N-CSRS 1 ahit_ncsrs.htm N-CSRS

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: 811-05364

 

American High-Income Trust

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

333 South Hope Street

Los Angeles, California 90071

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (949) 975-5000

 

Date of fiscal year end: September 30

 

Date of reporting period: March 31, 2021

 

Brian C. Janssen

American High-Income Trust

6455 Irvine Center Drive

Los Angeles, California 90071

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 
 

 

ITEM 1 – Reports to Stockholders

 

 

American High-Income Trust®  
Semi-annual report
for the six months ended
March 31, 2021

 

 

Pursue sustainable
income over time

 


 

 

American High-Income Trust seeks to provide you with a high level of current income. Its secondary investment objective is capital appreciation.

 

This fund is one of more than 40 offered by Capital Group, home of American Funds, one of the nation’s largest mutual fund families. For nearly 90 years, Capital Group has invested with a long-term focus based on thorough research and attention to risk.

 

Fund results shown in this report, unless otherwise indicated, are for Class A shares at net asset value. If a sales charge (maximum 3.75%) had been deducted, the results would have been lower. Results are for past periods and are not predictive of results for future periods. Current and future results may be lower or higher than those shown. Prices and returns will vary, so investors may lose money. Investing for short periods makes losses more likely. For current information and month-end results, visit capitalgroup.com.

 

Here are the average annual total returns on a $1,000 investment with all distributions reinvested for periods ended March 31, 2021:

 

Class A shares   1 year   5 years   10 years
             
Reflecting 3.75% maximum sales charge   21.06%   6.94%      4.83%

 

For other share class results, visit capitalgroup.com and americanfundsretirement.com.

 

The total annual fund operating expense ratio was 0.73% for Class A shares as of the prospectus dated December 1, 2020.

 

Investment results assume all distributions are reinvested and reflect applicable fees and expenses. When applicable, investment results reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, without which results would have been lower. Visit capitalgroup.com for more information.

 

The fund’s 30-day yield for Class A shares as of April 30, 2021, calculated in accordance with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) formula, was 3.10%. The fund’s 12-month distribution rate for Class A shares as of that date was 5.12%. Both reflect the 3.75% maximum sales charge. The SEC yield reflects the rate at which the fund is earning income on its current portfolio of securities while the distribution rate reflects the fund’s past dividends paid to shareholders. Accordingly, the fund’s SEC yield and distribution rate may differ.

 

The return of principal for bond funds and for funds with significant underlying bond holdings is not guaranteed. Fund shares are subject to the same interest rate, inflation and credit risks associated with the underlying bond holdings. High-yield bonds are subject to greater fluctuations in value and risk of loss of income and principal than investment-grade bonds. Bond ratings, which typically range from AAA/Aaa (highest) to D (lowest), are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s and/or Fitch as an indication of an issuer’s creditworthiness. Investing in bonds issued outside the U.S. may be subject to additional risks. They include currency fluctuations, political and social instability, differing securities regulations and accounting standards, higher transaction costs, possible changes in taxation, illiquidity and price volatility. These risks may be heightened in connection with investments in developing countries. Refer to the fund prospectus and the Risk Factors section of this report for more information on these and other risks associated with investing in the fund.

 

Investments are not FDIC-insured, nor are they deposits of or guaranteed by a bank or any other entity, so they may lose value.

 

Fellow investors:

 

Results for American High-Income Trust for the periods ended March 31, 2021 are shown in the table below, as well as results of the fund’s benchmark and peer group index.

 

For additional information about the fund, its investment results, holdings and portfolio managers, visit capitalgroup.com/individual/investments/fund/ahitx. You can also access information about Capital Group’s American Funds and read our insights about the markets, retirement, saving for college, investing fundamentals and more at capitalgroup.com.

 

Contents

 

1 Results at a glance
   
2 Investment portfolio
   
22 Financial statements

 

Results at a glance

 

For periods ended March 31, 2021, with all distributions reinvested

 

    Cumulative total returns   Average annual total returns
    6 months   1 year   5 years   10 years   Lifetime
(since 2/19/88)
                     
American High-Income Trust (Class A shares)     9.81 %     25.82 %     7.77 %     5.23 %     7.69 %
Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield 2% Issuer Capped Index*     7.35       23.65       8.04       6.47        
Lipper High Yield Funds Average     7.30       22.34       6.86       5.37       7.20  

 

* Source: Bloomberg Index Services Ltd. This market index did not exist prior to December 31, 1992. It is unmanaged and, therefore, has no expenses. Investors cannot invest directly in an index.
Source: Refinitiv Lipper. Lipper averages reflect the current composition of all eligible mutual funds (all share classes) within a given category.

 

American High-Income Trust 1
 
Investment portfolio March 31, 2021 unaudited

 

Portfolio by type of security Percent of net assets

 

 

Bonds, notes & other debt instruments 88.50%   Principal amount
(000)
    Value
(000)
 
Corporate bonds, notes & loans 88.11%            
Communication services 13.57%            
Beasley Mezzanine Holdings, LLC 8.625% 20261   $ 8,275     $ 8,337  
Brightstar Escrow Corp. 9.75% 20251     9,985       10,859  
Cablevision Systems Corp. 6.75% 2021     9,000       9,253  
Cablevision Systems Corp. 5.50% 20271     2,700       2,839  
Cablevision Systems Corp. 5.375% 20281     2,425       2,555  
CCO Holdings LLC and CCO Holdings Capital Corp. 4.00% 20231     8,595       8,695  
CCO Holdings LLC and CCO Holdings Capital Corp. 5.50% 20261     11,374       11,746  
CCO Holdings LLC and CCO Holdings Capital Corp. 5.75% 20261     23,307       24,076  
CCO Holdings LLC and CCO Holdings Capital Corp. 5.125% 20271     9,878       10,457  
CCO Holdings LLC and CCO Holdings Capital Corp. 5.00% 20281     4,129       4,371  
CCO Holdings LLC and CCO Holdings Capital Corp. 5.375% 20291     11,651       12,509  
CCO Holdings LLC and CCO Holdings Capital Corp. 4.50% 20301     62,927       64,214  
CCO Holdings LLC and CCO Holdings Capital Corp. 4.75% 20301     65,731       68,196  
CCO Holdings LLC and CCO Holdings Capital Corp. 2.80% 2031     950       938  
CCO Holdings LLC and CCO Holdings Capital Corp. 4.25% 20311     39,575       39,712  
CCO Holdings LLC and CCO Holdings Capital Corp. 4.50% 20321     39,852       40,400  
CenturyLink, Inc. 6.75% 2023     31,074       34,360  
CenturyLink, Inc. 7.50% 2024     9,217       10,342  
CenturyLink, Inc. 5.125% 20261     24,356       25,687  
CenturyLink, Inc. 4.00% 20271     4,596       4,701  
Cinemark USA, Inc. 5.875% 20261     8,825       9,058  
Consolidated Communications, Inc. 5.00% 20281     14,350       14,498  
Diamond Sports Group LLC 5.375% 20261     22,382       16,143  
Diamond Sports Group LLC 6.625% 20271     18,432       9,608  
Discovery Communications, Inc. 4.65% 2050     1,038       1,147  
Embarq Corp. 7.995% 2036     84,622       97,608  
Epicor Software Corp., Term Loan-C, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 3.25%) 4.00% 20272,3     1,791       1,789  
Epicor Software Corp., Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 7.75%) 8.75% 20282,3     14,477       15,007  
Front Range BidCo, Inc. 6.125% 20281     17,797       18,295  
Frontier Communications Corp. 10.50% 20224     43,000       29,509  
Frontier Communications Corp. 11.00% 20254     43,000       29,482  
Frontier Communications Corp. 5.875% 20271     30,765       32,669  
Frontier Communications Corp. 5.00% 20281     66,100       67,439  
Frontier Communications Corp. 6.75% 20291     31,025       32,780  
Gogo Inc. 9.875% 20241     154,195       162,579  
Gray Television, Inc. 7.00% 20271     14,544       15,835  
iHeartCommunications, Inc. 6.375% 2026     236       250  
iHeartCommunications, Inc. 5.25% 20271     26,973       27,790  
iHeartCommunications, Inc. 8.375% 2027     427       458  
Inmarsat PLC 6.75% 20261     22,080       23,544  
Intelsat Jackson Holding Co. 5.50% 20234     40,385       24,837  
Intelsat Jackson Holding Co. 8.00% 20241     35,020       36,304  
Intelsat Jackson Holding Co. 8.50% 20241,4     47,700       30,021  
Intelsat Jackson Holding Co., Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 5.50%) 6.50% 20212,3     17,530       17,821  
Intelsat Jackson Holding Co., Term Loan, 6.625% 20242     45,355       46,314  
Lamar Media Corp. 3.75% 2028     2,567       2,569  

 

2 American High-Income Trust
 
Bonds, notes & other debt instruments (continued)   Principal amount
(000)
    Value
(000)
 
Corporate bonds, notes & loans (continued)            
Communication services (continued)            
Lamar Media Corp. 4.875% 2029   $ 5,100     $ 5,330  
Lamar Media Corp. 3.625% 20311     15,050       14,558  
Level 3 Financing, Inc. 3.75% 20291     21,350       20,921  
Liberty Global PLC 5.50% 20281     8,369       8,665  
Ligado Networks LLC 15.50% 20231,5     37,280       37,478  
Ligado Networks LLC 17.50% 20241,5     4,075       3,382  
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. 6.50% 20271     3,500       3,889  
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. 3.75% 20281     5,750       5,682  
Match Group, Inc. 4.625% 20281     13,725       14,049  
MDC Partners Inc. 7.50% 20241,6     165,801       168,538  
Meredith Corp. 6.875% 2026     25,377       26,146  
National CineMedia, LLC 5.875% 20281     4,575       4,266  
Netflix, Inc. 4.875% 2028     14,270       16,166  
Netflix, Inc. 4.875% 20301     4,298       4,955  
Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. 4.75% 20281     42,943       43,476  
Nexstar Escrow Corp. 5.625% 20271     11,385       11,951  
Numericable Group SA 7.375% 20261     22,116       23,031  
OUTFRONT Media Capital LLC 4.625% 20301     60       58  
Playtika Holding Corp 4.25% 20291     13,540       13,365  
Qwest Capital Funding, Inc. 6.875% 2028     14,790       16,292  
Scripps Escrow II, Inc. 3.875% 20291     12,143       11,953  
Sinclair Television Group, Inc. 5.125% 20271     8,199       8,020  
Sinclair Television Group, Inc. 4.125% 20301     30,925       29,862  
Sirius XM Radio Inc. 4.625% 20241     5,683       5,861  
Sirius XM Radio Inc. 4.125% 20301     5,975       5,989  
Sprint Corp. 11.50% 2021     10,496       11,145  
Sprint Corp. 7.625% 2026     27,221       33,379  
Sprint Corp. 6.875% 2028     144,107       181,985  
Sprint Corp. 8.75% 2032     111,706       165,297  
TEGNA Inc. 4.75% 20261     17,975       19,098  
TEGNA Inc. 4.625% 2028     12,872       13,121  
TEGNA Inc. 5.00% 2029     17,247       17,914  
T-Mobile US, Inc. 2.625% 2026     30,350       30,978  
T-Mobile US, Inc. 2.625% 2029     8,040       7,817  
T-Mobile US, Inc. 2.875% 2031     10,650       10,307  
Total Play Telecomunicaciones, SA de CV, 7.50% 20251     8,175       8,183  
Trilogy International Partners, LLC 8.875% 20221     54,213       52,777  
Trilogy International Partners, LLC 10.00% 20227,8     20,000       20,000  
Uniti Group LP / Uniti Fiber Holdings Inc. / CSL Capital LLC 7.875% 20251     1,850       2,002  
Univision Communications Inc. 5.125% 20251     62,918       63,822  
Univision Communications Inc. 6.625% 20271     76,170       81,487  
Virgin Media O2 4.25% 20311     29,300       28,556  
Virgin Media Secured Finance PLC 4.50% 20301     14,755       14,899  
Warner Music Group 5.50% 20261     8,582       8,839  
Warner Music Group 3.875% 20301     15,770       15,947  
Ziggo Bond Co. BV 5.125% 20301     13,368       13,686  
Ziggo Bond Finance BV 5.50% 20271     23,054       24,048  
Ziggo Bond Finance BV 4.875% 20301     39,100       40,039  
              2,526,810  
                 
Energy 12.82%                
Aethon United BR LP / Aethon United Finance Corp. 8.25% 20261     6,600       6,843  
Antero Resources Corp. 5.375% 2024     12,500       12,633  
Antero Resources Corp. 7.625% 20291     3,835       4,091  
Apache Corp. 4.625% 2025     20,815       21,472  
Apache Corp. 4.875% 2027     20,757       21,307  
Apache Corp. 4.375% 2028     16,119       16,095  
Apache Corp. 6.00% 2037     7,410       8,121  
Apache Corp. 5.10% 2040     18,635       18,251  
Apache Corp. 4.75% 2043     10,725       9,964  
Apache Corp. 4.25% 2044     5,420       4,891  
Apache Corp. 5.35% 2049     3,000       2,873  
Ascent Resources - Utica LLC 7.00% 20261     24,785       24,816  
Ascent Resources - Utica LLC 9.00% 20271     4,796       6,115  
Ascent Resources - Utica LLC 8.25% 20281     4,764       4,963  
Ascent Resources - Utica LLC, Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 9.00%)10.00% 20251,2,3     4,446       4,949  

 

American High-Income Trust 3
 
Bonds, notes & other debt instruments (continued)   Principal amount
(000)
    Value
(000)
 
Corporate bonds, notes & loans (continued)            
Energy (continued)            
Blue Racer Midstream LLC and Blue Racer Finance Corp. 7.625% 20251   $ 11,254     $ 12,150  
Bristow Group Inc. 6.875% 20281     6,675       6,666  
California Resources Corp. 7.125% 20261     9,250       9,425  
Carrizo Oil & Gas Inc. 6.25% 2023     43,211       38,539  
Cenovus Energy Inc. 5.375% 2025     7,485       8,418  
Cenovus Energy Inc. 4.25% 2027     390       422  
Cenovus Energy Inc. 5.25% 2037     400       433  
Cenovus Energy Inc. 5.40% 2047     6,390       7,130  
Centennial Resource Production, LLC 6.875% 20271     7,097       6,330  
Cheniere Energy Partners, LP 5.625% 2026     22,180       23,231  
Cheniere Energy Partners, LP 4.50% 2029     26,037       27,040  
Cheniere Energy Partners, LP 4.00% 20311     30,178       30,744  
Cheniere Energy, Inc. 7.00% 2024     10,666       12,285  
Cheniere Energy, Inc. 5.875% 2025     5,005       5,708  
Cheniere Energy, Inc. 4.625% 20281     105,864       110,076  
Chesapeake Energy Corp. 4.875% 20224     28,871       686  
Chesapeake Energy Corp. 5.75% 20234     1,730       41  
Chesapeake Energy Corp. 5.50% 20261     20,225       21,090  
Chesapeake Energy Corp. 5.875% 20291     17,960       19,071  
CNX Resources Corp. 7.25% 20271     25,507       27,429  
CNX Resources Corp. 6.00% 20291     19,307       20,100  
Comstock Resources, Inc. 9.75% 2026     15,978       17,396  
Comstock Resources, Inc. 9.75% 2026     4,075       4,426  
Comstock Resources, Inc. 6.75% 20291     23,825       24,465  
Constellation Oil Services Holding SA 10.00% 2024 (100% PIK)1,5     115,294       32,571  
Continental Resources Inc. 5.75% 20311     9,475       10,720  
Convey Park Energy LLC 7.50% 20251     5,500       5,717  
Crestwood Midstream Partners LP 6.00% 20291     9,825       9,696  
DCP Midstream LP 7.375% 2049 (3-month USD-LIBOR + 5.148% on 12/15/2022)6   4,835       4,339  
Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. 3.45% 20234     3,250       571  
Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. 7.875% 20254     23,437       4,101  
Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. 5.70% 20394     7,984       1,387  
Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. 4.875% 20434     36,333       6,358  
Endeavor Energy Resources, LP 6.625% 20251     13,260       14,192  
Energean Israel Finance Ltd. 4.50% 20241     7,855       7,914  
Energean Israel Finance Ltd. 4.875% 20261     9,645       9,723  
Energean Israel Finance Ltd. 5.375% 20281     5,000       5,072  
Energean Israel Finance Ltd. 5.875% 20311     9,060       9,060  
Energy Transfer Operating, LP 5.00% 2050     35,452       36,751  
EnLink Midstream Partners, LLC 5.625% 20281     8,585       8,318  
EnLink Midstream Partners, LP 4.15% 2025     6,950       6,812  
EQM Midstream Partners, LP 4.75% 2023     4,250       4,417  
EQM Midstream Partners, LP 6.00% 20251     4,000       4,310  
EQM Midstream Partners, LP 4.125% 2026     3,011       2,993  
EQM Midstream Partners, LP 6.50% 20271     41,025       44,662  
EQM Midstream Partners, LP 5.50% 2028     15,121       15,905  
EQM Midstream Partners, LP 4.50% 20291     23,910       23,344  
EQM Midstream Partners, LP 4.75% 20311     23,350       22,679  
EQT Corp. 7.625% 2025 (7.375% on 2/1/2025)6     10,982       12,654  
EQT Corp. 3.90% 2027     1,825       1,865  
EQT Corp. 5.00% 2029     7,360       7,894  
EQT Corp. 8.50% 20306     5,395       6,887  
Genesis Energy, LP 5.625% 2024     4,535       4,441  
Genesis Energy, LP 6.50% 2025     27,984       27,484  
Genesis Energy, LP 8.00% 2027     34,402       34,897  
Guara Norte SARL 5.198% 20341     13,262       13,027  
Harvest Midstream I, LP 7.50% 20281     41,910       45,145  
Hess Midstream Partners LP 5.125% 20281     9,663       9,793  
Hilcorp Energy I, LP 5.75% 20251     11,400       11,470  
Hilcorp Energy I, LP 5.75% 20291     10,815       10,930  
Hilcorp Energy I, LP 6.00% 20311     9,540       9,701  
Indigo Natural Resources LLC 5.375% 20291     6,470       6,386  
Lealand Finance Company BV, Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 3.00%) 3.115% 20242,3     526       429  
Lealand Finance Company BV, Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 4.00%) 4.11% 2025 (72.91% PIK)2,3,5     7,516       4,453  

 

4 American High-Income Trust
 
Bonds, notes & other debt instruments (continued)   Principal amount
(000)
    Value
(000)
 
Corporate bonds, notes & loans (continued)            
Energy (continued)            
McDermott International, Inc., Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 4.00%) 4.00% 20242,3,7,8   $ 2,000     $ 2,000  
Murphy Oil Corp. 6.875% 2024     7,150       7,320  
Murphy Oil Corp. 5.75% 2025     5,000       5,012  
Murphy Oil Corp. 6.375% 2028     18,000       18,047  
Murphy Oil USA, Inc. 3.75% 20311     12,745       12,551  
Nabors Industries Inc. 5.75% 2025     3,670       2,731  
Neptune Energy Group Holdings Ltd. 6.625% 20251     10,000       10,063  
New Fortress Energy Inc. 6.75% 20251     12,550       12,913  
New Fortress Energy Inc. 6.50% 20261     53,170       53,702  
NGL Energy Operating LLC 7.50% 20261     140,965       145,106  
NGL Energy Partners LP 7.50% 2023     37,750       36,500  
NGL Energy Partners LP 6.125% 2025     41,132       35,039  
NGPL PipeCo LLC 4.375% 20221     1,420       1,474  
NGPL PipeCo LLC 4.875% 20271     1,010       1,130  
Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. 8.125% 20281     25,910       25,810  
Northriver Midstream Finance LP 5.625% 20261     10,800       11,247  
NuStar Logistics, LP 6.00% 2026     10,469       11,304  
Oasis Midstream Partners LP / OMP Finance Corp 8.00% 20291     35,645       36,625  
Occidental Petroleum Corp. 2.70% 2023     4,920       4,918  
Occidental Petroleum Corp. 2.90% 2024     45,243       44,804  
Occidental Petroleum Corp. 3.50% 2025     1,600       1,586  
Occidental Petroleum Corp. 5.875% 2025     12,395       13,266  
Occidental Petroleum Corp. 8.00% 2025     22,020       25,319  
Occidental Petroleum Corp. 3.40% 2026     10,000       9,723  
Occidental Petroleum Corp. 3.00% 2027     500       471  
Occidental Petroleum Corp. 3.50% 2029     4,155       3,904  
Occidental Petroleum Corp. 6.625% 2030     14,500       16,317  
Occidental Petroleum Corp. 8.875% 2030     7,825       9,879  
Occidental Petroleum Corp. 6.125% 2031     8,440       9,335  
Occidental Petroleum Corp. 6.45% 2036     625       691  
Occidental Petroleum Corp. 4.10% 2047     580       466  
Occidental Petroleum Corp. 4.20% 2048     2,543       2,070  
PDC Energy Inc. 5.75% 2026     12,000       12,462  
Peabody Energy Corp. 8.50% 20241,5     23,118       9,710  
Peabody Energy Corp. 6.375% 20251     825       326  
Petrobras Global Finance Co. 5.60% 2031     4,225       4,460  
Petrobras Global Finance Co. 6.90% 2049     6,575       7,211  
Petrobras Global Finance Co. 6.75% 2050     12,530       13,398  
Petróleos Mexicanos 6.875% 20251     6,200       6,724  
Petróleos Mexicanos 5.35% 2028     7,643       7,445  
Petróleos Mexicanos 7.69% 2050     11,404       10,572  
PIC AU Holdings Corp / PIC AU Holdings LLC 10.00% 20241     13,284       12,254  
PowerTeam Services, LLC 9.033% 20251     9,640       10,652  
Range Resources Corp. 4.875% 2025     9,698       9,616  
Range Resources Corp. 8.25% 20291     13,815       14,808  
Rattler Midstream Partners LP 5.625% 20251     19,308       20,196  
Rockies Express Pipeline LLC 4.95% 20291     11,193       11,452  
Sabine Pass Liquefaction, LLC 5.625% 2025     1,800       2,059  
Sabine Pass Liquefaction, LLC 4.50% 2030     10,930       12,288  
Sanchez Energy Corp. 7.25% 20231,4     22,796       142  
Southwestern Energy Co. 6.45% 20256     15,980       17,183  
Southwestern Energy Co. 7.50% 2026     44,990       47,668  
Southwestern Energy Co. 7.75% 2027     6,259       6,701  
Southwestern Energy Co. 8.375% 2028     15,315       16,837  
Sunoco LP 5.50% 2026     14,672       15,109  
Sunoco LP 6.00% 2027     10,591       11,094  
Sunoco LP 4.50% 20291     29,990       29,934  
Superior Plus LP And Superior General Partner Inc. 4.50% 20291     16,395       16,603  
Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP 5.50% 20241     7,693       7,823  
Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP 7.50% 20251     11,305       12,189  
Tapstone Energy, Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 4.00%) 4.741% 20242,3,7,8     384       199  
Targa Resources Partners LP 5.875% 2026     8,669       9,092  
Targa Resources Partners LP 6.50% 2027     6,322       6,886  
Targa Resources Partners LP 6.875% 2029     4,530       4,999  
Targa Resources Partners LP 5.50% 2030     25,393       26,687  
Targa Resources Partners LP 4.875% 20311     32,550       33,030  

 

American High-Income Trust 5
 
Bonds, notes & other debt instruments (continued)   Principal amount
(000)
    Value
(000)
 
Corporate bonds, notes & loans (continued)            
Energy (continued)            
Targa Resources Partners LP 4.00% 20321   $ 7,350     $ 6,922  
Teekay Corp. 9.25% 20221     58,842       59,283  
Teekay Offshore Partners LP 8.50% 20231     25,891       23,499  
Transocean Guardian Ltd. 5.875% 20241     6,764       5,931  
Transocean Inc. 6.125% 20251     11,165       10,572  
Transocean Poseidon Ltd. 6.875% 20271     6,280       5,816  
USA Compression Partners, LP 6.875% 2026     7,736       7,949  
USA Compression Partners, LP 6.875% 2027     2,403       2,479  
Weatherford International PLC 8.75% 20241     30,964       32,449  
Weatherford International PLC 11.00% 20241     75,523       72,644  
Western Gas Partners LP 4.50% 2028     20,233       21,105  
Western Gas Partners LP 5.45% 2044     985       1,013  
Western Midstream Operating, LP 4.35% 20256     6,455       6,691  
Western Midstream Operating, LP 4.75% 2028     2,830       2,964  
Western Midstream Operating, LP 5.30% 20306     5,550       6,034  
Western Midstream Operating, LP 6.50% 20506     5,500       5,957  
WPX Energy, Inc. 5.75% 2026     2,812       2,949  
WPX Energy, Inc. 5.875% 2028     2,830       3,123  
WPX Energy, Inc. 4.50% 2030     10,040       10,826  
              2,387,091  
                 
Consumer discretionary 11.61%                
99 Escrow Issuer, Inc. 7.50% 20261     7,165       6,963  
Adient US LLC 9.00% 20251     8,844       9,828  
Affinity Gaming 6.875% 20271     24,625       25,995  
Allied Universal Holdco LLC 6.625% 20261     10,948       11,631  
Allied Universal Holdco LLC 9.75% 20271     17,657       19,404  
Boyd Gaming Corp. 8.625% 20251     2,090       2,327  
Boyd Gaming Corp. 4.75% 2027     14,364       14,667  
Brookfield Residential Properties Inc. 4.875% 20301     5,535       5,544  
Caesars Entertainment, Inc. 6.25% 20251     16,130       17,215  
Caesars Resort Collection, LLC 5.75% 20251     6,980       7,375  
Carnival Corp. 11.50% 20231     23,776       27,288  
Carnival Corp. 7.625% 20261     10,000       10,755  
Carnival Corp. 10.50% 20261     24,825       29,231  
Carvana Co. 5.625% 20251     7,820       8,032  
Carvana Co. 5.50% 20271     26,450       26,655  
Carvana Co. 5.875% 20281     13,900       14,265  
Churchill Downs Inc. 4.75% 20281     15,102       15,654  
Cirsa Gaming Corp. SA 7.875% 20231     86,087       87,542  
Clarios Global LP 6.75% 20251     6,525       6,990  
Colt Merger Sub, Inc., 8.125% 20271     550       607  
Dana Inc. 5.625% 2028     11,765       12,608  
Empire Communities Corp. 7.00% 20251     8,900       9,401  
Extended Stay America Inc. 5.25% 20251     13,850       14,147  
Fertitta Entertainment, Inc. 6.75% 20241     30,867       31,250  
Ford Motor Co. 8.50% 2023     34,981       39,048  
Ford Motor Co. 9.00% 2025     10,747       13,030  
Ford Motor Co. 9.625% 2030     4,175       5,833  
Ford Motor Co. 7.45% 2031     4,725       5,966  
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 5.875% 2021     12,470       12,653  
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 3.339% 2022     5,202       5,280  
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 3.087% 2023     3,746       3,814  
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 3.096% 2023     3,170       3,225  
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 4.375% 2023     2,986       3,131  
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 3.664% 2024     10,115       10,487  
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 3.81% 2024     23,513       24,277  
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 5.584% 2024     13,512       14,602  
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 3.375% 2025     31,625       32,202  
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 5.125% 2025     89,780       97,075  
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 4.389% 2026     6,350       6,683  
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 4.542% 2026     20,395       21,607  
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 3.815% 2027     3,375       3,419  
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 4.125% 2027     21,195       21,910  
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 4.271% 2027     4,575       4,755  
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 2.90% 2028     7,350       7,071  
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 5.113% 2029     2,845       3,058  

 

6 American High-Income Trust
 
Bonds, notes & other debt instruments (continued)   Principal amount
(000)
    Value
(000)
 
Corporate bonds, notes & loans (continued)            
Consumer discretionary (continued)            
Ford Motor Credit Company LLC 4.00% 2030   $ 26,488     $ 26,309  
Full House Resorts Inc. 8.25% 20281     23,835       25,451  
Golden Nugget Inc., Term Loan-B, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 2.50%) 3.25% 20232,3     1,810       1,785  
Hanesbrands Inc. 4.625% 20241     35,790       38,037  
Hanesbrands Inc. 5.375% 20251     11,356       12,030  
Hanesbrands Inc. 4.875% 20261     35,056       37,641  
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. 3.75% 20291     3,750       3,720  
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. 4.875% 2030     8,757       9,306  
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. 4.00% 20311     20,830       20,869  
International Game Technology PLC 6.50% 20251     24,037       26,441  
International Game Technology PLC 4.125% 20261     26,200       26,988  
International Game Technology PLC 6.25% 20271     13,905       15,432  
International Game Technology PLC 5.25% 20291     67,522       70,534  
Jaguar Land Rover PLC 7.75% 20251     7,950       8,632  
Jaguar Land Rover PLC 5.875% 20281     4,450       4,525  
KB Home 6.875% 2027     6,170       7,243  
Landry’s Finance Acquisition Co., Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 12.00%)13.00% 20232,3     568       650  
Lennar Corp. 4.50% 2024     495       539  
Levi Strauss & Co. 5.00% 2025     1,445       1,474  
Levi Strauss & Co. 3.50% 20311     11,795       11,397  
Life Time Inc. 5.75% 20261     8,200       8,446  
Limited Brands, Inc. 6.875% 20251     3,455       3,841  
Limited Brands, Inc. 6.625% 20301     6,770       7,743  
Limited Brands, Inc. 6.875% 2035     6,054       7,224  
Limited Brands, Inc. 6.75% 2036     8,255       9,756  
Lithia Motors, Inc. 4.375% 20311     6,700       6,967  
LSF9 Atlantis Holdings LLC / Victra Finance Corp 7.75% 20261     8,850       9,079  
M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. 6.00% 2043     11,252       14,223  
Mattel, Inc. 3.75% 20291     8,525       8,600  
McGraw-Hill Global Education Holdings, LLC, Term Loan B, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 4.75%) 5.75% 20242,3     7,708       7,704  
Melco International Development Ltd. 4.875% 20251     300       309  
Melco International Development Ltd. 5.75% 20281     28,150       30,033  
Melco International Development Ltd. 5.375% 20291     6,350       6,761  
MercadoLibre, Inc. 3.125% 2031     5,110       4,875  
Merlin Entertainment 5.75% 20261     10,798       11,457  
MGM Growth Properties LLC 5.625% 2024     12,438       13,374  
MGM Growth Properties LLC 4.625% 20251     16,870       17,810  
MGM Growth Properties LLC 3.875% 20291     22,525       22,480  
MGM Resorts International 7.75% 2022     9,460       9,983  
MGM Resorts International 6.00% 2023     9,469       10,156  
MGM Resorts International 5.50% 2027     5,707       6,143  
Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment 8.00% 20261     58,405       58,916  
NCL Corp. Ltd. 3.625% 20241     6,450       6,099  
NCL Corp. Ltd. 12.25% 20241     2,900       3,517  
NCL Corp. Ltd. 5.875% 20261     8,100       8,193  
Neiman Marcus Group Ltd. LLC 7.125% 20261     37,910       38,716  
Netflix, Inc. 5.75% 2024     540       607  
Newell Rubbermaid Inc. 4.875% 2025     7,770       8,586  
Newell Rubbermaid Inc. 5.875% 20366     535       658  
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. 10.25% 20261     4,625       5,438  
Panther BF Aggregator 2, LP 6.25% 20261     6,422       6,828  
Panther BF Aggregator 2, LP 8.50% 20271     14,785       15,937  
Party City Holdings Inc. 6.125% 20231     7,000       6,177  
Party City Holdings Inc. 6.625% 20261     5,000       4,362  
Party City Holdings Inc. 8.75% 20261     20,991       21,660  
Real Hero Merger Sub 2, Inc. 6.25% 20291     5,825       6,022  
Rent-A-Center Inc. 6.375% 20291     10,495       11,151  
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. 9.125% 20231     8,000       8,825  
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. 10.875% 20231     5,500       6,337  
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. 11.50% 20251     27,150       31,698  
Sally Holdings LLC and Sally Capital Inc. 5.50% 2023     7,306       7,373  
Sally Holdings LLC and Sally Capital Inc. 5.625% 2025     45,555       47,047  
Sally Holdings LLC and Sally Capital Inc. 8.75% 20251     23,061       25,713  
Scientific Games Corp. 5.00% 20251     9,671       10,028  
Scientific Games Corp. 8.625% 20251     30,335       33,018  

 

American High-Income Trust 7
 
Bonds, notes & other debt instruments (continued)   Principal amount
(000)
    Value
(000)
 
Corporate bonds, notes & loans (continued)            
Consumer discretionary (continued)                
Scientific Games Corp. 8.25% 20261   $ 58,019     $ 62,324  
Scientific Games Corp. 7.00% 20281     7,261       7,771  
Scientific Games Corp. 7.25% 20291     4,235       4,602  
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. 4.875% 20241     12,639       12,781  
Six Flags Theme Parks Inc. 7.00% 20251     3,057       3,311  
Sizzling Platter LLC 8.50% 20251     7,925       7,885  
Staples, Inc. 7.50% 20261     8,250       8,714  
Station Casinos LLC 4.50% 20281     675       674  
Studio City Finance Ltd. 5.00% 20291     11,475       11,532  
Tempur Sealy International, Inc. 4.00% 20291     34,895       34,808  
The Home Company Inc. 7.25% 20251     12,585       13,060  
Truck Hero Inc., Term Loan-B, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 3.75%) 4.50% 20282,3     3,050       3,050  
Universal Entertainment Corp. 8.50% 20241     33,320       35,899  
Vail Resorts, Inc. 6.25% 20251     5,590       5,967  
VICI Properties LP 4.25% 20261     12,298       12,601  
VICI Properties LP 4.625% 20291     23,258       24,166  
VICI Properties LP / VICI Note Co. Inc. 3.50% 20251     16,157       16,480  
VICI Properties LP / VICI Note Co. Inc. 3.75% 20271     9,666       9,683  
VICI Properties LP / VICI Note Co. Inc. 4.125% 20301     58,801       59,386  
Viking Cruises Ltd. 6.25% 20251     5,360       5,327  
Viking Cruises Ltd. 13.00% 20251     4,190       4,934  
Viking Cruises Ltd. 5.875% 20271     3,290       3,222  
Wyndham Destinations, Inc. 6.625% 20261     8,975       10,201  
Wyndham Destinations, Inc. 4.625% 20301     3,995       4,148  
Wyndham Worldwide Corp. 5.375% 20261     22,631       23,183  
Wyndham Worldwide Corp. 4.375% 20281     26,660       27,017  
Wynn Las Vegas, LLC and Wynn Capital Corp. 4.25% 20231     17,513       17,962  
Wynn Macau, Ltd. 5.625% 20281     1,200       1,257  
Wynn Macau, Ltd. 5.125% 20291     3,050       3,132  
Wynn Resorts Ltd. 7.75% 20251     23,626       25,641  
Wynn Resorts Ltd. 5.125% 20291     8,005       8,203  
              2,162,294  
                 
Health care 11.41%                
Auris Luxembourg III SARL, Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 3.75%) 3.859% 20262,3     11,900       11,644  
Avantor Funding, Inc. 4.625% 20281     35,125       36,727  
Bausch Health Companies Inc. 9.25% 20261     48,876       54,218  
Bausch Health Companies Inc. 5.00% 20281     26,753       27,121  
Bausch Health Companies Inc. 7.00% 20281     17,527       19,056  
Bausch Health Companies Inc. 5.00% 20291     11,050       10,995  
Bausch Health Companies Inc. 6.25% 20291     1,455       1,549  
Bausch Health Companies Inc. 5.25% 20301     42,514       42,783  
Bausch Health Companies Inc. 5.25% 20311     28,395       28,313  
Catalent Pharma Solutions Inc. 5.00% 20271     819       859  
Catalent, Inc. 3.125% 20291     29,585       28,439  
Centene Corp. 5.375% 20261     18,842       19,727  
Centene Corp. 5.375% 20261     4,255       4,499  
Centene Corp. 4.25% 2027     43,161       45,454  
Centene Corp. 4.625% 2029     96,694       104,778  
Centene Corp. 3.00% 2030     40,985       40,968  
Centene Corp. 3.375% 2030     18,661       18,865  
Centene Corp. 2.50% 2031     28,875       27,612  
Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. 4.25% 20281     6,348       6,549  
Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. 3.75% 20291     20,585       20,643  
Community Health Systems Inc. 5.625% 20271     17,600       18,458  
Community Health Systems Inc. 6.00% 20291     15,747       16,672  
Community Health Systems Inc. 6.875% 20291     4,500       4,717  
Concordia International Corp. 8.00% 2024     3,251       3,324  
Concordia International Corp., Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 5.50%) 6.50% 20242,3     887       887  
DaVita Inc. 4.625% 20301     21,740       22,177  
Encompass Health Corp. 4.50% 2028     8,554       8,775  
Encompass Health Corp. 4.75% 2030     14,756       15,204  
Endo Dac / Endo Finance LLC / Endo Finco 9.50% 20271     28,961       31,513  
Endo Dac / Endo Finance LLC / Endo Finco 6.00% 20281     36,244       29,394  
Endo International PLC 5.75% 20221     48,922       48,739  
Endo International PLC 5.875% 20241     19,325       19,482  

 

8 American High-Income Trust
 
Bonds, notes & other debt instruments (continued)   Principal amount
(000)
    Value
(000)
 
Corporate bonds, notes & loans (continued)            
Health care (continued)            
Endo Luxembourg Finance Co I SARL / Endo US Inc. 6.125% 20291   $ 30,870     $ 31,179  
HCA Inc. 5.875% 2023     385       420  
HCA Inc. 5.375% 2025     8,795       9,824  
HCA Inc. 5.375% 2026     8,436       9,527  
HCA Inc. 5.875% 2026     4,721       5,417  
HCA Inc. 4.50% 2027     142       159  
HCA Inc. 5.625% 2028     29,450       33,920  
HCA Inc. 5.875% 2029     5,870       6,849  
HCA Inc. 3.50% 2030     22,522       22,739  
HCA Inc. 5.50% 2047     3,996       4,981  
HCA Inc. 5.25% 2049     8,500       10,426  
HealthSouth Corp. 5.75% 2025     14,927       15,457  
IMS Health Holdings, Inc. 5.00% 20261     38,977       40,560  
Iqvia Inc. 5.00% 20271     5,000       5,289  
Jaguar Holding Co. II 5.00% 20281     9,360       9,760  
Mallinckrodt International Finance SA 5.50% 20251,4     16,000       11,320  
Mallinckrodt PLC 5.75% 20221,4     11,605       7,949  
Mallinckrodt PLC 5.625% 20231,4     3,096       2,206  
Mallinckrodt PLC 10.00% 20251     48,542       54,246  
Molina Healthcare, Inc. 5.375% 2022     40,154       42,178  
Molina Healthcare, Inc. 4.375% 20281     20,505       21,119  
Molina Healthcare, Inc. 3.875% 20301     40,850       42,127  
Owens & Minor, Inc. 4.375% 2024     27,083       28,048  
Owens & Minor, Inc. 4.50% 20291     28,035       28,210  
Par Pharmaceutical Inc. 7.50% 20271     79,159       84,064  
Prime Healthcare Services, Inc. 7.25% 20251     10,495       11,217  
Radiology Partners, Inc. 9.25% 20281     34,312       37,443  
Rotech Healthcare Inc., Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 11.00%)13.00% 2023 (100% PIK)2,3,5,7,8     41,614       42,030  
RP Escrow Issuer, LLC 5.25% 20251     12,960       13,446  
Select Medical Holdings Corp. 6.25% 20261     9,039       9,620  
Surgery Center Holdings 10.00% 20271     7,264       8,022  
Syneos Health, Inc. 3.625% 20291     14,620       14,245  
Team Health Holdings, Inc. 6.375% 20251     27,607       24,465  
Team Health Holdings, Inc., Term Loan B, 3.75% 20242,3     13,834       12,910  
Tenet Healthcare Corp. 6.75% 2023     1,730       1,877  
Tenet Healthcare Corp. 4.625% 2024     21,901       22,376  
Tenet Healthcare Corp. 4.875% 20261     101,449       105,608  
Tenet Healthcare Corp. 5.125% 20271     8,669       9,087  
Tenet Healthcare Corp. 6.25% 20271     8,995       9,510  
Tenet Healthcare Corp. 4.625% 20281     8,940       9,174  
Tenet Healthcare Corp. 6.125% 20281     18,075       18,888  
Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Co. BV 2.20% 2021     6,842       6,846  
Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Co. BV 2.95% 2022     4,400       4,419  
Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Co. BV 2.80% 2023     51,128       50,964  
Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Co. BV 6.00% 2024     81,088       86,547  
Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Co. BV 7.125% 2025     41,591       46,028  
Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Co. BV 3.15% 2026     42,661       40,848  
Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Co. BV 6.75% 2028     37,882       42,630  
Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Co. BV 4.10% 2046     21,042       18,529  
U.S. Renal Care, Inc. 10.625% 20271     6,516       7,180  
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. 7.00% 20241     3,977       4,072  
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. 6.125% 20251     111,212       114,126  
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. 9.00% 20251     45,284       49,285  
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. 8.50% 20271     5,076       5,638  
              2,125,145  
                 
Materials 10.79%                
Alcoa Netherlands Holding BV 5.50% 20271     10,760       11,595  
Alcoa Netherlands Holding BV 4.125% 20291     21,175       21,382  
ArcelorMittal 4.25% 2029     1,885       2,021  
ArcelorMittal 7.25% 20396     9,104       12,478  
ArcelorMittal 7.00% 20416     17,673       24,144  
Arconic Corp. 6.00% 20251     8,170       8,821  
Arconic Rolled Products Corp. 6.125% 20281     12,775       13,629  
Ardagh Group SA 6.50% 20271,5     12,390       13,025  
Ardagh Metal Packaging Finance USA LLC 4.00% 20291     11,410       11,406  

 

American High-Income Trust 9
 
Bonds, notes & other debt instruments (continued)   Principal amount
(000)
    Value
(000)
 
Corporate bonds, notes & loans (continued)            
Materials (continued)            
Ardagh Packaging Finance 5.25% 20251   $ 23,687     $ 24,927  
Ardagh Packaging Finance 6.00% 20251     7,808       8,054  
Ardagh Packaging Finance 4.125% 20261     960       985  
Ardagh Packaging Finance 5.25% 20271     9,685       9,889  
Axalta Coating Systems LLC 4.75% 20271     7,995       8,367  
Blue Cube Spinco Inc. 10.00% 2025     1,688       1,783  
BWAY Parent Co., Inc. 5.50% 20241     27,273       27,682  
BWAY Parent Co., Inc. 7.25% 20251     3,005       3,009  
Cascades Inc. 5.125% 20261     7,780       8,281  
Cascades Inc. 5.375% 20281     5,965       6,274  
Chemours Co. 7.00% 2025     7,005       7,212  
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. 5.75% 2025     34,003       35,128  
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. 9.875% 20251     9,180       10,766  
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. 6.75% 20261     21,628       23,547  
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. 5.875% 2027     62,855       65,133  
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. 7.00% 20271     3,853       3,892  
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. 4.625% 20291     37,550       37,533  
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. 4.875% 20311     38,271       38,223  
Consolidated Energy Finance SA 6.50% 20261     10,805       10,778  
Constellium SE 3.75% 20291     8,655       8,286  
Crown Holdings, Inc. 4.50% 2023     3,000       3,163  
Crown Holdings, Inc. 7.375% 2026     2,000       2,415  
CVR Partners, LP 9.25% 20231     56,472       57,037  
Element Solutions Inc. 3.875% 20281     10,800       10,677  
First Quantum Minerals Ltd. 7.25% 20231     44,506       45,353  
First Quantum Minerals Ltd. 6.50% 20241     41,172       41,867  
First Quantum Minerals Ltd. 7.50% 20251     85,056       87,927  
First Quantum Minerals Ltd. 6.875% 20261     45,410       47,084  
First Quantum Minerals Ltd. 6.875% 20271     101,020       108,470  
FMG Resources 4.375% 20311     19,410       19,786  
Freeport-McMoRan Inc. 3.875% 2023     201       210  
Freeport-McMoRan Inc. 4.55% 2024     2,500       2,738  
Freeport-McMoRan Inc. 4.25% 2030     11,053       11,782  
Freeport-McMoRan Inc. 4.625% 2030     900       981  
Freeport-McMoRan Inc. 5.40% 2034     8,075       9,629  
Freeport-McMoRan Inc. 5.45% 2043     29,111       35,075  
FXI Holdings, Inc. 7.875% 20241     77,124       79,630  
FXI Holdings, Inc. 12.25% 20261     95,800       109,616  
GPC Merger Sub Inc. 7.125% 20281     7,945       8,466  
GPD Companies Inc. 10.125% 20261     2,915       3,214  
Hexion Inc. 7.875% 20271     45,835       49,370  
INEOS Group Holdings SA 5.625% 20241     13,888       14,105  
INEOS Quattro Finance 2 PLC 3.375% 20261     665       666  
Iris Holdings, Inc. 8.75% 20261,5     6,600       6,691  
Joseph T. Ryerson & Son, Inc. 8.50% 20281     34,247       38,421  
LSB Industries, Inc. 9.625% 20231     67,422       69,367  
Mercer International Inc. 5.125% 20291     7,090       7,354  
Methanex Corp. 5.125% 2027     81,520       83,456  
Methanex Corp. 5.25% 2029     23,795       24,588  
Methanex Corp. 5.65% 2044     14,750       14,704  
Neon Holdings, Inc. 10.125% 20261     30,825       33,753  
Nouryon Holding BV 8.00% 20261     14,729       15,696  
Nova Chemicals Corp. 4.875% 20241     11,505       12,044  
Nova Chemicals Corp. 5.25% 20271     42,462       44,611  
Novelis Corp. 5.875% 20261     5,650       5,904  
Novelis Corp. 4.75% 20301     16,825       17,373  
OCI NV 5.25% 20241     15,861       16,525  
Olin Corp. 9.50% 20251     6,880       8,504  
Olin Corp. 5.625% 2029     6,875       7,424  
Olin Corp. 5.00% 2030     3,365       3,533  
Owens-Illinois, Inc. 5.875% 20231     26,830       28,792  
Owens-Illinois, Inc. 6.375% 20251     5,341       5,918  
Plastipak Holdings, Inc. 6.25% 20251     4,910       5,060  
Rayonier A.M. Products Inc. 7.625% 20261     12,235       13,015  
S.P.C.M. SA 4.875% 20251     16,237       16,684  
Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. 4.50% 2029     10,276       10,626  
Sealed Air Corp. 4.875% 20221     8,590       8,950  

 

10 American High-Income Trust
 
Bonds, notes & other debt instruments (continued)   Principal amount
(000)
    Value
(000)
 
Corporate bonds, notes & loans (continued)            
Materials (continued)            
Sealed Air Corp. 5.25% 20231   $ 4,548     $ 4,832  
Sealed Air Corp. 4.00% 20271     10,395       10,668  
Silgan Holdings Inc. 4.125% 2028     12,765       13,146  
Summit Materials, Inc. 6.50% 20271     5,478       5,778  
Summit Materials, Inc. 5.25% 20291     16,515       17,258  
Trivium Packaging BV 5.50% 20261     8,352       8,775  
Trivium Packaging BV 8.50% 20271     5,192       5,644  
Tronox Ltd. 4.625% 20291     43,795       43,904  
Valvoline Inc. 4.25% 20301     7,326       7,483  
Valvoline Inc. 3.625% 20311     10,905       10,564  
Venator Materials Corp. 5.75% 20251     72,288       70,300  
Venator Materials Corp. 9.50% 20251     58,865       66,076  
W. R. Grace & Co. 4.875% 20271     13,795       14,298  
Warrior Met Coal, Inc. 8.00% 20241     23,261       23,861  
              2,009,091  
                 
Industrials 8.58%                
ADT Corp. 3.50% 2022     19,500       19,829  
Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. 3.75% 20311     37,425       36,326  
Alta Equipment Group Inc. 5.625% 20261     8,840       8,973  
American Airlines, Inc. 5.50% 20261     39,075       40,714  
American Airlines, Inc. 5.75% 20291     18,075       19,248  
Associated Materials, LLC 9.00% 20251     32,952       34,847  
ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc. 4.125% 20281     4,825       4,792  
Avis Budget Car Rental, LLC 5.75% 20271     39,135       40,854  
Avis Budget Group, Inc. 6.375% 20241     16,636       16,943  
Avis Budget Group, Inc. 5.25% 20251     12,188       12,394  
Avis Budget Group, Inc. 4.75% 20281     21,725       22,146  
Avis Budget Group, Inc. 5.375% 20291     23,185       24,027  
Avolon Holdings Funding Ltd. 5.25% 20241     17,340       18,743  
Boeing Company 4.508% 2023     470       503  
Boeing Company 5.04% 2027     450       513  
Boeing Company 3.625% 2031     15,200       15,922  
Boeing Company 3.50% 2039     1,090       1,048  
Boeing Company 3.90% 2049     540       525  
Boeing Company 3.75% 2050     5,675       5,445  
Boeing Company 5.93% 2060     9,250       11,900  
Bohai Financial Investment Holding Co., Ltd. 5.25% 20221     19,125       20,084  
Bohai Financial Investment Holding Co., Ltd. 4.50% 20231     553       578  
Bohai Financial Investment Holding Co., Ltd. 5.125% 20231     15,340       16,366  
Bohai Financial Investment Holding Co., Ltd. 5.50% 20241     4,500       4,895  
Bombardier Inc. 8.75% 20211     8,688       9,130  
Bombardier Inc. 6.125% 20231     10,325       10,761  
Bombardier Inc. 7.50% 20241     8,763       8,768  
Bombardier Inc. 7.50% 20251     22,299       21,965  
Bombardier Inc. 7.875% 20271     62,012       60,909  
Bombardier Inc. 7.45% 20341     5,320       5,471  
Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. 3.875% 20281     16,447       16,564  
British Airways, Series 2020-1, Class B, 8.375% 20281     3,299       3,774  
Brundage-Bone Concrete Pumping Holdings, Inc. 6.00% 20261     8,750       9,133  
BWX Technologies, Inc. 4.125% 20281     13,770       13,985  
BWX Technologies, Inc. 4.125% 20291     19,455       19,747  
Clean Harbors, Inc. 4.875% 20271     12,014       12,695  
Continental Airlines, Inc., Series 2001-1, Class A1, 6.703% 2022     445       444  
Continental Airlines, Inc., Series 2007-1, Class B, 6.903% 2022     275       274  
Continental Airlines, Inc., Series 2000-2, Class A1, 7.707% 2022     170       170  
Covanta Holding Corp. 5.875% 2025     8,192       8,509  
Covanta Holding Corp. 5.00% 2030     14,150       14,309  
CP Atlas Buyer, Inc. 7.00% 20281     11,175       11,766  
Dun & Bradstreet Corp. 6.875% 20261     19,123       20,453  
Dun & Bradstreet Corp. 10.25% 20271     39,375       44,043  
Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors LLC 6.50% 20251     6,530       6,836  
Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors LLC 9.75% 20271     7,555       8,617  
Harsco Corp. 5.75% 20271     17,800       18,256  
Herc Holdings Inc. 5.50% 20271     3,200       3,411  
Hexcel Corp. 4.20% 2027     3,693       3,867  
Hidrovias International Finance SARL 4.95% 20311     5,114       5,122  

 

American High-Income Trust 11
 
Bonds, notes & other debt instruments (continued)   Principal amount
(000)
    Value
(000)
 
Corporate bonds, notes & loans (continued)            
Industrials (continued)            
Howmet Aerospace Inc. 6.875% 2025   $ 23,298     $ 27,026  
Howmet Aerospace Inc. 6.75% 2028     1,715       2,026  
IAA Spinco Inc. 5.50% 20271     1,950       2,049  
Icahn Enterprises Finance Corp. 4.75% 2024     24,005       24,965  
JELD-WEN Holding, Inc. 4.875% 20271     15,171       15,725  
JetBlue Airways Corp., Pass Through Trust Certificates, Series 2019-1, Class B, 8.00% 2027     2,675       3,059  
JetBlue Airways Corp., Pass Through Trust Certificates, Series 2020-1, Class A, 7.75% 2030     6,550       7,485  
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. 6.50% 20251     34,545       36,420  
LABL Escrow Issuer, LLC 6.75% 20261     10,725       11,509  
LABL Escrow Issuer, LLC 10.50% 20271     16,650       18,573  
LBM Acquisition LLC 6.25% 20291     3,560       3,671  
LSC Communications, Inc. 8.75% 20231,4,7,8     114,646       6,088  
LSC Communications, Inc., Term Loan B, (USD Prime Rate + 4.50%) 7.75% 20222,3,4,7,8     8,059       428  
MasTec, Inc. 4.50% 20281     19,860       20,630  
Meritor, Inc. 6.25% 20251     9,500       10,141  
Meritor, Inc. 4.50% 20281     4,275       4,296  
MH SUB I, LLC, Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 6.25%) 6.359% 20292,3     2,650       2,670  
Moog Inc. 4.25% 20271     2,169       2,215  
NESCO Holdings II, Inc. 5.50% 20291     13,165       13,521  
Nielsen Finance LLC and Nielsen Finance Co. 5.00% 20251     9,150       9,373  
Nielsen Finance LLC and Nielsen Finance Co. 5.625% 20281     4,375       4,607  
Nielsen Finance LLC and Nielsen Finance Co. 5.875% 20301     22,475       24,399  
Park River Holdings, Inc. 5.625% 20291     23,880       23,179  
Pitney Bowes Inc. 6.875% 20271     11,500       11,428  
Prime Security Services Borrower, LLC 3.375% 20271     15,975       15,516  
Prime Security Services Borrower, LLC 6.25% 20281     11,833       12,335  
R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co. 6.50% 2023     10,500       11,168  
R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co., Term Loan B, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 5.00%) 5.203% 20242,3     5,865       5,850  
Rexnord Corp. 4.875% 20251     22,992       23,516  
Rolls-Royce PLC 5.75% 20271     9,870       10,514  
Sensata Technologies Holding BV 4.00% 20291     22,900       23,356  
Sensata Technologies, Inc. 3.75% 20311     8,800       8,687  
Signature Aviation PLC 4.00% 20281     6,165       6,280  
SkyMiles IP Ltd. 4.75% 20281     35,805       38,966  
Specialty Building Products Holdings LLC 6.375% 20261     8,425       8,709  
Stericycle, Inc. 5.375% 20241     20,884       21,615  
Stericycle, Inc. 3.875% 20291     4,785       4,731  
The Brink’s Co. 4.625% 20271     10,371       10,646  
TransDigm Inc. 6.50% 2025     3,800       3,878  
TransDigm Inc. 8.00% 20251     18,772       20,461  
TransDigm Inc. 6.25% 20261     37,986       40,320  
TransDigm Inc. 6.375% 2026     13,800       14,292  
TransDigm Inc. 5.50% 2027     14,295       14,819  
TransDigm Inc. 7.50% 2027     6,770       7,221  
TransDigm Inc. 4.625% 20291     12,030       11,877  
Triumph Group, Inc. 5.25% 2022     9,700       9,639  
Triumph Group, Inc. 6.25% 20241     8,580       8,738  
Triumph Group, Inc. 8.875% 20241     11,340       12,781  
Triumph Group, Inc. 7.75% 20251     3,865       3,894  
Uber Technologies, Inc. 8.00% 20261     8,710       9,445  
United Airlines, Pass Through Trust, Series 2020-1, Class B, 4.875% 2027     6,045       6,346  
United Airlines Holdings, Inc. 6.50% 20271     72,590       79,668  
United Rentals, Inc. 5.875% 2026     849       889  
United Rentals, Inc. 5.25% 2030     5,484       5,962  
United Rentals, Inc. 3.875% 2031     4,450       4,481  
Vertical Holdco GMBH 7.625% 20281     18,875       20,331  
Vertical U.S. Newco Inc. 5.25% 20271     34,885       36,586  
Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. 9.00% 20261     624       625  
WESCO Distribution, Inc. 7.125% 20251     20,750       22,718  
WESCO Distribution, Inc. 7.25% 20281     33,430       37,368  
Western Global Airlines LLC 10.375% 20251     6,870       7,746  
XPO Logistics, Inc. 6.75% 20241     3,102       3,257  
XPO Logistics, Inc. 6.25% 20251     10,730       11,560  
              1,598,868  
                 
12 American High-Income Trust
 
Bonds, notes & other debt instruments (continued)   Principal amount
(000)
    Value
(000)
 
Corporate bonds, notes & loans (continued)            
Financials 5.83%            
Advisor Group Holdings, LLC 6.25% 20281   $ 27,493     $ 28,833  
AG Merger Sub II, Inc. 10.75% 20271     75,170       84,346  
Alliant Holdings Intermediate, LLC 6.75% 20271     27,805       29,642  
Ally Financial Inc. 8.00% 2031     13,941       19,438  
Ally Financial Inc. 8.00% 2031     8,610       11,625  
AssuredPartners, Inc. 7.00% 20251     4,937       5,118  
AssuredPartners, Inc. 8.00% 20271     17,707       19,057  
AssuredPartners, Inc. 5.625% 20291     6,395       6,524  
Compass Diversified Holdings 8.00% 20261     39,910       41,770  
Compass Diversified Holdings 5.25% 20291     67,260       70,601  
Credit Acceptance Corp. 5.125% 20241     9,190       9,396  
Credit Suisse Group AG, junior subordinated, 7.50%  (USD Semi Annual 30/360 (vs. 3-month USD-LIBOR) + 4.60% on 7/17/2023)1,6     2,295       2,432  
Deutsche Bank AG 3.729% 2032 (USD-SOFR + 2.757% on 1/14/2031)6     9,850       9,562  
Fairstone Financial Inc. 7.875% 20241     20,483       21,569  
Freedom Mortgage Corp. 7.625% 20261     10,900       11,431  
FS Energy and Power Fund 7.50% 20231     87,571       88,237  
HUB International Ltd. 7.00% 20261     29,178       30,328  
HUB International Ltd., Term Loan B, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 3.25%) 4.00% 20252,3     2,963       2,966  
Icahn Enterprises Finance Corp. 6.25% 2022     14,339       14,375  
Icahn Enterprises Finance Corp. 5.25% 2027     5,503       5,696  
Icahn Enterprises Finance Corp. 4.375% 20291     14,175       13,870  
Iris Merger Sub 2019 Inc. 9.375% 20281     6,645       7,181  
Ladder Capital Corp. 5.25% 20221     14,775       14,913  
Ladder Capital Corp. 4.25% 20271     27,061       26,723  
LD Holdings Group LLC 6.125% 20281     9,850       9,997  
LPL Financial Holdings Inc. 4.625% 20271     18,198       18,937  
LPL Financial Holdings Inc. 4.00% 20291     9,000       9,079  
MGIC Investment Corp. 5.25% 2028     7,625       7,935  
MSCI Inc. 5.375% 20271     12,255       13,137  
MSCI Inc. 4.00% 20291     15,793       16,269  
MSCI Inc. 3.625% 20301     3,759       3,829  
MSCI Inc. 3.875% 20311     27,015       27,623  
National Financial Partners Corp. 6.875% 20281     22,989       23,880  
Nationstar Mortgage Holdings Inc. 5.50% 20281     7,575       7,620  
Nationstar Mortgage Holdings Inc. 5.125% 20301     11,175       11,035  
Navient Corp. 6.50% 2022     12,547       13,192  
Navient Corp. 5.50% 2023     55,232       57,476  
Navient Corp. 7.25% 2023     2,700       2,927  
Navient Corp. 5.875% 2024     31,315       32,962  
Navient Corp. 6.125% 2024     23,168       24,601  
Navient Corp. 6.75% 2025     5,000       5,435  
Navient Corp. 6.75% 2026     5,210       5,657  
Navient Corp. 5.00% 2027     51,022       51,220  
Navient Corp. 4.875% 2028     5,570       5,459  
Navient Corp. 5.625% 2033     29,712       27,817  
OneMain Holdings, Inc. 7.125% 2026     20,620       23,808  
Owl Rock Capital Corp. 4.625% 20241     9,835       10,270  
Owl Rock Capital Corp. 3.75% 2025     12,093       12,551  
Owl Rock Capital Corp. 4.00% 2025     449       471  
Owl Rock Capital Corp. 3.375% 2026     5,685       5,764  
Quicken Loans, LLC 3.625% 20291     6,605       6,370  
Springleaf Finance Corp. 6.125% 2024     3,700       4,001  
Springleaf Finance Corp. 6.625% 2028     4,960       5,630  
Springleaf Finance Corp. 5.375% 2029     6,627       7,066  
Starwood Property Trust, Inc. 5.00% 2021     28,169       28,609  
Starwood Property Trust, Inc. 5.50% 20231     7,195       7,528  
Travelport Finance Luxembourg SARL, Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 8.00%) 9.00% 2025 (72.22% PIK)2,3,5     11,493       11,748  
United Wholesale Mortgage, LLC 5.50% 20291     9,875       9,887  
              1,085,423  
                 
Information technology 4.33%                
Almonde Inc., Term Loan B, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 3.50%) 4.50% 20242,3     3,904       3,832  
Almonde Inc., Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 7.25%) 8.25% 20252,3     67,794       68,351  
Applied Systems, Inc., Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 5.50%) 6.25% 20252,3     17,170       17,299  
Austin BidCo Inc. 7.125% 20281     17,595       17,936  

 

American High-Income Trust 13
 
Bonds, notes & other debt instruments (continued)   Principal amount
(000)
    Value
(000)
 
Corporate bonds, notes & loans (continued)            
Information technology (continued)            
Avaya Inc. 6.125% 20281   $ 7,090     $ 7,540  
Banff Merger Sub Inc. 9.75% 20261     33,267       35,476  
Black Knight Inc. 3.625% 20281     21,350       21,005  
Blue Yonder Group, Inc. 4.25% 20261     12,575       13,074  
BMC Software, Inc. 7.125% 20251     6,940       7,453  
BMC Software, Inc. 9.125% 20261     4,290       4,577  
CommScope Finance LLC 6.00% 20261     10,242       10,805  
CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. 3.00% 2029     6,665       6,525  
Diebold Nixdorf AG, Term Loan B, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 2.75%) 2.953% 20232,3     5,211       5,129  
Diebold Nixdorf, Inc. 9.375% 20251     86,900       96,948  
Diebold, Inc. 8.50% 2024     24,505       25,062  
Endurance Acquisition Merger Sub 6.00% 20291     7,225       7,071  
Gartner, Inc. 4.50% 20281     40,580       41,899  
Gartner, Inc. 3.75% 20301     4,000       3,972  
Grab Holding Inc., Term Loan B, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 4.50%) 5.50% 20262,3     8,900       9,078  
J2 Global, Inc. 4.625% 20301     5,390       5,454  
Logan Merger Sub, Inc. 5.50% 20271     8,100       8,490  
McAfee, LLC, Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 3.75%) 3.953% 20242,3     7,574       7,585  
MoneyGram International Inc., Term Loan B, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 6.00%) 7.00% 20232,3     32,591       32,620  
NCR Corp. 5.125% 20291     52,150       52,639  
Oracle Corp. 3.95% 2051     7,985       8,246  
PTC Inc. 3.625% 20251     216       222  
Rocket Software, Inc. 6.50% 20291     33,650       34,016  
Sabre GLBL Inc. 7.375% 20251     1,950       2,131  
Sabre Holdings Corp. 9.25% 20251     7,154       8,540  
Shift4 Payments LLC 4.625% 20261     4,625       4,810  
Solera Holdings, Inc. 10.50% 20241     7,724       7,989  
Synaptics Incorporated 4.00% 20291     9,050       9,003  
TTM Technologies, Inc. 4.00% 20291     7,350       7,267  
UKG Inc., Term Loan-B, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 3.25%) 4.00% 20262,3     3,333       3,336  
Ultimate Software Group Inc., Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 6.75%) 7.50% 20272,3     33,050       34,000  
Unisys Corp. 6.875% 20271     38,965       42,764  
VeriSign, Inc. 4.625% 2023     4,821       4,854  
VeriSign, Inc. 5.25% 2025     3,068       3,469  
Veritas Holdings Ltd. 10.50% 20241     10,467       10,742  
Veritas Holdings Ltd. 7.50% 20251     53,405       55,536  
ViaSat, Inc. 5.625% 20271     2,445       2,569  
Virtusa Corp., Term Loan-B, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 4.25%) 5.00% 20282,3     2,475       2,481  
Xerox Corp. 5.00% 20251     4,000       4,180  
Xerox Corp. 5.50% 20281     48,600       50,407  
              806,382  
                 
Consumer staples 3.24%                
Albertsons Companies, Inc. 3.50% 20231     10,207       10,421  
Albertsons Companies, Inc. 4.625% 20271     650       674  
Albertsons Companies, Inc. 3.50% 20291     28,350       27,014  
Albertsons Companies, Inc. 4.875% 20301     5,915       6,087  
B&G Foods, Inc. 5.25% 2025     48,026       49,395  
B&G Foods, Inc. 5.25% 2027     25,552       26,614  
Brasil Foods SA 5.75% 20501     6,490       6,410  
CD&R Smokey Buyer, Inc. 6.75% 20251     5,070       5,444  
Central Garden & Pet Co. 4.125% 2030     12,556       12,705  
Coty Inc. 6.50% 20261     7,980       8,054  
Darling Ingredients Inc. 5.25% 20271     7,931       8,352  
Edgewell Personal Care Co. 5.50% 20281     4,775       5,049  
Energizer Holdings, Inc. 4.375% 20291     9,560       9,608  
Kraft Heinz Company 3.00% 2026     9,128       9,612  
Kraft Heinz Company 3.875% 2027     17,995       19,614  
Kraft Heinz Company 3.75% 2030     2,285       2,430  
Kraft Heinz Company 4.25% 2031     16,793       18,510  
Kraft Heinz Company 4.625% 2039     2,950       3,197  
Kraft Heinz Company 5.00% 2042     15,840       17,850  
Kraft Heinz Company 5.20% 2045     6,760       7,835  
Kraft Heinz Company 4.375% 2046     42,649       44,686  
Kraft Heinz Company 4.875% 2049     26,225       29,485  
Kraft Heinz Company 5.50% 2050     13,680       16,787  

 

14 American High-Income Trust
 
Bonds, notes & other debt instruments (continued)   Principal amount
(000)
    Value
(000)
 
Corporate bonds, notes & loans (continued)            
Consumer staples (continued)            
Kronos Acquisition Holdings Inc. 5.00% 20261   $ 8,815     $ 8,826  
Kronos Acquisition Holdings Inc. 7.00% 20271     13,205       12,672  
Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. 4.625% 20241     7,754       8,066  
Nestle Skin Health SA, Term Loan B3, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 4.00%) 4.75% 20262,3     23,736       23,761  
Post Holdings, Inc. 5.625% 20281     15,185       16,007  
Post Holdings, Inc. 5.50% 20291     14,799       15,866  
Post Holdings, Inc. 4.625% 20301     57,721       57,937  
Post Holdings, Inc. 4.50% 20311     23,500       23,271  
Prestige Brands International Inc. 5.125% 20281     11,533       12,115  
Prestige Brands International Inc. 3.75% 20311     14,440       13,808  
Simmons Foods Inc. 4.625% 20291     16,760       16,928  
Spectrum Brands Inc. 5.75% 2025     3,272       3,378  
TreeHouse Foods, Inc. 4.00% 2028     1,540       1,554  
Triton Water Holdings, Inc. 6.25% 20291     12,155       12,406  
Turning Point Brands, Inc. 5.625% 20261     7,140       7,426  
United Natural Foods, Inc. 6.75% 20281     21,385       22,882  
              602,736  
                 
Real estate 3.07%                
Brookfield Property REIT Inc. 5.75% 20261     77,796       80,237  
Diversified Healthcare Trust 4.75% 2024     4,950       5,099  
Diversified Healthcare Trust 9.75% 2025     6,800       7,706  
Diversified Healthcare Trust 4.375% 2031     23,630       23,094  
Hospitality Properties Trust 7.50% 2025     4,209       4,787  
Howard Hughes Corp. 5.375% 20281     40,458       42,607  
Howard Hughes Corp. 4.125% 20291     38,983       38,163  
Howard Hughes Corp. 4.375% 20311     53,767       52,725  
Iron Mountain Inc. 4.875% 20271     36,285       37,192  
Iron Mountain Inc. 5.00% 20281     10,751       11,006  
Iron Mountain Inc. 5.25% 20281     26,460       27,535  
Iron Mountain Inc. 5.25% 20301     50,500       52,169  
Iron Mountain Inc. 4.50% 20311     25,790       25,528  
Kennedy-Wilson Holdings, Inc. 4.75% 2029     37,905       38,426  
Kennedy-Wilson Holdings, Inc. 5.00% 2031     33,655       34,126  
Ladder Capital Corp. 5.25% 20251     14,319       14,346  
Medical Properties Trust, Inc. 5.00% 2027     19,172       20,203  
Medical Properties Trust, Inc. 3.50% 2031     4,187       4,114  
QTS Realty Trust, Inc. 3.875% 20281     8,900       8,867  
Realogy Corp. 9.375% 20271     9,835       10,911  
Realogy Corp. 5.75% 20291     14,475       14,294  
Realogy Group LLC 7.625% 20251     3,645       3,985  
RHP Hotel Properties LP / RHP Finance Corp 4.50% 20291     12,830       12,913  
Service Properties Trust 5.50% 2027     2,300       2,435  
              572,468  
                 
Utilities 2.86%                
AES Corp. 3.30% 20251     15,600       16,574  
AES Corp. 3.95% 20301     17,025       18,233  
AmeriGas Partners, LP 5.75% 2027     5,878       6,424  
Calpine Corp. 5.25% 20261     2,135       2,198  
Calpine Corp. 4.50% 20281     4,000       4,040  
Calpine Corp. 5.125% 20281     8,282       8,332  
Calpine Corp. 3.75% 20311     5,550       5,298  
Calpine Corp. 5.00% 20311     15,000       14,662  
DPL Inc. 4.125% 20251     16,720       17,734  
DPL Inc. 4.35% 2029     5,850       6,291  
Emera Inc. 6.75% 2076 (3-month USD-LIBOR + 5.44% on 6/15/2026)6     18,225       20,745  
Enfragen Energia Sur SA 5.375% 20301     9,700       9,569  
FirstEnergy Corp. 2.05% 2025     2,020       2,033  
FirstEnergy Corp. 4.40% 20276     550       592  
FirstEnergy Corp. 2.65% 2030     3,220       3,067  
FirstEnergy Corp. 7.375% 2031     6,408       8,579  
FirstEnergy Corp. 5.35% 20476     6,825       7,677  
FirstEnergy Corp. 3.40% 2050     23,669       20,819  
FirstEnergy Transmission LLC 2.866% 20281     12,350       12,470  
NextEra Energy Partners, LP 4.25% 20241     3,163       3,333  
NextEra Energy Partners, LP 3.875% 20261     2,373       2,493  

 

American High-Income Trust 15
 
Bonds, notes & other debt instruments (continued)   Principal amount
(000)
    Value
(000)
 
Corporate bonds, notes & loans (continued)            
Utilities (continued)            
NGL Energy Partners LP 7.50% 2026   $ 12,325     $ 10,530  
NRG Energy, Inc. 7.25% 2026     10,807       11,255  
NRG Energy, Inc. 3.375% 20291     6,150       6,015  
NRG Energy, Inc. 3.625% 20311     25,800       25,203  
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. 3.75% 2028     9,460       10,037  
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. 4.55% 2030     8,203       8,903  
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. 2.50% 2031     2,000       1,889  
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. 3.25% 2031     3,500       3,492  
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. 3.30% 2040     4,540       4,124  
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. 3.50% 2050     8,040       7,001  
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. 4.95% 2050     6,675       6,876  
PG&E Corp. 5.00% 2028     41,670       44,079  
PG&E Corp. 5.25% 2030     21,455       22,769  
PG&E Corp., Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 3.00%) 3.50% 20252,3     4,803       4,806  
Talen Energy Corp. 6.50% 2025     715       576  
Talen Energy Corp. 10.50% 20261     75,472       67,689  
Talen Energy Corp. 7.25% 20271     72,112       73,846  
Talen Energy Corp. 6.625% 20281     1,819       1,822  
Talen Energy Supply, LLC 7.625% 20281     23,855       24,198  
UEP Penonome II SA 6.50% 20381     1,250       1,265  
Vistra Operations Co. LLC 3.55% 20241     5,769       6,041  
              533,579  
                 
Total corporate bonds, notes & loans             16,409,887  
                 
U.S. Treasury bonds & notes 0.39%                
U.S. Treasury 0.30%                
U.S. Treasury 2.625% 20219     55,000       55,999  
                 
U.S. Treasury inflation-protected securities 0.09%                
U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Security 0.125% 20519,10     16,073       16,264  
                 
Total U.S. Treasury bonds & notes             72,263  
                 
Municipals 0.00%                
Puerto Rico 0.00%                
Aqueduct and Sewer Auth., Rev. Bonds, Series 2012-B, 5.35% 2027     50       50  
                 
Total bonds, notes & other debt instruments (cost: $16,213,660,000)             16,482,200  
                 
Convertible bonds & notes 0.50%                
Communication services 0.29%                
Cinemark USA, Inc., convertible notes, 4.50% 20251     3,500       5,850  
DISH DBS Corp., convertible notes, 3.375% 2026     42,635       41,092  
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc., convertible notes, 2.00% 2025     4,500       5,006  
Twitter, Inc., convertible notes, 0.25% 2024     1,350       1,797  
              53,745  
                 
Information technology 0.09%                
Sabre Holdings Corp., convertible notes, 4.00% 20251     8,185       17,041  
                 
Industrials 0.06%                
American Airlines Group Inc., convertible notes, 6.50% 2025     3,200       5,512  
Southwest Airlines Co., convertible notes, 1.25% 2025     3,631       6,252  
              11,764  
                 
Consumer discretionary 0.05%                
NCL Corp. Ltd., convertible notes, 5.375% 20251     2,530       4,391  
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., convertible notes, 4.25% 20231     3,350       4,725  
              9,116  
                 
Energy 0.01%                
Mesquite Energy Inc., convertible notes, 15.00% 2023 (100% PIK)1,5,7,8     2,114       2,114  
                 
Total convertible bonds & notes (cost: $79,987,000)             93,780  

 

16 American High-Income Trust
 
Convertible stocks 0.35%   Shares     Value
(000)
 
Financials 0.20%            
2020 Cash Mandatory Exchangeable Trust, convertible preferred shares, 5.25% 20231     26,724     $ 30,122  
KKR & Co. Inc., Series C, convertible preferred shares, 6.00%     117,833       7,854  
              37,976  
                 
Utilities 0.07%                
PG&E Corp., units, convertible preferred shares, 5.50% expire 202311     57,000       6,503  
NextEra Energy, Inc., convertible preferred units, 5.279% 2023     75,000       3,715  
Essential Utilities, Inc., convertible preferred units, 6.00% 2022     33,000       1,887  
American Electric Power Company, Inc., convertible preferred shares, 6.125% 2022     30,000       1,448  
              13,553  
                 
Health care 0.04%                
Danaher Corp., Series B, cumulative convertible preferred shares, 5.00% 2023     3,140       4,067  
Boston Scientific Corp., Series A, convertible preferred shares, 5.50% 2023     33,765       3,622  
              7,689  
                 
Information technology 0.04%                
Broadcom Inc., Series A, cumulative convertible preferred shares, 8.00% 2022     4,370       6,443  
                 
Total convertible stocks (cost: $56,016,000)             65,661  
                 
Preferred securities 0.19%                
Consumer discretionary 0.13%                
MYT Holding LLC, Series A, preferred shares     23,426,848       23,837  
                 
Industrials 0.05%                
ACR III LSC Holdings LLC, Series B, preferred shares1,7,8,11     13,566       9,544  
                 
Financials 0.01%                
Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc., noncumulative, preferred shares     80,000       1,593  
                 
Energy 0.00%                
McDermott International, Inc., 8.00% cumulative, preferred shares7,8,11     1,130       565  
                 
Total preferred securities (cost: $37,043,000)             35,539  
                 
Common stocks 4.73%                
Energy 2.17%                
Chesapeake Energy Corp.11     2,875,057       124,749  
Chesapeake Energy Corp.1,7,11     13,599       519  
Denbury Inc.11     2,085,831       99,890  
Oasis Petroleum Inc.     1,554,389       92,315  
Extraction Oil & Gas, Inc.11     930,421       33,439  
Extraction Oil & Gas, Inc.1,7,8,11,12     267,195       7,971  
Weatherford International11     1,732,384       22,071  
Ascent Resources - Utica, LLC, Class A7,8,11,12     90,532,504       12,675  
McDermott International, Ltd.11     3,921,721       3,137  
McDermott International, Ltd.1,11,12     1,745,604       1,397  
California Resources Corp.11     183,103       4,405  
Southwestern Energy Co.11     229,524       1,067  
Mesquite Energy, Inc.7,8,11     109,992       660  
Tapstone Energy, LLC1,7,8,11     498,479       5  
Petroplus Holdings AG7,8,11     3,360,000       13 
              404,300  
                 
Health care 1.05%                
Rotech Healthcare Inc.7,8,11,12     1,916,276       150,428  
Advanz Pharma Corp. Ltd.11,12     2,244,779       38,161  
Advanz Pharma Corp. Ltd.11     433,351       7,367  
              195,956  

 

American High-Income Trust 17
 
Common stocks (continued)   Shares     Value
(000)
 
Industrials 0.57%            
Associated Materials Group Inc.7,8,11     13,950,408     $ 106,302  
                 
Consumer discretionary 0.31%                
MYT Holding Co., Class B7,11     7,468,376       41,823  
NMG Parent LLC11     192,637       13,581  
NMG Parent LLC1,7,8,11     21,825       1,231  
              56,635  
                 
Materials 0.24%                
Hexion Holdings Corp., Class B11     3,003,813       45,057  
                 
Financials 0.16%                
Navient Corp.     1,250,000       17,888  
Jonah Energy Parent LLC7,8,11     747,471       11,212  
              29,100  
                 
Information technology 0.13%                
MoneyGram International, Inc.11     1,572,886       10,334  
Diebold Nixdorf, Inc.11     685,000       9,679  
Snowflake Inc., Class A11     20,500       4,700  
              24,713  
                 
Communication services 0.07%                
iHeartMedia, Inc., Class A11     378,645       6,872  
Cumulus Media Inc., Class A11     561,642       5,117  
Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc.11     890,868       1,604  
              13,593  
                 
Utilities 0.03%                
Vistra Corp.     301,892       5,337  
                 
Real estate 0.00%                
VICI Properties Inc. REIT     17,686       499  
                 
Total common stocks (cost: $789,965,000)             881,492  
                 
Rights & warrants 0.10%                
Energy 0.09%                
Chesapeake Energy Corp., Class B, warrants, expire 202611     393,103       7,760  
Chesapeake Energy Corp., Class A, warrants, expire 202611     338,763       5,891  
Chesapeake Energy Corp., Class C, warrants, expire 202611     157,626       2,648  
California Resources Corp., warrants, 202411     16,108       73  
Denbury Inc, warrants, Series B, expire 20231,11     155       3  
McDermott International, Inc., warrants, expire 20277,11     845,563       1  
Sable Permian Resources, LLC, Class A, warrants, expire 20247,8,11     42,744       13 
              16,376  
                 
Consumer discretionary 0.01%                  
NMG Parent LLC, warrants, expire 20277,11     407,047       1,475  
                 
Utilities 0.00%                
Vistra Energy Corp., rights1,7,8,11     2,202       13 
                 
Total rights & warrants (cost: $45,473,000)             17,851  

 

18 American High-Income Trust
 
Short-term securities 4.43%   Shares     Value
(000)
 
Money market investments 4.43%                
Capital Group Central Cash Fund 0.08%14     8,255,201     $ 825,603  
                 
Total short-term securities (cost: $825,762,000)             825,603  
Total investment securities 98.80% (cost: $18,047,906,000)             18,402,126  
Other assets less liabilities 1.20%             222,595  
                 
Net assets 100.00%           $ 18,624,721  

 

Futures contracts

 

Contracts   Type   Number of
contracts
    Expiration     Notional
amount15
(000)
    Value at
3/31/202116
(000)
    Unrealized
appreciation
at 3/31/2021
(000)
 
2 Year U.S. Treasury Note Futures   Long   4,336     July 2021     $ 867,200     $ 957,070       $ 76  
10 Year Ultra U.S. Treasury Note Futures   Short   420     June 2021       (42,000 )     (60,349 )       2,142  
10 Year U.S. Treasury Note Futures   Short   4,026     June 2021       (402,600 )     (527,154 )       10,836  
30 Year Ultra U.S. Treasury Bond Futures   Short   555     June 2021       (55,500 )     (100,576 )       4,663  
                                      $ 17,717  

 

Swap contracts

 

Credit default swaps

 

Centrally cleared credit default swaps on credit indices — buy protection

 

Receive   Pay/
Payment frequency
  Expiration
date
  Notional
(000)
    Value at
3/31/2021
(000)
    Upfront
premium
received
(000)
    Unrealized
depreciation
at 3/31/2021
(000)
 
CDX.NA.HY.35   5.00%/Quarterly   12/20/2025   $ 397,439     $ (36,172 )   $ (35,617 )     $ (555 )
CDX.NA.HY.36   5.00%/Quarterly   6/20/2026     367,338       (32,762 )     (31,970 )       (792 )
                            $ (67,587 )     $ (1,347 )

 

Investments in affiliates17

 

    Value of
affiliates at
10/1/2020
(000)
    Additions
(000)
    Reductions
(000)
    Net
realized
gain (loss)
(000)
    Net
unrealized
appreciation
(depreciation)
(000)
    Value of
affiliates at
3/31/2021
(000)
    Interest
or dividend
income
(000)
 
Bonds, notes & other debt instruments 0.02%
Health care 0.02%
Concordia International Corp. 8.00% 2024   $ 3,202     $     $     $     $ 122     $ 3,324     $ 88  
Concordia International Corp., Term Loan, (3-month USD-LIBOR + 5.50%)6.50% 20242,3     873             9       1       22       887       23  
                                              4,211          
Common stocks 2.02%
Energy 0.50%                                                        
Oasis Petroleum Inc.           70,539                   21,776       92,315       583  
Tapstone Energy, LLC1,7,8,11     5                               5        
Ascent Resources - Utica, LLC, Class A7,8,11,12,18     19,012                         (6,337 )            
Tribune Resources, LLC7,11,18     5,425             5,124       (28,461 )     28,160              
                                              92,320          

 

American High-Income Trust 19
 

Investments in affiliates17 (continued)

 

    Value of
affiliates at
10/1/2020
(000)
    Additions
(000)
    Reductions
(000)
    Net
realized
gain (loss)
(000)
    Net
unrealized
appreciation
(depreciation)
(000)
    Value of
affiliates at
3/31/2021
(000)
    Interest
or dividend
income
(000)
 
Health care 1.05%
Rotech Healthcare Inc.7,8,11,12   $ 111,144     $     $     $     $ 39,284     $ 150,428     $  
Advanz Pharma Corp. Ltd.11,12     11,302                         26,859       38,161        
Advanz Pharma Corp. Ltd.11     2,182                         5,185       7,367        
                                              195,956          
                                                         
Consumer discretionary 0.23%
MYT Holding Co., Class B7,11     7,069       26                   34,728       41,823        
Materials 0.24%
Hexion Holdings Corp., Class B11     30,095       1,898       1,620       895       13,789       45,057        
Total common stocks                                             375,156          
                                                         
Rights & warrants 0.00%
Energy 0.00%                                                        
Tribune Resources, LLC, Class A, warrants, expire 20237,11,18     13           13     (264 )     264              
Tribune Resources, LLC, Class B, warrants, expire 20237,11,18     13           13     (16 )     16              
Tribune Resources, LLC, Class C, warrants, expire 20237,11,18     13           13     (28 )     28              
                                                       
                                                         
Short-term securities 4.43%
Money market investments 4.43%
Capital Group Central Cash Fund 0.08%14     617,276       2,895,320       2,686,993       (11 )     11       825,603       402  
Total 6.47%                           $ (27,884 )   $ 163,907     $ 1,204,970     $ 1,096  

 

20 American High-Income Trust
 
1 Acquired in a transaction exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. May be resold in the U.S. in transactions exempt from registration, normally to qualified institutional buyers. The total value of all such securities was $11,312,899,000, which represented 60.74% of the net assets of the fund.
2 Loan participations and assignments; may be subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale. The total value of all such loans was $409,561,000, which represented 2.20% of the net assets of the fund.
3 Coupon rate may change periodically. Reference rate and spread are as of the most recent information available. Some coupon rates are determined by the issuer or agent based on current market conditions; therefore, the reference rate and spread are not available.
4 Scheduled interest and/or principal payment was not received.
5 Payment in kind; the issuer has the option of paying additional securities in lieu of cash. Most recent payment was 100% cash unless otherwise noted.
6 Step bond; coupon rate may change at a later date.
7 Valued under fair value procedures adopted by authority of the board of trustees. The total value of all such securities was $417,270,000, which represented 2.24% of the net assets of the fund.
8 Value determined using significant unobservable inputs.
9 All or a portion of this security was pledged as collateral. The total value of pledged collateral was $53,752,000, which represented .29% of the net assets of the fund.
10 Index-linked bond whose principal amount moves with a government price index.
11 Security did not produce income during the last 12 months.
12 Acquired through a private placement transaction exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933. May be subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale. Further details on these holdings appear below.
13 Amount less than one thousand.
14 Rate represents the seven-day yield at 3/31/2021.
15 Notional amount is calculated based on the number of contracts and notional contract size.
16 Value is calculated based on the notional amount and current market price.
17 Affiliate of the fund or part of the same group of investment companies as the fund, in each case as defined under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
18 Unaffiliated issuer at 3/31/2021.

 

 

Private placement securities   Acquisition
date(s)
  Cost
(000)
    Value
(000)
    Percent
of net
assets
 
Rotech Healthcare Inc.   9/26/2013   $ 41,128     $ 150,428       .81 %
Advanz Pharma Corp. Ltd.   8/31/2018     28,414       38,161       .20  
Ascent Resources - Utica, LLC, Class A   4/25/2016-11/15/2016     4,340       12,675       .07  
Extraction Oil & Gas, Inc.   1/20/2021     6,738       7,971       .04  
McDermott International, Ltd.   4/4/2018-12/31/2020     7,967       1,397       .01  
Total private placement securities       $ 88,587     $ 210,632       1.13 %

 

Key to abbreviations and symbol

Auth. = Authority

LIBOR = London Interbank Offered Rate

Rev. = Revenue

SOFR = Secured Overnight Financing Rate

USD/$ = U.S. dollars

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

American High-Income Trust 21
 

Financial statements

 

Statement of assets and liabilities
at March 31, 2021
unaudited
(dollars in thousands)
 

 

Assets:                
Investment securities, at value:                
Unaffiliated issuers (cost: $16,988,427)   $ 17,197,156          
Affiliated issuers (cost: $1,059,479)     1,204,970     $ 18,402,126  
Cash             46,760  
Receivables for:                
Sales of investments     103,887          
Sales of fund’s shares     25,055          
Dividends and interest     264,586          
Variation margin on futures contracts     1,793          
Other     127       395,448  
              18,844,334  
Liabilities:                
Payables for:                
Purchases of investments     182,920          
Repurchases of fund’s shares     21,922          
Dividends on fund’s shares     2,964          
Investment advisory services     4,177          
Services provided by related parties     3,863          
Trustees’ deferred compensation     322          
Variation margin on futures contracts     203          
Variation margin on swap contracts     3,169          
Other     73       219,613  
Net assets at March 31, 2021           $ 18,624,721  
                 
Net assets consist of:                
Capital paid in on shares of beneficial interest           $ 20,400,393  
Total accumulated loss             (1,775,672 )
Net assets at March 31, 2021           $ 18,624,721  

 

(dollars and shares in thousands, except per-share amounts)

 

Shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding (no stated par value) —
unlimited shares authorized (1,813,842 total shares outstanding)

 

    Net assets     Shares
outstanding
    Net asset value
per share
 
Class A   $ 10,894,427       1,060,997     $ 10.27  
Class C     325,042       31,656       10.27  
Class T     10       1       10.27  
Class F-1     411,996       40,124       10.27  
Class F-2     1,662,199       161,880       10.27  
Class F-3     771,558       75,141       10.27  
Class 529-A     346,384       33,734       10.27  
Class 529-C     17,296       1,685       10.27  
Class 529-E     14,142       1,377       10.27  
Class 529-T     13       1       10.27  
Class 529-F-1     11       1       10.27  
Class 529-F-2     34,388       3,349       10.27  
Class 529-F-3     11       1       10.27  
Class R-1     13,650       1,329       10.27  
Class R-2     131,711       12,827       10.27  
Class R-2E     8,175       796       10.27  
Class R-3     147,459       14,361       10.27  
Class R-4     126,450       12,315       10.27  
Class R-5E     13,227       1,288       10.27  
Class R-5     78,456       7,641       10.27  
Class R-6     3,628,116       353,338       10.27  

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

22 American High-Income Trust
 

Financial statements (continued)

 

Statement of operations
for the six months ended March 31, 2021
unaudited
(dollars in thousands)

 

Investment income:                
Income:                
Interest (includes $111 from affiliates)   $ 485,749          
Dividends (includes $985 from affiliates)     6,449     $ 492,198  
Fees and expenses*:                
Investment advisory services     23,669          
Distribution services     17,366          
Transfer agent services     9,020          
Administrative services     2,667          
Reports to shareholders     447          
Registration statement and prospectus     289          
Trustees’ compensation     68          
Auditing and legal     23          
Custodian     22          
Other     321          
Total fees and expenses before reimbursement     53,892          
Less reimbursement of fees and expenses:                
Transfer agent services reimbursement              
Total fees and expenses after reimbursement             53,892  
Net investment income             438,306  
 
Net realized gain and unrealized appreciation:                
Net realized gain (loss) on:                
Investments:                
Unaffiliated issuers     84,332          
Affiliated issuers     (27,884 )        
Futures contracts     8,447          
Swap contracts     (28,724 )        
Currency transactions     86       36,257  
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on:                
Investments:                
Unaffiliated issuers     991,626          
Affiliated issuers     163,907          
Futures contracts     17,717          
Swap contracts     (2,571 )        
Currency translations     1       1,170,680  
Net realized gain and unrealized appreciation             1,206,937  
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations           $ 1,645,243  

 

* Additional information related to class-specific fees and expenses is included in the notes to financial statements.
Amount less than one thousand.

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

American High-Income Trust 23
 

Financial statements (continued)

 

Statements of changes in net assets  
  (dollars in thousands)

 

    Six months ended
March 31, 2021*
    Year ended
September 30, 2020
 
Operations:                
Net investment income   $ 438,306     $ 997,478  
Net realized gain (loss)     36,257       (599,483 )
Net unrealized appreciation     1,170,680       40,622  
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations     1,645,243       438,617  
                 
Distributions paid or accrued to shareholders     (531,727 )     (986,583 )
                 
Net capital share transactions     765,748       824,011  
                 
Total increase in net assets     1,879,264       276,045  
                 
Net assets:                
Beginning of period     16,745,457       16,469,412  
End of period   $ 18,624,721     $ 16,745,457  

 

* Unaudited.

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

24 American High-Income Trust
 
Notes to financial statements unaudited

 

1. Organization

 

American High-Income Trust (the “fund”) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end, diversified management investment company. The fund seeks to provide a high level of current income. Its secondary investment objective is capital appreciation.

 

The fund has 21 share classes consisting of six retail share classes (Classes A, C, T, F-1, F-2 and F-3), seven 529 college savings plan share classes (Classes 529-A, 529-C, 529-E, 529-T, 529-F-1, 529-F-2 and 529-F-3) and eight retirement plan share classes (Classes R-1, R-2, R-2E, R-3, R-4, R-5E, R-5 and R-6). The 529 college savings plan share classes can be used to save for college education. The retirement plan share classes are generally offered only through eligible employer-sponsored retirement plans. The fund’s share classes are described further in the following table:

 

Share class   Initial sales charge   Contingent deferred sales
charge upon redemption
  Conversion feature  
Classes A and 529-A   Up to 3.75% for Class A; up to 3.50% for Class 529-A   None (except 1% for certain redemptions within 18 months of purchase without an initial sales charge)   None  
Classes C and 529-C   None   1% for redemptions within one year of purchase   Class C converts to Class A after eight years and Class 529-C converts to Class 529-A after five years  
Class 529-E   None   None   None  
Classes T and 529-T*   Up to 2.50%   None   None  
Classes F-1, F-2, F-3, 529-F-1, 529-F-2 and 529-F-3   None   None   None  
Classes R-1, R-2, R-2E, R-3, R-4, R-5E, R-5 and R-6   None   None   None  

 

* Class T and 529-T shares are not available for purchase.

 

Holders of all share classes have equal pro rata rights to the assets, dividends and liquidation proceeds of the fund. Each share class has identical voting rights, except for the exclusive right to vote on matters affecting only its class. Share classes have different fees and expenses (“class-specific fees and expenses”), primarily due to different arrangements for distribution, transfer agent and administrative services. Differences in class-specific fees and expenses will result in differences in net investment income and, therefore, the payment of different per-share dividends by each share class.

 

2. Significant accounting policies

 

The fund is an investment company that applies the accounting and reporting guidance issued in Topic 946 by the U.S. Financial Accounting Standards Board. The fund’s financial statements have been prepared to comply with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”). These principles require the fund’s investment adviser to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts and disclosures. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Subsequent events, if any, have been evaluated through the date of issuance in the preparation of the financial statements. The fund follows the significant accounting policies described in this section, as well as the valuation policies described in the next section on valuation.

 

Security transactions and related investment income — Security transactions are recorded by the fund as of the date the trades are executed with brokers. Realized gains and losses from security transactions are determined based on the specific identified cost of the securities. In the event a security is purchased with a delayed payment date, the fund will segregate liquid assets sufficient to meet its payment obligations. Dividend income is recognized on the ex-dividend date and interest income is recognized on an accrual basis. Market discounts, premiums and original issue discounts on fixed-income securities are amortized daily over the expected life of the security.

 

Class allocations — Income, fees and expenses (other than class-specific fees and expenses) are allocated daily among the various share classes based on the relative value of their settled shares. Realized gains and losses and unrealized appreciation and depreciation are allocated daily among the various share classes based on their relative net assets. Class-specific fees and expenses, such as distribution, transfer agent and administrative services, are charged directly to the respective share class.

 

Distributions paid or accrued to shareholders — Income dividends are declared daily after the determination of the fund’s net investment income and are paid to shareholders monthly. Capital gain distributions are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

 

American High-Income Trust 25
 

Currency translation — Assets and liabilities, including investment securities, denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates supplied by one or more pricing vendors on the valuation date. Purchases and sales of investment securities and income and expenses are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates on the dates of such transactions. The effects of changes in exchange rates on investment securities are included with the net realized gain or loss and net unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments in the fund’s statement of operations. The realized gain or loss and unrealized appreciation or depreciation resulting from all other transactions denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars are disclosed separately.

 

3. Valuation

 

Capital Research and Management Company (“CRMC”), the fund’s investment adviser, values the fund’s investments at fair value as defined by U.S. GAAP. The net asset value per share is calculated once daily as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, normally 4 p.m. New York time, each day the New York Stock Exchange is open.

 

Methods and inputs — The fund’s investment adviser uses the following methods and inputs to establish the fair value of the fund’s assets and liabilities. Use of particular methods and inputs may vary over time based on availability and relevance as market and economic conditions evolve.

 

Equity securities are generally valued at the official closing price of, or the last reported sale price on, the exchange or market on which such securities are traded, as of the close of business on the day the securities are being valued or, lacking any sales, at the last available bid price. Prices for each security are taken from the principal exchange or market on which the security trades.

 

Fixed-income securities, including short-term securities, are generally valued at prices obtained from one or more pricing vendors. Vendors value such securities based on one or more of the inputs described in the following table. The table provides examples of inputs that are commonly relevant for valuing particular classes of fixed-income securities in which the fund is authorized to invest. However, these classifications are not exclusive, and any of the inputs may be used to value any other class of fixed-income security.

 

Fixed-income class Examples of standard inputs
All Benchmark yields, transactions, bids, offers, quotations from dealers and trading systems, new issues, spreads and other relationships observed in the markets among comparable securities; and proprietary pricing models such as yield measures calculated using factors such as cash flows, financial or collateral performance and other reference data (collectively referred to as “standard inputs”)
Corporate bonds, notes & loans; convertible securities Standard inputs and underlying equity of the issuer
Bonds & notes of governments & government agencies Standard inputs and interest rate volatilities
Mortgage-backed; asset-backed obligations Standard inputs and cash flows, prepayment information, default rates, delinquency and loss assumptions, collateral characteristics, credit enhancements and specific deal information
Municipal securities Standard inputs and, for certain distressed securities, cash flows or liquidation values using a net present value calculation based on inputs that include, but are not limited to, financial statements and debt contracts

 

When the fund’s investment adviser deems it appropriate to do so (such as when vendor prices are unavailable or deemed to be not representative), fixed-income securities will be valued in good faith at the mean quoted bid and ask prices that are reasonably and timely available (or bid prices, if ask prices are not available) or at prices for securities of comparable maturity, quality and type.

 

Securities with both fixed-income and equity characteristics, or equity securities traded principally among fixed-income dealers, are generally valued in the manner described for either equity or fixed-income securities, depending on which method is deemed most appropriate by the fund’s investment adviser. The Capital Group Central Cash Fund (“CCF”), a fund within the Capital Group Central Fund Series (“Central Funds”), is valued based upon a floating net asset value, which fluctuates with changes in the value of CCF’s portfolio securities. The underlying securities are valued based on the policies and procedures in CCF’s statement of additional information. Exchange-traded futures are generally valued at the official settlement price of the exchange or market on which such instruments are traded, as of the close of business on the day the futures are being valued. Credit default swaps are generally valued by pricing vendors based on market inputs that include the index and term of index, reset frequency, payer/receiver, currency and pay frequency.

 

26 American High-Income Trust
 

Securities and other assets for which representative market quotations are not readily available or are considered unreliable by the fund’s investment adviser are fair valued as determined in good faith under fair valuation guidelines adopted by authority of the fund’s board of trustees as further described. The investment adviser follows fair valuation guidelines, consistent with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules and guidance, to consider relevant principles and factors when making fair value determinations. The investment adviser considers relevant indications of value that are reasonably and timely available to it in determining the fair value to be assigned to a particular security, such as the type and cost of the security; contractual or legal restrictions on resale of the security; relevant financial or business developments of the issuer; actively traded similar or related securities; conversion or exchange rights on the security; related corporate actions; significant events occurring after the close of trading in the security; and changes in overall market conditions. In addition, the closing prices of equity securities that trade in markets outside U.S. time zones may be adjusted to reflect significant events that occur after the close of local trading but before the net asset value of each share class of the fund is determined. Fair valuations and valuations of investments that are not actively trading involve judgment and may differ materially from valuations that would have been used had greater market activity occurred.

 

Processes and structure — The fund’s board of trustees has delegated authority to the fund’s investment adviser to make fair value determinations, subject to board oversight. The investment adviser has established a Joint Fair Valuation Committee (the “Fair Valuation Committee”) to administer, implement and oversee the fair valuation process, and to make fair value decisions. The Fair Valuation Committee regularly reviews its own fair value decisions, as well as decisions made under its standing instructions to the investment adviser’s valuation teams. The Fair Valuation Committee reviews changes in fair value measurements from period to period and may, as deemed appropriate, update the fair valuation guidelines to better reflect the results of back testing and address new or evolving issues. The Fair Valuation Committee reports any changes to the fair valuation guidelines to the board of trustees. The fund’s board and audit committee also regularly review reports that describe fair value determinations and methods.

 

The fund’s investment adviser has also established a Fixed-Income Pricing Review Group to administer and oversee the fixed-income valuation process, including the use of fixed-income pricing vendors. This group regularly reviews pricing vendor information and market data. Pricing decisions, processes and controls over security valuation are also subject to additional internal reviews, including an annual control self-evaluation program facilitated by the investment adviser’s compliance group.

 

American High-Income Trust 27
 

Classifications — The fund’s investment adviser classifies the fund’s assets and liabilities into three levels based on the inputs used to value the assets or liabilities. Level 1 values are based on quoted prices in active markets for identical securities. Level 2 values are based on significant observable market inputs, such as quoted prices for similar securities and quoted prices in inactive markets. Certain securities trading outside the U.S. may transfer between Level 1 and Level 2 due to valuation adjustments resulting from significant market movements following the close of local trading. Level 3 values are based on significant unobservable inputs that reflect the investment adviser’s determination of assumptions that market participants might reasonably use in valuing the securities. The valuation levels are not necessarily an indication of the risk or liquidity associated with the underlying investment. For example, U.S. government securities are reflected as Level 2 because the inputs used to determine fair value may not always be quoted prices in an active market. The following tables present the fund’s valuation levels as of March 31, 2021 (dollars in thousands):

 

    Investment securities  
    Level 1     Level 2     Level 3     Total  
Assets:                                
Bonds, notes & other debt instruments:                                
Corporate bonds, notes & loans   $     $ 16,339,142     $ 70,745     $ 16,409,887  
U.S. Treasury bonds & notes           72,263             72,263  
Municipals           50             50  
Convertible bonds & notes           91,666       2,114       93,780  
Convertible stocks     35,539       30,122             65,661  
Preferred securities     1,593       23,837       10,109       35,539  
Common stocks     535,085       55,923       290,484       881,492  
Rights & warrants     16,375       1,476       1     17,851  
Short-term securities     825,603                   825,603  
Total   $ 1,414,195     $ 16,614,479     $ 373,452     $ 18,402,126  

 

    Other investments2  
    Level 1     Level 2     Level 3     Total  
Assets:                                
Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts   $ 17,717     $     $     $ 17,717  
Liabilities:                                
Unrealized depreciation on credit default swaps           (1,347 )           (1,347 )
Total   $ 17,717     $ (1,347 )   $     $ 16,370  

 

1 Amount less than one thousand.
2 Futures contracts and credit default swaps are not included in the investment portfolio.

 

The following table reconciles the valuation of the fund’s Level 3 investment securities and related transactions for the six months ended March 31, 2021 (dollars in thousands):

 

    Beginning     Transfers                 Net           Transfers     Ending  
    value at     into                 realized     Unrealized     out of     value at  
    10/1/2020     Level 33     Purchases     Sales     loss4     appreciation4     Level 33     3/31/2021  
Investment securities   $ 336,162     $     $ 64,198     $ (74,243 )   $ (53,037 )   $ 100,372     $     $ 373,452  
Net unrealized appreciation during the period on Level 3 investment securities held at March 31, 2021     $ 36,475  

 

3 Transfers into or out of Level 3 are based on the beginning market value of the quarter in which they occurred. These transfers are the result of changes in the availability of pricing sources and/or in the observability of significant inputs used in valuing the securities.
4 Net realized loss and unrealized appreciation are included in the related amounts on investments in the statement of operations.

 

28 American High-Income Trust
 

Unobservable inputs — Valuation of the fund’s Level 3 securities is based on significant unobservable inputs that reflect the investment adviser’s determination of assumptions that market participants might reasonably use in valuing the securities. The following table provides additional information used by the fund’s investment adviser to fair value the fund’s Level 3 securities (dollars in thousands):

 

    Value at
3/31/2021
    Valuation
techniques
  Unobservable
inputs
  Range
(if applicable)
  Weighted
average1
  Impact to
valuation from
an increase in
input2
Bonds, notes & other debt instruments           Estimated recovery value   Expected sale proceeds   N/A   N/A   N/A
            Exchange terms   N/A   N/A   N/A
            Vendor price   N/A   N/A   N/A
  $ 70,745       Par value   N/A   N/A   N/A
            Valuation cap   N/A   N/A   N/A
          Transaction price   N/A   N/A   N/A   N/A
          Yield analysis   YTM risk premium   200 bps   200 bps   Decrease
Convertible bonds &notes     2,114     Transaction price   N/A   N/A   N/A   N/A
Preferred securities           Estimated recovery value   Risk discount   50%   50%   Decrease
    10,109       Par value   N/A   N/A   N/A
          Market comparable companies   EV/EBITDA multiple   3.5x   3.5x   Increase
            DLOM   30%   30%   Decrease
Common stocks           Liquidation value   N/A   N/A   N/A   N/A
          Estimated recovery value   N/A   N/A   N/A   N/A
            Exchange terms   N/A   N/A   N/A
            Risk discount   90%   90%   Decrease
            Par value   N/A   N/A   N/A
            Adjustment based on market decline   20%   20%   Decrease
              EV/EBITDA multiple   5.8x   5.8x   Increase
    290,484         EV/EBITDA less CapEx multiple   10.3x - 20.1x   16.0x   Increase
          Market comparable companies   Discount to EV/EBITDA less CapEx multiple   45%   45%   Decrease
                 
                 
            DLOM   16% - 21%   18%   Decrease
          Recent market information   Vendor price   N/A   N/A   N/A
            Quoted price   N/A   N/A   N/A
            DLOM   17% - 20%   17%   Decrease
          Transaction price   N/A   N/A   N/A   N/A
Rights & warrants     3   Estimated recovery value   N/A   N/A   N/A   N/A
    $ 373,452                      

 

1 Weighted average is by relative fair value.
2 This column represents the directional change in fair value of the Level 3 securities that would result in an increase from the corresponding input. A decrease to the unobservable input would have the opposite effect. Significant increases and decreases in these inputs in isolation could result in significantly higher or lower fair value measurements.
3 Amount less than one thousand.

 

Key to abbreviations

CapEx = Capital expenditure

DLOM = Discount for lack of marketability

EBITDA = Earnings before income taxes, depreciation and amortization

EV = Enterprise value

YTM = Yield to maturity

 

American High-Income Trust 29
 

4. Risk factors

 

Investing in the fund may involve certain risks including, but not limited to, those described below.

 

Market conditions — The prices of, and the income generated by, the securities held by the fund may decline — sometimes rapidly or unpredictably — due to various factors, including events or conditions affecting the general economy or particular industries; overall market changes; local, regional or global political, social or economic instability; governmental, governmental agency or central bank responses to economic conditions; and currency exchange rate, interest rate and commodity price fluctuations.

 

Economies and financial markets throughout the world are highly interconnected. Economic, financial or political events, trading and tariff arrangements, wars, terrorism, cybersecurity events, natural disasters, public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious disease) and other circumstances in one country or region, including actions taken by governmental or quasi-governmental authorities in response to any of the foregoing, could have impacts on global economies or markets. As a result, whether or not the fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to the countries affected, the value and liquidity of the fund’s investments may be negatively affected by developments in other countries and regions.

 

Issuer risks — The prices of, and the income generated by, securities held by the fund may decline in response to various factors directly related to the issuers of such securities, including reduced demand for an issuer’s goods or services, poor management performance, major litigation, investigations or other controversies related to the issuer, changes in government regulations affecting the issuer or its competitive environment and strategic initiatives such as mergers, acquisitions or dispositions and the market response to any such initiatives.

 

Investing in debt instruments — The prices of, and the income generated by, bonds and other debt securities held by the fund may be affected by factors such as the interest rates, maturities and credit ratings of these securities.

 

Rising interest rates will generally cause the prices of bonds and other debt securities to fall. A general rise in interest rates may cause investors to sell debt securities on a large scale, which could also adversely affect the price and liquidity of debt securities and could also result in increased redemptions from the fund. Falling interest rates may cause an issuer to redeem, call or refinance a debt security before its stated maturity, which may result in the fund failing to recoup the full amount of its initial investment and having to reinvest the proceeds in lower yielding securities. Longer maturity debt securities generally have greater sensitivity to changes in interest rates and may be subject to greater price fluctuations than shorter maturity debt securities.

 

Bonds and other debt securities are also subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that the credit strength of an issuer or guarantor will weaken or be perceived to be weaker, and/or an issuer of a debt security will fail to make timely payments of principal or interest and the security will go into default. A downgrade or default affecting any of the fund’s securities could cause the value of the fund’s shares to decrease. Lower quality debt securities generally have higher rates of interest and may be subject to greater price fluctuations than higher quality debt securities. Credit risk is gauged, in part, by the credit ratings of the debt securities in which the fund invests. However, ratings are only the opinions of the rating agencies issuing them and are not guarantees as to credit quality or an evaluation of market risk. The fund’s investment adviser relies on its own credit analysts to research issuers and issues in seeking to assess credit and default risks.

 

Investing in lower rated debt instruments — Lower rated bonds and other lower rated debt securities generally have higher rates of interest and involve greater risk of default or price declines due to changes in the issuer’s creditworthiness than those of higher quality debt securities. The market prices of these securities may fluctuate more than the prices of higher quality debt securities and may decline significantly in periods of general economic difficulty. These risks may be increased with respect to investments in junk bonds.

 

Liquidity risk — Certain fund holdings may be or may become difficult or impossible to sell, particularly during times of market turmoil. Liquidity may be impacted by the lack of an active market for a holding, legal or contractual restrictions on resale, or the reduced number and capacity of market participants to make a market in such holding. Market prices for less liquid or illiquid holdings may be volatile, and reduced liquidity may have an adverse impact on the market price of such holdings. Additionally, the sale of less liquid or illiquid holdings may involve substantial delays (including delays in settlement) and additional costs and the fund may be unable to sell such holdings when necessary to meet its liquidity needs or may be forced to sell at a loss.

 

30 American High-Income Trust
 

Investing in derivatives — The use of derivatives involves a variety of risks, which may be different from, or greater than, the risks associated with investing in traditional securities, such as stocks and bonds. Changes in the value of a derivative may not correlate perfectly with, and may be more sensitive to market events than, the underlying asset, rate or index, and a derivative instrument may expose the fund to losses in excess of its initial investment. Derivatives may be difficult to value, difficult for the fund to buy or sell at an opportune time or price and difficult, or even impossible, to terminate or otherwise offset. The fund’s use of derivatives may result in losses to the fund, and investing in derivatives may reduce the fund’s returns and increase the fund’s price volatility. The fund’s counterparty to a derivative transaction (including, if applicable, the fund’s clearing broker, the derivatives exchange or the clearinghouse) may be unable or unwilling to honor its financial obligations in respect of the transaction. In certain cases, the fund may be hindered or delayed in exercising remedies against or closing out derivative instruments with a counterparty, which may result in additional losses.

 

Investing outside the U.S. — Securities of issuers domiciled outside the U.S., or with significant operations or revenues outside the U.S., may lose value because of adverse political, social, economic or market developments (including social instability, regional conflicts, terrorism and war) in the countries or regions in which the issuers operate or generate revenue. These securities may also lose value due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates against the U.S. dollar and/or currencies of other countries. Issuers of these securities may be more susceptible to actions of foreign governments, such as nationalization, currency blockage or the imposition of price controls or punitive taxes, each of which could adversely impact the value of these securities. Securities markets in certain countries may be more volatile and/or less liquid than those in the U.S. Investments outside the U.S. may also be subject to different accounting practices and different regulatory, legal and reporting standards and practices, and may be more difficult to value, than those in the U.S. In addition, the value of investments outside the U.S. may be reduced by foreign taxes, including foreign withholding taxes on interest and dividends. Further, there may be increased risks of delayed settlement of securities purchased or sold by the fund. The risks of investing outside the U.S. may be heightened in connection with investments in emerging markets.

 

Management — The investment adviser to the fund actively manages the fund’s investments. Consequently, the fund is subject to the risk that the methods and analyses, including models, tools and data, employed by the investment adviser in this process may be flawed or incorrect and may not produce the desired results. This could cause the fund to lose value or its investment results to lag relevant benchmarks or other funds with similar objectives.

 

5. Certain investment techniques

 

Loan transactions — The fund has entered into loan transactions in which the fund acquires a loan either through an agent, by assignment from another holder, or as a participation interest in another holder’s portion of a loan. The loan is often administered by a financial institution that acts as agent for the holders of the loan, and the fund may be required to receive approval from the agent and/or borrower prior to the sale of the investment. The loan’s interest rate and maturity date may change based on the terms of the loan, including potential early payments of principal.

 

Unfunded commitments — The fund has participated in transactions that involve unfunded commitments, which may obligate the fund to purchase new or additional bonds if certain contingencies are met. As of March 31, 2021, the fund’s maximum exposure of unfunded bond commitments was $23,090,000, which would represent .12% of the net assets of the fund should such commitments become due.

 

Futures contracts — The fund has entered into futures contracts, which provide for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific financial instrument for a specified price, date, time and place designated at the time the contract is made. Futures contracts are used to strategically manage the fund’s interest rate sensitivity by increasing or decreasing the duration of the fund or a portion of the fund’s portfolio.

 

Upon entering into futures contracts, and to maintain the fund’s open positions in futures contracts, the fund is required to deposit with a futures broker, known as a futures commission merchant (“FCM”), in a segregated account in the name of the FCM an amount of cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid securities, known as initial margin. The margin required for a particular futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded to serve as collateral, and may be significantly modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the contract.

 

On a daily basis, the fund pays or receives variation margin based on the increase or decrease in the value of the futures contracts and records variation margin on futures contracts in the statement of assets and liabilities. In addition, the fund segregates liquid assets equivalent to the fund’s outstanding obligations under the contract in excess of the initial margin and variation margin, if any. Futures contracts may involve a risk of loss in excess of the variation margin shown on the fund’s statement of assets and liabilities. The fund records realized gains or losses at the time the futures contract is closed or expires. Net realized gains or losses and net unrealized appreciation or depreciation from futures contracts are recorded in the fund’s statement of operations. The average month-end notional amount of futures contracts while held was $653,780,000.

 

American High-Income Trust 31
 

Credit default swap indices — The fund has entered into centrally cleared credit default swap agreements on credit indices (“CDSI”) that involve one party (the protection buyer) making a stream of payments to another party (the protection seller) in exchange for the right to receive a specified return upon the occurrence of a credit event, such as a default or restructuring, with respect to any of the underlying issuers (reference obligations) in the referenced index. The fund’s investment adviser uses credit default swaps to assume exposure to a diversified portfolio of credits or to hedge against existing credit risks.

 

CDSI are portfolios of credit instruments or exposures designed to be representative of some part of the credit market, such as the high-yield or investment-grade credit market. CDSI are generally traded using standardized terms, including a fixed spread and standard maturity dates, and reference all the names in the index. If there is a credit event, it is settled based on that name’s weight in the index. The composition of the underlying issuers or obligations within a particular index may change periodically, usually every six months. A specified credit event may affect all or individual underlying reference obligations included in the index, and will be settled based upon the relative weighting of the affected obligation(s) within the index. The value of each CDSI can be used as a measure of the current payment/performance risk of the CDSI and represents the likelihood of an expected liability or profit should the notional amount of the CDSI be closed or sold as of the period end. An increasing value, as compared to the notional amount of the CDSI, represents a deterioration of the referenced indices’ credit soundness and a greater likelihood of risk of default or other credit event occurring as defined under the terms of the agreement. When the fund provides sell protection, its maximum exposure is the notional amount of the credit default swap agreement.

 

Upon entering into a centrally cleared CDSI contract, the fund is required to deposit with a derivatives clearing member (“DCM”) in a segregated account in the name of the DCM an amount of cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid securities, which is known as initial margin. Generally, the initial margin required for a particular credit default swap is set and held as collateral by the clearinghouse on which the contract is cleared. The amount of initial margin required may be significantly modified from time to time by the clearinghouse during the term of the contract.

 

On a daily basis, interest accruals related to the exchange of future payments are recorded as a receivable and payable in the fund’s statement of assets and liabilities. The fund also pays or receives a variation margin based on the increase or decrease in the value of the CDSI, and records variation margin in the statement of assets and liabilities. The fund records realized gains and losses on both the net accrued interest and any gain or loss recognized at the time the swap is closed or expires. Net realized gains or losses, as well as any net unrealized appreciation or depreciation, from credit default swaps are recorded in the fund’s statement of operations. The average month-end notional amount of credit default swaps while held was $549,593,000.

 

The following tables identify the location and fair value amounts on the fund’s statement of assets and liabilities and the effect on the fund’s statement of operations resulting from the fund’s use of futures contracts and credit default swaps as of, or for the six months ended, March 31, 2021 (dollars in thousands):

 

        Assets     Liabilities  
Contracts   Risk type   Location on statement of
assets and liabilities
  Value     Location on statement of
assets and liabilities
  Value  
Futures   Interest   Unrealized appreciation*   $ 17,717     Unrealized depreciation*   $  
Swap   Credit   Unrealized appreciation*         Unrealized depreciation*     1,347  
            $ 17,717         $ 1,347  
                             
        Net realized gain (loss)     Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)  
Contracts   Risk type   Location on statement of operations     Value     Location on statement of operations     Value  
Futures   Interest   Net realized gain on futures contracts   $ 8,447     Net unrealized appreciation on futures contracts   $ 17,717  
Swap   Credit   Net realized loss on swap contracts     (28,724 )   Net unrealized depreciation on swap contracts     (2,571 )
            $ (20,277 )       $ 15,146  

 

* Includes cumulative appreciation/depreciation on futures contracts and credit default swaps as reported in the applicable tables following the fund’s investment portfolio. Only current day’s variation margin is reported within the statement of assets and liabilities.

 

Collateral — The fund receives or pledges highly liquid assets, such as cash or U.S. government securities, as collateral due to its use of futures contracts and credit default swaps. The purpose of the collateral is to cover potential losses that could occur in the event that either party cannot meet its contractual obligation. Non-cash collateral pledged by the fund, if any, is disclosed in the fund’s investment

 

32 American High-Income Trust
 

portfolio, and cash collateral pledged by the fund, if any, is held in a segregated account with the fund’s custodian, which is reflected as pledged cash collateral in the fund’s statement of assets and liabilities.

 

6. Taxation and distributions

 

Federal income taxation — The fund complies with the requirements under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to mutual funds and intends to distribute substantially all of its net taxable income and net capital gains each year. The fund is not subject to income taxes to the extent such distributions are made. Therefore, no federal income tax provision is required.

 

As of and during the period ended March 31, 2021, the fund did not have a liability for any unrecognized tax benefits. The fund recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense in the statement of operations. During the period, the fund did not incur any significant interest or penalties.

 

The fund’s tax returns are generally not subject to examination by federal, state and, if applicable, non-U.S. tax authorities after the expiration of each jurisdiction’s statute of limitations, which is typically three years after the date of filing but can be extended in certain jurisdictions.

 

Non-U.S. taxation — Dividend and interest income are recorded net of non-U.S. taxes paid. The fund may file withholding tax reclaims in certain jurisdictions to recover a portion of amounts previously withheld. These reclaims are recorded when the amount is known and there are no significant uncertainties on collectability. Gains realized by the fund on the sale of securities in certain countries, if any, may be subject to non-U.S. taxes. If applicable, the fund records an estimated deferred tax liability based on unrealized gains to provide for potential non-U.S. taxes payable upon the sale of these securities.

 

Distributions — Distributions determined on a tax basis may differ from net investment income and net realized gains for financial reporting purposes. These differences are due primarily to different treatment for items such as currency gains and losses; short-term capital gains and losses; capital losses related to sales of certain securities within 30 days of purchase; cost of investments sold; net capital losses and income on certain investments. The fiscal year in which amounts are distributed may differ from the year in which the net investment income and net realized gains are recorded by the fund for financial reporting purposes.

 

The components of distributable earnings on a tax basis are reported as of the fund’s most recent year-end. As of September 30, 2020, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

Undistributed ordinary income   $ 97,029  
Capital loss carryforward1     (1,329,847 )
Post-October capital loss deferral2     (579,837 )

 

1 The capital loss carryforward will be used to offset any capital gains realized by the fund in the current year or in subsequent years. The fund will not make distributions from capital gains while a capital loss carryforward remains.
2 This deferral is considered incurred in the subsequent year.

 

As of March 31, 2021, the tax basis unrealized appreciation (depreciation) and cost of investments were as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

Gross unrealized appreciation on investments   $ 823,242  
Gross unrealized depreciation on investments     (662,395 )
Net unrealized appreciation on investments     160,847  
Cost of investments     18,325,237  

 

American High-Income Trust 33
 

Tax-basis distributions paid or accrued to shareholders from ordinary income were as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

Share class   Six months ended
March 31, 2021
    Year ended
September 30, 2020
 
Class A   $ 308,406     $ 598,988  
Class C     8,429       23,403  
Class T     3     1  
Class F-1     12,415       25,103  
Class F-2     46,916       79,769  
Class F-3     22,181       36,033  
Class 529-A     9,819       18,506  
Class 529-C     468       2,202  
Class 529-E     396       841  
Class 529-T     3     1  
Class 529-F-1     148       1,936  
Class 529-F-24     865          
Class 529-F-34     3        
Class R-1     350       695  
Class R-2     3,268       6,759  
Class R-2E     209       426  
Class R-3     4,080       8,631  
Class R-4     3,689       7,564  
Class R-5E     383       639  
Class R-5     2,354       4,770  
Class R-6     107,351       170,316  
Total   $ 531,727     $ 986,583  

 

3 Amount less than one thousand.
4 Class 529-F-2 and 529-F-3 shares began investment operations on October 30, 2020.

 

7. Fees and transactions with related parties

 

CRMC, the fund’s investment adviser, is the parent company of American Funds Distributors®, Inc. (“AFD”), the principal underwriter of the fund’s shares, and American Funds Service Company® (“AFS”), the fund’s transfer agent. CRMC, AFD and AFS are considered related parties to the fund.

 

Investment advisory services — The fund has an investment advisory and service agreement with CRMC that provides for monthly fees accrued daily. These fees are based on a series of decreasing annual rates beginning with 0.300% on the first $60 million of daily net assets and decreasing to 0.132% on such assets in excess of $21 billion. The agreement also provides for monthly fees, accrued daily, based on a series of decreasing rates beginning with 3.00% on the first $8,333,333 of the fund’s monthly gross income and decreasing to 1.50% on such income in excess of $50,000,000. For the six months ended March 31, 2021, the investment advisory services fee was $23,669,000, which was equivalent to an annualized rate of 0.266% of average daily net assets.

 

34 American High-Income Trust
 

 

Class-specific fees and expenses — Expenses that are specific to individual share classes are accrued directly to the respective share class. The principal class-specific fees and expenses are further described below:

 

Distribution services — The fund has plans of distribution for all share classes, except Class F-2, F-3, 529-F-2, 529-F-3, R-5E, R-5 and R-6 shares. Under the plans, the board of trustees approves certain categories of expenses that are used to finance activities primarily intended to sell fund shares and service existing accounts. The plans provide for payments, based on an annualized percentage of average daily net assets, ranging from 0.30% to 1.00% as noted in this section. In some cases, the board of trustees has limited the amounts that may be paid to less than the maximum allowed by the plans. All share classes with a plan may use up to 0.25% of average daily net assets to pay service fees, or to compensate AFD for paying service fees, to firms that have entered into agreements with AFD to provide certain shareholder services. The remaining amounts available to be paid under each plan are paid to dealers to compensate them for their sales activities.

 

  Share class     Currently approved limits   Plan limits
  Class A       0.30 %        0.30 %  
  Class 529-A       0.30       0.50  
  Classes C, 529-C and R-1       1.00       1.00  
  Class R-2       0.75       1.00  
  Class R-2E       0.60       0.85  
  Classes 529-E and R-3       0.50       0.75  
  Classes T, F-1, 529-T, 529-F-1 and R-4       0.25       0.50  

 

For Class A and 529-A shares, distribution-related expenses include the reimbursement of dealer and wholesaler commissions paid by AFD for certain shares sold without a sales charge. These share classes reimburse AFD for amounts billed within the prior 15 months but only to the extent that the overall annual expense limits are not exceeded. As of March 31, 2021, there were no unreimbursed expenses subject to reimbursement for Class A or 529-A shares.

 

Transfer agent services — The fund has a shareholder services agreement with AFS under which the fund compensates AFS for providing transfer agent services to each of the fund’s share classes. These services include recordkeeping, shareholder communications and transaction processing. In addition, the fund reimburses AFS for amounts paid to third parties for performing transfer agent services on behalf of fund shareholders. For the six months ended March 31, 2021, CRMC reimbursed transfer agent services fees of less than $1,000 for Class 529-F-3 shares. CRMC does not intend to recoup this reimbursement.

 

Administrative services — The fund has an administrative services agreement with CRMC under which the fund compensates CRMC for providing administrative services to all share classes. Administrative services are provided by CRMC and its affiliates to help assist third parties providing non-distribution services to fund shareholders. These services include providing in-depth information on the fund and market developments that impact fund investments. Administrative services also include, but are not limited to, coordinating, monitoring and overseeing third parties that provide services to fund shareholders. The agreement provides the fund the ability to charge an administrative services fee at the annual rate of 0.05% of the average daily net assets attributable to each share class of the fund. Currently the fund pays CRMC an administrative services fee at the annual rate of 0.03% of the average daily net assets attributable to each share class of the fund for CRMC’s provision of administrative services.

 

529 plan services — Each 529 share class is subject to service fees to compensate the Virginia College Savings Plan (“Virginia529”) for its oversight and administration of the CollegeAmerica 529 college savings plan. The fee is based on the combined net assets invested in Class 529 and ABLE shares of the American Funds. Class ABLE shares are offered on other American Funds by Virginia529 through ABLEAmerica®, a tax-advantaged savings program for individuals with disabilities. The quarterly fee is based on a series of decreasing annual rates beginning with 0.09% on the first $20 billion of the combined net assets invested in the American Funds and decreasing to 0.03% on such assets in excess of $100 billion. The fee for any given calendar quarter is accrued and calculated on the basis of the average net assets of Class 529 and ABLE shares of the American Funds for the last month of the prior calendar quarter. The fee is included in other expenses in the fund’s statement of operations. Virginia529 is not considered a related party to the fund.

 

American High-Income Trust 35
 

For the six months ended March 31, 2021, class-specific expenses under the agreements were as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

  Share class   Distribution
services
  Transfer agent
services
  Administrative
services
  529 plan
services
 
  Class A     $13,626       $6,994       $1,572     Not applicable  
  Class C     1,623       222       49     Not applicable  
  Class T           *     *   Not applicable  
  Class F-1     524       304       63     Not applicable  
  Class F-2     Not applicable       770       228     Not applicable  
  Class F-3     Not applicable       14       106     Not applicable  
  Class 529-A     390       209       50     $101  
  Class 529-C     86       12       3     6  
  Class 529-E     34       3       2     4  
  Class 529-T           *     *   *
  Class 529-F-1     *     3       1     2  
  Class 529-F-2     Not applicable       12       4     8  
  Class 529-F-3     Not applicable       *     *   *
  Class R-1     67       12       2     Not applicable  
  Class R-2     474       230       19     Not applicable  
  Class R-2E     23       9       1     Not applicable  
  Class R-3     363       119       22     Not applicable  
  Class R-4     156       65       19     Not applicable  
  Class R-5E     Not applicable       10       2     Not applicable  
  Class R-5     Not applicable       21       11     Not applicable  
  Class R-6     Not applicable       11       513     Not applicable  
  Total class-specific expenses     $17,366       $9,020       $2,667     $121  

 

* Amount less than one thousand.
Class 529-F-2 and 529-F-3 shares began investment operations on October 30, 2020.

 

Trustees’ deferred compensation — Trustees who are unaffiliated with CRMC may elect to defer the cash payment of part or all of their compensation. These deferred amounts, which remain as liabilities of the fund, are treated as if invested in shares of the fund or other American Funds. These amounts represent general, unsecured liabilities of the fund and vary according to the total returns of the selected funds. Trustees’ compensation of $68,000 in the fund’s statement of operations reflects $37,000 in current fees (either paid in cash or deferred) and a net increase of $31,000 in the value of the deferred amounts.

 

Affiliated officers and trustees — Officers and certain trustees of the fund are or may be considered to be affiliated with CRMC, AFD and AFS. No affiliated officers or trustees received any compensation directly from the fund.

 

Investment in CCF — The fund holds shares of CCF, an institutional prime money market fund managed by CRMC. CCF invests in high-quality, short-term money market instruments. CCF is used as the primary investment vehicle for the fund’s short-term investments. CCF shares are only available for purchase by CRMC, its affiliates, and other funds managed by CRMC or its affiliates, and are not available to the public. CRMC does not receive an investment advisory services fee from CCF.

 

Security transactions with related funds — The fund purchased securities from, and sold securities to, other funds managed by CRMC (or funds managed by certain affiliates of CRMC) under procedures adopted by the fund’s board of trustees. The funds involved in such transactions are considered related by virtue of having a common investment adviser (or affiliated investment advisers), common trustees and/or common officers. Each transaction was executed at the current market price of the security and no brokerage commissions or fees were paid in accordance with Rule 17a-7 of the 1940 Act. During the six months ended March 31, 2021, the fund engaged in such purchase and sale transactions with related funds in the amounts of $126,946,000 and $141,432,000, respectively, which generated $13,375,000 of net realized gains from such sales.

 

Interfund lending — Pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the SEC, the fund, along with other CRMC-managed funds (or funds managed by certain affiliates of CRMC), may participate in an interfund lending program. The program provides an alternate credit facility that permits the funds to lend or borrow cash for temporary purposes directly to or from one another, subject to the conditions of the exemptive order. The fund did not lend or borrow cash through the interfund lending program at any time during the six months ended March 31, 2021.

 

36 American High-Income Trust
 

8. Indemnifications

 

The fund’s organizational documents provide board members and officers with indemnification against certain liabilities or expenses in connection with the performance of their duties to the fund. In the normal course of business, the fund may also enter into contracts that provide general indemnifications. The fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown since it is dependent on future claims that may be made against the fund. The risk of material loss from such claims is considered remote. Insurance policies are also available to the fund’s board members and officers.

 

9. Committed line of credit

 

The fund participates with other funds managed by CRMC (or funds managed by certain affiliates of CRMC) in a $1.5 billion credit facility (the “line of credit”) to be utilized for temporary purposes to support shareholder redemptions. The fund has agreed to pay commitment fees on its pro-rata portion of the line of credit, which are reflected in other expenses in the fund’s statement of operations. The fund did not borrow on this line of credit at any time during the six months ended March 31, 2021.

 

10. Capital share transactions

 

Capital share transactions in the fund were as follows (dollars and shares in thousands):

 

    Sales1     Reinvestments of
distributions
    Repurchases1     Net increase
(decrease)
 
Share class   Amount     Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount     Shares  
                                                 
Six months ended March 31, 2021                            
                             
Class A   $ 734,916       72,665     $ 295,818       29,320     $ (804,620 )     (79,927 )   $ 226,114       22,058  
Class C     31,393       3,100       8,079       801       (65,218 )     (6,476 )     (25,746 )     (2,575 )
Class T                                                
Class F-1     57,430       5,688       11,847       1,175       (85,427 )     (8,407 )     (16,150 )     (1,544 )
Class F-2     389,950       38,704       43,837       4,343       (232,525 )     (23,143 )     201,262       19,904  
Class F-3     279,360       27,477       21,472       2,125       (164,721 )     (16,201 )     136,111       13,401  
Class 529-A     24,250       2,396       9,782       970       (31,106 )     (3,086 )     2,926       280  
Class 529-C     2,019       201       464       46       (4,809 )     (475 )     (2,326 )     (228 )
Class 529-E     796       79       394       39       (1,463 )     (145 )     (273 )     (27 )
Class 529-T                 2     2                 2     2
Class 529-F-1     512       53       2     2     (31,804 )     (3,306 )     (31,292 )     (3,253 )
Class 529-F-23     34,609       3,580       860       85       (3,208 )     (316 )     32,261       3,349  
Class 529-F-33     10       1       2     2                 10       1  
Class R-1     1,514       149       349       34       (2,575 )     (254 )     (712 )     (71 )
Class R-2     17,115       1,691       3,242       321       (18,908 )     (1,881 )     1,449       131  
Class R-2E     1,091       108       209       21       (1,185 )     (120 )     115       9  
Class R-3     20,363       2,014       4,034       400       (27,964 )     (2,771 )     (3,567 )     (357 )
Class R-4     17,328       1,717       3,666       364       (22,010 )     (2,179 )     (1,016 )     (98 )
Class R-5E     3,477       342       381       38       (2,660 )     (261 )     1,198       119  
Class R-5     8,240       816       2,345       232       (10,713 )     (1,069 )     (128 )     (21 )
Class R-6     278,891       27,740       107,333       10,635       (140,712 )     (14,037 )     245,512       24,338  
Total net increase (decrease)   $ 1,903,264       188,521     $ 514,112       50,949     $ (1,651,628 )     (164,054 )   $ 765,748       75,416  

 

 

See end of table for footnotes.

 

American High-Income Trust 37
 
    Sales1     Reinvestments of
distributions
    Repurchases1     Net (decrease)
increase
 
Share class   Amount     Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount     Shares  
                                                 
Year ended September 30, 2020                                
                                 
Class A   $ 1,295,057       135,189     $ 573,271       60,047     $ (1,910,037 )     (202,957 )   $ (41,709 )     (7,721 )
Class C     61,492       6,396       22,212       2,327       (253,097 )     (26,781 )     (169,393 )     (18,058 )
Class T                                                
Class F-1     174,372       18,390       23,983       2,511       (227,872 )     (23,970 )     (29,517 )     (3,069 )
Class F-2     690,305       72,967       73,305       7,673       (635,134 )     (67,291 )     128,476       13,349  
Class F-3     347,367       36,247       34,802       3,646       (291,220 )     (30,624 )     90,949       9,269  
Class 529-A     65,682       6,889       18,412       1,929       (69,046 )     (7,222 )     15,048       1,596  
Class 529-C     6,759       695       2,171       228       (40,667 )     (4,307 )     (31,737 )     (3,384 )
Class 529-E     1,966       206       834       87       (4,455 )     (467 )     (1,655 )     (174 )
Class 529-T                 1       2                 1       2
Class 529-F-1     8,410       878       1,915       201       (11,309 )     (1,180 )     (984 )     (101 )
Class R-1     10,010       1,026       689       72       (5,835 )     (607 )     4,864       491  
Class R-2     30,958       3,241       6,672       699       (52,899 )     (5,574 )     (15,269 )     (1,634 )
Class R-2E     1,897       199       425       44       (3,406 )     (350 )     (1,084 )     (107 )
Class R-3     36,323       3,794       8,517       891       (60,839 )     (6,419 )     (15,999 )     (1,734 )
Class R-4     31,983       3,354       7,518       787       (53,668 )     (5,627 )     (14,167 )     (1,486 )
Class R-5E     5,353       557       635       67       (3,033 )     (315 )     2,955       309  
Class R-5     14,517       1,536       4,754       498       (21,423 )     (2,269 )     (2,152 )     (235 )
Class R-6     888,442       96,315       170,282       17,868       (153,340 )     (16,126 )     905,384       98,057  
Total net increase (decrease)   $ 3,670,893       387,879     $ 950,398       99,575     $ (3,797,280 )     (402,086 )   $ 824,011       85,368  

 

1 Includes exchanges between share classes of the fund.
2 Amount less than one thousand.
3 Class 529-F-2 and 529-F-3 shares began investment operations on October 30, 2020.

 

11. Investment transactions

 

The fund made purchases and sales of investment securities, excluding short-term securities and U.S. government obligations, if any, of $6,510,575,000 and $6,188,737,000, respectively, during the six months ended March 31, 2021.

 

38 American High-Income Trust
 

Financial highlights

 

          Income from investment operations1                                      
Period ended   Net asset
value,
beginning
of period
    Net
investment
income
    Net gains
(losses) on
securities
(both
realized and
unrealized)
    Total from
investment
operations
    Dividends
(from net
investment
income)
    Net asset
value,
end
of period
    Total
return2,3
    Net assets,
end of period
(in millions)
    Ratio of
expenses to
average net
assets before
reimburse-
ments4
    Ratio of
expenses to
average net
assets after
reimburse-
ments3,4
    Ratio of
net income
to average
net assets3
 
Class A:                                                                                        
3/31/20215,6    $ 9.63     $ .24     $ .70     $ .94     $ (.30 )   $ 10.27       9.81 %7    $ 10,894       .70 %8      .70 %8      4.83 %8 
9/30/2020     9.96       .58       (.33 )     .25       (.58 )     9.63       2.71       10,008       .73       .73       6.11  
9/30/2019     10.25       .62       (.29 )     .33       (.62 )     9.96       3.39       10,428       .72       .72       6.14  
9/30/2018     10.48       .61       (.25 )     .36       (.59 )     10.25       3.59       10,753       .69       .69       5.92  
9/30/2017     10.18       .60       .27       .87       (.57 )     10.48       8.73       11,666       .69       .69       5.79  
9/30/2016     9.83       .61       .34       .95       (.60 )     10.18       10.15       11,897       .71       .71       6.28  
Class C:                                                                                        
3/31/20215,6      9.63       .20       .70       .90       (.26 )     10.27       9.41 7      325       1.44 8      1.44 8      4.10 8 
9/30/2020     9.96       .52       (.34 )     .18       (.51 )     9.63       1.96       330       1.47       1.47       5.41  
9/30/2019     10.25       .55       (.29 )     .26       (.55 )     9.96       2.61       521       1.48       1.48       5.38  
9/30/2018     10.48       .53       (.25 )     .28       (.51 )     10.25       2.77       616       1.48       1.48       5.11  
9/30/2017     10.18       .52       .27       .79       (.49 )     10.48       7.87       760       1.48       1.48       5.00  
9/30/2016     9.83       .53       .34       .87       (.52 )     10.18       9.28       871       1.51       1.51       5.49  
Class T:                                                                                        
3/31/20215,6      9.63       .25       .70       .95       (.31 )     10.27       9.96 7,9      10      .43 8,9      .43 8,9      5.09 8,9 
9/30/2020     9.96       .61       (.34 )     .27       (.60 )     9.63       2.97 9      10      .47 9      .47 9      6.37 9 
9/30/2019     10.25       .65       (.29 )     .36       (.65 )     9.96       3.65 9      10      .47 9      .47 9      6.39 9 
9/30/2018     10.48       .63       (.25 )     .38       (.61 )     10.25       3.82 9      10      .47 9      .47 9      6.13 9 
9/30/20175,11      10.40       .30       .06       .36       (.28 )     10.48       3.54 7,9      10      .23 7,9      .23 7,9      2.84 7,9 
Class F-1:
3/31/20215,6      9.63       .24       .70       .94       (.30 )     10.27       9.81 7      412       .70 8      .70 8      4.83 8 
9/30/2020     9.96       .59       (.34 )     .25       (.58 )     9.63       2.71       401       .73       .73       6.11  
9/30/2019     10.25       .62       (.29 )     .33       (.62 )     9.96       3.37       446       .74       .74       6.12  
9/30/2018     10.48       .61       (.25 )     .36       (.59 )     10.25       3.54       481       .73       .73       5.86  
9/30/2017     10.18       .60       .26       .86       (.56 )     10.48       8.69       611       .73       .73       5.75  
9/30/2016     9.83       .61       .34       .95       (.60 )     10.18       10.12       643       .74       .74       6.26  
Class F-2:
3/31/20215,6      9.63       .25       .70       .95       (.31 )     10.27       9.97 7      1,662       .41 8      .41 8      5.12 8 
9/30/2020     9.96       .61       (.33 )     .28       (.61 )     9.63       3.00       1,368       .44       .44       6.38  
9/30/2019     10.25       .65       (.29 )     .36       (.65 )     9.96       3.66       1,281       .46       .46       6.41  
9/30/2018     10.48       .64       (.25 )     .39       (.62 )     10.25       3.82       1,155       .46       .46       6.15  
9/30/2017     10.18       .62       .27       .89       (.59 )     10.48       8.99       1,103       .46       .46       6.04  
9/30/2016     9.83       .63       .34       .97       (.62 )     10.18       10.41       1,171       .48       .48       6.53  
Class F-3:
3/31/20215,6      9.63       .26       .70       .96       (.32 )     10.27       10.02 7      772       .31 8      .31 8      5.23 8 
9/30/2020     9.96       .63       (.34 )     .29       (.62 )     9.63       3.11       595       .34       .34       6.48  
9/30/2019     10.25       .66       (.29 )     .37       (.66 )     9.96       3.77       523       .36       .36       6.50  
9/30/2018     10.48       .65       (.25 )     .40       (.63 )     10.25       3.93       437       .36       .36       6.26  
9/30/20175,12      10.38       .43       .08       .51       (.41 )     10.48       4.95 7      354       .35 8      .35 8      6.05 8 
Class 529-A:
3/31/20215,6      9.63       .23       .70       .93       (.29 )     10.27       9.80 7      346       .73 8      .73 8      4.81 8 
9/30/2020     9.96       .58       (.33 )     .25       (.58 )     9.63       2.68       322       .76       .76       6.08  
9/30/2019     10.25       .62       (.29 )     .33       (.62 )     9.96       3.34       317       .78       .78       6.08  
9/30/2018     10.48       .60       (.25 )     .35       (.58 )     10.25       3.51       330       .77       .77       5.84  
9/30/2017     10.18       .59       .27       .86       (.56 )     10.48       8.66       320       .76       .76       5.72  
9/30/2016     9.83       .60       .34       .94       (.59 )     10.18       10.05       314       .81       .81       6.18  

 

See end of table for footnotes.

 

American High-Income Trust 39
 

Financial highlights (continued)

 

          Income from investment operations1                                      
Period ended   Net asset
value,
beginning
of period
    Net
investment
income
    Net gains
(losses) on
securities
(both
realized and
unrealized)
    Total from
investment
operations
    Dividends
(from net
investment
income)
    Net asset
value,
end
of period
    Total
return2,3
    Net assets,
end of period
(in millions)
    Ratio of
expenses to
average net
assets before
reimburse-
ments4
    Ratio of
expenses to
average net
assets after
reimburse-
ments3,4
    Ratio of
net income
to average
net assets3
 
Class 529-C:
3/31/20215,6    $ 9.63     $ .20     $ .70     $ .90     $ (.26 )   $ 10.27       9.41 %7    $ 17       1.44 %8      1.44 %8      4.09 %8 
9/30/2020     9.96       .50       (.33 )     .17       (.50 )     9.63       1.92       18       1.50       1.50       5.41  
9/30/2019     10.25       .54       (.29 )     .25       (.54 )     9.96       2.58       53       1.51       1.51       5.35  
9/30/2018     10.48       .53       (.25 )     .28       (.51 )     10.25       2.73       65       1.53       1.53       5.06  
9/30/2017     10.18       .51       .27       .78       (.48 )     10.48       7.83       100       1.53       1.53       4.95  
9/30/2016     9.83       .53       .34       .87       (.52 )     10.18       9.22       104       1.57       1.57       5.43  
Class 529-E:
3/31/20215,6      9.63       .23       .70       .93       (.29 )     10.27       9.70 7      14       .91 8      .91 8      4.63 8 
9/30/2020     9.96       .57       (.34 )     .23       (.56 )     9.63       2.50       14       .94       .94       5.91  
9/30/2019     10.25       .60       (.29 )     .31       (.60 )     9.96       3.15       16       .96       .96       5.90  
9/30/2018     10.48       .58       (.25 )     .33       (.56 )     10.25       3.31       16       .96       .96       5.64  
9/30/2017     10.18       .57       .27       .84       (.54 )     10.48       8.44       17       .96       .96       5.52  
9/30/2016     9.83       .58       .34       .92       (.57 )     10.18       9.85       17       1.00       1.00       5.99  
Class 529-T:
3/31/20215,6      9.63       .25       .70       .95       (.31 )     10.27       9.92 7,9      10      .49 8,9      .49 8,9      5.04 8,9 
9/30/2020     9.96       .60       (.33 )     .27       (.60 )     9.63       2.92 9      10      .52 9      .52 9      6.30 9 
9/30/2019     10.25       .64       (.29 )     .35       (.64 )     9.96       3.59 9      10      .53 9      .53 9      6.32 9 
9/30/2018     10.48       .63       (.25 )     .38       (.61 )     10.25       3.76 9      10      .52 9      .52 9      6.08 9 
9/30/20175,11      10.40       .29       .07       .36       (.28 )     10.48       3.51 7,9      10      .26 7,9      .26 7,9      2.81 7,9 
Class 529-F-1:
3/31/20215,6      9.63       .25       .70       .95       (.31 )     10.27       9.92 7,9      10      .49 8,9      .49 8,9      5.26 8,9 
9/30/2020     9.96       .60       (.33 )     .27       (.60 )     9.63       2.92       31       .53       .53       6.31  
9/30/2019     10.25       .64       (.29 )     .35       (.64 )     9.96       3.58       33       .54       .54       6.32  
9/30/2018     10.48       .63       (.25 )     .38       (.61 )     10.25       3.75       29       .54       .54       6.07  
9/30/2017     10.18       .62       .26       .88       (.58 )     10.48       8.89       28       .54       .54       5.94  
9/30/2016     9.83       .62       .34       .96       (.61 )     10.18       10.30       24       .58       .58       6.40  
Class 529-F-2:
3/31/20215,6,13      9.62       .21       .70       .91       (.26 )     10.27       9.54 7      34       .19 7      .19 7      2.08 7 
Class 529-F-3:
3/31/20215,6,13      9.62       .21       .71       .92       (.27 )     10.27       9.57 7      10      .21 7      .16 7      2.11 7 
Class R-1:
3/31/20215,6      9.63       .20       .70       .90       (.26 )     10.27       9.40 7      14       1.47 8      1.47 8      4.07 8 
9/30/2020     9.96       .51       (.33 )     .18       (.51 )     9.63       1.94       12       1.49       1.49       5.37  
9/30/2019     10.25       .55       (.29 )     .26       (.55 )     9.96       2.61       9       1.49       1.49       5.38  
9/30/2018     10.48       .53       (.25 )     .28       (.51 )     10.25       2.77       11       1.48       1.48       5.12  
9/30/2017     10.18       .52       .27       .79       (.49 )     10.48       7.89       12       1.47       1.47       5.02  
9/30/2016     9.83       .53       .34       .87       (.52 )     10.18       9.29       16       1.50       1.50       5.51  

 

See end of table for footnotes.

 

40 American High-Income Trust
 

Financial highlights (continued)

 

          Income from investment operations1                                      
Period ended   Net asset
value,
beginning
of period
    Net
investment
income
    Net gains
(losses) on
securities
(both
realized and
unrealized)
    Total from
investment
operations
    Dividends
(from net
investment
income)
    Net asset
value,
end
of period
    Total
return2,3
    Net assets,
end of period
(in millions)
    Ratio of
expenses to
average net
assets before
reimburse-
ments4
    Ratio of
expenses to
average net
assets after
reimburse-
ments3,4
    Ratio of
net income
to average
net assets3
 
Class R-2:                                                                                        
3/31/20215,6    $ 9.63     $ .20     $ .70     $ .90     $ (.26 )   $ 10.27       9.42 %7    $ 132       1.42 %8      1.42 %8      4.11 %8 
9/30/2020     9.96       .52       (.34 )     .18       (.51 )     9.63       1.96       122       1.46       1.46       5.39  
9/30/2019     10.25       .55       (.29 )     .26       (.55 )     9.96       2.63       143       1.46       1.46       5.40  
9/30/2018     10.48       .53       (.25 )     .28       (.51 )     10.25       2.80       150       1.46       1.46       5.14  
9/30/2017     10.18       .52       .27       .79       (.49 )     10.48       7.90       166       1.46       1.46       5.02  
9/30/2016     9.83       .53       .34       .87       (.52 )     10.18       9.27       184       1.52       1.52       5.47  
Class R-2E:                                                                                        
3/31/20215,6      9.63       .21       .70       .91       (.27 )     10.27       9.57 7      8       1.13 8      1.13 8      4.41 8 
9/30/2020     9.96       .54       (.33 )     .21       (.54 )     9.63       2.26       8       1.17       1.17       5.68  
9/30/2019     10.25       .58       (.29 )     .29       (.58 )     9.96       2.93       9       1.17       1.17       5.68  
9/30/2018     10.48       .56       (.25 )     .31       (.54 )     10.25       3.09       7       1.18       1.18       5.44  
9/30/2017     10.18       .55       .27       .82       (.52 )     10.48       8.22       6       1.16       1.16       5.31  
9/30/2016     9.83       .57       .34       .91       (.56 )     10.18       9.72       3       1.16       1.16       5.66  
Class R-3:                                                                                        
3/31/20215,6      9.63       .22       .70       .92       (.28 )     10.27       9.66 7      148       .97 8      .97 8      4.56 8 
9/30/2020     9.96       .55       (.33 )     .22       (.55 )     9.63       2.43       142       1.00       1.00       5.85  
9/30/2019     10.25       .59       (.29 )     .30       (.59 )     9.96       3.09       164       1.01       1.01       5.85  
9/30/2018     10.48       .58       (.25 )     .33       (.56 )     10.25       3.26       175       1.01       1.01       5.60  
9/30/2017     10.18       .57       .27       .84       (.54 )     10.48       8.40       190       1.00       1.00       5.49  
9/30/2016     9.83       .58       .34       .92       (.57 )     10.18       9.78       195       1.06       1.06       5.95  
Class R-4:                                                                                        
3/31/20215,6      9.63       .24       .70       .94       (.30 )     10.27       9.83 7      127       .66 8      .66 8      4.88 8 
9/30/2020     9.96       .58       (.33 )     .25       (.58 )     9.63       2.75       120       .69       .69       6.16  
9/30/2019     10.25       .63       (.29 )     .34       (.63 )     9.96       3.41       138       .71       .71       6.16  
9/30/2018     10.48       .61       (.25 )     .36       (.59 )     10.25       3.57       138       .70       .70       5.90  
9/30/2017     10.18       .60       .27       .87       (.57 )     10.48       8.73       158       .69       .69       5.79  
9/30/2016     9.83       .61       .34       .95       (.60 )     10.18       10.13       159       .73       .73       6.29  
Class R-5E:                                                                                        
3/31/20215,6      9.63       .25       .70       .95       (.31 )     10.27       9.94 7      13       .47 8      .47 8      5.08 8 
9/30/2020     9.96       .60       (.33 )     .27       (.60 )     9.63       2.95       11       .49       .49       6.32  
9/30/2019     10.25       .65       (.29 )     .36       (.65 )     9.96       3.62       8       .49       .49       6.35  
9/30/2018     10.48       .63       (.25 )     .38       (.61 )     10.25       3.80       3       .48       .48       6.22  
9/30/2017     10.18       .63       .27       .90       (.60 )     10.48       9.02       10      .59       .42       6.06  
9/30/20165,14      9.70       .53       .47       1.00       (.52 )     10.18       10.70 7      10      .58 8      .57 8      6.37 8 
Class R-5:                                                                                        
3/31/20215,6      9.63       .25       .70       .95       (.31 )     10.27       9.99 7      79       .36 8      .36 8      5.18 8 
9/30/2020     9.96       .62       (.34 )     .28       (.61 )     9.63       3.06       74       .39       .39       6.46  
9/30/2019     10.25       .66       (.29 )     .37       (.66 )     9.96       3.72       79       .41       .41       6.46  
9/30/2018     10.48       .64       (.25 )     .39       (.62 )     10.25       3.88       84       .40       .40       6.20  
9/30/2017     10.18       .63       .27       .90       (.60 )     10.48       9.05       82       .40       .40       6.08  
9/30/2016     9.83       .64       .34       .98       (.63 )     10.18       10.47       76       .42       .42       6.61  
Class R-6:                                                                                        
3/31/20215,6      9.63       .26       .70       .96       (.32 )     10.27       10.02 7      3,628       .31 8      .31 8      5.23 8 
9/30/2020     9.96       .63       (.34 )     .29       (.62 )     9.63       3.11       3,169       .33       .33       6.46  
9/30/2019     10.25       .66       (.29 )     .37       (.66 )     9.96       3.78       2,301       .35       .35       6.51  
9/30/2018     10.48       .65       (.25 )     .40       (.63 )     10.25       3.94       1,994       .35       .35       6.26  
9/30/2017     10.18       .63       .27       .90       (.60 )     10.48       9.10       1,776       .35       .35       6.12  
9/30/2016     9.83       .64       .34       .98       (.63 )     10.18       10.54       1,169       .36       .36       6.62  

 

   
    Six months              
    ended
March 31,
  Year ended September 30,
    20215,6,7   2020   2019   2018   2017   2016  
Portfolio turnover rate for all share classes15    37%   75%   52%   62%   73%   76%  

 

See end of table for footnotes.

 

American High-Income Trust 41
 

Financial highlights (continued)

 

1  Based on average shares outstanding.
2  Total returns exclude any applicable sales charges, including contingent deferred sales charges.
3  This column reflects the impact, if any, of certain reimbursements from CRMC. During some of the periods shown, CRMC reimbursed a portion of transfer agent services fees for certain share classes.
4  Ratios do not include expenses of any Central Funds. The fund indirectly bears its proportionate share of the expenses of any Central Funds.
5  Based on operations for a period that is less than a full year.
6  Unaudited.
7  Not annualized.
8  Annualized.
9  All or a significant portion of assets in this class consisted of seed capital invested by CRMC and/or its affiliates. Fees for distribution services are not charged or accrued on these seed capital assets. If such fees were paid by the fund on seed capital assets, fund expenses would have been higher and net income and total return would have been lower.
10  Amount less than $1 million.
11  Class T and 529-T shares began investment operations on April 7, 2017.
12  Class F-3 shares began investment operations on January 27, 2017.
13  Class 529-F-2 and 529-F-3 shares began investment operations on October 30, 2020.
14  Class R-5E shares began investment operations on November 20, 2015.
15  Rates do not include the fund’s portfolio activity with respect to any Central Funds.

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

42 American High-Income Trust
 
Expense example unaudited

 

As a fund shareholder, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, such as initial sales charges on purchase payments and contingent deferred sales charges on redemptions (loads), and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees, distribution and service (12b-1) fees, and other expenses. This example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the fund so you can 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 six-month period (October 1, 2020, through March 31, 2021).

 

Actual expenses:

The first line of each share class in the table on the following page 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 titled “Expenses paid during period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

Hypothetical example for comparison purposes:

The second line of each share class in the table on the following page provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the actual expense ratio for the share class and an assumed rate of return of 5.00% per year before expenses, which is not the actual return of the share class. 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 5.00% hypothetical example with the 5.00% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

 

Notes:

Retirement plan participants may be subject to certain fees charged by the plan sponsor, and Class F-1, F-2, F-3, 529-F-1, 529-F-2 and 529-F-3 shareholders may be subject to fees charged by financial intermediaries, typically ranging from 0.75% to 1.50% of assets annually depending on services offered. You can estimate the impact of these fees by adding the amount of the fees to the total estimated expenses you paid on your account during the period as calculated above. In addition, your ending account value would be lower by the amount of these fees.

 

Note that the expenses shown in the table on the following page are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as sales charges (loads). Therefore, the second line of 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.

 

American High-Income Trust 43
 

Expense example (continued)

 

    Beginning
account value
10/1/2020
    Ending
account value
3/31/2021
    Expenses paid
during period*
    Annualized
expense ratio
 
Class A – actual return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,098.09     $ 3.66       .70 %
Class A – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,021.44       3.53       .70  
Class C – actual return     1,000.00       1,094.11       7.52       1.44  
Class C – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,017.75       7.24       1.44  
Class T – actual return     1,000.00       1,099.64       2.25       .43  
Class T – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,022.79       2.17       .43  
Class F-1 – actual return     1,000.00       1,098.10       3.66       .70  
Class F-1 – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,021.44       3.53       .70  
Class F-2 – actual return     1,000.00       1,099.69       2.15       .41  
Class F-2 – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,022.89       2.07       .41  
Class F-3 – actual return     1,000.00       1,100.23       1.62       .31  
Class F-3 – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,023.39       1.56       .31  
Class 529-A – actual return     1,000.00       1,097.97       3.82       .73  
Class 529-A – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,021.29       3.68       .73  
Class 529-C – actual return     1,000.00       1,094.08       7.52       1.44  
Class 529-C – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,017.75       7.24       1.44  
Class 529-E – actual return     1,000.00       1,096.98       4.76       .91  
Class 529-E – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,020.39       4.58       .91  
Class 529-T – actual return     1,000.00       1,099.20       2.56       .49  
Class 529-T – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,022.49       2.47       .49  
Class 529-F-1 – actual return     1,000.00       1,099.19       2.56       .49  
Class 529-F-1 – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,022.49       2.47       .49  
Class 529-F-2 – actual return     1,000.00       1,099.43       1.95       .45  
Class 529-F-2 – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,022.69       2.27       .45  
Class 529-F-3 – actual return     1,000.00       1,099.85       1.65       .38  
Class 529-F-3 – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,023.04       1.92       .38  
Class R-1 – actual return     1,000.00       1,093.95       7.67       1.47  
Class R-1 – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,017.60       7.39       1.47  
Class R-2 – actual return     1,000.00       1,094.20       7.41       1.42  
Class R-2 – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,017.85       7.14       1.42  
Class R-2E – actual return     1,000.00       1,095.74       5.90       1.13  
Class R-2E – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,019.30       5.69       1.13  
Class R-3 – actual return     1,000.00       1,096.63       5.07       .97  
Class R-3 – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,020.09       4.89       .97  
Class R-4 – actual return     1,000.00       1,098.33       3.45       .66  
Class R-4 – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,021.64       3.33       .66  
Class R-5E – actual return     1,000.00       1,099.36       2.46       .47  
Class R-5E – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,022.59       2.37       .47  
Class R-5 – actual return     1,000.00       1,099.93       1.88       .36  
Class R-5 – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,023.14       1.82       .36  
Class R-6 – actual return     1,000.00       1,100.25       1.62       .31  
Class R-6 – assumed 5% return     1,000.00       1,023.39       1.56       .31  

 

* The “expenses paid during period” are equal to the “annualized expense ratio,” multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the period, and divided by 365 (to reflect the one-half year period).
  The period for the “annualized expense ratio” and “actual return” line is based on the number of days since the share class began investment operations on October 30, 2020. The “assumed 5% return” line is based on 182 days.
   
44 American High-Income Trust
 

Approval of Investment Advisory and Service Agreement

 

The fund’s board has approved the continuation of the fund’s Investment Advisory and Service Agreement (the “agreement”) with Capital Research and Management Company (“CRMC”) for an additional one-year term through April 30, 2022. The board approved the agreement following the recommendation of the fund’s Contracts Committee (the “committee”), which is composed of all the fund’s independent board members. The board and the committee determined in the exercise of their business judgment that the fund’s advisory fee structure was fair and reasonable in relation to the services provided, and that approving the agreement was in the best interests of the fund and its shareholders.

 

In reaching this decision, the board and the committee took into account their interaction with CRMC as well as information furnished to them throughout the year and otherwise provided to them, as well as information prepared specifically in connection with their review of the agreement, and were advised by their independent counsel with respect to the matters considered. They considered the following factors, among others, but did not identify any single issue or particular piece of information that, in isolation, was the controlling factor, and each board and committee member did not necessarily attribute the same weight to each factor.

 

1. Nature, extent and quality of services

 

The board and the committee considered the depth and quality of CRMC’s investment management process, including its global research capabilities; the experience, capability and integrity of its senior management and other personnel; the low turnover rates of its key personnel; the overall financial strength and stability of CRMC and the Capital Group organization; the resources and systems CRMC devotes to investment management (the manner in which the fund’s assets are managed, including liquidity management), financial, investment operations, compliance, trading, proxy voting, shareholder communications, and other services; and the ongoing evolution of CRMC’s organizational structure designed to maintain and strengthen these qualities. The board and the committee also considered the nature, extent and quality of administrative and shareholder services provided by CRMC to the fund under the agreement and other agreements, as well as the benefits to fund shareholders from investing in a fund that is part of a large family of funds. The board and the committee considered the risks assumed by CRMC in providing services to the fund, including operational, business, financial, reputational, regulatory and litigation risks. The board and the committee concluded that the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by CRMC have benefited and should continue to benefit the fund and its shareholders.

 

2. Investment results

 

The board and the committee considered the investment results of the fund in light of its objective. They compared the fund’s investment results with those of other funds (including funds that currently form the basis of the Lipper index for the category in which the fund is included), and data such as relevant market and fund indexes over various periods (including the fund’s lifetime) through September 30, 2020. They generally placed greater emphasis on investment results over longer term periods. On the basis of this evaluation and the board’s and the committee’s ongoing review of investment results, and considering the relative market conditions during certain reporting periods, the board and the committee concluded that the fund’s investment results have been satisfactory for renewal of the agreement, and that CRMC’s record in managing the fund indicated that its continued management should benefit the fund and its shareholders.

 

3. Advisory fees and total expenses

 

The board and the committee compared the advisory fees and total expense levels of the fund to those of other relevant funds. They observed that the fund’s advisory fees and expenses were generally competitive with those of other similar funds included in the comparable Lipper category. The board and the committee also considered the breakpoint discounts in the fund’s advisory fee structure that reduce the level of fees charged by CRMC to the fund as fund assets increase. In addition, they reviewed information regarding the effective advisory fees charged to non-mutual fund clients by CRMC and its affiliates. They noted that, to the extent there were differences between the advisory fees paid by the fund and the advisory fees paid by those clients, the differences appropriately reflected the investment, operational, regulatory and market differences between advising the fund and the other clients. The board and the committee concluded that the fund’s cost structure was fair and reasonable in relation to the services provided, as well as in relation to the risks assumed by the adviser in sponsoring and managing the fund, and that the fund’s shareholders receive reasonable value in return for the advisory fees and other amounts paid to CRMC by the fund.

 

American High-Income Trust 45
 

4. Ancillary benefits

 

The board and the committee considered a variety of other benefits that CRMC and its affiliates receive as a result of CRMC’s relationship with the fund and other American Funds, including fees for administrative services provided to certain share classes; fees paid to CRMC’s affiliated transfer agent; sales charges and distribution fees received and retained by the fund’s principal underwriter, an affiliate of CRMC; and possible ancillary benefits to CRMC and its institutional management affiliates in managing other investment vehicles. The board and the committee reviewed CRMC’s portfolio trading practices, noting that through December 31, 2018, CRMC benefited from research obtained with commissions from portfolio transactions made on behalf of the fund, and since that time has undertaken to bear the cost of obtaining such research. The board and the committee took these ancillary benefits into account in evaluating the reasonableness of the advisory fees and other amounts paid to CRMC by the fund.

 

5. Adviser financial information

 

The board and the committee reviewed information regarding CRMC’s costs of providing services to the American Funds, including personnel, systems and resources of investment, compliance, trading, accounting and other administrative operations. They considered CRMC’s costs and related cost allocation methodology as well as its track record of investing in technology, infrastructure and staff to maintain and expand services and capabilities, respond to industry and regulatory developments, and attract and retain qualified personnel. They noted information regarding the compensation structure for CRMC’s investment professionals. They reviewed information on the profitability of the investment adviser and its affiliates. The board and the committee also compared CRMC’s profitability and compensation data to the reported results and data of several large, publicly held investment management companies. The board and the committee noted the competitiveness and cyclicality of both the mutual fund industry and the capital markets, and the importance in that environment of CRMC’s long-term profitability for maintaining its independence, company culture and management continuity. They further considered the breakpoint discounts in the fund’s advisory fee structure and CRMC’s sharing of potential economies of scale, or efficiencies, through breakpoints and other fee reductions and costs voluntarily absorbed. The board and the committee concluded that the fund’s advisory fee structure reflected a reasonable sharing of benefits between CRMC and the fund’s shareholders

 

46 American High-Income Trust
 

Liquidity Risk Management Program

 

The fund has adopted a liquidity risk management program (the “program”). The fund’s board has designated Capital Research and Management Company (“CRMC”) as the administrator of the program. Personnel of CRMC or its affiliates conduct the day-to-day operation of the program pursuant to policies and procedures administered by the Capital Group Liquidity Risk Management Committee.

 

Under the program, CRMC manages the fund’s liquidity risk, which is the risk that the fund could not meet shareholder redemption requests without significant dilution of remaining shareholders’ interests in the fund. This risk is managed by monitoring the degree of liquidity of the fund’s investments, limiting the amount of the fund’s illiquid investments, and utilizing various risk management tools and facilities available to the fund for meeting shareholder redemptions, among other means. CRMC’s process of determining the degree of liquidity of the fund’s investments is supported by one or more third-party liquidity assessment vendors.

 

The fund’s board reviewed a report prepared by CRMC regarding the operation and effectiveness of the program for the period October 1, 2019, through September 30, 2020. No significant liquidity events impacting the fund were noted in the report. In addition, CRMC provided its assessment that the program had been effective in managing the fund’s liquidity risk.

 

American High-Income Trust 47
 

Office of the fund

333 South Hope Street

Los Angeles, CA 90071-1406

 

Investment adviser

Capital Research and Management Company

333 South Hope Street

Los Angeles, CA 90071-1406

 

Transfer agent for shareholder accounts

American Funds Service Company

(Write to the address near you.)

 

P.O. Box 6007

Indianapolis, IN 46206-6007

 

P.O. Box 2280

Norfolk, VA 23501-2280

 

Custodian of assets

JPMorgan Chase Bank

270 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10017-2070

 

Counsel

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

One Federal Street

Boston, MA 02110-1726

 

Independent registered public accounting firm

Deloitte & Touche LLP

695 Town Center Drive

Suite 1000

Costa Mesa, CA 92626-7188

 

Principal underwriter

American Funds Distributors, Inc.

333 South Hope Street

Los Angeles, CA 90071-1406

 

48 American High-Income Trust
 

Investors should carefully consider investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other important information is contained in the fund prospectus and summary prospectus, which can be obtained from your financial professional and should be read carefully before investing. You may also call American Funds Service Company (AFS) at (800) 421-4225 or visit the Capital Group website at capitalgroup.com.

 

“American Funds Proxy Voting Procedures and Principles” — which describes how we vote proxies relating to portfolio securities — is available on our website or upon request by calling AFS. The fund files its proxy voting record with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the 12 months ended June 30 by August 31. The proxy voting record is available free of charge on the SEC website at sec.gov and on our website.

 

American High-Income Trust files a complete list of its portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form NPORT-P. The list of portfolio holdings is available free of charge on the SEC website and on our website.

 

This report is for the information of shareholders of American High-Income Trust, but it also may be used as sales literature when preceded or accompanied by the current prospectus or summary prospectus, which gives details about charges, expenses, investment objectives and operating policies of the fund. If used as sales material after June 30, 2021, this report must be accompanied by an American Funds statistical update for the most recently completed calendar quarter.

 

Bloomberg® is a trademark of Bloomberg Finance L.P. (collectively with its affiliates, “Bloomberg”). Barclays® is a trademark of Barclays Bank Plc (collectively with its affiliates, “Barclays”), used under license. Neither Bloomberg nor Barclays approves or endorses this material, guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information herein and, to the maximum extent allowed by law, neither shall have any liability or responsibility for injury or damages arising in connection therewith.

 

American Funds Distributors, Inc., member FINRA.

 

The Capital Advantage®

 

Since 1931, Capital Group, home of American Funds, has helped investors pursue long-term investment success. Our consistent approach — in combination with The Capital SystemSM — has resulted in superior outcomes.

 

 

 

 

  Aligned with investor success
  We base our decisions on a long-term perspective, which we believe aligns our goals with the interests of our clients. Our portfolio managers average 27 years of investment industry experience, including 21 years at our company, reflecting a career commitment to our long-term approach.1
   
  The Capital System
  The Capital System combines individual accountability with teamwork. Funds using The Capital System are divided into portions that are managed independently by investment professionals with diverse backgrounds, ages and investment approaches. An extensive global research effort is the backbone of our system.
   
  American Funds’ superior outcomes  
  Equity funds have beaten their Lipper peer indexes in 91% of 10-year periods and 98% of 20-year periods.2 Fixed income funds have helped investors achieve diversification through attention to correlation between bonds and equities.3 Fund management fees have been among the lowest in the industry.4

 

 

 

 

 

  1 Investment industry experience as of December 31, 2020.
  2 Based on Class F-2 share results for rolling periods through December 31, 2020. Periods covered are the shorter of the fund’s lifetime or since the comparable Lipper index inception date (except Capital Income Builder and SMALLCAP World Fund, for which the Lipper average was used). Expenses differ for each share class, so results will vary.
  3 Based on Class F-2 share results as of December 31, 2020. Thirteen of the 17 fixed income American Funds that have been in existence for the three-year period showed a three-year correlation below 0.3. Standard & Poor’s 500 Index was used as an equity market proxy. Correlation based on monthly total returns. Correlation is a statistical measure of how two securities move in relation to each other. A correlation ranges from –1 to 1. A positive correlation close to 1 implies that as one security moves, either up or down, the other security will move in “lockstep,” in the same direction. A negative correlation close to –1 indicates that the securities have moved in the opposite direction.
  4 On average, our management fees were in the lowest quintile 66% of the time, based on the 20-year period ended December 31, 2020, versus comparable Lipper categories, excluding funds of funds.

 

Class F-2 shares were first offered on August 1, 2008. Class F-2 share results prior to the date of first sale are hypothetical based on the results of the original share class of the fund without a sales charge, adjusted for typical estimated expenses. Results for certain funds with an inception date after August 1, 2008, also include hypothetical returns because those funds’ Class F-2 shares sold after the funds’ date of first offering. Visit capitalgroup.com for more information on specific expense adjustments and the actual dates of first sale.

 

All Capital Group trademarks mentioned are owned by The Capital Group Companies, Inc., an affiliated company or fund. All other company and product names mentioned are the property of their respective companies.

 

 

 

 

ITEM 2 – Code of Ethics

 

Not applicable for filing of semi-annual reports to shareholders.

 

ITEM 3 – Audit Committee Financial Expert

 

Not applicable for filing of semi-annual reports to shareholders.

 

ITEM 4 – Principal Accountant Fees and Services

 

Not applicable for filing of semi-annual reports to shareholders.

 

ITEM 5 – Audit Committee of Listed Registrants

 

Not applicable to this Registrant, insofar as the Registrant is not a listed issuer as defined in Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

ITEM 6 – Schedule of Investments

 

Not applicable, insofar as the schedule is included as part of the report to shareholders filed under Item 1 of this Form.

 

ITEM 7 – Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

 

Not applicable to this Registrant, insofar as the Registrant is not a closed-end management investment company.

 

ITEM 8 – Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies

 

Not applicable to this Registrant, insofar as the Registrant is not a closed-end management investment company.

 

ITEM 9 – Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers

 

Not applicable to this Registrant, insofar as the Registrant is not a closed-end management investment company.

 

ITEM 10 – Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

 

There have been no material changes to the procedures by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the Registrant’s board of trustees since the Registrant last submitted a proxy statement to its shareholders. The procedures are as follows. The Registrant has a nominating and governance committee comprised solely of persons who are not considered ‘‘interested persons’’ of the Registrant within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The committee periodically reviews such issues as the board’s composition, responsibilities, committees, compensation and other relevant issues, and recommends any appropriate changes to the full board of trustees. While the committee normally is able to identify from its own resources an ample number of qualified candidates, it will consider shareholder suggestions of persons to be considered as nominees to fill future vacancies on the board. Such suggestions must be sent in writing to the nominating and governance committee of the Registrant, c/o the Registrant’s Secretary, and must be accompanied by complete biographical and occupational data on the prospective nominee, along with a written consent of the prospective nominee for consideration of his or her name by the nominating and governance committee.

 

ITEM 11 – Controls and Procedures

 

(a) The Registrant’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer have concluded, based on their evaluation of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 30a-3 under the Investment Company Act of 1940), that such controls and procedures are adequate and reasonably designed to achieve the purposes described in paragraph (c) of such rule.
   
(b)

There were no changes in the Registrant’s internal controls over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) that occurred during the Registrant’s semi-annual period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

ITEM 12 – Exhibits

 

(a)(1) Not applicable for filing of semi-annual reports to shareholders.
   
(a)(2) The certifications required by Rule 30a-2 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are attached as exhibits hereto.

 

 
 

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.

 

  AMERICAN HIGH-INCOME TRUST
   
  By __/s/ Kristine M. Nishiyama___________________
 

Kristine M. Nishiyama,

Principal Executive Officer

   
  Date: May 28, 2021

 

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

 

 

 

By __/s/ Kristine M. Nishiyama_________________

Kristine M. Nishiyama,

Principal Executive Officer

 
Date: May 28, 2021

 

 

 

By ___/s/ Brian C. Janssen    __________

Brian C. Janssen, Treasurer and

Principal Financial Officer

 
Date: May 28, 2021