industrial output and Japan’s economic turnaround appears to have hit a setback after its sales tax increase in April. The eurozone economy is being held back by persistently high unemployment and dangerously low inflation, leading the European Central Bank to take more

aggressive stimulus action. With robust corporate earnings, the market’s greatest concerns relate to conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. In addition, speculation continues on when the U.S. Federal Reserve will begin tightening its monetary policy now that the U.S. economy has regained some traction.

As always at MFS®, active risk management is integral to how we manage your investments. We use a collaborative process, sharing insights across asset classes, regions and economic sectors. Our global team of investment professionals uses a multidisciplined, long-term, diversified investment approach.

We understand that these are challenging economic times. We believe we can serve you best by applying proven principles, such as asset allocation and diversification, over the long term. We are confident that this approach can help you as you work with your financial advisors to reach your goals in the years ahead.

Respectfully,

 

LOGO

Robert J. Manning

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

MFS Investment Management

October 16, 2014

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

 

1


Table of Contents

PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION

 

Portfolio structure (i)

 

LOGO

 

Top ten holdings (i)  
Simon Property Group, Inc., REIT     5.3%   
Mitsui Fudosan Co. Ltd.     4.2%   
AvalonBay Communities, Inc., REIT     3.8%   
Public Storage, Inc., REIT     3.2%   
Mitsubishi Estate Co. Ltd.     3.2%   
Vornado Realty Trust, REIT     3.1%   
Unibail-Rodamco, REIT     2.8%   
Westfield Corp., REIT     2.7%   
Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd.     2.5%   
Weyerhaeuser Co., REIT     2.4%   
Equity industries (i)  
Real Estate     97.8%   
Telecommunications-Wireless     1.2%   
Medical & Health Technology & Services     0.7%   
Issuer country weightings (i)(x)   
United States     50.8%   
Japan     12.7%   
Hong Kong     8.5%   
United Kingdom     6.3%   
Australia     5.0%   
Singapore     3.2%   
France     2.8%   
Brazil     2.6%   
Germany     2.3%   
Other Countries     5.8%   
Currency exposure weightings (i)(y)   
United States Dollar     50.9%   
Japanese Yen     12.7%   
Euro     9.8%   
Hong Kong Dollar     8.3%   
British Pound Sterling     6.3%   
Australian Dollar     5.0%   
Singapore Dollar     3.2%   
Brazilian Real     2.6%   
Mexican Peso     1.2%   
 

 

(i) For purposes of this presentation, the components include the value of securities, less any securities sold short, and reflect the impact of the equivalent exposure of derivative positions. 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 value.
(x) Represents the portfolio’s exposure to issuer countries as a percentage of a portfolio’s net assets. For purposes of this presentation, United States includes Cash & Other.

 

2


Table of Contents

Portfolio Composition – continued

 

(y) Represents the portfolio’s exposure to a particular currency as a percentage of a portfolio’s net assets. For purposes of this presentation, United States Dollar includes Cash & Other.

Cash & Other can include cash, other assets less liabilities, offsets to derivative positions, and short-term securities.

Percentages are based on net assets as of 8/31/14.

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, 2014 through August 31, 2014

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, 2014 through August 31, 2014.

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
3/01/14
   

Ending

Account Value
8/31/14

   

Expenses
Paid During
Period (p)

3/01/14-8/31/14

 
A   Actual     1.20%        $1,000.00        $1,112.77        $6.39   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.20%        $1,000.00        $1,019.16        $6.11   
I   Actual     0.95%        $1,000.00        $1,114.05        $5.06   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.95%        $1,000.00        $1,020.42        $4.84   
R5   Actual     0.95%        $1,000.00        $1,114.05        $5.06   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.95%        $1,000.00        $1,020.42        $4.84   

 

(h) 5% class return per year before expenses.
(p) “Expenses Paid During Period” are equal to each class’s annualized expense ratio, as shown above, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 184/365 (to reflect the one-half year period). Expenses paid do not include any applicable sales charges (loads). If these transaction costs had been included, your costs would have been higher.

 

5


Table of Contents

PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS

8/31/14 (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 - 99.5%                 
Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Medical & Health Technology & Services - 0.7%                 
Capital Senior Living Corp. (a)      133,819      $ 3,060,441   
Real Estate - 97.6%                 
Advance Residence Investment Corp., REIT      2,096      $ 5,161,182   
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., REIT      121,264        9,587,132   
Ascendas India Trust, REIT      13,613,000        8,773,440   
Atrium European Real Estate Ltd.      1,430,770        7,820,634   
AvalonBay Communities, Inc., REIT      110,671        17,054,401   
Big Yellow Group PLC, REIT      871,020        7,620,548   
Boston Properties, Inc., REIT      83,027        10,081,138   
BR Malls Participacoes S.A.      381,071        3,961,368   
British Land Co. PLC, REIT      552,982        6,706,234   
Concentradora Fibra Danhos S.A. de C.V., REIT      1,110,005        2,991,307   
Corio N.V., REIT      178,425        9,585,142   
Corporate Office Properties Trust, REIT      243,892        6,921,655   
DDR Corp., REIT      186,058        3,389,977   
Digital Realty Trust, Inc., REIT      71,488        4,664,592   
EastGroup Properties, Inc., REIT      34,302        2,224,142   
Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc., REIT      226,811        10,362,992   
Federal Realty Investment Trust, REIT      58,371        7,283,533   
GAGFAH S.A. (a)      156,524        3,064,404   
Gramercy Property Trust, Inc., REIT      733,604        4,541,009   
Grand City Properties S.A. (a)      97,468        1,248,664   
Hang Lung Properties Ltd.      2,191,256        7,238,167   
Henderson Land Development Co. Ltd.      1,298,972        8,606,682   
Home Properties, Inc., REIT      123,567        7,935,473   
Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., REIT      410,306        9,363,183   
Intu Properties PLC, REIT      1,190,116        6,757,139   
Kenedix Office Investment Corp., REIT      1,521        8,420,357   
Lar Espana Real Estate Socimi S.A., REIT (a)      156,555        1,892,696   
LEG Immobilien AG      58,943        4,385,114   
Link REIT      1,660,405        9,855,244   
LondonMetric Property PLC, REIT      1,117,529        2,606,649   
Mapletree Logistics Trust, REIT      5,939,000        5,586,906   
Medical Properties Trust, Inc., REIT      422,003        5,946,022   
Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc., REIT      144,549        10,453,784   
Mitsubishi Estate Co. Ltd.      614,135        14,175,070   
Mitsui Fudosan Co. Ltd.      583,274        18,583,818   
Multiplan Empreendimentos Imobiliarios S.A.      288,478        7,437,152   

 

6


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Common Stocks - continued                 
Real Estate - continued                 
National Health Investors, Inc., REIT      35,619      $ 2,297,782   
NTT Urban Development Corp.      862,100        9,876,719   
Plum Creek Timber Co. Inc., REIT      259,675        10,550,595   
Prologis Property Mexico S.A. de C.V., REIT      1,087,575        2,405,236   
Public Storage, Inc., REIT      81,887        14,344,965   
Quintain Estates & Development PLC (a)      2,948,842        4,332,537   
Rexford Industrial Realty, Inc., REIT      485,462        7,155,710   
Scentre Group, REIT (a)      1,056,845        3,385,549   
Simon Property Group, Inc., REIT      137,652        23,404,970   
Stockland, IEU      1,734,537        6,884,877   
Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd.      731,385        11,098,106   
TAG Immobilien AG      251,410        2,902,369   
Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc., REIT      221,663        7,738,255   
Unibail-Rodamco, REIT      46,646        12,527,780   
Ventas, Inc., REIT      156,053        10,265,166   
Vornado Realty Trust, REIT      130,380        13,803,331   
Washington Prime Group, Inc. REIT      307,917        6,010,540   
Westfield Corp., REIT      1,656,445        11,788,422   
Weyerhaeuser Co., REIT      314,871        10,689,870   
    

 

 

 
             $ 433,749,729   
Telecommunications - Wireless - 1.2%                 
American Tower Corp., REIT      53,037      $ 5,229,448   
Total Common Stocks (Identified Cost, $330,473,702)            $ 442,039,618   
      Strike Price     First Exercise                
        
Warrants - 0.0%                                 
Real Estate - 0.0%                                 
Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd.
(1 share for 1 warrant)
(Identified Cost, $0) (a)
     HKD 98.60        4/23/14        57,198      $ 140,964   
Money Market Funds - 0.2%                           
MFS Institutional Money Market Portfolio, 0.09%,
at Cost and Net Asset Value (v)
                660,652      $ 660,652   
Total Investments (Identified Cost, $331,134,354)              $ 442,841,234   
Other Assets, Less Liabilities - 0.3%                        1,354,272   
Net Assets - 100.0%                            $ 444,195,506   

 

(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.

 

7


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

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

 

8


Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

At 8/31/14 (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, $330,473,702)

     $442,180,582   

Underlying affiliated funds, at cost and value

     660,652   

Total investments, at value (identified cost, $331,134,354)

     $442,841,234   

Foreign currency, at value (identified cost, $457,838)

     455,350   

Receivables for

  

Investments sold

     714,932   

Fund shares sold

     31,020   

Interest and dividends

     367,572   

Other assets

     597   

Total assets

     $444,410,705   
Liabilities         

Payable for fund shares reacquired

     $131,061   

Payable to affiliates

  

Investment adviser

     44,482   

Shareholder servicing costs

     50   

Distribution and service fees

     9   

Payable for independent Trustees’ compensation

     378   

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     39,219   

Total liabilities

     $215,199   

Net assets

     $444,195,506   
Net assets consist of         

Paid-in capital

     $330,833,715   

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

     111,703,973   

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

     (2,084,597

Undistributed net investment income

     3,742,415   

Net assets

     $444,195,506   

Shares of beneficial interest outstanding

     27,062,159   

 

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

Class A

     $323,523         19,748         $16.38   

Class I

     135,777         8,272         16.42   

Class R5

     443,736,206         27,034,139         16.41   

Shares outstanding are rounded for presentation purposes.

(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 $17.38 [100 / 94.25 x $16.38]. 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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Financial Statements

 

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

Six months ended 8/31/14 (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

     $6,951,984   

Dividends from underlying affiliated funds

     2,925   

Foreign taxes withheld

     (349,290

Total investment income

     $6,605,619   

Expenses

  

Management fee

     $1,956,722   

Distribution and service fees

     387   

Shareholder servicing costs

     162   

Administrative services fee

     31,973   

Independent Trustees’ compensation

     4,647   

Custodian fee

     42,634   

Shareholder communications

     2,169   

Audit and tax fees

     27,857   

Legal fees

     1,744   

Miscellaneous

     10,627   

Total expenses

     $2,078,922   

Reduction of expenses by investment adviser

     (9,946

Net expenses

     $2,068,976   

Net investment income

     $4,536,643   
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency         

Realized gain (loss) (identified cost basis)

  

Investments

     $7,391,549   

Foreign currency

     (4,105

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency

     $7,387,444   

Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

  

Investments

     $34,927,769   

Translation of assets and liabilities in foreign currencies

     (7,902

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

     $34,919,867   

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

     $42,307,311   

Change in net assets from operations

     $46,843,954   

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

8/31/14

    

Year ended

2/28/14

 
Change in net assets    (unaudited)         
From operations                  

Net investment income

     $4,536,643         $6,884,190   

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency

     7,387,444         14,021,829   

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

     34,919,867         (3,062,027

Change in net assets from operations

     $46,843,954         $17,843,992   
Distributions declared to shareholders                  

From net investment income

     $—         $(10,492,384

From net realized gain on investments

             (14,946,588

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $—         $(25,438,972

Change in net assets from fund share transactions

     $(12,983,474      $114,634,367   

Total change in net assets

     $33,860,480         $107,039,387   
Net assets                  

At beginning of period

     410,335,026         303,295,639   

At end of period (including undistributed net investment income of $3,742,415 and accumulated distributions in excess of net investment income of $794,228, respectively)

     $444,195,506         $410,335,026   

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
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/28, 2/29     Period
ended
 
Class A     2014     2013     2012     2011     2/28/10 (c)  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $14.72        $15.12        $13.51        $14.57        $14.02        $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations                                           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.14        $0.26        $0.26        $0.23        $0.49        $0.42   

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

    1.52        0.33        2.38        (0.55     2.46        8.68   

Total from investment operations

    $1.66        $0.59        $2.64        $(0.32     $2.95        $9.10   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                                           

From net investment income

    $—        $(0.38     $(0.51     $(0.30     $(0.77     $(2.00

From net realized gain on
investments

           (0.61     (0.52     (0.44     (1.63     (3.08

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $—        $(0.99     $(1.03     $(0.74     $(2.40     $(5.08

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $16.38        $14.72        $15.12        $13.51        $14.57        $14.02   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

    11.28 (n)      4.24        20.14        (1.81     23.61        91.24 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                           

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    1.21 (a)      1.22        1.23        1.24        1.25        1.28 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    1.20 (a)      1.22        1.23        1.24        1.25        1.28 (a) 

Net investment income

    1.82 (a)      1.74        1.85        1.74        3.45        2.89 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

    17 (n)      30        46        37        33        91   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $324        $291        $279        $232        $236        $191   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

    Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/28, 2/29     Period
ended
 
Class I     2014     2013     2012     2011     2/28/10 (c)  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $14.73        $15.13        $13.52        $14.58        $14.03        $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations                                           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.16        $0.30        $0.44        $0.27        $0.54        $0.47   

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

    1.53        0.33        2.23        (0.56     2.45        8.67   

Total from investment operations

    $1.69        $0.63        $2.67        $(0.29     $2.99        $9.14   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                                           

From net investment income

    $—        $(0.42     $(0.54     $(0.33     $(0.81     $(2.03

From net realized gain on
investments

           (0.61     (0.52     (0.44     (1.63     (3.08

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $—        $(1.03     $(1.06     $(0.77     $(2.44     $(5.11

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $16.42        $14.73        $15.13        $13.52        $14.58        $14.03   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    11.47 (n)      4.50        20.41        (1.54     23.89        91.71 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                           

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    0.96 (a)      0.97        0.98        0.99        1.00        1.03 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    0.95 (a)      0.97        0.98        0.99        1.00        1.03 (a) 

Net investment income

    2.08 (a)      1.99        3.30        1.98        3.77        3.22 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

    17 (n)      30        46        37        33        91   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $136        $122        $117        $242,520        $216,082        $164,347   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

     Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/28  
Class R5      2014     2013 (i)  
     (unaudited)              

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $14.73        $15.13        $13.74   
Income (loss) from investment operations                         

Net investment income (d)

     $0.16        $0.29        $0.14   

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

     1.52        0.34        2.10   

Total from investment operations

     $1.68        $0.63        $2.24   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                         

From net investment income

     $—        $(0.42     $(0.50

From net realized gain on investments

            (0.61     (0.35

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $—        $(1.03     $(0.85

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $16.41        $14.73        $15.13   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

     11.41 (n)      4.50        16.56 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                        

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     0.96 (a)      0.97        0.98 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     0.95 (a)      0.97        0.98 (a) 

Net investment income

     2.09 (a)      1.94        1.48 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

     17 (n)      30        46 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $443,736        $409,923        $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

 

14


Table of Contents

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(unaudited)

(1) Business and Organization

MFS Global Real Estate Fund (the fund) is a diversified 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.

The fund is an investment company and accordingly follows the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 Financial Services – Investment Companies.

(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 increases and decreases in net assets from operations 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 June 2014, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2014-11, Transfers and Servicing (Topic 860) – Repurchase-to-Maturity Transactions, Repurchase Financings, and Disclosures (“ASU 2014-11”). ASU 2014-11 changes the accounting for repurchase-to-maturity transactions (i.e., repurchase agreements that settle at the same time as the maturity of the transferred financial asset) and enhances the required disclosures for repurchase agreements and other similar transactions. Although still evaluating the potential impacts of ASU 2014-11 to the fund, management expects that the impact of the fund’s adoption will be limited to additional financial statement disclosures which would first be effective for interim reporting periods beginning after March 15, 2015.

Balance Sheet Offsetting – 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 International Swaps and Derivatives Association (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

 

15


Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

the fund and the applicable counterparty. The fund’s right to setoff may be restricted or prohibited by the bankruptcy or insolvency laws of the particular jurisdiction to which a specific master netting agreement counterparty is subject. Balance sheet offsetting disclosures, 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.

Investment ValuationsEquity 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

 

16


Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

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, 2014 in valuing the fund’s assets or liabilities:

 

Investments at Value    Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  
Equity Securities      $442,180,582         $—         $—         $442,180,582   
Mutual Funds      660,652                         660,652   
Total Investments      $442,841,234         $—         $—         $442,841,234   

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

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.

 

17


Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

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. For the six months ended August 31, 2014, custody fees were not reduced.

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. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken on federal and state tax returns for all open tax years and does not believe that there are any uncertain tax positions that require recognition of a tax liability. Foreign taxes, if any, 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. Additionally, capital gains realized by the fund on securities issued in or by certain foreign countries may be subject to capital gains tax imposed by those countries.

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 and wash sale loss deferrals.

 

18


Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

The tax character of distributions declared to shareholders for the last fiscal year is as follows:

 

     2/28/14  
Ordinary income (including any short-term capital gains)      $14,724,587   
Long-term capital gains      10,714,385   
Total distributions      $25,438,972   

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

 

As of 8/31/14       
Cost of investments      $339,810,379   
Gross appreciation      103,898,539   
Gross depreciation      (867,684
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)      $103,030,855   
As of 2/28/14       
Post-October capital loss deferral      (796,016
Late year ordinary loss deferral      (794,228
Other temporary differences      4,995   
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)      68,103,086   

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. 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
8/31/14
     Year
ended
2/28/14
     Six months
ended
8/31/14
     Year
ended
2/28/14
 
Class A      $—         $7,140         $—         $11,513   
Class I              3,280                 4,811   
Class R5              10,481,964                 14,930,264   
Total      $—         $10,492,384         $—         $14,946,588   

(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

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

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 six months ended August 31, 2014, this management fee reduction amounted to $9,504, which is included in the reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations. The management fee incurred for the six months ended August 31, 2014 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 no payment for the six months ended August 31, 2014, 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 share classes 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%         $387   

 

(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, 2014 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, 2014.

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 may receive 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, 2014, out-of-pocket expenses amounted to $162. 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

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

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, 2014 was equivalent to an annual effective rate of 0.0147% 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 funds can terminate the Agreements with Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC at any time under the terms of the Agreements. The ICCO is an officer of the funds and the sole member of Tarantino LLC. Prior to June 1, 2014, Robyn L. Griffin served as the Assistant ICCO and was an officer of the funds. Ms. Griffin is the sole member of Griffin Compliance LLC. Effective May 31, 2014, Ms. Griffin resigned as Assistant ICCO and the service agreement between the funds and Griffin Compliance LLC was terminated. For the six months ended August 31, 2014, the aggregate fees paid by the fund to Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC were $831 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 $442, which is included in the 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.

At August 31, 2014, MFS held 100% of the outstanding shares of Class A and Class I.

(4) Portfolio Securities

For the six months ended August 31, 2014, purchases and sales of investments, other than short-term obligations, aggregated $73,706,683 and $71,447,551, respectively.

 

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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
8/31/14
     Year ended
2/28/14
 
     Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  
Shares sold            

Class R5

     555,836         $8,344,204         7,202,580         $107,486,452   
Shares issued to shareholders in reinvestment of distributions            

Class A

             $—         1,304         $18,653   

Class I

                     566         8,091   

Class R5

                     1,781,163         25,412,228   
             $—         1,783,033         $25,438,972   
Shares reacquired            

Class R5

     (1,354,234      $(21,327,678      (1,176,705      $(18,291,057
Net change            

Class A

             $—         1,304         $18,653   

Class I

                     566         8,091   

Class R5

     (798,398      (12,983,474      7,807,038         114,607,623   
     (798,398      $(12,983,474      7,808,908         $114,634,367   

Class A, Class B, Class C, Class I, 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 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. The MFS funds do not invest in the underlying funds for the purpose of exercising management or control. At the end of the period, the MFS Growth Allocation Fund, the MFS Moderate Allocation Fund, the MFS Aggressive Growth Allocation Fund, the MFS Conservative Allocation Fund, the MFS Lifetime 2040 Fund, the MFS Lifetime 2030 Fund, the MFS Lifetime 2020 Fund, and the MFS Lifetime Income Fund were the owners of record of approximately 35%, 29%, 19%, 7%, 3%, 3%, 1%, and 1%, respectively, of the value of outstanding voting shares of the fund. In addition, the MFS Global Multi-Asset Fund, the MFS Lifetime 2055 Fund, the MFS Lifetime 2050 Fund, the MFS Lifetime 2045 Fund, the MFS Lifetime 2035 Fund, the MFS Lifetime 2025 Fund, and the MFS Lifetime 2015 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,

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

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, 2014, the fund’s commitment fee and interest expense were $794 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      12,111,962         42,270,297         (53,721,607      660,652   
Underlying Affiliated Fund    Realized
Gain (Loss)
     Capital Gain
Distributions
     Dividend
Income
     Ending
Value
 
MFS Institutional Money Market Portfolio      $—         $—         $2,925         $660,652   

(8) Subsequent Event

On October 14, 2014, the fund’s Board of Trustees approved a change in the fund’s fiscal year end from February 28 to August 31 effective for the period beginning March 1, 2015.

 

23


Table of Contents

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, 2014 (“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, 2013 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.

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.

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, 2013, 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 2nd quintile for the one-year period ended December 31, 2013 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.

In addition to considering the performance information provided in connection with the contract review meetings, the Trustees noted that, in light of the Fund’s substandard relative performance at the time of their contract review meetings in 2013, they had met at each of their regular meetings since then with MFS’ senior investment management personnel to discuss the Fund’s performance and MFS’ efforts to improve the Fund’s performance. The Trustees further noted that the Fund’s performance relative to its Lipper performance universe improved for the three-year period ended December 31, 2013, as compared to the prior year. Taking this information into account, the Trustees concluded, within the context of their overall

 

25


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Board Review of Investment Advisory Agreement – continued

 

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 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 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,

 

26


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Board Review of Investment Advisory Agreement – continued

 

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, 2014.

 

27


Table of Contents

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND INFORMATION

MFS votes proxies on behalf of the fund pursuant to proxy voting policies and procedures that are 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 “Commentary & Announcements” and “Market Outlooks” sections 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.

 

28


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, 2014

 

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     26   
Board review of investment advisory agreement     40   
Proxy voting policies and information     44   
Quarterly portfolio disclosure     44   
Further information     44   
Provision of financial reports and summary prospectuses     44   
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:

The U.S. economy continues to gain strength. Manufacturing output, construction activity and consumer confidence are all at multi-year highs, auto sales are robust, and

U.S. labor market reports show broad progress. Even a slowdown in the pace of rising house prices is seen as making the market more sustainable. Economists have a favorable outlook, and broad stock indices reflect that.

However, challenges dominate the rest of the global economy. China is struggling to boost its industrial output and Japan’s economic turnaround appears to have hit a setback after its sales tax increase in April. The eurozone economy is being held back by persistently high unemployment and dangerously low inflation, leading the European Central Bank to take more

aggressive stimulus action. With robust corporate earnings, the market’s greatest concerns relate to conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. In addition, speculation continues on when the U.S. Federal Reserve will begin tightening its monetary policy now that the U.S. economy has regained some traction.

As always at MFS®, active risk management is integral to how we manage your investments. We use a collaborative process, sharing insights across asset classes, regions and economic sectors. Our global team of investment professionals uses a multidisciplined, long-term, diversified investment approach.

We understand that these are challenging economic times. We believe we can serve you best by applying proven principles, such as asset allocation and diversification, over the long term. We are confident that this approach can help you as you work with your financial advisors to reach your goals in the years ahead.

Respectfully,

 

LOGO

Robert J. Manning

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

MFS Investment Management

October 16, 2014

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

 

1


Table of Contents

PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION

 

Portfolio structure (i)

 

LOGO

 

Fixed income sectors (i)  

U.S. Treasury Securities

    45.4%   

Mortgage-Backed Securities

    44.9%   
U.S. Government Agencies     7.7%   
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities     3.0%   
Investment Grade Corporates     0.5%   
Non-U.S. Government Bonds     0.2%   
Composition including fixed income credit
quality (a)(i)
   
AAA     0.9%   
AA     0.2%   
A     1.0%   
BBB     0.8%   
BB     0.3%   
B     0.5%   
U.S. Government     41.3%   
Federal Agencies     52.6%   
Not Rated     4.1%   
Cash & Other     (1.7)%   
Portfolio facts (i)  
Average Duration (d)     4.6   
Average Effective Maturity (m)     5.5 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. Not Rated includes fixed income securities, including fixed income futures contracts, which have not been rated by any rating agency. 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.

 

2


Table of Contents

Portfolio Composition – continued

 

(i) For purposes of this presentation, the components include the 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 value. The bond component will include any accrued interest amounts.
(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.

From time to time Cash & Other may be negative due to timing of cash receipts and/or equivalent exposure from any derivative holdings.

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

Cash & Other can include cash, other assets less liabilities, offsets to derivative positions, and short-term securities.

Percentages are based on net assets as of 8/31/14.

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, 2014 through August 31, 2014

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, 2014 through August 31, 2014.

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
3/01/14
    Ending
Account Value
8/31/14
    Expenses
Paid During
Period  (p)
3/01/14-8/31/14
 
A   Actual     0.86%        $1,000.00        $1,017.66        $4.37   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.86%        $1,000.00        $1,020.87        $4.38   
B   Actual     1.62%        $1,000.00        $1,013.87        $8.22   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.62%        $1,000.00        $1,017.04        $8.24   
C   Actual     1.62%        $1,000.00        $1,013.85        $8.22   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.62%        $1,000.00        $1,017.04        $8.24   
I   Actual     0.62%        $1,000.00        $1,018.93        $3.16   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.62%        $1,000.00        $1,022.08        $3.16   
R1   Actual     1.62%        $1,000.00        $1,013.88        $8.22   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.62%        $1,000.00        $1,017.04        $8.24   
R2   Actual     1.12%        $1,000.00        $1,016.40        $5.69   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.12%        $1,000.00        $1,019.56        $5.70   
R3   Actual     0.87%        $1,000.00        $1,017.66        $4.42   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.87%        $1,000.00        $1,020.82        $4.43   
R4   Actual     0.62%        $1,000.00        $1,018.92        $3.16   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.62%        $1,000.00        $1,022.08        $3.16   
R5   Actual     0.50%        $1,000.00        $1,019.51        $2.55   
  Hypothetical (h)     0.50%        $1,000.00        $1,022.68        $2.55   

 

(h) 5% class return per year before expenses.
(p) “Expenses Paid During Period” are equal to each class’s annualized expense ratio, as shown above, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 184/365 (to reflect the one-half year period). 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

8/31/14 (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 - 97.2%   
Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Agency - Other - 4.3%   
Financing Corp., 10.7%, 10/06/17    $ 14,360,001      $ 18,483,288   
Financing Corp., 9.4%, 2/08/18      11,750,000        14,897,120   
Financing Corp., 9.8%, 4/06/18      14,975,000        19,394,632   
Financing Corp., 10.35%, 8/03/18      15,165,000        20,231,566   
Financing Corp., STRIPS, 0%, 11/30/17      18,780,000        17,955,708   
    

 

 

 
             $ 90,962,314   
Asset-Backed & Securitized - 2.9%   
Citigroup/Deutsche Bank Commercial Mortgage Trust, 5.322%, 12/11/49    $ 4,260,000      $ 4,593,081   
Commercial Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, “A4”, 5.306%, 12/10/46      9,314,763        9,997,992   
Credit Suisse Commercial Mortgage Trust, “A4”, FRN, 6.097%, 9/15/39      4,890,944        5,343,816   
Credit Suisse Commercial Mortgage Trust, “AM”, FRN, 5.892%, 6/15/39      4,878,716        5,160,735   
Credit Suisse Commercial Mortgage Trust, “C4”, FRN, 6.097%, 9/15/39      4,632,039        5,057,895   
CWCapital Cobalt Ltd., “A4”, FRN, 5.969%, 5/15/46      6,787,533        7,468,315   
Goldman Sachs Mortgage Securities Corp., FRN, 5.991%, 8/10/45      8,225,743        9,025,335   
JPMorgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Corp., “A3”, FRN, 6.145%, 2/15/51      537,963        539,242   
JPMorgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Corp., “A4”, FRN, 5.985%, 6/15/49      9,239,502        10,046,905   
Morgan Stanley Capital I Trust, “AM”, FRN, 5.869%, 4/15/49      5,336,000        5,648,732   
    

 

 

 
             $ 62,882,048   
Local Authorities - 0.5%   
Nashville & Davidson County, TN, Metropolitan Government Convention Center Authority (Build America Bonds), 6.731%, 7/01/43    $ 4,855,000      $ 6,346,116   
San Francisco, CA, City & County Public Utilities Commission, Water Rev. (Build America Bonds), 6%, 11/01/40      840,000        1,080,080   
University of California Rev. (Build America Bonds), 5.77%, 5/15/43      2,750,000        3,499,898   
    

 

 

 
             $ 10,926,094   

 

6


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued   
Mortgage-Backed - 44.8%   
Fannie Mae, 5.1%, 9/01/14 - 3/01/19    $ 3,611,016      $ 3,681,243   
Fannie Mae, 4.82%, 12/01/14 - 1/01/15      4,604,478        4,618,030   
Fannie Mae, 4.62%, 1/01/15      2,924,577        2,926,214   
Fannie Mae, 4.96%, 1/01/15      185,093        184,935   
Fannie Mae, 4.85%, 2/01/15      1,270,076        1,272,533   
Fannie Mae, 4.56%, 3/01/15      2,047,457        2,077,495   
Fannie Mae, 4.89%, 3/01/15      1,120,605        1,130,318   
Fannie Mae, 4.74%, 4/01/15      1,582,420        1,600,611   
Fannie Mae, 4.877%, 4/01/15      1,840,452        1,860,291   
Fannie Mae, 4.815%, 6/01/15      1,844,518        1,873,435   
Fannie Mae, 4.7%, 8/01/15      107,105        108,770   
Fannie Mae, 4.78%, 8/01/15      1,710,346        1,747,160   
Fannie Mae, 4.81%, 8/01/15      1,647,214        1,682,812   
Fannie Mae, 5.447%, 11/01/15      4,331,156        4,483,632   
Fannie Mae, 5.08%, 2/01/16 - 4/01/19      1,904,097        2,013,163   
Fannie Mae, 5.133%, 2/01/16      827,976        866,464   
Fannie Mae, 5.432%, 2/01/16      3,511,304        3,692,946   
Fannie Mae, 5.273%, 4/01/16      1,262,785        1,331,820   
Fannie Mae, 6.5%, 4/01/16 - 10/01/37      5,026,277        5,748,773   
Fannie Mae, 5.732%, 7/01/16      3,279,903        3,527,481   
Fannie Mae, 5.09%, 12/01/16      586,877        633,868   
Fannie Mae, 5.27%, 12/01/16      618,193        669,324   
Fannie Mae, 5.45%, 12/01/16 - 4/01/17      728,460        793,131   
Fannie Mae, 5.012%, 1/01/17      1,666,611        1,690,086   
Fannie Mae, 5.05%, 1/01/17 - 8/01/19      2,905,181        3,138,691   
Fannie Mae, 5.06%, 1/01/17      1,740,365        1,854,711   
Fannie Mae, 5.3%, 4/01/17      713,267        762,732   
Fannie Mae, 5.508%, 4/01/17      1,320,511        1,416,763   
Fannie Mae, 5.38%, 5/01/17      1,885,429        2,023,944   
Fannie Mae, 1.9%, 6/01/17      794,696        804,078   
Fannie Mae, 5.5%, 8/01/17 - 8/01/38      49,126,694        54,825,390   
Fannie Mae, 6%, 8/01/17 - 12/01/37      13,834,910        15,508,492   
Fannie Mae, 3.306%, 12/01/17      4,720,244        4,965,337   
Fannie Mae, 5.205%, 1/01/18      558,843        590,188   
Fannie Mae, 3.8%, 2/01/18      1,662,320        1,780,405   
Fannie Mae, 3.91%, 2/01/18      1,654,888        1,767,971   
Fannie Mae, 4%, 3/01/18 - 2/01/41      23,449,780        24,901,366   
Fannie Mae, 4.19%, 3/01/18      875,262        942,478   
Fannie Mae, 3.99%, 4/01/18      1,600,000        1,721,496   
Fannie Mae, 5.37%, 5/01/18      1,853,594        2,082,022   
Fannie Mae, 5.68%, 6/01/18      1,073,799        1,200,072   
Fannie Mae, 2.578%, 9/25/18      9,100,000        9,391,455   
Fannie Mae, 2.43%, 1/01/19      1,267,479        1,301,680   

 

7


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued   
Mortgage-Backed - continued   
Fannie Mae, 5.6%, 1/01/19    $ 1,161,839      $ 1,303,440   
Fannie Mae, 5.47%, 2/01/19      371,907        420,714   
Fannie Mae, 5%, 4/01/19 - 5/01/41      40,069,290        43,990,490   
Fannie Mae, 5.28%, 4/01/19      556,906        628,266   
Fannie Mae, 4.84%, 5/01/19      579,429        646,295   
Fannie Mae, 4.5%, 6/01/19 - 5/01/41      28,606,272        30,892,117   
Fannie Mae, 4.83%, 8/01/19 - 9/01/19      1,541,404        1,726,049   
Fannie Mae, 4.864%, 8/01/19      4,259,820        4,777,863   
Fannie Mae, 4.67%, 9/01/19      1,180,000        1,313,549   
Fannie Mae, 4.94%, 9/01/19      409,171        459,310   
Fannie Mae, 4.88%, 3/01/20      782,157        854,854   
Fannie Mae, 4.14%, 8/01/20      1,394,959        1,530,842   
Fannie Mae, 3.87%, 9/01/20      1,791,977        1,944,492   
Fannie Mae, 5.19%, 9/01/20      1,848,817        2,013,115   
Fannie Mae, 2.41%, 5/01/23      1,595,879        1,566,872   
Fannie Mae, 2.55%, 5/01/23      1,377,680        1,366,494   
Fannie Mae, 2.59%, 5/01/23      871,018        866,083   
Fannie Mae, 4.5%, 5/01/25      791,451        844,837   
Fannie Mae, 3%, 3/01/27 - 4/01/27      9,403,533        9,771,994   
Fannie Mae, 2.5%, 5/01/28      2,667,634        2,713,927   
Fannie Mae, 3.5%, 1/01/42      6,372,894        6,583,109   
Fannie Mae, 3.5%, 4/01/43      10,846,070        11,180,352   
Fannie Mae, TBA, 3%, 10/01/29      11,407,000        11,798,759   
Fannie Mae, TBA, 4%, 10/01/44 - 11/01/44      86,414,000        91,257,881   
Freddie Mac, 3.034%, 10/25/20      3,117,000        3,261,604   
Freddie Mac, 6.5%, 4/01/16 - 2/01/38      1,461,452        1,638,739   
Freddie Mac, 1.655%, 11/25/16      8,873,478        9,003,208   
Freddie Mac, 6%, 8/01/17 - 10/01/38      12,040,821        13,487,694   
Freddie Mac, 3.882%, 11/25/17      5,323,000        5,718,057   
Freddie Mac, 3.154%, 2/25/18      5,293,000        5,580,802   
Freddie Mac, 2.412%, 8/25/18      7,256,000        7,457,898   
Freddie Mac, 5%, 9/01/18 - 6/01/40      12,314,533        13,572,720   
Freddie Mac, 2.303%, 9/25/18      2,438,882        2,493,189   
Freddie Mac, 2.323%, 10/25/18      4,783,000        4,891,053   
Freddie Mac, 2.13%, 1/25/19      10,400,000        10,534,763   
Freddie Mac, 5.085%, 3/25/19      6,865,000        7,770,912   
Freddie Mac, 1.883%, 5/25/19      1,100,000        1,100,453   
Freddie Mac, 4.186%, 8/25/19      2,800,000        3,071,639   
Freddie Mac, 4.251%, 1/25/20      3,106,000        3,425,524   
Freddie Mac, 2.313%, 3/25/20      6,978,000        7,062,978   
Freddie Mac, 4.224%, 3/25/20      4,281,146        4,721,338   
Freddie Mac, 2.757%, 5/25/20      5,233,929        5,427,129   
Freddie Mac, 3.32%, 7/25/20 - 2/25/23      10,191,859        10,701,585   

 

8


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Bonds - continued   
Mortgage-Backed - continued   
Freddie Mac, 2.856%, 1/25/21    $ 4,724,000      $ 4,881,390   
Freddie Mac, 5.5%, 4/01/21 - 1/01/38      14,793,179        16,499,959   
Freddie Mac, 2.682%, 10/25/22      2,394,000        2,399,444   
Freddie Mac, 4.5%, 11/01/22 - 4/01/44      69,250,905        74,921,767   
Freddie Mac, 3.25%, 4/25/23      9,000,000        9,367,974   
Freddie Mac, 3.3%, 4/25/23      4,629,861        4,833,890   
Freddie Mac, 3.06%, 7/25/23      2,074,000        2,125,319   
Freddie Mac, 3.458%, 8/25/23      4,600,000        4,850,521   
Freddie Mac, 4%, 7/01/25 - 11/01/43      11,561,360        12,273,224   
Freddie Mac, 2.5%, 2/01/28 - 7/01/28      49,681,263        50,397,950   
Freddie Mac, 3.5%, 12/01/41 - 3/01/43      56,108,605        57,748,592   
Freddie Mac, 3%, 4/01/43 - 5/01/43      27,998,612        28,015,375   
Freddie Mac, TBA, 4%, 10/01/44      2,944,000        3,104,053   
Ginnie Mae, 5.5%, 3/15/33 - 1/20/42      11,137,471        12,525,904   
Ginnie Mae, 4.5%, 7/20/33 - 9/20/41      26,682,049        29,193,855   
Ginnie Mae, 4%, 10/15/39 - 4/20/41      5,760,198        6,154,698   
Ginnie Mae, 3.5%, 12/15/41 - 7/20/43      45,408,297        47,315,101   
Ginnie Mae, 3%, 7/20/43      13,378,370        13,595,467   
Ginnie Mae, 5.612%, 4/20/58      4,302,839        4,431,597   
Ginnie Mae, 6.357%, 4/20/58      1,944,417        2,034,488   
Ginnie Mae, TBA, 4%, 10/01/44      33,964,000        36,114,617   
    

 

 

 
             $ 955,351,980   
Supranational - 0.2%   
Inter-American Development Bank, 4.375%, 1/24/44    $ 2,796,000      $ 3,187,915   
U.S. Government Agencies and Equivalents - 3.4%   
Aid-Egypt, 4.45%, 9/15/15    $ 6,204,000      $ 6,462,037   
Government of Ukraine, 1.844%, 5/16/19      7,271,000        7,267,365   
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, 1.945%, 6/23/19      5,532,000        5,532,000   
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, 2.503%, 10/30/20      6,688,000        6,795,490   
Private Export Funding Corp., 1.875%, 7/15/18      5,330,000        5,424,133   
Small Business Administration, 6.35%, 4/01/21      437,671        475,675   
Small Business Administration, 6.34%, 5/01/21      458,000        495,953   
Small Business Administration, 6.44%, 6/01/21      455,136        498,485   
Small Business Administration, 6.625%, 7/01/21      460,246        502,381   
Small Business Administration, 6.07%, 3/01/22      489,996        530,229   
Small Business Administration, 4.98%, 11/01/23      654,089        709,802   
Small Business Administration, 4.89%, 12/01/23      1,564,800        1,683,086   
Small Business Administration, 4.77%, 4/01/24      1,549,979        1,645,651   
Small Business Administration, 5.52%, 6/01/24      959,812        1,048,338   
Small Business Administration, 4.99%, 9/01/24      1,545,986        1,672,470   
Small Business Administration, 4.86%, 10/01/24      1,034,625        1,107,067   
Small Business Administration, 4.86%, 1/01/25      1,711,019        1,839,360   

 

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, 5.11%, 4/01/25    $ 1,511,774      $ 1,642,288   
Small Business Administration, 2.21%, 2/01/33      3,075,768        2,974,940   
Small Business Administration, 2.22%, 3/01/33      5,741,096        5,553,942   
Small Business Administration, 3.15%, 7/01/33      5,087,434        5,217,426   
Small Business Administration, 3.16%, 8/01/33      1,865,482        1,910,585   
Small Business Administration, 3.62%, 9/01/33      1,963,561        2,080,840   
Tennessee Valley Authority, 1.75%, 10/15/18      4,231,000        4,256,441   
Tunisian Republic, 2.452%, 7/24/21      4,063,000        4,088,191   
U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, 6.36%, 8/01/16      310,000        312,756   
U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, 6.59%, 8/01/16      138,000        141,667   
    

 

 

 
             $ 71,868,598   
U.S. Treasury Obligations - 41.1%   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 7.5%, 11/15/16    $ 3,421,000      $ 3,933,616   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 6.25%, 8/15/23      1,445,000        1,917,899   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 6%, 2/15/26      5,933,000        8,045,706   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 6.75%, 8/15/26      981,000        1,416,319   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 6.375%, 8/15/27      2,309,000        3,285,996   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 5.25%, 2/15/29      2,438,000        3,196,447   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 5%, 5/15/37      4,133,000        5,571,801   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 4.375%, 2/15/38      9,535,000        11,824,887   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 4.5%, 8/15/39      64,440,300        81,718,355   
U.S. Treasury Bonds, 3.125%, 2/15/43      28,535,600        28,803,121   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 4%, 2/15/15      13,740,000        13,983,129   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.125%, 5/31/15 (f)      161,986,000        164,434,742   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 0.375%, 2/15/16      132,408,600        132,563,783   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.625%, 4/30/16      4,787,000        4,963,707   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 0.875%, 12/31/16      101,987,000        102,449,103   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 4.75%, 8/15/17      11,447,000        12,706,170   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.625%, 4/30/18      26,085,000        27,358,678   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.75%, 2/15/19      19,471,600        20,496,897   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 3.125%, 5/15/19      39,313,000        42,052,644   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 1%, 6/30/19      35,000,000        33,982,830   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.625%, 8/15/20      15,874,000        16,553,598   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2%, 11/30/20      6,679,000        6,706,130   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 3.125%, 5/15/21      63,935,000        68,550,340   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 1.75%, 5/15/22      59,944,000        58,314,243   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.5%, 8/15/23      634,000        646,036   
U.S. Treasury Notes, 2.75%, 2/15/24      20,343,000        21,099,515   
    

 

 

 
             $ 876,575,692   
Total Bonds (Identified Cost, $2,013,376,075)            $ 2,071,754,641   

 

10


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Money Market Funds - 9.2%                 
Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
MFS Institutional Money Market Portfolio, 0.09%,
at Cost and Net Asset Value (v)
     196,320,530      $ 196,320,530   
Total Investments (Identified Cost, $2,209,696,605)            $ 2,268,075,171   
Other Assets, Less Liabilities - (6.4)%              (136,015,899
Net Assets - 100.0%            $ 2,132,059,272   

 

(f) All or a portion of the security has been segregated as collateral for open futures contracts.
(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

Derivative Contracts at 8/31/14

Futures Contracts Outstanding at 8/31/14

 

Description   Currency     Contracts     Value   Expiration
Date
    Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 
Asset Derivatives           
Interest Rate Futures           
U.S. Treasury Bond (Long)     USD        65      $10,107,500     December - 2014        $46,491   
U.S. Treasury Note 10 yr (Long)     USD        620      77,984,375     December - 2014        80,034   
         

 

 

 
            $126,525   
         

 

 

 

At August 31, 2014, the fund had liquid securities with an aggregate value of $1,038,468 to cover any commitments for certain derivative contracts.

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

11


Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

At 8/31/14 (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, $2,013,376,075)

     $2,071,754,641   

Underlying affiliated funds, at cost and value

     196,320,530   

Total investments, at value (identified cost, $2,209,696,605)

     $2,268,075,171   

Receivables for

  

Investments sold

     402,885   

Fund shares sold

     2,743,526   

Interest

     8,497,597   

Other assets

     2,662   

Total assets

     $2,279,721,841   
Liabilities         

Payable to custodian

     $827   

Payables for

  

Distributions

     412,317   

Daily variation margin on open futures contracts

     57,030   

Investments purchased

     616,878   

TBA purchase commitments

     143,864,387   

Fund shares reacquired

     1,164,247   

Payable to affiliates

  

Investment adviser

     88,067   

Shareholder servicing costs

     1,234,231   

Distribution and service fees

     35,302   

Payable for independent Trustees’ compensation

     53,265   

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     136,018   

Total liabilities

     $147,662,569   

Net assets

     $2,132,059,272   
Net assets consist of         

Paid-in capital

     $2,121,726,240   

Unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments

     58,505,091   

Accumulated net realized gain (loss) on investments

     (42,458,362

Accumulated distributions in excess of net investment income

     (5,713,697

Net assets

     $2,132,059,272   

Shares of beneficial interest outstanding

     210,677,395   

 

12


Table of Contents

Statement of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited) – continued

 

 

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

Class A

     $688,494,388         68,002,955         $10.12   

Class B

     25,554,936         2,527,316         10.11   

Class C

     52,629,779         5,188,468         10.14   

Class I

     18,623,259         1,839,964         10.12   

Class R1

     5,273,769         521,436         10.11   

Class R2

     141,784,356         14,018,857         10.11   

Class R3

     99,992,613         9,879,216         10.12   

Class R4

     73,677,050         7,275,361         10.13   

Class R5

     1,026,029,122         101,423,822         10.12   

 

(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 $10.62 [100 / 95.25 x $10.12]. 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 8/31/14 (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

     $25,535,752   

Dividends from underlying affiliated funds

     106,166   

Total investment income

     $25,641,918   

Expenses

  

Management fee

     $4,231,431   

Distribution and service fees

     1,790,869   

Shareholder servicing costs

     1,312,860   

Administrative services fee

     134,718   

Independent Trustees’ compensation

     23,587   

Custodian fee

     112,325   

Shareholder communications

     73,707   

Audit and tax fees

     29,555   

Legal fees

     10,328   

Miscellaneous

     103,945   

Total expenses

     $7,823,325   

Fees paid indirectly

     (58

Reduction of expenses by investment adviser and distributor

     (66,976

Net expenses

     $7,756,291   

Net investment income

     $17,885,627   
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments         

Realized gain (loss) (identified cost basis)

  

Investments

     $4,488,178   

Futures contracts

     2,887,699   

Net realized gain (loss) on investments

     $7,375,877   

Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

  

Investments

     $13,185,556   

Futures contracts

     113,424   

Net unrealized gain (loss) on investments

     $13,298,980   

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

     $20,674,857   

Change in net assets from operations

     $38,560,484   

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
8/31/14
     Year ended
2/28/14
 
Change in net assets    (unaudited)         
From operations                  

Net investment income

     $17,885,627         $38,281,794   

Net realized gain (loss) on investments

     7,375,877         (9,152,204

Net unrealized gain (loss) on investments

     13,298,980         (47,585,373

Change in net assets from operations

     $38,560,484         $(18,455,783
Distributions declared to shareholders                  

From net investment income

     $(23,601,688      $(47,334,608

From net realized gain on investments

             (6,619,454

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(23,601,688      $(53,954,062

Change in net assets from fund share transactions

     $50,687,676         $36,869,356   

Total change in net assets

     $65,646,472         $(35,540,489
Net assets                  

At beginning of period

     2,066,412,800         2,101,953,289   

At end of period (including accumulated distributions in excess of net investment income of $5,713,697 and undistributed net investment income of $2,364, respectively)

     $2,132,059,272         $2,066,412,800   

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
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/29, 2/28  
Class A     2014     2013     2012     2011     2010  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.05        $10.41        $10.54        $10.13        $10.15        $9.92   
Income (loss) from investment operations                           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.08        $0.18        $0.20        $0.25        $0.30        $0.35   

Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments

    0.10        (0.29 )(b)      (0.02     0.46        (0.00 )(w)      0.27   

Total from investment operations

    $0.18        $(0.11     $0.18        $0.71        $0.30        $0.62   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                           

From net investment income

    $(0.11     $(0.22 )(b)      $(0.26     $(0.30     $(0.32     $(0.39

From net realized gain on
investments

           (0.03 )(b)      (0.05                     

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.11     $(0.25     $(0.31     $(0.30     $(0.32     $(0.39

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $10.12        $10.05        $10.41        $10.54        $10.13        $10.15   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

    1.77 (n)      (1.00     1.74        7.04        2.96        6.31   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                           

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    0.87 (a)      0.88        0.87        0.86        0.87        0.88   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    0.86 (a)      0.87        0.87        0.86        0.87        0.88   

Net investment income

    1.56 (a)      1.76        1.88        2.39        2.88        3.49   

Portfolio turnover

    34 (n)      112        81        49        34        32   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $688,494        $698,251        $847,276        $981,980        $915,576        $923,918   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

16


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

    Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/29, 2/28  
Class B     2014     2013     2012     2011     2010  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.04        $10.39        $10.53        $10.11        $10.14        $9.91   
Income (loss) from investment operations                           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.04        $0.10        $0.12        $0.17        $0.22        $0.28   

Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments

    0.10        (0.27 )(b)      (0.03     0.47        (0.01     0.26   

Total from investment operations

    $0.14        $(0.17     $0.09        $0.64        $0.21        $0.54   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                           

From net investment income

    $(0.07     $(0.15 )(b)      $(0.18     $(0.22     $(0.24     $(0.31

From net realized gain on
investments

           (0.03 )(b)      (0.05                     

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.07     $(0.18     $(0.23     $(0.22     $(0.24     $(0.31

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $10.11        $10.04        $10.39        $10.53        $10.11        $10.14   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

    1.39 (n)      (1.65     0.88        6.35        2.09        5.52   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                           

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    1.63 (a)      1.63        1.62        1.61        1.62        1.63   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    1.62 (a)      1.63        1.62        1.61        1.62        1.63   

Net investment income

    0.81 (a)      1.00        1.13        1.66        2.15        2.75   

Portfolio turnover

    34 (n)      112        81        49        34        32   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $25,555        $28,208        $44,012        $46,645        $53,577        $74,842   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

17


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

    Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/29, 2/28  
Class C     2014     2013     2012     2011     2010  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.07        $10.43        $10.57        $10.15        $10.17        $9.95   
Income (loss) from investment operations                           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.04        $0.10        $0.12        $0.17        $0.22        $0.27   

Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments

    0.10        (0.28 )(b)      (0.02     0.47        (0.00 )(w)      0.26   

Total from investment operations

    $0.14        $(0.18     $0.10        $0.64        $0.22        $0.53   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                           

From net investment income

    $(0.07     $(0.15 )(b)      $(0.19     $(0.22     $(0.24     $(0.31

From net realized gain on
investments

           (0.03 )(b)      (0.05                     

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

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

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $10.14        $10.07        $10.43        $10.57        $10.15        $10.17   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

    1.39 (n)      (1.73     0.88        6.33        2.19        5.40   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                           

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    1.62 (a)      1.63        1.62        1.61        1.62        1.62   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    1.62 (a)      1.63        1.62        1.61        1.62        1.62   

Net investment income

    0.80 (a)      0.99        1.13        1.64        2.12        2.71   

Portfolio turnover

    34 (n)      112        81        49        34        32   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $52,630        $58,229        $101,229        $112,961        $111,328        $116,622   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

18


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

    Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/29, 2/28  
Class I     2014     2013     2012     2011     2010  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.05        $10.41        $10.54        $10.12        $10.15        $9.92   
Income (loss) from investment operations                           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.09        $0.20        $0.25        $0.27        $0.32        $0.38   

Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments

    0.10        (0.28 )(b)      (0.04     0.47        (0.00 )(w)      0.26   

Total from investment operations

    $0.19        $(0.08     $0.21        $0.74        $0.32        $0.64   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                           

From net investment income

    $(0.12     $(0.25 )(b)      $(0.29     $(0.32     $(0.35     $(0.41

From net realized gain on
investments

           (0.03 )(b)      (0.05                     

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.12     $(0.28     $(0.34     $(0.32     $(0.35     $(0.41

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $10.12        $10.05        $10.41        $10.54        $10.12        $10.15   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    1.89 (n)      (0.75     1.99        7.41        3.11        6.57   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                           

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    0.63 (a)      0.63        0.59        0.61        0.62        0.63   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    0.62 (a)      0.63        0.59        0.60        0.62        0.63   

Net investment income

    1.80 (a)      1.98        2.33        2.64        3.13        3.73   

Portfolio turnover

    34 (n)      112        81        49        34        32   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $18,623        $20,974        $40,628        $562,634        $434,682        $318,667   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

19


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

    Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/29, 2/28  
Class R1     2014     2013     2012     2011     2010  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.04        $10.40        $10.53        $10.11        $10.14        $9.91   
Income (loss) from investment operations                           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.04        $0.10        $0.12        $0.17        $0.22        $0.28   

Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments

    0.10        (0.28 )(b)      (0.02     0.47        (0.01     0.26   

Total from investment operations

    $0.14        $(0.18     $0.10        $0.64        $0.21        $0.54   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                           

From net investment income

    $(0.07     $(0.15 )(b)      $(0.18     $(0.22     $(0.24     $(0.31

From net realized gain on
investments

           (0.03 )(b)      (0.05                     

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.07     $(0.18     $(0.23     $(0.22     $(0.24     $(0.31

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $10.11        $10.04        $10.40        $10.53        $10.11        $10.14   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    1.39 (n)      (1.74     0.98        6.35        2.09        5.52   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                           

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    1.62 (a)      1.63        1.62        1.61        1.62        1.63   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    1.62 (a)      1.63        1.62        1.61        1.62        1.63   

Net investment income

    0.81 (a)      1.00        1.14        1.64        2.14        2.74   

Portfolio turnover

    34 (n)      112        81        49        34        32   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $5,274        $5,345        $6,647        $7,902        $7,219        $6,246   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

20


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

    Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/29, 2/28  
Class R2     2014     2013     2012     2011     2010  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.04        $10.40        $10.53        $10.11        $10.14        $9.91   
Income (loss) from investment operations                           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.07        $0.15        $0.17        $0.22        $0.27        $0.32   

Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments

    0.09        (0.28 )(b)      (0.01     0.47        (0.01     0.27   

Total from investment operations

    $0.16        $(0.13     $0.16        $0.69        $0.26        $0.59   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                           

From net investment income

    $(0.09     $(0.20 )(b)      $(0.24     $(0.27     $(0.29     $(0.36

From net realized gain on
investments

           (0.03 )(b)      (0.05                     

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.09     $(0.23     $(0.29     $(0.27     $(0.29     $(0.36

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $10.11        $10.04        $10.40        $10.53        $10.11        $10.14   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    1.64 (n)      (1.25     1.48        6.88        2.60        6.04   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                           

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    1.12 (a)      1.13        1.12        1.11        1.12        1.13   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    1.12 (a)      1.13        1.12        1.11        1.12        1.12   

Net investment income

    1.31 (a)      1.51        1.63        2.13        2.62        3.22   

Portfolio turnover

    34 (n)      112        81        49        34        32   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $141,784        $142,396        $165,865        $168,809        $123,672        $73,052   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

21


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

    Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/29, 2/28  
Class R3     2014     2013     2012     2011     2010  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.05        $10.40        $10.54        $10.12        $10.15        $9.92   
Income (loss) from investment operations                           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.08        $0.18        $0.20        $0.25        $0.29        $0.35   

Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments

    0.10        (0.28 )(b)      (0.03     0.46        (0.00 )(w)      0.27   

Total from investment operations

    $0.18        $(0.10     $0.17        $0.71        $0.29        $0.62   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                           

From net investment income

    $(0.11     $(0.22 )(b)      $(0.26     $(0.29     $(0.32     $(0.39

From net realized gain on
investments

           (0.03 )(b)      (0.05                     

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.11     $(0.25     $(0.31     $(0.29     $(0.32     $(0.39

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $10.12        $10.05        $10.40        $10.54        $10.12        $10.15   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    1.77 (n)      (0.90     1.64        7.14        2.86        6.31   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                           

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    0.87 (a)      0.88        0.87        0.86        0.87        0.88   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    0.87 (a)      0.87        0.87        0.86        0.87        0.87   

Net investment income

    1.56 (a)      1.76        1.88        2.36        2.87        3.47   

Portfolio turnover

    34 (n)      112        81        49        34        32   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $99,993        $98,701        $104,515        $107,150        $70,988        $46,780   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

    Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/29, 2/28  
Class R4     2014     2013     2012     2011     2010  
    (unaudited)                                

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.06        $10.41        $10.55        $10.13        $10.15        $9.93   
Income (loss) from investment operations                           

Net investment income (d)

    $0.09        $0.20        $0.22        $0.27        $0.32        $0.37   

Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments

    0.10        (0.27 )(b)      (0.02     0.47        0.01 (g)      0.26   

Total from investment operations

    $0.19        $(0.07     $0.20        $0.74        $0.33        $0.63   
Less distributions declared to shareholders                           

From net investment income

    $(0.12     $(0.25 )(b)      $(0.29     $(0.32     $(0.35     $(0.41

From net realized gain on
investments

           (0.03 )(b)      (0.05                     

Total distributions declared to
shareholders

    $(0.12     $(0.28     $(0.34     $(0.32     $(0.35     $(0.41

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $10.13        $10.06        $10.41        $10.55        $10.13        $10.15   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    1.89 (n)      (0.65     1.89        7.40        3.22        6.46   
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                                           

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    0.62 (a)      0.63        0.62        0.60        0.63        0.63   

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    0.62 (a)      0.62        0.62        0.60        0.63        0.62   

Net investment income

    1.80 (a)      2.01        2.10        2.61        3.10        3.71   

Portfolio turnover

    34 (n)      112        81        49        34        32   

Net assets at end of period
(000 omitted)

    $73,677        $70,549        $70,662        $51,626        $27,022        $11,337   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

    Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/28  
Class R5     2014     2013 (i)  
    (unaudited)              

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $10.05        $10.40        $10.53   
Income (loss) from investment operations   

Net investment income (d)

    $0.10        $0.21        $0.13   

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

    0.09        (0.27 )(b)      (0.06

Total from investment operations

    $0.19        $(0.06     $0.07   
Less distributions declared to shareholders   

From net investment income

    $(0.12     $(0.26 )(b)      $(0.20

From net realized gain on investments

           (0.03 )(b)        

Total distributions declared to shareholders

    $(0.12     $(0.29     $(0.20

Net asset value, end of period (x)

    $10.12        $10.05        $10.40   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

    1.95 (n)      (0.54     0.62 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
                   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

    0.51 (a)      0.51        0.54 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

    0.50 (a)      0.51        0.54 (a) 

Net investment income

    1.92 (a)      2.13        1.81 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

    34 (n)      112        81   

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

    $1,026,029        $943,761        $721,119   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

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Financial Highlights – continued

 

 

(a) Annualized.
(b) After the fund issued its February 28, 2014 financial statements, the fund determined that distributions per share from net investment income and distributions per share from net realized gain on investments were incorrectly shown as additions to net asset value per share rather than as reductions, resulting in a corresponding offset to net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments per share. Accordingly, the distributions per share and net realized gain on investments per share have been updated. The correction increases net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments per share, decreases distributions from net investment income per share and decreases distributions from net realized gain on investments per share $0.50, $0.44 and $0.06 for Class A and Class R3; $0.36, $0.30 and $0.06 for Class B, Class C and Class R1; $0.56, $0.50 and $0.06 for Class I and Class R4; $0.46, $0.40 and $0.06 for Class R2; and $0.58, $0.52, $0.06 for Class R5, respectively. The correction had no impact on net assets, net asset value per share or total return of each class.
(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

 

25


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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(unaudited)

(1) Business and Organization

MFS Government Securities Fund (the fund) is a diversified 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.

The fund is an investment company and accordingly follows the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 Financial Services – Investment Companies.

(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 increases and decreases in net assets from operations 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.

In June 2014, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2014-11, Transfers and Servicing (Topic 860) – Repurchase-to-Maturity Transactions, Repurchase Financings, and Disclosures (“ASU 2014-11”). ASU 2014-11 changes the accounting for repurchase-to-maturity transactions (i.e., repurchase agreements that settle at the same time as the maturity of the transferred financial asset) and enhances the required disclosures for repurchase agreements and other similar transactions. Although still evaluating the potential impacts of ASU 2014-11 to the fund, management expects that the impact of the fund’s adoption will be limited to additional financial statement disclosures which would first be effective for interim reporting periods beginning after March 15, 2015.

Balance Sheet Offsetting – 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 International Swaps and Derivatives Association (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. The fund’s right to setoff may be restricted or prohibited by the bankruptcy or insolvency laws of the particular jurisdiction to which a specific master netting agreement counterparty is subject. Balance sheet offsetting disclosures, 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.

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

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

instruments with a maturity at issuance of 60 days or less generally are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. Futures contracts are generally valued at last posted settlement price as provided by a third-party pricing service on the market on which they are primarily traded. Futures contracts for which there were no trades that day for a particular position are generally valued at the closing bid quotation as provided by a third-party pricing service on the market on which such futures contracts are primarily traded. 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 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

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

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 reflected in total investments, such as futures contracts. The following is a summary of the levels used as of August 31, 2014 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     $—        $1,039,406,604        $—        $1,039,406,604   
Non-U.S. Sovereign Debt            3,187,915               3,187,915   
U.S. Corporate Bonds            10,926,094               10,926,094   
Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities            955,351,980               955,351,980   
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities            62,882,048               62,882,048   
Mutual Funds     196,320,530                      196,320,530   
Total Investments     $196,320,530        $2,071,754,641        $—        $2,268,075,171   
Other Financial Instruments                        
Futures Contracts     $126,525        $—        $—        $126,525   

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

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 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 futures contracts. 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, 2014 as reported in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities:

 

        Fair Value (a)  
Risk   Derivative Contracts   Asset Derivatives  
Interest Rate   Interest Rate Futures     $126,525   

 

(a) The value of futures contracts outstanding includes cumulative appreciation (depreciation) as reported in the fund’s Portfolio of Investments. Only the current day variation margin for futures contracts is separately reported within the fund’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

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, 2014 as reported in the Statement of Operations:

 

Risk    Futures Contracts  
Interest Rate      $2,887,699   

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, 2014 as reported in the Statement of Operations:

 

Risk    Futures Contracts  
Interest Rate      $113,424   

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 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. The fund’s right to setoff may be restricted or prohibited by the bankruptcy or insolvency laws of the particular jurisdiction to which a specific ISDA counterparty is subject.

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 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” or “Deposits with brokers.” Securities pledged as collateral or margin for the same purpose, if any, are noted in the Portfolio of Investments.

Futures Contracts – The fund entered into futures contracts which may be used to hedge against or obtain broad market exposure, interest rate exposure, or to manage duration. A futures contract represents a commitment for the future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a specified date.

 

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Upon entering into a futures contract, the fund is required to deposit with the broker, either in cash or securities, an initial margin in an amount equal to a certain percentage of the notional amount of the contract. Subsequent payments (variation margin) are made or received by the fund each day, depending on the daily fluctuations in the value of the contract, and are recorded for financial statement purposes as unrealized gain or loss by the fund until the contract is closed or expires at which point the gain or loss on futures contracts is realized.

The fund bears the risk of interest rates or securities prices moving unexpectedly, in which case, the fund may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the futures contracts and may realize a loss. While futures contracts may present less counterparty risk to the fund since the contracts are exchange traded and the exchange’s clearinghouse guarantees payments to the broker, there is still counterparty credit risk due to the insolvency of the broker. The fund’s maximum risk of loss due to counterparty credit risk is equal to the margin posted by the fund to the broker plus any gains or minus any losses on the outstanding futures contracts.

Dollar Roll Transactions – The fund enters into dollar roll transactions, with respect to mortgage-backed securities issued by Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac, in which the fund sells mortgage backed securities to financial institutions and simultaneously agrees to purchase similar (same issuer, type and coupon) securities at a later date at an agreed-upon price. During the period between the sale and repurchase in a dollar roll transaction the fund will not be entitled to receive interest and principal payments on the securities sold but is compensated by interest earned on the proceeds of the initial sale and by a lower purchase price on the securities to be repurchased which enhances the fund’s total return. The fund accounts for dollar roll transactions as purchases and sales and realizes gains and losses on these transactions.

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.

 

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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.

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. 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 securities resulting from these transactions are included in the Portfolio of Investments. TBA purchase and sale commitments are held at carrying amount, which approximates fair value and are categorized as level 2 within the fair value hierarchy. 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.

To mitigate this risk of loss on TBA securities and other types of forward settling mortgage-backed securities, the fund whenever possible enters into a Master Securities Forward Transaction Agreement (“MSFTA”) on a bilateral basis with each of the counterparties with whom it undertakes a significant volume of transactions. The MSFTA 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 MSFTA, 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 MSFTA 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.

For mortgage-backed securities traded under a MSFTA, the collateral and margining requirements are contract specific. Collateral amounts across all transactions traded under such agreement are netted and one amount is posted from one party to the other to collateralize such obligations. Cash that has been pledged to cover the fund’s collateral or margin obligations under a MSFTA, if any, will be reported separately on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as restricted cash. Securities pledged as collateral or margin for the same purpose, if any, are noted in the Portfolio of Investments.

 

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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, 2014, 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 and tax-exempt 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. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken on federal and state tax returns for all open tax years and does not believe that there are any uncertain tax positions that require recognition of a tax liability.

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:

 

     2/28/14  
Ordinary income (including any
short-term capital gains)
     $53,954,062   

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

 

As of 8/31/14       
Cost of investments      $2,209,958,186   
Gross appreciation      64,462,510   
Gross depreciation      (6,345,525
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)      $58,116,985   
As of 2/28/14       
Undistributed ordinary income      4,333,995   
Capital loss carryforwards      (16,219,770
Post-October capital loss deferral      (1,946,752
Other temporary differences      (5,007,603
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)      14,214,366   

 

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

As of February 28, 2014, the fund had capital loss carryforwards available to offset future realized gains. Such losses are characterized as follows:

 

Short-Term      $(7,870,930
Long-Term      (8,348,840
Total      $(16,219,770

Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010 (the “Act”), the above net capital losses may be carried forward indefinitely, and their character is retained as short-term and/or long-term losses. Previously, net capital losses were carried forward for eight years and treated as short-term losses.

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

8/31/14
     Year
ended
2/28/14
     Six months
ended
8/31/14
     Year
ended
2/28/14
 
Class A      $7,296,850         $16,599,827         $—         $2,545,083   
Class B      182,665         503,035                 126,410   
Class C      376,737         1,094,015                 285,650   
Class I      227,835         742,543                 119,771   
Class R1      36,252         82,315                 18,634   
Class R2      1,327,952         2,935,046                 493,835   
Class R3      1,057,299         2,281,830                 340,540   
Class R4      842,038         1,687,754                 218,191   
Class R5      12,254,060         21,408,243                 2,471,340   
Total      $23,601,688         $47,334,608         $—         $6,619,454   

(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.

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 six months ended August 31, 2014, this management fee reduction amounted to $46,157, which is included in the reduction of total expenses in

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

the Statement of Operations. The management fee incurred for the six months ended August 31, 2014 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 $132,259 for the six months ended August 31, 2014, 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 share classes 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%         $868,909   
Class B      0.75%         0.25%         1.00%         1.00%         134,212   
Class C      0.75%         0.25%         1.00%         1.00%         276,685   
Class R1      0.75%         0.25%         1.00%         1.00%         26,708   
Class R2      0.25%         0.25%         0.50%         0.50%         358,394   
Class R3              0.25%         0.25%         0.25%         125,961   
Total Distribution and Service Fees            $1,790,869   

 

(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. Any rate changes, if applicable, are detailed below.
(e) The annual effective rates represent actual fees incurred under the distribution plan for the six months ended August 31, 2014 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 affiliates’ seed money. For the six months ended August 31, 2014, this rebate amounted to $18,509, $141, $9, and $6 for Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class R2, respectively, and is included in the 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, 2014, were as follows:

 

     Amount  
Class A      $27,907   
Class B      29,807   
Class C      1,742   

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, 2014, the fee was $193,246, which equated to 0.0183% 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, 2014, these out-of-pocket expenses, sub-accounting and other shareholder servicing costs amounted to $729,824.

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-funds’ 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-funds. For the six months ended August 31, 2014, these costs for the fund amounted to $389,790 and are included in “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, 2014 was equivalent to an annual effective rate of 0.0127% 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 $1,746 and the Retirement Deferral plan resulted in an expense of $446. Both amounts are included in independent Trustees’ compensation for the six months ended August 31, 2014. The liability for deferred retirement benefits payable to certain independent Trustees under both plans amounted to $52,332 at August 31, 2014, 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 funds can terminate the Agreements with Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC at any time under the terms of the Agreements. The ICCO is an officer of the funds and the sole member of Tarantino LLC. Prior to June 1, 2014, Robyn L. Griffin served as the Assistant ICCO and was an officer of the funds. Ms. Griffin is the sole member of Griffin Compliance LLC. Effective May 31, 2014, Ms. Griffin resigned as Assistant ICCO and the service agreement between the funds and Griffin Compliance LLC was terminated. For the six months ended August 31, 2014, the aggregate fees paid by the fund to Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC were $3,677 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 $2,154, which is included in the 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.

(4) Portfolio Securities

For the six months ended August 31, 2014, purchases and sales of investments, other than short-term obligations, were as follows:

 

     Purchases      Sales  
U.S. Government securities      $736,600,398         $668,718,054   
Investments (non-U.S. Government securities)      $38,306,470         $8,863,507   

 

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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
8/31/14
     Year ended
2/28/14
 
     Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  
Shares sold            

Class A

     8,782,181         $88,425,059         14,080,093         $142,636,059   

Class B

     92,623         930,230         283,664         2,899,313   

Class C

     339,988         3,429,160         844,314         8,628,824   

Class I

     307,227         3,094,235         1,049,600         10,687,176   

Class R1

     46,174         464,444         110,936         1,119,255   

Class R2

     940,319         9,440,785         2,625,758         26,567,943   

Class R3

     1,319,404         13,275,243         3,352,214         34,136,677   

Class R4

     1,113,608         11,201,009         1,904,389         19,277,307   

Class R5

     7,626,979         76,596,180         23,416,145         236,910,312   
     20,568,503         $206,856,345         47,667,113         $482,862,866   
Shares issued to shareholders in
reinvestment of distributions
            

Class A

     509,043         $5,127,322         1,352,204         $13,694,550   

Class B

     17,538         176,385         57,513         582,189   

Class C

     27,058         273,037         100,602         1,022,649   

Class I

     14,033         141,318         40,362         409,006   

Class R1

     3,592         36,137         9,957         100,802   

Class R2

     124,810         1,255,901         316,642         3,203,039   

Class R3

     104,960         1,056,943         259,117         2,621,905   

Class R4

     66,772         672,952         155,305         1,572,129   

Class R5

     1,217,231         12,254,106         2,363,750         23,879,560   
     2,085,037         $20,994,101         4,655,452         $47,085,829   
Shares reacquired            

Class A

     (10,742,701      $(108,114,582      (27,389,621      $(277,118,802

Class B

     (392,225      (3,937,930      (1,766,066      (17,866,030

Class C

     (959,253      (9,665,268      (4,871,157      (49,437,235

Class I

     (568,170      (5,714,022      (2,907,146      (29,363,430

Class R1

     (60,471      (607,322      (228,064      (2,319,835

Class R2

     (1,224,893      (12,315,014      (4,717,216      (47,784,438

Class R3

     (1,365,778      (13,747,032      (3,835,483      (38,793,912

Class R4

     (920,605      (9,261,714      (1,831,448      (18,581,291

Class R5

     (1,371,750      (13,799,886      (1,171,501      (11,814,366
     (17,605,846      $(177,162,770      (48,717,702      $(493,079,339

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

     Six months ended
8/31/14
     Year ended
2/28/14
 
     Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  
Net change            

Class A

     (1,451,477      $(14,562,201      (11,957,324      $(120,788,193

Class B

     (282,064      (2,831,315      (1,424,889      (14,384,528

Class C

     (592,207      (5,963,071      (3,926,241      (39,785,762

Class I

     (246,910      (2,478,469      (1,817,184      (18,267,248

Class R1

     (10,705      (106,741      (107,171      (1,099,778

Class R2

     (159,764      (1,618,328      (1,774,816      (18,013,456

Class R3

     58,586         585,154         (224,152      (2,035,330

Class R4

     259,775         2,612,247         228,246         2,268,145   

Class R5

     7,472,460         75,050,400         24,608,394         248,975,506   
     5,047,694         $50,687,676         3,604,863         $36,869,356   

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 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, the MFS Lifetime Income Fund, and the MFS Lifetime 2020 Fund were the owners of record of approximately 30%, 14%, 2%, and 2%, 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, 2014, the fund’s commitment fee and interest expense were $4,190 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      275,347,466         181,869,272         (260,896,208     196,320,530   
Underlying Affiliated
Fund
  

Realized

Gain (Loss)

    

Capital Gain

Distributions

    

Dividend

Income

   

Ending

Value

 
MFS Institutional Money Market Portfolio      $—         $—         $106,166        $196,320,530   

 

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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, 2014 (“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, 2013 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, 2013, 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 3rd quintile for each of the one- and five-year periods ended December 31, 2013 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 and total expense ratio were each 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 approximately at 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, 2014.

 

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PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND INFORMATION

MFS votes proxies on behalf of the fund pursuant to proxy voting policies and procedures that are 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 “Commentary & Announcements” and “Market Outlooks” sections 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

 


Table of Contents

SEMIANNUAL REPORT

August 31, 2014

 

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     23   
Board review of investment advisory agreement     34   
Proxy voting policies and information     38   
Quarterly portfolio disclosure     38   
Further information     38   
Provision of financial reports and summary prospectuses     38   
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:

The U.S. economy continues to gain strength. Manufacturing output, construction activity and consumer confidence are all at multi-year highs, auto sales are robust, and

U.S. labor market reports show broad progress. Even a slowdown in the pace of rising house prices is seen as making the market more sustainable. Economists have a favorable outlook, and broad stock indices reflect that.

However, challenges dominate the rest of the global economy. China is struggling to boost its industrial output and Japan’s economic turnaround appears to have hit a setback after its sales tax increase in April. The eurozone economy is being held back by persistently high unemployment and dangerously low inflation, leading the European Central Bank to take more

aggressive stimulus action. With robust corporate earnings, the market’s greatest concerns relate to conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. In addition, speculation continues on when the U.S. Federal Reserve will begin tightening its monetary policy now that the U.S. economy has regained some traction.

As always at MFS®, active risk management is integral to how we manage your investments. We use a collaborative process, sharing insights across asset classes, regions and economic sectors. Our global team of investment professionals uses a multidisciplined, long-term, diversified investment approach.

We understand that these are challenging economic times. We believe we can serve you best by applying proven principles, such as asset allocation and diversification, over the long term. We are confident that this approach can help you as you work with your financial advisors to reach your goals in the years ahead.

Respectfully,

 

LOGO

Robert J. Manning

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

MFS Investment Management

October 16, 2014

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

 

1


Table of Contents

PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION

 

Portfolio structure

 

LOGO

 

Top ten holdings   
Corporate Office Properties Trust, REIT     1.5%   
Everest Re Group Ltd.     1.5%   
Cinemark Holdings, Inc.     1.5%   
Resources Connection, Inc.     1.5%   
NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.     1.5%   
PrivateBancorp, Inc.     1.4%   
TCF Financial Corp.     1.4%   
CAI International, Inc.     1.4%   
Huntington Bancshares, Inc.     1.3%   
NICE Systems Ltd., ADR     1.3%   
Equity sectors   
Financial Services     30.2%   
Technology     9.9%   
Industrial Goods & Services     9.4%   
Energy     7.6%   
Special Products & Services     7.4%   
Retailing     7.0%   
Basic Materials     6.3%   
Leisure     6.0%   
Health Care     4.6%   
Utilities & Communications     3.4%   
Transportation     3.2%   
Consumer Staples     1.2%   
Autos & Housing     1.0%   
 

 

Cash & Other can include cash, other assets less liabilities, offsets to derivative positions, and short-term securities.

Percentages are based on net assets as of 8/31/14.

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, 2014 through August 31, 2014

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, 2014 through August 31, 2014.

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

3/01/14

   

Ending

Account Value
8/31/14

   

Expenses

Paid During

Period (p)

3/01/14-8/31/14

 
A   Actual     1.45%        $1,000.00        $1,022.34        $7.39   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.45%        $1,000.00        $1,017.90        $7.38   
B   Actual     2.20%        $1,000.00        $1,018.70        $11.19   
  Hypothetical (h)     2.20%        $1,000.00        $1,014.12        $11.17   
C   Actual     2.19%        $1,000.00        $1,017.96        $11.14   
  Hypothetical (h)     2.19%        $1,000.00        $1,014.17        $11.12   
I   Actual     1.20%        $1,000.00        $1,023.80        $6.12   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.20%        $1,000.00        $1,019.16        $6.11   
R1   Actual     2.20%        $1,000.00        $1,017.92        $11.19   
  Hypothetical (h)     2.20%        $1,000.00        $1,014.12        $11.17   
R2   Actual     1.70%        $1,000.00        $1,020.80        $8.66   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.70%        $1,000.00        $1,016.64        $8.64   
R3   Actual     1.45%        $1,000.00        $1,022.29        $7.39   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.45%        $1,000.00        $1,017.90        $7.38   
R4   Actual     1.20%        $1,000.00        $1,023.78        $6.12   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.20%        $1,000.00        $1,019.16        $6.11   
R5   Actual     1.13%        $1,000.00        $1,024.55        $5.77   
  Hypothetical (h)     1.13%        $1,000.00        $1,019.51        $5.75   

 

(h) 5% class return per year before expenses.
(p) “Expenses Paid During Period” are equal to each class’s annualized expense ratio, as shown above, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 184/365 (to reflect the one-half year period). 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 and are outside of the expense limitation arrangement. For Class C shares, this rebate reduced the expense ratio above by 0.01%. See Note 3 in the Notes to Financial Statements for additional information.

 

4


Table of Contents

PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS

8/31/14 (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 - 97.2%                 
Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Apparel Manufacturers - 0.9%                 
Guess?, Inc.      123,345      $ 2,891,205   
Broadcasting - 1.3%                 
Stroer Out-of-Home Media AG      187,175      $ 4,193,253   
Brokerage & Asset Managers - 2.7%                 
FXCM, Inc., “A”      195,247      $ 2,829,129   
GAIN Capital Holdings, Inc.      227,864        1,437,822   
NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.      111,665        4,854,078   
    

 

 

 
             $ 9,121,029   
Business Services - 5.5%                 
Forrester Research, Inc.      82,011      $ 3,186,947   
Global Payments, Inc.      61,695        4,486,460   
RE/MAX Holdings, Inc., “A”      105,238        3,190,816   
Resources Connection, Inc.      321,919        4,928,580   
Serco Group PLC      492,426        2,537,524   
    

 

 

 
             $ 18,330,327   
Computer Software - 1.0%                 
Rovi Corp. (a)      144,197      $ 3,335,277   
Computer Software - Systems - 3.2%                 
Ingram Micro, Inc., “A” (a)      152,314      $ 4,391,213   
Model N, Inc. (a)      185,608        1,715,018   
NICE Systems Ltd., ADR      114,048        4,494,632   
    

 

 

 
             $ 10,600,863   
Construction - 1.0%                 
Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. (a)      57,324      $ 1,634,880   
Interface, Inc.      98,866        1,683,688   
    

 

 

 
             $ 3,318,568   
Consumer Products - 1.2%                 
Sensient Technologies Corp.      71,590      $ 4,016,915   
Consumer Services - 1.9%                 
Capella Education Co.      29,139      $ 1,897,240   
Carriage Services, Inc.      100,468        1,872,724   

 

5


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Common Stocks - continued                 
Consumer Services - continued                 
Servicemaster Global Holdings, Inc. (a)      101,501      $ 2,491,850   
    

 

 

 
             $ 6,261,814   
Containers - 1.1%                 
Greif, Inc., “A”      76,974      $ 3,686,285   
Electrical Equipment - 0.9%                 
Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (a)      157,128      $ 2,980,718   
Electronics - 4.4%                 
Lattice Semiconductor Corp. (a)      266,595      $ 2,002,128   
MaxLinear, Inc., “A” (a)      303,615        2,814,511   
Micrel, Inc.      310,767        3,893,911   
MKS Instruments, Inc.      46,592        1,581,332   
Rubicon Technology, Inc. (a)(l)      303,973        1,896,792   
Ultratech, Inc. (a)      99,615        2,576,044   
    

 

 

 
             $ 14,764,718   
Energy - Independent - 3.7%                 
Energen Corp.      42,203      $ 3,396,497   
Memorial Resource Development Corp. (a)      89,693        2,643,253   
Rosetta Resources, Inc. (a)      44,339        2,216,950   
SM Energy Co.      35,699        3,178,639   
Walter Energy, Inc.      160,257        895,837   
    

 

 

 
             $ 12,331,176   
Entertainment - 3.1%                 
AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc., “A”      147,451      $ 3,490,165   
Cinemark Holdings, Inc.      142,004        5,011,321   
International Speedway Corp.      51,381        1,720,750   
    

 

 

 
             $ 10,222,236   
Food & Drug Stores - 0.4%                 
Brazil Pharma S.A. (a)      756,411      $ 1,412,463   
Health Maintenance Organizations - 0.7%                 
Molina Healthcare, Inc. (a)      50,757      $ 2,428,215   
Insurance - 7.8%                 
Allied World Assurance Co.      113,706      $ 4,205,985   
Aspen Insurance Holdings Ltd.      51,679        2,197,391   
Everest Re Group Ltd.      30,814        5,048,566   
Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.      56,403        3,578,770   
Safety Insurance Group, Inc.      41,824        2,308,685   

 

6


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Common Stocks - continued                 
Insurance - continued                 
Stewart Information Services Corp.      75,315      $ 2,426,649   
Symetra Financial Corp.      126,627        3,082,101   
Third Point Reinsurance Ltd. (a)      204,843        3,138,195   
    

 

 

 
             $ 25,986,342   
Leisure & Toys - 1.6%                 
Brunswick Corp.      69,712      $ 2,997,616   
Callaway Golf Co.      328,231        2,497,838   
    

 

 

 
             $ 5,495,454   
Machinery & Tools - 7.2%                 
Columbus McKinnon Corp.      135,528      $ 3,396,332   
Douglas Dynamics, Inc.      198,558        3,959,247   
Herman Miller, Inc.      98,836        2,937,406   
Joy Global, Inc.      67,694        4,274,876   
Kennametal, Inc.      72,438        3,245,947   
Polypore International, Inc. (a)      59,547        2,669,492   
Regal Beloit Corp.      52,012        3,696,493   
    

 

 

 
             $ 24,179,793   
Major Banks - 1.3%                 
Huntington Bancshares, Inc.      457,875      $ 4,507,779   
Medical & Health Technology & Services - 2.6%                 
Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (a)      409,212      $ 3,265,512   
IPC The Hospitalist Co., Inc. (a)      51,587        2,493,716   
MEDNAX, Inc. (a)      51,841        2,967,897   
    

 

 

 
             $ 8,727,125   
Medical Equipment - 1.3%                 
Teleflex, Inc.      39,533      $ 4,328,073   
Metals & Mining - 2.6%                 
GrafTech International Ltd. (a)      393,423      $ 3,434,583   
Horsehead Holding Corp. (a)      101,783        2,054,999   
Iluka Resources Ltd.      396,790        3,298,180   
    

 

 

 
             $ 8,787,762   
Natural Gas - Distribution - 0.9%                 
AGL Resources, Inc.      55,400      $ 2,953,374   
Natural Gas - Pipeline - 0.5%                 
StealthGas, Inc. (a)      174,543      $ 1,708,776   

 

7


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Common Stocks - continued                 
Network & Telecom - 1.4%                 
Ixia (a)      303,217      $ 2,916,948   
Polycom, Inc. (a)      124,632        1,651,374   
    

 

 

 
             $ 4,568,322   
Oil Services - 3.9%                 
Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. (a)      118,214      $ 3,229,606   
Superior Energy Services, Inc.      66,466        2,382,141   
Tesco Corp.      165,519        3,512,313   
Tidewater, Inc.      78,083        3,972,082   
    

 

 

 
             $ 13,096,142   
Other Banks & Diversified Financials - 11.8%                 
Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc.      95,396      $ 2,349,603   
Brookline Bancorp, Inc.      406,619        3,720,564   
CAI International, Inc. (a)      234,300        4,543,077   
Cathay General Bancorp, Inc.      135,190        3,520,348   
EZCORP, Inc., “A” (a)      284,994        3,029,486   
First Interstate BancSystem, Inc.      124,472        3,300,997   
PrivateBancorp, Inc.      164,036        4,840,702   
Regional Management Corp. (a)      194,866        3,312,722   
Sandy Spring Bancorp, Inc.      111,086        2,684,949   
TCF Financial Corp.      305,852        4,832,462   
Texas Capital Bancshares, Inc. (a)      64,433        3,478,093   
    

 

 

 
             $ 39,613,003   
Pollution Control - 1.2%                 
Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd.      161,916      $ 4,185,529   
Railroad & Shipping - 1.3%                 
Diana Shipping, Inc. (a)      397,237      $ 4,226,602   
Real Estate - 6.6%                 
BioMed Realty Trust, Inc., REIT      186,230      $ 4,180,864   
Corporate Office Properties Trust, REIT      178,996        5,079,906   
EPR Properties, REIT      78,360        4,459,468   
Hatteras Financial Corp., REIT      210,486        4,188,671   
Select Income, REIT      143,609        4,006,691   
    

 

 

 
             $ 21,915,600   
Specialty Chemicals - 2.5%                 
Kronos Worldwide, Inc.      117,120      $ 1,851,667   
Taminco Corp. (a)      133,895        3,206,785   
Tronox Ltd., “A”      111,951        3,398,832   
    

 

 

 
             $ 8,457,284   

 

8


Table of Contents

Portfolio of Investments (unaudited) – continued

 

Issuer    Shares/Par     Value ($)  
    
Common Stocks - continued                 
Specialty Stores - 5.8%                 
Burlington Stores, Inc. (a)      71,580      $ 2,553,259   
Children’s Place, Inc.      71,612        3,849,861   
Citi Trends, Inc. (a)      77,735        1,808,116   
Express, Inc. (a)      205,714        3,567,081   
Gordmans Stores, Inc.      353,776        1,252,367   
Kirkland’s, Inc. (a)      164,099        2,925,885   
Rent-A-Center, Inc.      116,058        3,233,376   
Tilly’s, Inc. (a)      11,644        94,899   
    

 

 

 
             $ 19,284,844   
Trucking - 1.9%                 
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (a)      50,185      $ 1,678,688   
Celadon Group, Inc.      103,607        2,169,531   
Marten Transport Ltd.      126,130        2,497,374   
    

 

 

 
             $ 6,345,593   
Utilities - Electric Power - 2.0%                 
El Paso Electric Co.      86,713      $ 3,411,289   
Great Plains Energy, Inc.      133,529        3,427,689   
    

 

 

 
             $ 6,838,978   
Total Common Stocks (Identified Cost, $273,789,765)            $ 325,101,437   
Money Market Funds - 2.3%                 
MFS Institutional Money Market Portfolio, 0.09%,
at Cost and Net Asset Value (v)
     7,550,880      $ 7,550,880   
Collateral for Securities Loaned - 0.0%                 
Navigator Securities Lending Prime Portfolio, 0.15%,
at Cost and Net Asset Value (j)
     162,279      $ 162,279   
Total Investments (Identified Cost, $281,502,924)            $ 332,814,596   
Other Assets, Less Liabilities - 0.5%              1,632,146   
Net Assets - 100.0%            $ 334,446,742   

 

(a) Non-income producing security.
(j) The rate quoted is the annualized seven-day yield of the fund at period end.
(l) A portion of this security is on loan.
(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 8/31/14 (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, $273,952,044)

     $325,263,716   

Underlying affiliated funds, at cost and value

     7,550,880   

Total investments, at value, including $155,788 of securities on loan
(identified cost, $281,502,924)

     $332,814,596   

Receivables for

  

Investments sold

     1,684,502   

Fund shares sold

     244,539   

Interest and dividends

     369,997   

Other assets

     49,716   

Total assets

     $335,163,350   
Liabilities         

Payable for fund shares reacquired

     $260,335   

Collateral for securities loaned, at value

     162,279   

Payable to affiliates

  

Investment adviser

     3,379   

Shareholder servicing costs

     251,878   

Distribution and service fees

     1,008   

Payable for independent Trustees’ compensation

     135   

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     37,594   

Total liabilities

     $716,608   

Net assets

     $334,446,742   
Net assets consist of         

Paid-in capital

     $270,422,077   

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

     51,311,571   

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

     12,072,202   

Undistributed net investment income

     640,892   

Net assets

     $334,446,742   

Shares of beneficial interest outstanding

     25,258,946   

 

10


Table of Contents

Statement of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited) – continued

 

 

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

Class A

     $16,557,337         1,255,981         $13.18   

Class B

     1,245,747         95,808         13.00   

Class C

     3,581,388         276,032         12.97   

Class I

     9,893,265         747,281         13.24   

Class R1

     293,339         22,558         13.00   

Class R2

     507,564         38,529         13.17   

Class R3

     591,403         44,769         13.21   

Class R4

     217,874         16,442         13.25   

Class R5

     301,558,825         22,761,546         13.25   

 

(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 $13.98 [100 / 94.25 x $13.18]. 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

 

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Table of Contents

Financial Statements

 

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

Six months ended 8/31/14 (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

     $2,543,360   

Interest

     33,318   

Dividends from underlying affiliated funds

     2,561   

Foreign taxes withheld

     (18,200

Total investment income

     $2,561,039   

Expenses

  

Management fee

     $1,463,871   

Distribution and service fees

     49,524   

Shareholder servicing costs

     352,595   

Administrative services fee

     25,387   

Independent Trustees’ compensation

     4,675   

Custodian fee

     20,699   

Shareholder communications

     6,642   

Audit and tax fees

     25,924   

Legal fees

     1,296   

Miscellaneous

     69,270   

Total expenses

     $2,019,883   

Fees paid indirectly

     (12

Reduction of expenses by investment adviser and distributor

     (124,751

Net expenses

     $1,895,120   

Net investment income

     $665,919   
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments and
foreign currency
        

Realized gain (loss) (identified cost basis)

  

Investments

     $12,719,627   

Foreign currency

     (2,953

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency

     $12,716,674   

Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

  

Investments

     $(5,225,331

Translation of assets and liabilities in foreign currencies

     121   

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

     $(5,225,210

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

     $7,491,464   

Change in net assets from operations

     $8,157,383   

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
8/31/14
     Year ended
2/28/14
 
Change in net assets    (unaudited)         
From operations                  

Net investment income

     $665,919         $1,172,994   

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency

     12,716,674         31,173,324   

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

     (5,225,210      31,661,208   

Change in net assets from operations

     $8,157,383         $64,007,526   
Distributions declared to shareholders                  

From net investment income

     $—         $(1,080,227

From net realized gain on investments

     (8,491,094      (23,479,772

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(8,491,094      $(24,559,999

Change in net assets from fund share transactions

     $24,322,373         $57,814,112   

Total change in net assets

     $23,988,662         $97,261,639   
Net assets                  

At beginning of period

     310,458,080         213,196,441   

At end of period (including undistributed net investment income of $640,892 and accumulated distributions in excess of net investment income of $25,027, respectively)

     $334,446,742         $310,458,080   

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.

 

     Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/28     Period
ended
2/29/12 (c)
 
Class A              2014             2013    
     (unaudited)                    

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $13.24        $11.37        $10.27        $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations   

Net investment income (d)

     $0.01        $0.02        $0.06        $0.01   

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

     0.28        3.02        1.69        0.30   

Total from investment operations

     $0.29        $3.04        $1.75        $0.31   
Less distributions declared to shareholders   

From net investment income

     $—        $(0.03     $(0.07     $(0.03

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.35     (1.14     (0.58     (0.01

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.35     $(1.17     $(0.65     $(0.04

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $13.18        $13.24        $11.37        $10.27   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

     2.23 (n)      27.39        18.04        3.22 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     1.53 (a)      1.59        1.39        1.25 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     1.45 (a)      1.45        1.34        1.25 (a) 

Net investment income

     0.12 (a)      0.14        0.53        0.17 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      55        67        56 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $16,557        $19,101        $4,596        $1,872   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

14


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

     Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/28     Period
ended
2/29/12 (c)
 
Class B              2014             2013    
     (unaudited)                    

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $13.11        $11.33        $10.24        $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations   

Net investment loss (d)

     $(0.04     $(0.08     $(0.02     $(0.04

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

     0.28        3.00        1.69        0.29   

Total from investment operations

     $0.24        $2.92        $1.67        $0.25   
Less distributions declared to shareholders   

From net realized gain on investments

     $(0.35     $(1.14     $(0.58     $(0.01

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $13.00        $13.11        $11.33        $10.24   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

     1.87 (n)      26.40        17.24        2.56 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     2.28 (a)      2.33        2.14        2.01 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     2.20 (a)      2.20        2.08        2.01 (a) 

Net investment loss

     (0.64 )(a)      (0.60     (0.17     (0.57 )(a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      55        67        56 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $1,246        $954        $353        $200   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

15


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

     Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/28     Period
ended
2/29/12 (c)
 
Class C              2014             2013    
     (unaudited)                    

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $13.09        $11.31        $10.24        $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations   

Net investment loss (d)

     $(0.04     $(0.08     $(0.02     $(0.04

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

     0.27        3.00        1.69        0.29   

Total from investment operations

     $0.23        $2.92        $1.67        $0.25   
Less distributions declared to shareholders   

From net investment income

     $—        $—        $(0.02     $(0.00 )(w) 

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.35     (1.14     (0.58     (0.01

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.35     $(1.14     $(0.60     $(0.01

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $12.97        $13.09        $11.31        $10.24   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(t)(x)

     1.80 (n)      26.46        17.22        2.62 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     2.28 (a)      2.34        2.15        2.01 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     2.19 (a)      2.20        2.09        2.01 (a) 

Net investment loss

     (0.62 )(a)      (0.61     (0.22     (0.53 )(a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      55        67        56 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $3,581        $3,043        $691        $182   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

16


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

     Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/28     Period
ended
2/29/12 (c)
 
Class I              2014             2013    
     (unaudited)                    

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $13.28        $11.39        $10.28        $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations   

Net investment income (d)

     $0.02        $0.05        $0.11        $0.03   

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

     0.29        3.03        1.67        0.30   

Total from investment operations

     $0.31        $3.08        $1.78        $0.33   
Less distributions declared to shareholders   

From net investment income

     $—        $(0.05     $(0.09     $(0.04

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.35     (1.14     (0.58     (0.01

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.35     $(1.19     $(0.67     $(0.05

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $13.24        $13.28        $11.39        $10.28   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

     2.38 (n)      27.71        18.35        3.39 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     1.28 (a)      1.33        1.02        1.01 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     1.20 (a)      1.20        1.02        1.01 (a) 

Net investment income

     0.36 (a)      0.41        1.04        0.47 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      55        67        56 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $9,893        $7,464        $1,633        $163,585   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

17


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

     Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/28     Period
ended
2/29/12 (c)
 
Class R1              2014             2013    
     (unaudited)                    

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $13.12        $11.34        $10.25        $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations   

Net investment loss (d)

     $(0.04     $(0.07     $(0.01     $(0.04

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

     0.27        2.99        1.68        0.30   

Total from investment operations

     $0.23        $2.92        $1.67        $0.26   
Less distributions declared to shareholders   

From net investment income

     $—        $—        $(0.00 )(w)      $—   

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.35     (1.14     (0.58     (0.01

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.35     $(1.14     $(0.58     $(0.01

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $13.00        $13.12        $11.34        $10.25   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

     1.79 (n)      26.39        17.25        2.66 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     2.28 (a)      2.32        2.13        2.01 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     2.20 (a)      2.20        2.08        2.01 (a) 

Net investment loss

     (0.63 )(a)      (0.59     (0.14     (0.56 )(a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      55        67        56 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $293        $288        $148        $103   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

 

18


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

     Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/28     Period
ended
2/29/12 (c)
 
Class R2              2014             2013    
     (unaudited)                    

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $13.25        $11.39        $10.27        $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations   

Net investment income (loss) (d)

     $(0.01     $(0.01     $0.04        $(0.00 )(w) 

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

     0.28        3.01        1.70        0.29   

Total from investment operations

     $0.27        $3.00        $1.74        $0.29   
Less distributions declared to shareholders   

From net investment income

     $—        $(0.00 )(w)      $(0.04     $(0.01

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.35     (1.14     (0.58     (0.01

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.35     $(1.14     $(0.62     $(0.02

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $13.17        $13.25        $11.39        $10.27   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

     2.08 (n)      27.01        17.92        2.98 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     1.78 (a)      1.83        1.63        1.51 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     1.70 (a)      1.70        1.58        1.51 (a) 

Net investment income (loss)

     (0.13 )(a)      (0.09     0.34        (0.06 )(a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      55        67        56 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $508        $488        $137        $105   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

19


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

     Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/28     Period
ended
2/29/12 (c)
 
Class R3              2014             2013    
     (unaudited)                    

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $13.27        $11.39        $10.28        $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations   

Net investment income (d)

     $0.01        $0.02        $0.05        $0.01   

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

     0.28        3.02        1.70        0.30   

Total from investment operations

     $0.29        $3.04        $1.75        $0.31   
Less distributions declared to shareholders   

From net investment income

     $—        $(0.02     $(0.06     $(0.02

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.35     (1.14     (0.58     (0.01

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.35     $(1.16     $(0.64     $(0.03

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $13.21        $13.27        $11.39        $10.28   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

     2.23 (n)      27.38        18.08        3.23 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     1.53 (a)      1.58        1.40        1.26 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     1.45 (a)      1.45        1.34        1.26 (a) 

Net investment income

     0.12 (a)      0.15        0.47        0.19 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      55        67        56 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $591        $513        $215        $103   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

20


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

     Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/28     Period
ended
2/29/12 (c)
 
Class R4              2014             2013    
     (unaudited)                    

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $13.29        $11.40        $10.28        $10.00   
Income (loss) from investment operations   

Net investment income (d)

     $0.02        $0.05        $0.09        $0.03   

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

     0.29        3.03        1.70        0.30   

Total from investment operations

     $0.31        $3.08        $1.79        $0.33   
Less distributions declared to shareholders   

From net investment income

     $—        $(0.05     $(0.09     $(0.04

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.35     (1.14     (0.58     (0.01

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.35     $(1.19     $(0.67     $(0.05

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $13.25        $13.29        $11.40        $10.28   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

     2.38 (n)      27.66        18.46        3.39 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     1.28 (a)      1.32        1.12        1.01 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     1.20 (a)      1.20        1.08        1.01 (a) 

Net investment income

     0.36 (a)      0.42        0.85        0.44 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      55        67        56 (n) 

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $218        $156        $122        $103   

See Notes to Financial Statements

 

21


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights – continued

 

     Six months
ended
8/31/14
    Years ended 2/28  
Class R5          2014         2013 (i)  
     (unaudited)              

Net asset value, beginning of period

     $13.28        $11.40        $10.10   
Income (loss) from investment operations   

Net investment income (d)

     $0.03        $0.06        $0.05   

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

     0.29        3.01        1.71   

Total from investment operations

     $0.32        $3.07        $1.76   
Less distributions declared to shareholders   

From net investment income

     $—        $(0.05     $(0.09

From net realized gain on investments

     (0.35     (1.14     (0.37

Total distributions declared to shareholders

     $(0.35     $(1.19     $(0.46

Net asset value, end of period (x)

     $13.25        $13.28        $11.40   

Total return (%) (r)(s)(x)

     2.46 (n)      27.66        18.05 (n) 
Ratios (%) (to average net assets)
and Supplemental data:
   

Expenses before expense reductions (f)

     1.20 (a)      1.26        1.12 (a) 

Expenses after expense reductions (f)

     1.13 (a)      1.15        1.09 (a) 

Net investment income

     0.45 (a)      0.48        0.76 (a) 

Portfolio turnover

     28 (n)      55        67   

Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)

     $301,559        $278,450        $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.
(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

 

22


Table of Contents

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(unaudited)

(1) Business and Organization

MFS New Discovery Value Fund (the fund) is a diversified 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.

The fund is an investment company and accordingly follows the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 Financial Services – Investment Companies.

(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 increases and decreases in net assets from operations 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 June 2014, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2014-11, Transfers and Servicing (Topic 860) – Repurchase-to-Maturity Transactions, Repurchase Financings, and Disclosures (“ASU 2014-11”). ASU 2014-11 changes the accounting for repurchase-to-maturity transactions (i.e., repurchase agreements that settle at the same time as the maturity of the transferred financial asset) and enhances the required disclosures for repurchase agreements and other similar transactions. Although still evaluating the potential impacts of ASU 2014-11 to the fund, management expects that the impact of the fund’s adoption will be limited to additional financial statement disclosures which would first be effective for interim reporting periods beginning after March 15, 2015.

Balance Sheet Offsetting – 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 International Swaps and Derivatives Association (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. The fund’s right to setoff may be restricted or prohibited by the bankruptcy or insolvency laws of the particular jurisdiction to which a specific master netting agreement counterparty is subject. Balance sheet offsetting disclosures, 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.

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

 

23


Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

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 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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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, 2014 in valuing the fund’s assets or liabilities:

 

Investments at Value    Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  
Equity Securities      $325,101,437         $—         $—         $325,101,437   
Mutual Funds      7,713,159                         7,713,159   
Total Investments      $332,814,596         $—         $—         $332,814,596   

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

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.

Security Loans – Under its Securities Lending Agency Agreement with the fund, State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), 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. On loans collateralized by cash, the cash collateral is invested in a money market fund. 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. State Street provides the fund with indemnification against Borrower default. In the event of Borrower default, State Street 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, State Street assumes the fund’s rights to the related collateral. If the collateral value is less than the cost to purchase identical securities, State Street 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. At period end, the fund had investment securities on loan with a fair value of $155,788 and a related liability of $162,279 for cash collateral received on securities loaned, both

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

of which are presented gross in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The collateral received on securities loaned exceeded the value of securities on loan at period end. The liability for cash collateral for securities loaned is carried at fair value, which is categorized as level 2 within the fair value hierarchy. 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.

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. 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.

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, 2014, 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. Management has analyzed the fund’s tax positions taken on federal and state tax returns for all open tax years and does not believe that there are any uncertain tax positions that require recognition of a tax liability. Foreign taxes, if any, 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

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

in which the fund invests. Additionally, capital gains realized by the fund on securities issued in or by certain foreign countries may be subject to capital gains tax imposed by those countries.

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 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:

 

     2/28/14  
Ordinary income (including any
short-term capital gains)
     $10,239,803   
Long-term capital gains      14,320,196   
Total distributions      $24,559,999   

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

 

As of 8/31/14       
Cost of investments      $282,206,822   
Gross appreciation      60,156,513   
Gross depreciation      (9,548,739
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)      $50,607,774   
As of 2/28/14       
Undistributed ordinary income      3,972,815   
Undistributed long-term capital gain      4,504,858   
Late year ordinary loss deferral      (25,027
Other temporary differences      (222
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)      55,905,952   

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

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

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
8/31/14
     Year
ended
2/28/14
     Six months
ended
8/31/14
     Year
ended
2/28/14
 
Class A      $—         $34,129         $528,165         $1,291,858   
Class B                      26,560         67,226   
Class C                      85,394         204,446   
Class I              19,162         233,320         441,897   
Class R1                      7,483         21,801   
Class R2              89         12,725         37,067   
Class R3              730         14,545         37,053   
Class R4              490         4,236         12,321   
Class R5              1,025,627         7,578,666         21,366,103   
Total      $—         $1,080,227         $8,491,094         $23,479,772   

(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

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 six months ended August 31, 2014, this management fee reduction amounted to $7,107, which is included in the reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations. The management fee incurred for the six months ended August 31, 2014 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%   

 

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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, 2016. For the six months ended August 31, 2014, this reduction amounted to $117,012 and is included in the reduction of total expenses in the Statement of Operations.

Distributor – MFS Fund Distributors, Inc. (MFD), a wholly-owned subsidiary of MFS, as distributor, received $7,390 for the six months ended August 31, 2014, 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 share classes 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%         $24,339   
Class B      0.75%         0.25%         1.00%         1.00%         5,315   
Class C      0.75%         0.25%         1.00%         0.99%         16,496   
Class R1      0.75%         0.25%         1.00%         1.00%         1,444   
Class R2      0.25%         0.25%         0.50%         0.50%         1,236   
Class R3              0.25%         0.25%         0.25%         694   
Total Distribution and Service Fees            $49,524   

 

(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. Any rate changes, if applicable, are detailed below.
(e) The annual effective rates represent actual fees incurred under the distribution plan for the six months ended August 31, 2014 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 affiliates’ seed money. For the six months ended August 31, 2014, this rebate amounted to $184, $6, and $114 for Class A, Class B, and Class C, respectively, and is included in the 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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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, 2014, were as follows:

 

     Amount  
Class A      $322   
Class B      1,629   
Class C      886   

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, 2014, the fee was $5,234, which equated to 0.0032% 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, 2014, these out-of-pocket expenses, sub-accounting and other shareholder servicing costs amounted to $15,217.

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-funds’ 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-funds. For the six months ended August 31, 2014, these costs for the fund amounted to $332,144 and are included in “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, 2014 was equivalent to an annual effective rate of 0.0156% 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,

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

respectively, for the funds. The funds can terminate the Agreements with Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC at any time under the terms of the Agreements. The ICCO is an officer of the funds and the sole member of Tarantino LLC. Prior to June 1, 2014, Robyn L. Griffin served as the Assistant ICCO and was an officer of the funds. Ms. Griffin is the sole member of Griffin Compliance LLC. Effective May 31, 2014, Ms. Griffin resigned as Assistant ICCO and the service agreement between the funds and Griffin Compliance LLC was terminated. For the six months ended August 31, 2014, the aggregate fees paid by the fund to Tarantino LLC and Griffin Compliance LLC were $628 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 $328, which is included in the 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 September 11, 2013, MFS redeemed 10,421 shares of Class R5 for an aggregate amount of $134,952. At August 31, 2014, MFS held approximately 53% and 73% of the outstanding shares of Class R1 and Class R4, respectively.

(4) Portfolio Securities

For the six months ended August 31, 2014, purchases and sales of investments, other than short-term obligations, aggregated $101,238,453 and $87,018,475, 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
8/31/14
     Year ended
2/28/14
 
     Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  
Shares sold            

Class A

     306,714         $4,038,793         1,200,327         $15,282,295   

Class B

     26,928         348,503         43,127         541,707   

Class C

     58,458         757,971         189,466         2,375,617   

Class I

     259,766         3,430,045         436,223         5,492,740   

Class R1

     1,476         19,192         7,521         89,438   

Class R2

     1,326         17,416         25,353         317,789   

Class R3

     8,052         105,642         18,740         234,145   

Class R4

     4,348         57,168                   

Class R5

     1,769,413         23,046,088         2,450,057         30,086,802   
     2,436,481         $31,820,818         4,370,814         $54,420,533   

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) – continued

 

     Six months ended
8/31/14
     Year ended
2/28/14
 
     Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  
Shares issued to shareholders in
reinvestment of distributions
           

Class A

     40,881         $523,684         105,478         $1,321,262   

Class B

     2,041         25,838         5,212         64,757   

Class C

     6,745         85,194         16,443         203,831   

Class I

     17,925         230,512         35,966         451,412   

Class R1

     591         7,483         1,756         21,801   

Class R2

     993         12,725         2,965         37,156   

Class R3

     1,133         14,545         3,014         37,783   

Class R4

     329         4,236         1,021         12,811   

Class R5

     588,863         7,578,666         1,785,649         22,391,730   
     659,501         $8,482,883         1,957,504         $24,542,543   
Shares reacquired            

Class A

     (534,174      $(7,000,177      (267,315      $(3,428,441

Class B

     (5,931      (76,214      (6,671      (83,294

Class C

     (21,684      (281,495      (34,507      (427,723

Class I

     (92,411      (1,180,261      (53,487      (683,088

Class R1

     (1,504      (19,733      (352      (4,333

Class R2

     (628      (8,250      (3,523      (45,302

Class R3

     (3,083      (40,284      (1,969      (25,314

Class R5

     (556,685      (7,374,914      (1,291,091      (16,451,469
     (1,216,100      $(15,981,328      (1,658,915      $(21,148,964
Net change            

Class A

     (186,579      $(2,437,700      1,038,490         $13,175,116   

Class B

     23,038         298,127         41,668         523,170   

Class C

     43,519         561,670         171,402         2,151,725   

Class I

     185,280         2,480,296         418,702         5,261,064   

Class R1

     563         6,942         8,925         106,906   

Class R2

     1,691         21,891         24,795         309,643   

Class R3

     6,102         79,903         19,785         246,614   

Class R4

     4,677         61,404         1,021         12,811   

Class R5

     1,801,591         23,249,840         2,944,615         36,027,063   
     1,879,882         $24,322,373         4,669,403         $57,814,112   

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, the MFS Moderate Allocation Fund, the MFS Aggressive Growth Allocation Fund, the MFS Conservative Allocation Fund, the MFS Lifetime 2030 Fund, the MFS Lifetime 2040 Fund, the MFS Lifetime 2020 Fund, and the MFS Lifetime Income Fund were the owners of record of approximately 31%, 29%, 13%, 9%, 2%, 2%, 1%, and 1%, respectively, of the value of outstanding voting shares of the fund. In addition, the MFS Lifetime 2015 Fund, the MFS Lifetime 2025 Fund, the MFS

 

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Lifetime 2035 Fund, the MFS Lifetime 2045 Fund, the MFS Lifetime 2050 Fund, and the 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, 2014, the fund’s commitment fee and interest expense were $595 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
     6,909,737         55,429,106         (54,787,963      7,550,880   
Underlying Affiliated Fund   

Realized

Gain (Loss)

    

Capital Gain

Distributions

    

Dividend

Income

    

Ending

Value

 
MFS Institutional Money
Market Portfolio
     $—         $—         $2,561         $7,550,880   

 

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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, 2014 (“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, 2013 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, 2013. The total return performance of the Fund’s Class A shares was in the 2nd 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 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 subject to contractual breakpoints that reduce the its 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 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

 

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Board Review of Investment Advisory Agreement – continued

 

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, 2014.

 

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PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND INFORMATION

MFS votes proxies on behalf of the fund pursuant to proxy voting policies and procedures that are 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 “Commentary & Announcements” and “Market Outlooks” sections 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)*    ROBIN A. STELMACH
  Robin A. Stelmach, President

Date: October 16, 2014

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

By (Signature and Title)*    ROBIN A. STELMACH
  Robin A. Stelmach, President (Principal Executive Officer)

Date: October 16, 2014

 

By (Signature and Title)*    DAVID L. DILORENZO
  David L. DiLorenzo, Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer and Accounting Officer)

Date: October 16, 2014

 

* Print name and title of each signing officer under his or her signature.