N-CSRS 1 d275235dncsrs.htm WESTERN ASSET HIGH YIELD FUND Western Asset High Yield Fund
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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM N-CSR

 

 

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED

MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

Investment Company Act file number 811-06110

 

 

Western Asset Funds, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

 

100 International Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21202

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

 

 

Marc A. De Oliveira

Franklin Templeton

100 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 877-6LM-FUND/656-3863

Date of fiscal year end: May 31

Date of reporting period: November 30, 2022

 

 

 


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ITEM 1.

REPORT TO STOCKHOLDERS.

The Semi-Annual Report to Stockholders is filed herewith.


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LOGO

 

Semi-Annual Report   November 30, 2022

WESTERN ASSET

HIGH YIELD FUND

 

 

 

 

 

LOGO

 

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


Table of Contents
What’s inside      
Letter from the president     II  
Performance review     IV  
Fund at a glance     1  
Fund expenses     2  
Schedule of investments     4  
Statement of assets and liabilities     30  
Statement of operations     32  
Statements of changes in net assets     33  
Financial highlights     34  
Notes to financial statements     39  

Fund objective

The Fund seeks to maximize total return, consistent with prudent investment management.

 

Letter from the president

 

LOGO

 

Dear Shareholder,

We are pleased to provide the semi-annual report of Western Asset High Yield Fund for the six-month reporting period ended November 30, 2022. Please read on for Fund performance information during the Fund’s reporting period.

Special shareholder notice

On November 18, 2022, the Fund acquired the assets and certain liabilities of Western Asset Global High Yield Bond Fund (the “Acquired Fund”), pursuant to a plan of reorganization approved by the Board of Directors of both the Acquired Fund and the Fund. Effective on that date, Acquired Fund shareholders became Fund shareholders. As part of the reorganization, for each share they held, shareholders of the Acquired Fund’s Class A, Class C, Class I and Class IS received 0.735800, 0.744103, 0.740617 and 0.729866 shares of Class A, Class C, Class I and Class IS shares of the Fund, respectively. The Fund did not issue any fractional shares to shareholders of the Acquired Fund. In lieu thereof, the Fund purchased all fractional shares at the current net asset value of the shares and remitted the cash proceeds to former shareholders of the Acquired Fund in proportion to their fractional shares. Total net assets of the Fund immediately after the transfer were $241,115,421. For additional information, please see Note 8 in the Notes to Financial Statements below or contact the Fund at 877-6LM-Fund/656-3863.

 

 

II

   Western Asset High Yield Fund


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

 

 

Fund prices and performance,

 

 

Market insights and commentaries from our portfolio managers, and

 

 

A host of educational resources.

We look forward to helping you meet your financial goals.

Sincerely,

 

LOGO

Jane Trust, CFA

President and Chief Executive Officer

December 30, 2022

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund  

 

III


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Performance review

 

For the six months ended November 30, 2022, Class I shares of Western Asset High Yield Fund returned -4.13%. The Fund’s unmanaged benchmark, the Bloomberg U.S. Corporate High Yield — 2% Issuer Cap Indexi, returned -2.87% for the same period. The Lipper High Yield Funds Category Averageii returned -2.83% over the same time frame.

 

Performance Snapshot as of November 30, 2022
(unaudited)
 
(excluding sales charges)   6 months  
Western Asset High Yield Fund:  

Class A

    -4.14

Class C

    -4.60

Class R

    -4.36

Class I

    -4.13

Class IS

    -4.08
Bloomberg U.S. Corporate High Yield — 2% Issuer Cap Index     -2.87
Lipper High Yield Funds Category Average     -2.83

The performance shown represents past performance. Past performance is no guarantee of future results and current performance may be higher or lower than the performance shown above. Principal value, investment returns and yields will fluctuate and investors’ shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. To obtain performance data current to the most recent month-end, please visit our website at www.franklintempleton.com.

All share class returns assume the reinvestment of all distributions, including returns of capital, if any, at net asset value and the deduction of all Fund expenses. Returns have not been adjusted to include sales charges that may apply or the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions. If sales charges were reflected, the performance quoted would be lower. Performance figures for periods shorter than one year represent cumulative figures and are not annualized.

Fund performance figures reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, without which the performance would have been lower.

The 30-Day SEC Yields for the period ended November 30, 2022 for Class A, Class C, Class R, Class I and Class IS shares were 8.28%, 7.90%, 8.39%, 8.81% and 9.04%, respectively. Absent fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the 30-Day SEC Yields for Class A, Class C, Class R, Class I and Class IS shares would have been 8.21%, 7.82%, 8.13%, 8.72% and 8.93%, respectively. The 30-Day SEC Yield, calculated pursuant to the standard SEC formula, is based on the Fund’s investments over an annualized trailing 30-day period, and not on the distributions paid by the Fund, which may differ.

 

Total Annual Operating Expenses (unaudited)

As of the Fund’s current prospectus dated September 30, 2022, the gross total annual fund operating expense ratios for Class A, Class C, Class R, Class I and Class IS shares were 0.97%, 1.76%, 1.58%, 0.81% and 0.68%, respectively.

Actual expenses may be higher. For example, expenses may be higher than those shown if average net assets decrease. Net assets are more likely to decrease and Fund expense ratios are more likely to increase when markets are volatile.

 

 

IV

   Western Asset High Yield Fund


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As a result of expense limitation arrangements, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses, other than interest, brokerage commissions, taxes, extraordinary expenses, deferred organizational expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses, to average net assets will not exceed 1.01% for Class A shares, 1.80% for Class C shares, 1.30% for Class R shares, 0.75% for Class I shares (effective November 21, 2022) and 0.65% for Class IS Shares. In addition, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses for Class IS shares will not exceed the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses for Class I shares. These expense limitation arrangements cannot be terminated prior to December 31, 2024 without the Board of Directors’ consent. In addition, the manager has agreed to waive the Fund’s management fee to an extent sufficient to offset the net management fee payable in connection with any investment in an affiliated money market fund. This management fee waiver is not subject to the recapture provision discussed below.

The manager is permitted to recapture amounts waived and/or reimbursed to a class within two years after the fiscal year in which the manager earned the fee or incurred the expense if the class’ total annual fund operating expenses have fallen to a level below the expense limitation (“expense cap”) in effect at the time the fees were earned or the expenses incurred. In no case will the manager recapture any amount that would result, on any particular business day of the Fund, in the class’ total annual fund operating expenses exceeding the expense cap or any other lower limit then in effect.

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

Sincerely,

 

LOGO

Jane Trust, CFA

President and Chief Executive Officer

December 30, 2022

RISKS: Fixed income securities involve interest rate, credit, inflation and reinvestment risks. As interest rates rise, the value of fixed income securities falls. Derivatives, such as options, futures and swaps, can be illiquid, may disproportionately increase losses, and have a potentially large impact on Fund performance. International investments are subject to special risks including currency fluctuations and social, economic and political uncertainties, which could increase volatility. These risks are magnified in emerging markets. Emerging market countries tend to have economic, political and legal systems that are less developed and are less stable than those of more developed countries. The use of leverage may increase volatility and possibility of loss. Securities rated below investment grade are commonly known as “junk bonds” or “high yield securities.” The risks of high yield securities include greater price volatility, illiquidity and possibility of default. Asset-backed, mortgage-backed or mortgage- related securities are subject to prepayment and extension risks. Please see the Fund’s prospectus for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and the Fund’s investment strategies.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund  

 

V


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Performance review (cont’d)

 

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

 

 

i 

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

 

ii 

Lipper, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Refinitiv, provides independent insight on global collective investments. Returns are based on the six-month period ended November 30, 2022, including the reinvestment of all distributions, including returns of capital, if any, calculated among the 543 funds in the Fund’s Lipper category, and excluding sales charges, if any.

 

 

VI

   Western Asset High Yield Fund


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Fund at a glance (unaudited)

 

Investment breakdown (%) as a percent of total investments

 

LOGO

 

The bar graph above represents the composition of the Fund’s investments as of November 30, 2022 and May 31, 2022 and does not include derivatives, such as futures contracts, forward foreign currency contracts and swap contracts. The Fund is actively managed. As a result, the composition of the Fund’s investments is subject to change at any time.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

1


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Fund expenses (unaudited)

 

Example

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

This example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested on June 1, 2022 and held for the six months ended November 30, 2022.

Actual expenses

The table below titled “Based on actual total return” provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information provided in this table, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. To estimate the expenses you paid on your account, divide your ending account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 ending account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During the Period”.

Hypothetical example for comparison purposes

The table below titled “Based on hypothetical total return” provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5.00% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use the information provided in this table to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare the 5.00% hypothetical example relating to the Fund with the 5.00% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

Please note that the expenses shown in the table below are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as front-end or back-end sales charges (loads). Therefore, 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 transaction costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

  Based on actual total return1                 Based on hypothetical total return1  
     Actual
Total Return
Without
Sales
Charge2
    Beginning
Account
Value
    Ending
Account
Value
    Annualized
Expense
Ratio
    Expenses
Paid
During
the
Period3
               Hypothetical
Annualized
Total Return
    Beginning
Account
Value
    Ending
Account
Value
    Annualized
Expense
Ratio
    Expenses
Paid
During
the
Period3
 
Class A     -4.14   $ 1,000.00     $ 958.60       0.96   $ 4.71       Class A     5.00   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,020.26       0.96   $ 4.86  
Class C     -4.60       1,000.00       954.00       1.79       8.77       Class C     5.00       1,000.00       1,016.09       1.79       9.05  
Class R     -4.36       1,000.00       956.40       1.30       6.38       Class R     5.00       1,000.00       1,018.55       1.30       6.58  
Class I     -4.13       1,000.00       958.70       0.85       4.17       Class I     5.00       1,000.00       1,020.81       0.85       4.31  
Class IS     -4.08       1,000.00       959.20       0.65       3.19       Class IS     5.00       1,000.00       1,021.81       0.65       3.29  

 

 

2

   Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report


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1 

For the six months ended November 30, 2022.

 

2 

Assumes the reinvestment of all distributions, including returns of capital, if any, at net asset value and does not reflect the deduction of the applicable sales charge with respect to Class A shares or the applicable contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) with respect to Class C shares. Total return is not annualized, as it may not be representative of the total return for the year. Performance figures may reflect compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. In the absence of compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

 

3 

Expenses (net of compensating balance arrangements, fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements) are equal to each class’ respective annualized expense ratio multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the most recent fiscal half-year (183), then divided by 365.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

3


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Schedule of investments (unaudited)

November 30, 2022

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  
Corporate Bonds & Notes — 84.1%                                
Communication Services — 12.4%                                

Diversified Telecommunication Services — 2.3%

                               

Altice Financing SA, Senior Secured Notes

    5.000     1/15/28       600,000     $ 490,389  (a) 

Altice Financing SA, Senior Secured Notes

    5.750     8/15/29       1,680,000       1,375,718  (a) 

Altice France Holding SA, Senior Notes

    6.000     2/15/28       880,000       591,743  (a) 

Altice France Holding SA, Senior Secured Notes

    10.500     5/15/27       1,030,000       815,626  (a) 

Altice France SA, Senior Secured Notes

    5.125     7/15/29       470,000       370,896  (a) 

Altice France SA, Senior Secured Notes

    5.500     10/15/29       1,860,000       1,493,841  (a) 

Telecom Italia SpA, Senior Notes

    5.303     5/30/24       540,000       523,738  (a) 

Total Diversified Telecommunication Services

                            5,661,951  

Entertainment — 0.6%

                               

Allen Media LLC/Allen Media Co-Issuer Inc., Senior Notes

    10.500     2/15/28       1,300,000       553,632  (a) 

AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc., Secured Notes (5.000% Cash and 6.000% PIK or 10.000% Cash or 12.000% PIK)

    10.000     6/15/26       310,000       116,438  (a)(b) 

AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    7.500     2/15/29       530,000       302,717  (a) 

Playtika Holding Corp., Senior Notes

    4.250     3/15/29       350,000       284,273  (a) 

Speedway Motorsports LLC/Speedway Funding II Inc., Senior Notes

    4.875     11/1/27       140,000       123,316  (a) 

Total Entertainment

                            1,380,376  

Interactive Media & Services — 1.0%

                               

Match Group Holdings II LLC, Senior Notes

    4.625     6/1/28       190,000       170,242  (a) 

Match Group Holdings II LLC, Senior Notes

    3.625     10/1/31       2,120,000       1,622,397  (a) 

Rackspace Technology Global Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    3.500     2/15/28       890,000       611,537  (a) 

Total Interactive Media & Services

                            2,404,176  

Media — 6.2%

                               

CCO Holdings LLC/CCO Holdings Capital Corp., Senior Notes

    4.750     2/1/32       590,000       494,122  (a) 

CCO Holdings LLC/CCO Holdings Capital Corp., Senior Notes

    4.500     5/1/32       750,000       619,740  

CCO Holdings LLC/CCO Holdings Capital Corp., Senior Notes

    4.250     1/15/34       5,720,000       4,462,830  (a) 

Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings Inc., Senior Notes

    7.500     6/1/29       430,000       320,064  (a) 

DirecTV Financing LLC/DirecTV Financing Co-Obligor Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    5.875     8/15/27       1,680,000       1,543,492  (a) 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

4

   Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report


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Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Media — continued

                               

DISH DBS Corp., Senior Notes

    5.875     11/15/24       510,000     $ 485,316  

DISH DBS Corp., Senior Notes

    7.750     7/1/26       1,887,000       1,583,410  

DISH DBS Corp., Senior Notes

    5.125     6/1/29       1,410,000       930,600  

DISH DBS Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    5.750     12/1/28       1,080,000       877,959  (a) 

iHeartCommunications Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    5.250     8/15/27       70,000       62,443  (a) 

iHeartCommunications Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    4.750     1/15/28       240,000       207,277  (a) 

News Corp., Senior Notes

    3.875     5/15/29       330,000       293,725  (a) 

Urban One Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    7.375     2/1/28       180,000       152,340  (a) 

Virgin Media Finance PLC, Senior Notes

    5.000     7/15/30       300,000       250,123  (a) 

Virgin Media Secured Finance PLC, Senior Secured Notes

    5.500     5/15/29       1,520,000       1,405,909  (a) 

VZ Secured Financing BV, Senior Secured Notes

    5.000     1/15/32       1,850,000       1,533,206  (a) 

Total Media

                            15,222,556  

Wireless Telecommunication Services — 2.3%

                               

CSC Holdings LLC, Senior Notes

    6.500     2/1/29       1,020,000       930,750  (a) 

CSC Holdings LLC, Senior Notes

    5.750     1/15/30       2,430,000       1,658,609  (a) 

CSC Holdings LLC, Senior Notes

    5.000     11/15/31       970,000       614,553  (a) 

Sprint Capital Corp., Senior Notes

    8.750     3/15/32       1,050,000       1,256,824  

Vmed O2 UK Financing I PLC, Senior Secured Notes

    4.750     7/15/31       1,410,000       1,173,162  (a) 

Total Wireless Telecommunication Services

                            5,633,898  

Total Communication Services

                            30,302,957  
Consumer Discretionary — 23.1%                                

Auto Components — 1.8%

                               

American Axle & Manufacturing Inc., Senior Notes

    6.250     3/15/26       42,000       39,889  

American Axle & Manufacturing Inc., Senior Notes

    6.500     4/1/27       671,000       631,716  

American Axle & Manufacturing Inc., Senior Notes

    5.000     10/1/29       2,270,000       1,979,388  

Dornoch Debt Merger Sub Inc., Senior Notes

    6.625     10/15/29       250,000       166,679  (a) 

JB Poindexter & Co. Inc., Senior Notes

    7.125     4/15/26       1,610,000       1,558,005  (a) 

Total Auto Components

                            4,375,677  

Automobiles — 3.3%

                               

Ford Motor Co., Senior Notes

    3.250     2/12/32       5,770,000       4,569,608  

Ford Motor Co., Senior Notes

    6.100     8/19/32       860,000       826,260  

Ford Motor Credit Co. LLC, Senior Notes

    4.950     5/28/27       320,000       303,186  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

5


Table of Contents

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

November 30, 2022

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Automobiles — continued

                               

Ford Motor Credit Co. LLC, Senior Notes

    2.900     2/16/28       1,850,000     $ 1,547,555  

Ford Motor Credit Co. LLC, Senior Notes

    4.000     11/13/30       580,000       491,312  

PM General Purchaser LLC, Senior Secured Notes

    9.500     10/1/28       330,000       290,041  (a) 

Total Automobiles

                            8,027,962  

Distributors — 0.6%

                               

Accelerate360 Holdings LLC, Secured Notes

    8.000     3/1/28       724,550       776,087  (a) 

American News Co. LLC, Secured Notes (8.500% Cash or 10.000% PIK)

    8.500     9/1/26       704,765       786,694  (a)(b) 

Total Distributors

                            1,562,781  

Diversified Consumer Services — 3.0%

                               

Adtalem Global Education Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    5.500     3/1/28       338,000       314,690  (a) 

APCOA Parking Holdings GmbH, Senior Secured Notes

    4.625     1/15/27       1,580,000  EUR      1,420,404  (c) 

Carriage Services Inc., Senior Notes

    4.250     5/15/29       2,470,000       1,856,205  (a) 

Prime Security Services Borrower LLC/Prime Finance Inc., Secured Notes

    6.250     1/15/28       890,000       829,053  (a) 

Prime Security Services Borrower LLC/Prime Finance Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    5.750     4/15/26       310,000       307,271  (a) 

Prime Security Services Borrower LLC/Prime Finance Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    3.375     8/31/27       310,000       273,153  (a) 

StoneMor Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    8.500     5/15/29       1,850,000       1,510,044  (a) 

WW International Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    4.500     4/15/29       1,614,000       933,844  (a) 

Total Diversified Consumer Services

                            7,444,664  

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 12.0%

                               

888 Acquisitions Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    7.558     7/15/27       470,000  EUR      433,987  (a) 

Boyne USA Inc., Senior Notes

    4.750     5/15/29       330,000       294,048  (a) 

Caesars Entertainment Inc., Senior Notes

    4.625     10/15/29       390,000       327,140  (a) 

Caesars Entertainment Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    6.250     7/1/25       550,000       544,320  (a) 

Carnival Corp., Senior Notes

    6.000     5/1/29       1,260,000       896,200  (a) 

Carnival Corp., Senior Notes

    10.500     6/1/30       1,310,000       1,124,072  (a) 

Carnival Holdings Bermuda Ltd., Senior Notes

    10.375     5/1/28       870,000       907,210  (a) 

Carnival PLC, Senior Notes

    1.000     10/28/29       1,150,000  EUR      514,385  

Carrols Restaurant Group Inc., Senior Notes

    5.875     7/1/29       1,240,000       872,879  (a) 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

6

   Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report


Table of Contents

    

 

    

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — continued

                               

Fertitta Entertainment LLC/Fertitta Entertainment Finance Co. Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    4.625     1/15/29       460,000     $ 406,665  (a) 

Full House Resorts Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    8.250     2/15/28       1,160,000       1,033,862  (a) 

Las Vegas Sands Corp., Senior Notes

    3.900     8/8/29       2,500,000       2,149,209  

Marston’s Issuer PLC, Secured Notes (3 mo. GBP LIBOR + 2.669%)

    5.410     7/16/35       1,232,000  GBP      1,136,362  (c)(d) 

Melco Resorts Finance Ltd., Senior Notes

    4.875     6/6/25       200,000       177,144  (a) 

Melco Resorts Finance Ltd., Senior Notes

    5.375     12/4/29       1,270,000       1,009,650  (a) 

NCL Corp. Ltd., Senior Notes

    3.625     12/15/24       780,000       682,063  (a) 

NCL Corp. Ltd., Senior Notes

    5.875     3/15/26       1,200,000       985,934  (a) 

NCL Corp. Ltd., Senior Notes

    7.750     2/15/29       600,000       480,630  (a) 

NCL Corp. Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    5.875     2/15/27       1,720,000       1,533,672  (a) 

NCL Finance Ltd., Senior Notes

    6.125     3/15/28       1,200,000       926,865  (a) 

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Senior Notes

    4.250     7/1/26       820,000       680,723  (a) 

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Senior Notes

    5.500     8/31/26       930,000       807,998  (a) 

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Senior Notes

    11.625     8/15/27       650,000       668,623  (a) 

Saga PLC, Senior Notes

    3.375     5/12/24       1,020,000  GBP      1,112,935  (c) 

Sands China Ltd., Senior Notes

    4.300     1/8/26       320,000       293,971  

Sands China Ltd., Senior Notes

    5.900     8/8/28       500,000       466,913  

Sands China Ltd., Senior Notes

    3.350     3/8/29       200,000       163,377  

Sands China Ltd., Senior Notes

    3.750     8/8/31       1,470,000       1,178,793  

Sizzling Platter LLC/Sizzling Platter Finance Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    8.500     11/28/25       320,000       287,953  (a) 

Sugarhouse HSP Gaming Prop Mezz LP/ Sugarhouse HSP Gaming Finance Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    5.875     5/15/25       300,000       282,656  (a) 

Viking Cruises Ltd., Senior Notes

    5.875     9/15/27       500,000       420,085  (a) 

Viking Cruises Ltd., Senior Notes

    7.000     2/15/29       790,000       664,291  (a) 

Viking Cruises Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    13.000     5/15/25       1,200,000       1,276,367  (a) 

Viking Ocean Cruises Ship VII Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    5.625     2/15/29       391,000       313,404  (a) 

VOC Escrow Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    5.000     2/15/28       1,139,000       983,458  (a) 

Wynn Macau Ltd., Senior Notes

    4.875     10/1/24       380,000       357,812  (a) 

Wynn Macau Ltd., Senior Notes

    5.500     1/15/26       200,000       180,383  (a) 

Wynn Macau Ltd., Senior Notes

    5.500     10/1/27       570,000       482,080  (a) 

Wynn Macau Ltd., Senior Notes

    5.625     8/26/28       1,230,000       1,020,900  (a) 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

7


Table of Contents

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

November 30, 2022

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — continued

                               

Wynn Macau Ltd., Senior Notes

    5.125     12/15/29       1,140,000     $ 911,242  (a) 

Wynn Resorts Finance LLC/Wynn Resorts Capital Corp., Senior Notes

    7.750     4/15/25       240,000       240,854  (a) 

Total Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure

                            29,231,115  

Household Durables — 0.2%

                               

Installed Building Products Inc., Senior Notes

    5.750     2/1/28       330,000       289,362  (a) 

TopBuild Corp., Senior Notes

    3.625     3/15/29       210,000       170,686  (a) 

Total Household Durables

                            460,048  

Multiline Retail — 0.2%

                               

Marks & Spencer PLC, Senior Notes

    3.750     5/19/26       550,000  GBP      580,788  (c) 

Specialty Retail — 2.0%

                               

Academy Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    6.000     11/15/27       270,000       256,047  (a) 

Bath & Body Works Inc., Senior Notes

    9.375     7/1/25       550,000       577,332  (a) 

Bath & Body Works Inc., Senior Notes

    6.694     1/15/27       110,000       107,436  

Bath & Body Works Inc., Senior Notes

    6.625     10/1/30       780,000       731,250  (a) 

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc., Senior Notes

    5.165     8/1/44       660,000       102,539  

Foot Locker Inc., Senior Notes

    4.000     10/1/29       450,000       371,862  (a) 

Gannett Holdings LLC, Senior Secured Notes

    6.000     11/1/26       390,000       311,462  (a) 

Michaels Cos. Inc., Senior Notes

    7.875     5/1/29       650,000       385,531  (a) 

Michaels Cos. Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    5.250     5/1/28       650,000       476,921  (a) 

NMG Holding Co. Inc./Neiman Marcus Group LLC, Senior Secured Notes

    7.125     4/1/26       460,000       443,592  (a) 

Rent-A-Center Inc., Senior Notes

    6.375     2/15/29       1,370,000       1,129,024  (a) 

Total Specialty Retail

                            4,892,996  

Total Consumer Discretionary

                            56,576,031  
Consumer Staples — 1.0%                                

Beverages — 0.1%

                               

Triton Water Holdings Inc., Senior Notes

    6.250     4/1/29       380,000       296,400  (a) 

Food & Staples Retailing — 0.1%

                               

Bellis Acquisition Co. PLC, Senior Secured Notes

    4.500     2/16/26       180,000  GBP      182,422  (a) 

Food Products — 0.7%

                               

Darling Ingredients Inc., Senior Notes

    6.000     6/15/30       1,060,000       1,034,920  (a) 

FAGE International SA/FAGE USA Dairy Industry Inc., Senior Notes

    5.625     8/15/26       440,000       403,845  (a) 

Simmons Foods Inc./Simmons Prepared Foods Inc./Simmons Pet Food Inc./Simmons Feed Ingredients Inc., Secured Notes

    4.625     3/1/29       320,000       265,194  (a) 

Total Food Products

                            1,703,959  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

8

   Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report


Table of Contents

    

 

    

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Personal Products — 0.1%

                               

Edgewell Personal Care Co., Senior Notes

    4.125     4/1/29       180,000     $ 156,654  (a) 

Total Consumer Staples

                            2,339,435  
Energy — 11.9%                                

Energy Equipment & Services — 0.9%

                               

Nabors Industries Ltd., Senior Notes

    7.250     1/15/26       630,000       606,498  (a) 

Sunnova Energy Corp., Senior Notes

    5.875     9/1/26       1,610,000       1,443,204 (a) 

Total Energy Equipment & Services

                            2,049,702  

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — 11.0%

                               

Antero Resources Corp., Senior Notes

    5.375     3/1/30       770,000       722,453  (a) 

Apache Corp., Senior Notes

    7.750     12/15/29       170,000       175,598  

Berry Petroleum Co. LLC, Senior Notes

    7.000     2/15/26       2,080,000       1,972,433  (a) 

Blue Racer Midstream LLC/Blue Racer Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    7.625     12/15/25       420,000       424,326  (a) 

Blue Racer Midstream LLC/Blue Racer Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    6.625     7/15/26       720,000       702,709  (a) 

Cheniere Energy Partners LP, Senior Notes

    4.000     3/1/31       260,000       227,651  

Chesapeake Energy Corp., Senior Notes

    5.500     2/1/26       80,000       77,285  (a) 

Chord Energy Corp., Senior Notes

    6.375     6/1/26       1,640,000       1,604,961  (a) 

CNX Midstream Partners LP, Senior Notes

    4.750     4/15/30       610,000       509,459  (a) 

Colgate Energy Partners III LLC, Senior Notes

    5.875     7/1/29       1,600,000       1,473,664  (a) 

Comstock Resources Inc., Senior Notes

    5.875     1/15/30       240,000       221,448  (a) 

DCP Midstream Operating LP, Senior Notes

    6.450     11/3/36       50,000       49,822  (a) 

DCP Midstream Operating LP, Senior Notes

    6.750     9/15/37       420,000       431,057  (a) 

Earthstone Energy Holdings LLC, Senior Notes

    8.000     4/15/27       190,000       183,160  (a) 

Endeavor Energy Resources LP/EER Finance Inc., Senior Notes

    5.750     1/30/28       290,000       285,825  (a) 

Energy Transfer LP, Junior Subordinated Notes (6.500% to 11/15/26 then 5 year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate + 5.694%)

    6.500     11/15/26       190,000       164,004  (d)(e) 

Energy Transfer LP, Junior Subordinated Notes (6.625% to 2/15/28 then 3 mo. USD LIBOR + 4.155%)

    6.625     2/15/28       170,000       124,313  (d)(e) 

Energy Transfer LP, Junior Subordinated Notes (6.750% to 5/15/25 then 5 year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate + 5.134%)

    6.750     5/15/25       1,270,000       1,109,916  (d)(e) 

Energy Transfer LP, Junior Subordinated Notes (7.125% to 5/15/30 then 5 year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate + 5.306%)

    7.125     5/15/30       960,000       808,800  (d)(e) 

EQM Midstream Partners LP, Senior Notes

    6.000     7/1/25       100,000       98,172  (a) 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

9


Table of Contents

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

November 30, 2022

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — continued

                               

EQM Midstream Partners LP, Senior Notes

    6.500     7/1/27       170,000     $ 165,138  (a) 

EQM Midstream Partners LP, Senior Notes

    5.500     7/15/28       200,000       185,560  

EQM Midstream Partners LP, Senior Notes

    7.500     6/1/30       1,570,000       1,585,700  (a) 

EQM Midstream Partners LP, Senior Notes

    4.750     1/15/31       200,000       168,611  (a) 

EQM Midstream Partners LP, Senior Notes

    6.500     7/15/48       2,140,000       1,660,519  

Hilcorp Energy I LP/Hilcorp Finance Co., Senior Notes

    6.250     4/15/32       410,000       376,661  (a) 

Howard Midstream Energy Partners LLC, Senior Notes

    6.750     1/15/27       420,000       390,732  (a) 

MEG Energy Corp., Senior Notes

    7.125     2/1/27       320,000       325,683  (a) 

MEG Energy Corp., Senior Notes

    5.875     2/1/29       900,000       855,049  (a) 

Northern Oil and Gas Inc., Senior Notes

    8.125     3/1/28       600,000       586,542  (a) 

Occidental Petroleum Corp., Senior Notes

    8.875     7/15/30       210,000       241,008  

Occidental Petroleum Corp., Senior Notes

    6.125     1/1/31       1,340,000       1,361,172  

Occidental Petroleum Corp., Senior Notes

    6.600     3/15/46       40,000       40,853  

Occidental Petroleum Corp., Senior Notes

    4.400     4/15/46       220,000       174,200  

Occidental Petroleum Corp., Senior Notes

    4.100     2/15/47       150,000       117,275  

Petrobras Global Finance BV, Senior Notes

    5.750     2/1/29       150,000       144,855  

Range Resources Corp., Senior Notes

    4.875     5/15/25       80,000       77,624  

Range Resources Corp., Senior Notes

    8.250     1/15/29       820,000       856,465  

Range Resources Corp., Senior Notes

    4.750     2/15/30       230,000       206,715  (a) 

ROCC Holdings LLC, Senior Notes

    9.250     8/15/26       1,350,000       1,352,342  (a) 

Southwestern Energy Co., Senior Notes

    4.750     2/1/32       1,800,000       1,575,746  

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

    8.500     10/15/26       290,000       278,690  (a) 

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

    6.000     12/31/30       460,000       416,873  (a) 

Venture Global Calcasieu Pass LLC, Senior Secured Notes

    4.125     8/15/31       350,000       302,274  (a) 

Venture Global Calcasieu Pass LLC, Senior Secured Notes

    3.875     11/1/33       430,000       350,450  (a) 

Western Midstream Operating LP, Senior Notes

    3.350     2/1/25       150,000       143,970  

Western Midstream Operating LP, Senior Notes

    5.450     4/1/44       800,000       658,796  

Western Midstream Operating LP, Senior Notes

    5.500     2/1/50       1,210,000       988,540  

Total Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels

                            26,955,099  

Total Energy

                            29,004,801  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

10

   Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report


Table of Contents

    

 

    

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  
Financials — 7.1%                                

Banks — 0.4%

                               

Lloyds Banking Group PLC, Junior Subordinated Notes (6.750% to 6/27/26 then 5 year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate + 4.815%)

    6.750     6/27/26       290,000     $ 274,278  (d)(e) 

UniCredit SpA, Subordinated Notes (5.459%to 6/30/30 then 5 year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate + 4.750%)

    5.459     6/30/35       840,000       664,245  (a)(d) 

Total Banks

                            938,523  

Capital Markets — 1.9%

                               

Coinbase Global Inc., Senior Notes

    3.625     10/1/31       920,000       498,070  (a) 

Compass Group Diversified Holdings LLC, Senior Notes

    5.250     4/15/29       310,000       271,394  (a) 

Credit Suisse Group AG, Junior Subordinated Notes (6.375% to 8/21/26 then 5 year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate + 4.822%)

    6.375     8/21/26       600,000       385,380  (a)(d)(e) 

Credit Suisse Group AG, Junior Subordinated Notes (7.250% to 9/12/25 then USD 5 year ICE Swap Rate + 4.332%)

    7.250     9/12/25       1,800,000       1,210,410  (a)(d)(e) 

Credit Suisse Group AG, Junior Subordinated Notes (7.500% to 7/17/23 then USD 5 year ICE Swap Rate + 4.600%)

    7.500     7/17/23       750,000       582,975  (a)(d)(e) 

Credit Suisse Group AG, Junior Subordinated Notes (9.750% to 12/23/27 then 5 year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate + 6.383%)

    9.750     6/23/27       890,000       761,039  (a)(d)(e) 

Credit Suisse Group AG, Senior Notes (6.537% to 8/12/32 then SOFR + 3.920%)

    6.537     8/12/33       770,000       675,460  (a)(d) 

StoneX Group Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    8.625     6/15/25       250,000       253,769  (a) 

Total Capital Markets

                            4,638,497  

Consumer Finance — 0.8%

                               

FirstCash Inc., Senior Notes

    4.625     9/1/28       250,000       220,371  (a) 

FirstCash Inc., Senior Notes

    5.625     1/1/30       530,000       482,740  (a) 

Midcap Financial Issuer Trust, Senior Notes

    6.500     5/1/28       550,000       480,554  (a) 

Midcap Financial Issuer Trust, Senior Notes

    5.625     1/15/30       390,000       312,289  (a) 

Paysafe Finance PLC/Paysafe Holdings US Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    4.000     6/15/29       550,000       410,619  (a) 

Total Consumer Finance

                            1,906,573  

Diversified Financial Services — 2.1%

                               

Global Aircraft Leasing Co. Ltd., Senior Notes (6.500% Cash or 7.250% PIK)

    6.500     9/15/24       3,393,942       2,838,946  (a)(b) 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

11


Table of Contents

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

November 30, 2022

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Diversified Financial Services — continued

                               

Jane Street Group/JSG Finance Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    4.500     11/15/29       1,401,000     $ 1,231,654  (a) 

LD Holdings Group LLC, Senior Notes

    6.500     11/1/25       510,000       332,382  (a) 

LD Holdings Group LLC, Senior Notes

    6.125     4/1/28       120,000       60,806  (a) 

VistaJet Malta Finance PLC/XO Management Holding Inc., Senior Notes

    6.375     2/1/30       890,000       730,913  (a) 

Total Diversified Financial Services

                            5,194,701  

Insurance — 0.4%

                               

Highlands Holdings Bond Issuer Ltd./ Highlands Holdings Bond Co-Issuer Inc., Senior Secured Notes (7.625% Cash or 8.375% PIK)

    7.625     10/15/25       704,387       656,563  (a)(b) 

Ryan Specialty Group LLC, Senior Secured Notes

    4.375     2/1/30       330,000       282,563  (a) 

Total Insurance

                            939,126  

Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) — 1.0%

                               

AFC Gamma Inc., Senior Notes

    5.750     5/1/27       660,000       515,004  (a) 

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    4.625     6/15/29       850,000       678,160  (a) 

Burford Capital Global Finance LLC, Senior Notes

    6.250     4/15/28       550,000       505,506  (a) 

Burford Capital Global Finance LLC, Senior Notes

    6.875     4/15/30       470,000       427,948  (a) 

Ladder Capital Finance Holdings LLLP/Ladder Capital Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    4.250     2/1/27       320,000       279,755  (a) 

Ladder Capital Finance Holdings LLLP/Ladder Capital Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    4.750     6/15/29       140,000       114,612  (a) 

Total Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

 

            2,520,985  

Thrifts & Mortgage Finance — 0.5%

                               

NMI Holdings Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    7.375     6/1/25       600,000       603,945  (a) 

Rocket Mortgage LLC/Rocket Mortgage Co-Issuer Inc., Senior Notes

    3.875     3/1/31       370,000       286,676  (a) 

Rocket Mortgage LLC/Rocket Mortgage Co-Issuer Inc., Senior Notes

    4.000     10/15/33       610,000       449,097  (a) 

Total Thrifts & Mortgage Finance

                            1,339,718  

Total Financials

                            17,478,123  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

12

   Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report


Table of Contents

    

 

    

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  
Health Care — 6.1%                                

Health Care Equipment & Supplies — 0.2%

                               

Medline Borrower LP, Senior Notes

    5.250     10/1/29       420,000     $ 342,773  (a) 

Medline Borrower LP, Senior Secured Notes

    3.875     4/1/29       310,000       266,874  (a) 

Total Health Care Equipment & Supplies

                            609,647  

Health Care Providers & Services — 1.8%

                               

Akumin Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    7.000     11/1/25       300,000       231,465  (a) 

Cano Health LLC, Senior Notes

    6.250     10/1/28       440,000       224,400  (a) 

CHS/Community Health Systems Inc., Secured Notes

    6.875     4/15/29       700,000       375,767  (a) 

CHS/Community Health Systems Inc., Secured Notes

    6.125     4/1/30       60,000       30,708  (a) 

CHS/Community Health Systems Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    5.250     5/15/30       1,060,000       809,654  (a) 

HCA Inc., Senior Notes

    7.500     11/15/95       680,000       728,144  

Legacy LifePoint Health LLC, Senior Secured Notes

    6.750     4/15/25       240,000       220,452  (a) 

Radiology Partners Inc., Senior Notes

    9.250     2/1/28       400,000       240,857  (a) 

Tenet Healthcare Corp., Secured Notes

    6.250     2/1/27       480,000       460,531  (a) 

Tenet Healthcare Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    4.625     6/15/28       720,000       645,663  (a) 

U.S. Renal Care Inc., Senior Notes

    10.625     7/15/27       980,000       397,538  (a) 

Total Health Care Providers & Services

                            4,365,179  

Health Care Technology — 0.2%

                               

AthenaHealth Group Inc., Senior Notes

    6.500     2/15/30       620,000       465,066  (a) 

Pharmaceuticals — 3.9%

                               

AdaptHealth LLC, Senior Notes

    6.125     8/1/28       700,000       642,531  (a) 

AdaptHealth LLC, Senior Notes

    4.625     8/1/29       160,000       133,852  (a) 

AdaptHealth LLC, Senior Notes

    5.125     3/1/30       680,000       578,724  (a) 

Bausch Health Cos. Inc., Senior Notes

    6.250     2/15/29       960,000       402,879  (a) 

Bausch Health Cos. Inc., Senior Notes

    5.250     1/30/30       440,000       184,040  (a) 

Bausch Health Cos. Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    6.125     2/1/27       500,000       333,225  (a) 

Endo Luxembourg Finance Co. I Sarl/Endo US Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    6.125     4/1/29       300,000       225,199  *(a)(f) 

Par Pharmaceutical Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    7.500     4/1/27       800,000       603,468  *(a)(f) 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

13


Table of Contents

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

November 30, 2022

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Pharmaceuticals — continued

                               

Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Netherlands III BV, Senior Notes

    3.150     10/1/26       6,075,000     $ 5,292,054  

Teva Pharmaceutical Finance Netherlands III BV, Senior Notes

    5.125     5/9/29       1,180,000       1,060,820  

Total Pharmaceuticals

                            9,456,792  

Total Health Care

                            14,896,684  
Industrials — 10.9%                                

Aerospace & Defense — 0.3%

                               

Bombardier Inc., Senior Notes

    7.875     4/15/27       410,000       403,932  (a) 

TransDigm Inc., Senior Notes

    5.500     11/15/27       90,000       84,978  

TransDigm Inc., Senior Notes

    4.625     1/15/29       140,000       123,347  

TransDigm Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    8.000     12/15/25       200,000       203,856  (a) 

Total Aerospace & Defense

                            816,113  

Air Freight & Logistics — 0.1%

                               

XPO CNW Inc., Senior Notes

    6.700     5/1/34       360,000       322,605  

Airlines — 3.2%

                               

Air Canada, Senior Secured Notes

    3.875     8/15/26       310,000       284,038  (a) 

American Airlines Inc./AAdvantage Loyalty IP Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    5.500     4/20/26       210,000       204,015  (a) 

American Airlines Inc./AAdvantage Loyalty IP Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    5.750     4/20/29       1,960,000       1,826,748  (a) 

Delta Air Lines Inc./SkyMiles IP Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    4.750     10/20/28       490,000       464,808  (a) 

Hawaiian Brand Intellectual Property Ltd./ HawaiianMiles Loyalty Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    5.750     1/20/26       920,000       873,066  (a) 

Mileage Plus Holdings LLC/Mileage Plus Intellectual Property Assets Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    6.500     6/20/27       479,750       477,949  (a) 

Spirit Loyalty Cayman Ltd./Spirit IP Cayman Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    8.000     9/20/25       1,200,000       1,214,874  (a) 

Spirit Loyalty Cayman Ltd./Spirit IP Cayman Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

    8.000     9/20/25       310,000       314,552  (a) 

United Airlines Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    4.375     4/15/26       340,000       316,889  (a) 

United Airlines Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    4.625     4/15/29       2,055,000       1,831,543  (a) 

Total Airlines

                            7,808,482  

Building Products — 0.4%

                               

Advanced Drainage Systems Inc., Senior Notes

    6.375     6/15/30       230,000       221,625  (a) 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

14

   Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report


Table of Contents

    

 

    

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Building Products — continued

                               

MIWD Holdco II LLC/MIWD Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    5.500     2/1/30       700,000     $ 574,836  (a) 

PGT Innovations Inc., Senior Notes

    4.375     10/1/29       240,000       202,429  (a) 

Total Building Products

                            998,890  

Commercial Services & Supplies — 2.8%

                               

ADT Security Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    4.125     8/1/29       280,000       244,735  (a) 

Allied Universal Holdco LLC/Allied Universal Finance Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    6.625     7/15/26       1,100,000       1,046,969  (a) 

Allied Universal Holdco LLC/Allied Universal Finance Corp./Atlas Luxco 4 Sarl, Senior Secured Notes

    4.625     6/1/28       1,000,000       842,500  (a) 

CoreCivic Inc., Senior Notes

    4.625     5/1/23       150,000       149,552  

CoreCivic Inc., Senior Notes

    8.250     4/15/26       1,530,000       1,564,775  

CoreCivic Inc., Senior Notes

    4.750     10/15/27       687,000       578,539  

GEO Group Inc., Secured Notes

    9.500     12/31/28       1,460,000       1,397,246  (a) 

Legends Hospitality Holding Co. LLC/ Legends Hospitality Co-Issuer Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    5.000     2/1/26       730,000       639,915  (a) 

Madison IAQ LLC, Senior Notes

    5.875     6/30/29       560,000       414,954  (a) 

Madison IAQ LLC, Senior Secured Notes

    4.125     6/30/28       100,000       86,579 (a) 

Total Commercial Services & Supplies

                            6,965,764  

Construction & Engineering — 0.3%

                               

Brundage-Bone Concrete Pumping Holdings Inc., Secured Notes

    6.000     2/1/26       350,000       326,100  (a) 

Empire Communities Corp., Senior Notes

    7.000     12/15/25       400,000       352,223  (a) 

Total Construction & Engineering

                            678,323  

Electrical Equipment — 0.3%

                               

Resideo Funding Inc., Senior Notes

    4.000     9/1/29       330,000       261,931  (a) 

Vertiv Group Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    4.125     11/15/28       530,000       456,425  (a) 

Total Electrical Equipment

                            718,356  

Industrial Conglomerates — 0.1%

                               

Covanta Holding Corp., Senior Notes

    4.875     12/1/29       340,000       287,747  (a) 

Machinery — 0.9%

                               

ATS Corp., Senior Notes

    4.125     12/15/28       1,090,000       935,460  (a) 

Park-Ohio Industries Inc., Senior Notes

    6.625     4/15/27       390,000       298,993  

Roller Bearing Co. of America Inc., Senior Notes

    4.375     10/15/29       500,000       438,500  (a) 

Titan International Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    7.000     4/30/28       560,000       536,236  

Total Machinery

                            2,209,189  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

15


Table of Contents

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

November 30, 2022

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Professional Services — 0.1%

                               

ZipRecruiter Inc., Senior Notes

    5.000     1/15/30       250,000     $ 204,450  (a) 

Road & Rail — 0.1%

                               

XPO Escrow Sub LLC, Senior Notes

    7.500     11/15/27       120,000       121,942  (a) 

Trading Companies & Distributors — 2.1%

                               

Alta Equipment Group Inc., Secured Notes

    5.625     4/15/26       490,000       432,789  (a) 

Foundation Building Materials Inc., Senior Notes

    6.000     3/1/29       230,000       172,048  (a) 

H&E Equipment Services Inc., Senior Notes

    3.875     12/15/28       2,070,000       1,792,403  (a) 

United Rentals North America Inc., Senior Notes

    4.875     1/15/28       160,000       153,641  

United Rentals North America Inc., Senior Notes

    5.250     1/15/30       1,230,000       1,160,942  

United Rentals North America Inc., Senior Notes

    3.875     2/15/31       640,000       551,386  

United Rentals North America Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    6.000     12/15/29       950,000       956,564  (a) 

Total Trading Companies & Distributors

                            5,219,773  

Transportation Infrastructure — 0.2%

                               

Carriage Purchaser Inc., Senior Notes

    7.875     10/15/29       560,000       405,003  (a) 

Total Industrials

                            26,756,637  
Information Technology — 2.9%                                

Communications Equipment — 1.6%

                               

Central Parent Inc./CDK Global Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    7.250     6/15/29       660,000       637,702  (a) 

CommScope Inc., Senior Notes

    8.250     3/1/27       1,030,000       885,800  (a) 

CommScope Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    4.750     9/1/29       2,370,000       1,999,000  (a) 

CommScope Technologies LLC, Senior Notes

    5.000     3/15/27       90,000       68,822  (a) 

Viavi Solutions Inc., Senior Notes

    3.750     10/1/29       290,000       239,779  (a) 

Total Communications Equipment

                            3,831,103  

IT Services — 0.3%

                               

Clarivate Science Holdings Corp., Senior Notes

    4.875     7/1/29       350,000       300,121  (a) 

Sabre GLBL Inc., Senior Secured Notes

    11.250     12/15/27       520,000       533,325  (a)(g) 

Total IT Services

                            833,446  

Software — 0.5%

                               

Elastic NV, Senior Notes

    4.125     7/15/29       380,000       309,617  (a) 

Gen Digital Inc., Senior Notes

    7.125     9/30/30       250,000       252,327  (a) 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

16

   Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report


Table of Contents

 

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Software — continued

                               

Open Text Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    6.900     12/1/27       260,000     $ 260,640  (a)(g) 

ZoomInfo Technologies LLC/ZoomInfo Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    3.875     2/1/29       380,000       321,404  (a) 

Total Software

                            1,143,988  

Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals — 0.5%

 

                       

CA Magnum Holdings, Senior Secured Notes

    5.375     10/31/26       540,000       478,435  (a) 

NCR Corp., Senior Notes

    5.125     4/15/29       170,000       146,435  (a) 

Vericast Corp., Senior Secured Notes

    11.000     9/15/26       720,000       746,100  (a) 

Total Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals

 

            1,370,970  

Total Information Technology

                            7,179,507  
Materials — 5.9%                                

Chemicals — 0.6%

                               

Anagram International Inc./Anagram Holdings LLC, Secured Notes (5.000% Cash and 5.000% PIK or 10.000% Cash or 10.000% PIK)

    10.000     8/15/26       106,509       95,059  (a)(b) 

INEOS Quattro Finance 2 PLC, Senior Secured Notes

    3.375     1/15/26       900,000       801,162  (a) 

LSF11 A5 Holdco LLC, Senior Notes

    6.625     10/15/29       400,000       329,984  (a) 

Olin Corp., Senior Notes

    5.000     2/1/30       200,000       181,751  

Total Chemicals

                            1,407,956  

Construction Materials — 0.4%

                               

Smyrna Ready Mix Concrete LLC, Senior Secured Notes

    6.000     11/1/28       340,000       303,219  (a) 

Summit Materials LLC/Summit Materials Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    5.250     1/15/29       910,000       841,067  (a) 

Total Construction Materials

                            1,144,286  

Containers & Packaging — 2.5%

                               

ARD Finance SA, Senior Secured Notes (6.500% Cash or 7.250% PIK)

    6.500     6/30/27       1,350,000       1,001,558  (a)(b) 

Ardagh Metal Packaging Finance USA LLC/ Ardagh Metal Packaging Finance PLC, Senior Notes

    4.000     9/1/29       200,000       160,273  (a) 

Ardagh Metal Packaging Finance USA LLC/ Ardagh Metal Packaging Finance PLC, Senior Secured Notes

    6.000     6/15/27       1,140,000       1,114,122  (a) 

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

    5.250     8/15/27       1,260,000       955,269  (a) 

Ball Corp., Senior Notes

    2.875     8/15/30       950,000       773,652  

Ball Corp., Senior Notes

    3.125     9/15/31       770,000       612,684  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

17


Table of Contents

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

November 30, 2022

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Containers & Packaging — continued

                               

Canpack SA/Canpack US LLC, Senior Notes

    3.875     11/15/29       1,460,000     $ 1,152,539  (a) 

Cascades Inc./Cascades USA Inc., Senior Notes

    5.375     1/15/28       330,000       292,152  (a) 

Pactiv LLC, Senior Notes

    8.375     4/15/27       10,000       9,179  

Total Containers & Packaging

                            6,071,428  

Metals & Mining — 2.4%

                               

First Quantum Minerals Ltd., Senior Notes

    7.500     4/1/25       1,350,000       1,332,099  (a) 

First Quantum Minerals Ltd., Senior Notes

    6.875     10/15/27       1,580,000       1,507,424  (a) 

Freeport-McMoRan Inc., Senior Notes

    5.450     3/15/43       1,780,000       1,598,129  

Hudbay Minerals Inc., Senior Notes

    4.500     4/1/26       190,000       172,296  (a) 

Hudbay Minerals Inc., Senior Notes

    6.125     4/1/29       1,390,000       1,246,179  (a) 

Total Metals & Mining

                            5,856,127  

Total Materials

                            14,479,797  
Real Estate — 2.4%                                

Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) — 2.0%

 

                       

Diversified Healthcare Trust, Senior Notes

    9.750     6/15/25       380,000       366,708  

Diversified Healthcare Trust, Senior Notes

    4.750     2/15/28       400,000       274,608  

Diversified Healthcare Trust, Senior Notes

    4.375     3/1/31       930,000       648,703  

GEO Group Inc., Secured Notes

    10.500     6/30/28       347,000       351,841  

IIP Operating Partnership LP, Senior Notes

    5.500     5/25/26       970,000       857,561  

Iron Mountain Information Management Services Inc., Senior Notes

    5.000     7/15/32       380,000       321,573  (a) 

MPT Operating Partnership LP/MPT Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    4.625     8/1/29       320,000       252,149  

Park Intermediate Holdings LLC/PK Domestic Property LLC/PK Finance Co-Issuer, Senior Secured Notes

    5.875     10/1/28       150,000       139,110  (a) 

Service Properties Trust, Senior Notes

    4.500     3/15/25       160,000       142,160  

Service Properties Trust, Senior Notes

    5.500     12/15/27       1,110,000       967,087  

Service Properties Trust, Senior Notes

    4.950     10/1/29       720,000       524,670  

Total Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

 

            4,846,170  

Real Estate Management & Development — 0.4%

 

               

Five Point Operating Co. LP/Five Point Capital Corp., Senior Notes

    7.875     11/15/25       620,000       527,914  (a) 

Forestar Group Inc., Senior Notes

    3.850     5/15/26       390,000       345,047  (a) 

Forestar Group Inc., Senior Notes

    5.000     3/1/28       120,000       102,497  (a) 

Total Real Estate Management & Development

 

            975,458  

Total Real Estate

                            5,821,628  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

18

   Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report


Table of Contents

 

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  
Utilities — 0.4%                                

Gas Utilities — 0.2%

                               

Suburban Propane Partners LP/Suburban Energy Finance Corp., Senior Notes

    5.000     6/1/31       290,000     $ 248,331  (a) 

Superior Plus LP/Superior General Partner Inc., Senior Notes

    4.500     3/15/29       190,000       162,452  (a) 

Total Gas Utilities

                            410,783  

Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers — 0.2%

                               

TransAlta Corp., Senior Notes

    7.750     11/15/29       560,000       576,027  

Total Utilities

                            986,810  

Total Corporate Bonds & Notes (Cost — $229,530,794)

 

            205,822,410  
Asset-Backed Securities — 4.4%                                

AB BSL CLO Ltd., 2021-2A D (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 3.350%)

    7.429     4/15/34       250,000       223,997  (a)(d) 

AIG CLO LLC, 2018-1A DR (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 3.100%)

    7.343     4/20/32       280,000       266,718  (a)(d) 

Aimco CLO Ltd., 2020-12A DR (3 mo. Term SOFR + 2.900%)

    6.764     1/17/32       370,000       333,447  (a)(d) 

Ballyrock CLO Ltd., 2018-1A C (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 3.150%)

    7.393     4/20/31       1,575,000       1,448,956  (a)(d) 

Ballyrock CLO Ltd., 2022-19A D (3 mo. Term SOFR + 7.110%)

    11.073     4/20/35       670,000       573,099  (a)(d) 

Barings CLO Ltd., 2018-3A D (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 2.900%)

    7.143     7/20/29       250,000       231,551  (a)(d) 

Battalion CLO Ltd., 2017-11A DR (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 3.650%)

    7.975     4/24/34       250,000       236,553  (a)(d) 

Battalion CLO Ltd., 2021-20A D (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 3.100%)

    7.179     7/15/34       250,000       230,784  (a)(d) 

BlueMountain CLO Ltd., 2016-2A DR (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 7.790%)

    12.465     8/20/32       250,000       215,043  (a)(d) 

BlueMountain CLO Ltd., 2021-31A E (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 6.530%)

    10.757     4/19/34       160,000       138,934  (a)(d) 

Bristol Park CLO Ltd., 2016-1A ER (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 7.000%)

    11.079     4/15/29       300,000       264,883  (a)(d) 

Carlyle US CLO Ltd., 2017-2A C (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 3.700%)

    7.943     7/20/31       250,000       226,433  (a)(d) 

Cathedral Lake Ltd., 2021-6A E (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 7.210%)

    11.568     4/25/34       125,000       107,303  (a)(d) 

Cook Park CLO Ltd., 2018-1A E (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 5.400%)

    9.479     4/17/30       250,000       200,462  (a)(d) 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

19


Table of Contents

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

November 30, 2022

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  
Asset-Backed Securities — continued                                

Dryden Senior Loan Fund, 2015-40A DR (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 3.100%)

    7.706     8/15/31       250,000     $ 233,545  (a)(d) 

Eaton Vance CLO Ltd., 2020-2A ER (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 6.500%)

    10.579     1/15/35       410,000       368,573  (a)(d) 

Greenwood Park CLO Ltd., 2018-1A D (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 2.500%)

    6.579     4/15/31       350,000       316,178  (a)(d) 

Greenwood Park CLO Ltd., 2018-1A E (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 4.950%)

    9.029     4/15/31       250,000       207,099  (a)(d) 

Grippen Park CLO Ltd., 2017-1A E (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 5.700%)

    9.943     1/20/30       460,000       404,106  (a)(d) 

Halsey Point CLO Ltd., 2019-1A E (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 7.700%)

    11.943     1/20/33       350,000       322,845  (a)(d) 

Jay Park CLO Ltd., 2016-1A DR (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 5.200%)

    9.443     10/20/27       350,000       320,495  (a)(d) 

Magnetite Ltd., 2015-12A ER (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 5.680%)

    9.759     10/15/31       750,000       658,091  (a)(d) 

Marble Point CLO Ltd., 2018-2A D (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 3.530%)

    7.773     1/20/32       500,000       442,379  (a)(d) 

MKS CLO Ltd., 2017-2A D (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 2.650%)

    6.893     1/20/31       250,000       223,711  (a)(d) 

Mountain View CLO Ltd., 2015-9A CR (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 3.120%)

    7.199     7/15/31       250,000       207,443  (a)(d) 

Neuberger Berman Loan Advisers CLO Ltd., 2017-25A DR (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 2.850%)

    7.044     10/18/29       250,000       233,765  (a)(d) 

Neuberger Berman Loan Advisers CLO Ltd., 2021-40A D (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 2.750%)

    6.829     4/16/33       250,000       231,315  (a)(d) 

Ocean Trails CLO, 2014-5A DRR (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 3.450%)

    7.391     10/13/31       300,000       270,477  (a)(d) 

Palmer Square Loan Funding Ltd., 2022-3A C (3 mo. Term SOFR + 5.400%)

    9.405     4/15/31       270,000       269,016  (a)(d) 

Sculptor CLO Ltd., 26A E (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 7.250%)

    11.493     7/20/34       310,000       277,678  (a)(d) 

THL Credit Wind River CLO Ltd., 2017-3A ER (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 7.050%)

    11.129     4/15/35       250,000       218,364  (a)(d) 

TICP CLO Ltd., 2018-IIA C (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 2.950%)

    7.193     4/20/28       310,000       304,632  (a)(d) 

Venture CLO Ltd., 2014-17A DRR (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 2.820%)

    6.899     4/15/27       350,000       335,261  (a)(d) 

Venture CLO Ltd., 2014-17A ERR (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 5.740%)

    9.819     4/15/27       350,000       285,425  (a)(d) 

Total Asset-Backed Securities (Cost — $11,600,015)

 

            10,828,561  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

20

   Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report


Table of Contents

    

 

    

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  
Senior Loans — 4.4%                                
Communication Services — 0.3%                                

Media — 0.3%

                               

DirecTV Financing LLC, Closing Date Term Loan (1 mo. USD LIBOR + 5.000%)

    9.071     8/2/27       794,844     $ 763,321  (d)(h)(i) 
Consumer Discretionary — 1.2%                                

Auto Components — 0.4%

                               

Clarios Global LP, First Lien Amendment No. 1 Dollar Term Loan (1 mo. USD LIBOR + 3.250%)

    7.321     4/30/26       490,221       483,735  (d)(h)(i) 

First Brands Group LLC, 2021 First Lien Term Loan (3 mo. Term SOFR + 5.000%)

    8.368     3/30/27       334,900       325,131  (d)(h)(i) 

Truck Hero Inc., Initial Term Loan (1 mo. USD LIBOR + 3.750%)

    7.821     1/31/28       364,450       309,600  (d)(h)(i) 

Total Auto Components

                            1,118,466  

Diversified Consumer Services — 0.3%

                               

Adtalem Global Education Inc., Term Loan B (1 mo. USD LIBOR + 4.000%)

    8.016     8/12/28       270,430       267,528  (d)(h)(i) 

WW International Inc., Initial Term Loan (1 mo. USD LIBOR + 3.500%)

    7.580     4/13/28       676,000       423,345  (d)(h)(i) 

Total Diversified Consumer Services

                            690,873  

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 0.2%

                               

Equinox Holdings Inc., Term Loan B2 (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 9.000%)

    12.674     3/8/24       439,875       354,100  (d)(h)(i)(j) 

Scientific Games International Inc., Initial Term Loan B (1 mo. Term SOFR + 3.000%)

    6.896     4/13/29       249,375       245,073  (d)(h)(i) 

Total Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure

                            599,173  

Specialty Retail — 0.3%

                               

Spencer Spirit IH LLC, Initial Term Loan (1 mo. USD LIBOR + 6.000%)

    9.836     6/19/26       699,539       689,812  (d)(h)(i) 

Total Consumer Discretionary

                            3,098,324  
Financials — 0.3%                                

Diversified Financial Services — 0.2%

                               

Citadel Securities LP, Incremental Term Loan B (1 mo. Term SOFR + 3.114%)

    7.201     2/2/28       250,000       248,829  (d)(h)(i) 

Deerfield Dakota Holding LLC, 2021 Replacement Term Loan (1 mo. USD LIBOR + 6.750%)

    10.821     4/7/28       200,000       193,583  (d)(h)(i) 

Total Diversified Financial Services

                            442,412  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

21


Table of Contents

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

November 30, 2022

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Insurance — 0.1%

                               

Asurion LLC, New Term Loan B10 (3 mo. Term SOFR + 4.100%)

    7.653     8/21/28       310,000     $ 272,574  (d)(h)(i) 

Total Financials

                            714,986  
Health Care — 0.8%                                

Health Care Providers & Services — 0.8%

                               

EyeCare Partners LLC, First Lien Amendment No. 2 Term Loan (1 mo. Term SOFR + 4.500%)

    7.621     11/15/28       290,000       261,000  (d)(h)(i) 

EyeCare Partners LLC, First Lien Initial Term Loan (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 3.750%)

    7.424     2/18/27       556,619       485,094  (d)(h)(i) 

One Call Corp., First Lien Term Loan B (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 5.500%)

    9.875     4/22/27       770,250       589,241  (d)(h)(i) 

U.S. Renal Care Inc., First Lien Term Loan B (1 mo. USD LIBOR + 5.000%)

    9.125     6/26/26       952,053       542,375  (d)(h)(i) 

Total Health Care

                            1,877,710  
Industrials — 0.6%                                

Airlines — 0.4%

                               

United Airlines Inc., Term Loan B (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 3.750%)

    8.108     4/21/28       998,348       988,719  (d)(h)(i) 

Commercial Services & Supplies — 0.1%

                               

Verscend Holding Corp., New Term Loan B (1 mo. USD LIBOR + 4.000%)

    8.071     8/27/25       249,369       248,144  (d)(h)(i) 

Transportation Infrastructure — 0.1%

                               

Carriage Purchaser Inc., Term Loan B (1 mo. USD LIBOR + 4.250%)

    8.321     9/29/28       249,370       227,021  (d)(h)(i) 

Total Industrials

                            1,463,884  
Information Technology — 0.9%                                

Communications Equipment — 0.1%

                               

Global Tel Link Corp., First Lien Term Loan (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 4.250%)

    8.477     11/29/25       266,704       231,387  (d)(h)(i) 

IT Services — 0.2%

                               

Redstone Holdco 2 LP, First Lien Initial Term Loan (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 4.750%)

    9.108     4/27/28       275,956       190,698  (d)(h)(i) 

Redstone Holdco 2 LP, Second Lien Initial Term Loan (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 7.750%)

    12.108     4/27/29       580,000       263,778  (d)(h)(i) 

Total IT Services

                            454,476  

Software — 0.6%

                               

DCert Buyer Inc., First Lien Initial Term Loan (6 mo. Term SOFR + 4.000%)

    8.696     10/16/26       490,000       472,414  (d)(h)(i) 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

22

   Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report


Table of Contents

    

 

    

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  

Software — continued

                               

DCert Buyer Inc., Second Lien Initial Term Loan (3 mo. USD LIBOR + 7.000%)

    11.696     2/19/29       790,000     $ 723,842  (d)(h)(i) 

Peraton Corp., First Lien Term Loan B (1 mo. USD LIBOR + 3.750%)

    7.821     2/1/28       249,356       244,095  (d)(h)(i) 

Total Software

                            1,440,351  

Total Information Technology

                            2,126,214  
Materials — 0.3%                                

Construction Materials — 0.1%

                               

Smyrna Ready Mix Concrete LLC, Initial Term Loan (1 mo. Term SOFR + 4.250%)

    8.436     4/2/29       249,375       245,634  (d)(h)(i)(j) 

Metals & Mining — 0.2%

                               

Arctic Canadian Diamond Co. Ltd., Second Lien Term Loan (5.000% Cash and 12.500% PIK)

    17.500     12/31/27       565,555       477,152  (b)(h)(i)(j)(k) 

Total Materials

                            722,786  

Total Senior Loans (Cost — $12,274,974)

                            10,767,225  
Convertible Bonds & Notes — 1.6%                                
Communication Services — 1.0%                                

Diversified Telecommunication Services — 0.1%

                               

Liberty Latin America Ltd., Senior Notes

    2.000     7/15/24       60,000       53,437  

Interactive Media & Services — 0.0%††

                               

Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings Inc., Senior Notes

    0.500     6/30/51       70,000       49,385  (a) 

Media — 0.9%

                               

DISH Network Corp., Senior Notes

    2.375     3/15/24       740,000       663,206  

DISH Network Corp., Senior Notes

    3.375     8/15/26       2,300,000       1,495,000  

Total Media

                            2,158,206  

Total Communication Services

                            2,261,028  
Consumer Discretionary — 0.1%                                

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 0.1%

                               

DraftKings Holdings Inc., Senior Notes

    0.000     3/15/28       450,000       291,600  
Financials — 0.1%                                

Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) — 0.1%

                               

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance Inc., Senior Notes

    5.375     10/15/23       180,000       176,625  

Blackstone Mortgage Trust Inc., Senior Notes

    5.500     3/15/27       130,000       114,725  

Total Financials

                            291,350  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

23


Table of Contents

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

November 30, 2022

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security   Rate     Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
    Value  
Industrials — 0.4%                                

Airlines — 0.4%

                               

Spirit Airlines Inc., Senior Notes

    1.000     5/15/26       1,220,000     $ 1,008,940  

Total Convertible Bonds & Notes (Cost — $4,776,194)

 

            3,852,918  
                   Shares         
Preferred Stocks — 0.3%                                
Financials — 0.3%                                

Capital Markets — 0.3%

                               

B Riley Financial Inc.

    5.000             15,825       340,554  

B Riley Financial Inc.

    5.250             9,750       198,998  

B Riley Financial Inc.

    6.000             13,400       287,564  

Total Preferred Stocks (Cost — $974,375)

                            827,116  
            Maturity
Date
    Face
Amount†
        
Sovereign Bonds — 0.3%                                

Argentina — 0.3%

                               

Argentine Republic Government International Bond, Senior Notes

    1.000     7/9/29       47,191       12,073  

Argentine Republic Government International Bond, Senior Notes, Step bond (0.500% to 7/9/23 then 0.750%)

    0.500     7/9/30       586,653       151,927  

Argentine Republic Government International Bond, Senior Notes, Step bond (1.500% to 7/9/23 then 3.625%)

    1.500     7/9/35       93,946       22,078  

Provincia de Buenos Aires, Senior Notes, Step bond (5.250% to 9/1/23 then 6.375%)

    5.250     9/1/37       1,461,542       492,350  (a) 

Total Sovereign Bonds (Cost — $1,092,520)

                            678,428  
                   Shares/Units         
Common Stocks — 0.3%                                
Energy — 0.3%                                

Energy Equipment & Services — 0.0%††

                               

KCAD Holdings I Ltd.

                    819,262,754       0  *(j)(k)(l) 

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — 0.3%

                               

Berry Corp.

                    35,911       323,558  

Chord Energy Corp.

                    1,925       293,620  

Permian Production Partners LLC

                    21,667       14,084  *(j)(k) 

Total Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels

                            631,262  

Total Energy

                            631,262  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

24

   Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report


Table of Contents

    

 

    

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

(Percentages shown based on Fund net assets)

 

Security                 Shares/Units     Value  
Materials — 0.0%††                                

Metals & Mining — 0.0%††

                               

Arctic Canadian Diamond Co. Ltd.

                    541     $ 0  *(j)(k)(l) 

Total Common Stocks (Cost — $7,081,682)

                            631,262  
     Rate            Shares         
Convertible Preferred Stocks — 0.2%                                
Energy — 0.2%                                

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — 0.2%

                               

MPLX LP (Cost — $521,658)

    8.462             16,051       577,836  (j)(k) 
            Expiration
Date
    Warrants         
Warrants — 0.0%††                                
Financials — 0.0%††                                

Capital Markets — 0.0%††

                               

EG Acquisition Corp., Class A Shares (Cost — $16,407)

            5/28/28       17,136       3,684  * 

Total Investments before Short-Term Investments
(Cost — $267,868,619)

                            233,989,440  
     Rate            Shares         
Short-Term Investments — 1.3%                                

Western Asset Premier Institutional Government Reserves, Premium Shares (Cost — $3,049,748)

    3.749             3,049,748       3,049,748  (m)(n) 

Total Investments — 96.9% (Cost — $270,918,367)

 

            237,039,188  

Other Assets in Excess of Liabilities — 3.1%

                            7,636,166  

Total Net Assets — 100.0%

                          $ 244,675,354  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

25


Table of Contents

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

November 30, 2022

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

 

 

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

 

Represents less than 0.1%.

*

Non-income producing security.

 

(a)

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

 

(b)

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

 

(c)

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

 

(d) 

Variable rate security. Interest rate disclosed is as of the most recent information available. Certain variable rate securities are not based on a published reference rate and spread but are determined by the issuer or agent and are based on current market conditions. These securities do not indicate a reference rate and spread in their description above.

 

(e)

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

 

(f) 

The coupon payment on this security is currently in default as of November 30, 2022.

 

(g) 

Securities traded on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis.

 

(h)

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

 

(i)

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

 

(j)

Security is valued using significant unobservable inputs (Note 1).

 

(k)

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

 

(l) 

Value is less than $1.

 

(m) 

Rate shown is one-day yield as of the end of the reporting period.

 

(n)

In this instance, as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, an “Affiliated Company” represents Fund ownership of at least 5% of the outstanding voting securities of an issuer, or a company which is under common ownership or control with the Fund. At November 30, 2022, the total market value of investments in Affiliated Companies was $3,049,748 and the cost was $3,049,748 (Note 9).

 

Abbreviation(s) used in this schedule:

CLO   — Collateralized Loan Obligation
EUR   — Euro
GBP   — British Pound
ICE   — Intercontinental Exchange
LIBOR   — London Interbank Offered Rate
PIK   — Payment-In-Kind
SOFR   — Secured Overnight Financing Rate
USD   — United States Dollar

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

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Western Asset High Yield Fund

At November 30, 2022, the Fund had the following open futures contracts:

 

     

Number of

Contracts

    

Expiration

Date

    

Notional

Amount

    

Market

Value

    

Unrealized

Appreciation

 
Contracts to Buy:                                             
U.S. Treasury 5-Year Notes      76        3/23      $ 8,211,093      $ 8,251,344      $ 40,251  

At November 30, 2022, the Fund had the following open forward foreign currency contracts:

 

Currency

Purchased

   

Currency

Sold

    Counterparty   Settlement
Date
   

Unrealized
Appreciation

(Depreciation)

 
EUR     1,450,132     USD     1,441,388     Citibank N.A.     1/18/23     $ 73,717  
GBP     1,510,000     USD     1,738,342     Citibank N.A.     1/18/23       84,693  
USD     1,510,554     EUR     1,450,132     Citibank N.A.     1/18/23       (4,552)  
USD     1,793,096     GBP     1,510,000     Citibank N.A.     1/18/23       (29,939)  
EUR     120,000     USD     120,079     Goldman Sachs Group Inc.     1/18/23       5,298  
EUR     228,000     USD     227,156     Goldman Sachs Group Inc.     1/18/23       11,059  
GBP     5,934,253     USD     7,048,539     Goldman Sachs Group Inc.     1/18/23       115,933  
USD     362,458     EUR     348,000     Goldman Sachs Group Inc.     1/18/23       (1,135)  
USD     453,687     GBP     400,000     Goldman Sachs Group Inc.     1/18/23       (29,236)  
USD     6,368,956     GBP     5,534,253     Goldman Sachs Group Inc.     1/18/23       (312,592)  
EUR     21,669     USD     21,772     Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc.     1/18/23       868  
EUR     230,000     USD     230,610     Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc.     1/18/23       9,695  
EUR     478,000     USD     471,616     Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc.     1/18/23       27,801  
USD     760,049     EUR     729,669     Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc.     1/18/23       (2,312)  
Total                                   $ (50,702)  

 

Abbreviation(s) used in this table:

EUR —   Euro
GBP —   British Pound
USD —   United States Dollar

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

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Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

November 30, 2022

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

 

 

At November 30, 2022, the Fund had the following open swap contracts:

 

CENTRALLY CLEARED CREDIT DEFAULT SWAPS ON CORPORATE ISSUES — SELL PROTECTION1  

Reference

Entity

 

Notional

Amount2

   

Termination
Date

   

Implied

Credit

Spread at

November 30,

20223

 

Periodic

Payments

Received by

the Fund†

   

Market

Value

   

Upfront

Premiums

Paid

(Received)

   

Unrealized

Appreciation

(Depreciation)

 
Ford Motor Co., 4.346%, due 12/8/26   $ 800,000       12/20/26     2.867%     5.000% quarterly     $ 61,355     $ 96,386     $ (35,031)  
Occidental Petroleum Corp., 5.550%, due 3/15/26     800,000       6/20/26     1.070%     1.000% quarterly       (1,832)       (26,139)       24,307  
Total   $ 1,600,000                         $ 59,523     $ 70,247     $ (10,724)  

 

CENTRALLY CLEARED CREDIT DEFAULT SWAPS ON CORPORATE ISSUES — BUY PROTECTION4  

Reference

Entity

 

Notional

Amount2

   

Termination
Date

   

Implied

Credit

Spread at

November 30,

20223

 

Periodic

Payments

Made by

the Fund†

 

Market

Value

   

Upfront

Premiums

Paid

(Received)

   

Unrealized

Depreciation

 
Beazer Homes USA Inc., 6.750%, due 3/15/25   $ 460,000       12/20/27     5.946%   5.000% quarterly   $ 16,598     $ 55,456     $ (38,858)  
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 5.000%, due 5/31/26     460,000       6/20/27     4.346%   5.000% quarterly     (12,931)       (7,582)       (5,349)  
KB Home, 6.875%, due 6/15/27     644,000       12/20/27     3.546%   5.000% quarterly     (38,792)       (6,115)       (32,677)  
Macy’s Retail Holdings LLC, 4.500%, due 12/15/34     460,000       12/20/27     3.393%   1.000% quarterly     46,556       93,166       (46,610)  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

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Western Asset High Yield Fund

 

CENTRALLY CLEARED CREDIT DEFAULT SWAPS ON CORPORATE ISSUES — BUY PROTECTION4 (cont’d)  

Reference

Entity

 

Notional

Amount2

   

Termination
Date

   

Implied

Credit

Spread at

November 30,

20223

 

Periodic

Payments

Made by

the Fund

   

Market

Value

   

Upfront

Premiums

Paid

(Received)

   

Unrealized

Depreciation

 
NOVA Chemicals Corp., 4.875%, due 6/1/24   $ 362,000       6/20/27     4.133%     5.000% quarterly       (12,302)     $ (8,256)     $ (4,046)  
Xerox Corp., 3.800%, due 5/15/24     183,000       6/20/27     3.889%     1.000% quarterly       19,274       23,612       (4,338)  
Total   $ 2,569,000                         $ 18,403     $ 150,281     $ (131,878)  

 

1 

If the Fund is a seller of protection and a credit event occurs, as defined under the terms of that particular swap agreement, the Fund will either (i) pay to the buyer of protection an amount equal to the notional amount of the swap and take delivery of the referenced obligation or underlying securities comprising the referenced index or (ii) pay a net settlement amount in the form of cash or securities equal to the notional amount of the swap less the recovery value of the referenced obligation or underlying securities comprising the referenced index.

 

2 

The maximum potential amount the Fund could be required to pay as a seller of credit protection or receive as a buyer of credit protection if a credit event occurs as defined under the terms of that particular swap agreement.

 

3 

Implied credit spreads, utilized in determining the market value of credit default swap agreements on corporate or sovereign issues as of period end, serve as an indicator of the current status of the payment/performance risk and represent the likelihood or risk of default for the credit derivative. The implied credit spread of a particular referenced entity reflects the cost of buying/selling protection and may include upfront payments required to be made to enter into the agreement. Wider credit spreads represent a deterioration of the referenced entity’s credit soundness and a greater likelihood or risk of default or other credit event occurring as defined under the terms of the agreement. A credit spread identified as “Defaulted” indicates a credit event has occurred for the referenced entity or obligation.

 

4 

If the Fund is a buyer of protection and a credit event occurs, as defined under the terms of that particular swap agreement, the Fund will either (i) receive from the seller of protection an amount equal to the notional amount of the swap and deliver the referenced obligation or the underlying securities comprising the referenced index or (ii) receive a net settlement amount in the form of cash or securities equal to the notional amount of the swap less the recovery value of the referenced obligation or the underlying securities comprising the referenced index.

 

Percentage shown is an annual percentage rate.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

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Table of Contents

Statement of assets and liabilities (unaudited)

November 30, 2022

 

Assets:         

Investments in unaffiliated securities, at value (Cost — $267,868,619)

   $ 233,989,440  

Investments in affiliated securities, at value (Cost — $3,049,748)

     3,049,748  

Foreign currency, at value (Cost — $211,394)

     212,579  

Cash

     1,026,649  

Receivable for securities sold

     5,685,196  

Interest receivable

     3,817,395  

Deposits with brokers for centrally cleared swap contracts

     866,000  

Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency contracts

     329,064  

Deposits with brokers for open futures contracts

     185,327  

Receivable for Fund shares sold

     62,966  

Foreign currency collateral for centrally cleared swap contracts, at value (Cost — $50,873)

     47,975  

Receivable from brokers — net variation margin on open futures contracts

     34,437  

Dividends receivable from affiliated investments

     2,923  

Prepaid expenses

     41,490  

Total Assets

     249,351,189  
Liabilities:         

Payable for securities purchased

     3,630,710  

Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency contracts

     379,766  

Payable for Fund shares repurchased

     338,121  

Investment management fee payable

     96,573  

Distributions payable

     47,378  

Service and/or distribution fees payable

     35,611  

Payable to brokers — net variation margin on centrally cleared swap contracts

     4,498  

Directors’ fees payable

     2,194  

Accrued expenses

     140,984  

Total Liabilities

     4,675,835  
Total Net Assets    $ 244,675,354  
Net Assets:         

Par value (Note 7)

   $ 36,260  

Paid-in capital in excess of par value

     339,594,972  

Total distributable earnings (loss)

     (94,955,878)  
Total Net Assets    $ 244,675,354  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

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Net Assets:         

Class A

     $173,780,118  

Class C

     $1,347,031  

Class R

     $167,792  

Class I

     $37,354,105  

Class IS

     $32,026,308  
Shares Outstanding:         

Class A

     25,748,872  

Class C

     201,407  

Class R

     25,038  

Class I

     5,575,903  

Class IS

     4,708,757  
Net Asset Value:         

Class A (and redemption price)

     $6.75  

Class C*

     $6.69  

Class R (and redemption price)

     $6.70  

Class I (and redemption price)

     $6.70  

Class IS (and redemption price)

     $6.80  
Maximum Public Offering Price Per Share:         

Class A (based on maximum initial sales charge of 3.75%; 4.25% prior to August 15, 2022)

     $7.01  

 

*

Redemption price per share is NAV of Class C shares reduced by a 1.00% CDSC if shares are redeemed within one year from purchase payment (Note 2).

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

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Table of Contents

Statement of operations (unaudited)

For the Six Months Ended November 30, 2022

 

Investment Income:         

Interest from unaffiliated investments

   $ 5,092,038  

Interest from affiliated investments

     1,116  

Dividends from unaffiliated investments

     196,903  

Dividends from affiliated investments

     16,485  

Income from payment in-kind

     306,357  

Less: Foreign taxes withheld

     (33,490)  

Total Investment Income

     5,579,409  
Expenses:         

Investment management fee (Note 2)

     393,946  

Service and/or distribution fees (Notes 2 and 5)

     93,884  

Registration fees

     44,925  

Transfer agent fees (Note 5)

     41,959  

Fund accounting fees

     36,115  

Audit and tax fees

     30,268  

Legal fees

     5,513  

Shareholder reports

     5,035  

Directors’ fees

     2,932  

Commitment fees (Note 10)

     661  

Interest expense

     609  

Insurance

     427  

Custody fees

     425  

Miscellaneous expenses

     5,763  

Total Expenses

     662,462  

Less: Fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements (Notes 2 and 5)

     (58,061)  

Net Expenses

     604,401  
Net Investment Income      4,975,008  

Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments, Futures Contracts,

Swap Contracts, Forward Foreign Currency Contracts and Foreign Currency Transactions (Notes 1, 3 and 4):

        

Net Realized Gain (Loss) From:

        

Investment transactions in unaffiliated securities

     (13,125,532)  

Investment transactions in affiliated securities

     12,523  

Futures contracts

     (393,003)  

Swap contracts

     (114,063)  

Forward foreign currency contracts

     4,096  

Foreign currency transactions

     31,277  

Net Realized Loss

     (13,584,702)  

Change in Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) From:

        

Investments in unaffiliated securities

     (16,050,621)  

Investments in affiliated securities

     (25,211)  

Futures contracts

     26,039  

Swap contracts

     (118,198)  

Forward foreign currency contracts

     (51,728)  

Foreign currencies

     14,099  

Change in Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

     (16,205,620)  
Net Loss on Investments, Futures Contracts, Swap Contracts, Forward Foreign Currency Contracts and Foreign Currency Transactions      (29,790,322)  
Decrease in Net Assets From Operations    $ (24,815,314)  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

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Statements of changes in net assets

 

For the Six Months Ended November 30, 2022 (unaudited)
and the Year Ended May 31, 2022
   November 30      May 31  
Operations:                  

Net investment income

   $ 4,975,008      $ 11,118,383  

Net realized loss

     (13,584,702)        (5,973,479)  

Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

     (16,205,620)        (17,357,907)  

Decrease in Net Assets From Operations

     (24,815,314)        (12,213,003)  
Distributions to Shareholders From (Notes 1 and 6):                  

Total distributable earnings

     (4,964,056)        (11,056,730)  

Decrease in Net Assets From Distributions to Shareholders

     (4,964,056)        (11,056,730)  
Fund Share Transactions (Note 7):                  

Net proceeds from sale of shares

     41,762,489        176,972,458  

Reinvestment of distributions

     4,700,424        10,581,906  

Cost of shares repurchased

     (86,003,984)        (195,263,345)  

Net assets of shares issued in connection with merger (Note 8)

     122,492,788         

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets From Fund Share Transactions

     82,951,717        (7,708,981)  

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

     53,172,347        (30,978,714)  
Net Assets:                  

Beginning of period

     191,503,007        222,481,721  

End of period

   $ 244,675,354      $ 191,503,007  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

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Table of Contents

Financial highlights

 

 For a share of each class of capital stock outstanding throughout each year ended May 31,
 unless otherwise noted:
 
Class A Shares1   20222     2022     2021     2020     2019     2018  
Net asset value, beginning of period     $7.29       $8.21       $7.40       $7.85       $7.96       $8.13  
Income (loss) from operations:            

Net investment income

    0.23       0.39       0.38       0.41       0.43       0.44  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    (0.53)       (0.92)       0.81       (0.44)       (0.10)       (0.18)  

Total income (loss) from operations

    (0.30)       (0.53)       1.19       (0.03)       0.33       0.26  
Less distributions from:            

Net investment income

    (0.24)       (0.39)       (0.38)       (0.40)       (0.44)       (0.43)  

Return of capital

                (0.00) 3      (0.02)       (0.00) 3       

Total distributions

    (0.24)       (0.39)       (0.38)       (0.42)       (0.44)       (0.43)  
Net asset value, end of period     $6.75       $7.29       $8.21       $7.40       $7.85       $7.96  

Total return4

    (4.14)     (6.77)     16.41     (0.52) %5      4.25     3.27
Net assets, end of period (000s)     $173,780       $67,464       $3,953       $2,677       $2,386       $4,728  
Ratios to average net assets:            

Gross expenses

    1.03 %6      0.97     1.06     1.05 %7      1.06 %7      1.00

Net expenses8,9

    0.96 6      0.94       1.00       1.02 7      0.99 7      0.99  

Net investment income

    6.93 6      4.93       4.80       5.30       5.43       5.43  
Portfolio turnover rate     19     79     101     83     71     68

 

1 

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

 

2 

For the six months ended November 30, 2022 (unaudited).

 

3 

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

 

4 

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

 

5 

The total return includes gains from settlement of security litigations. Without these gains, the total return would have been (0.92)% for the year ended May 31, 2020.

 

6 

Annualized.

 

7 

Reflects recapture of expenses waived/reimbursed from prior fiscal years.

 

8 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

9 

As a result of an expense limitation arrangement, effective May 21, 2021, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses, other than interest, brokerage commissions, taxes, extraordinary expenses, deferred organizational expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses, to average net assets of Class A shares did not exceed 1.01%. This expense limitation arrangement cannot be terminated prior to December 31, 2024 without the Board of Directors’ consent. In addition, the manager has agreed to waive the Fund’s management fee to an extent sufficient to offset the net management fee payable in connection with any investment in an affiliated money market fund. Prior to May 21, 2021, the expense limitation was 1.05%.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

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 For a share of each class of capital stock outstanding throughout each year ended May 31,
 unless otherwise noted:
 
Class C Shares1   20222     2022     2021     2020     2019     2018  
Net asset value, beginning of period     $7.23       $8.13       $7.33       $7.77       $7.89       $8.06  
Income (loss) from operations:            

Net investment income

    0.20       0.33       0.32       0.35       0.37       0.38  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    (0.53)       (0.91)       0.80       (0.43)       (0.12)       (0.18)  

Total income (loss) from operations

    (0.33)       (0.58)       1.12       (0.08)       0.25       0.20  
Less distributions from:            

Net investment income

    (0.21)       (0.32)       (0.32)       (0.34)       (0.37)       (0.37)  

Return of capital

                (0.00) 3      (0.02)       (0.00) 3       

Total distributions

    (0.21)       (0.32)       (0.32)       (0.36)       (0.37)       (0.37)  
Net asset value, end of period     $6.69       $7.23       $8.13       $7.33       $7.77       $7.89  

Total return4

    (4.60)     (7.35)     15.66     (1.32) %5      3.33     2.48
Net assets, end of period (000s)     $1,347       $1,430       $1,960       $1,964       $2,320       $2,779  
Ratios to average net assets:            

Gross expenses

    1.86 %6      1.76     1.82     1.82 %7      1.80 %7      1.75

Net expenses8,9

    1.79 6      1.73       1.76       1.78 7      1.73 7      1.74  

Net investment income

    6.00 6      4.09       4.08       4.61       4.74       4.70  
Portfolio turnover rate     19     79     101     83     71     68

 

1 

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

 

2 

For the six months ended November 30, 2022 (unaudited).

 

3 

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

 

4 

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

 

5 

The total return includes gains from settlement of security litigations. Without these gains, the total return would have been (1.46)% for the year ended May 31, 2020.

 

6 

Annualized.

 

7 

Reflects recapture of expenses waived/reimbursed from prior fiscal years.

 

8 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

9 

As a result of an expense limitation arrangement, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses, other than interest, brokerage commissions, taxes, extraordinary expenses, deferred organizational expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses, to average net assets of Class C shares did not exceed 1.80%. This expense limitation arrangement cannot be terminated prior to December 31, 2024 without the Board of Directors’ consent. In addition, the manager has agreed to waive the Fund’s management fee to an extent sufficient to offset the net management fee payable in connection with any investment in an affiliated money market fund.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

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Table of Contents

Financial highlights (cont’d)

 

 For a share of each class of capital stock outstanding throughout each year ended May 31,
 unless otherwise noted:
 
Class R Shares1   20222     2022     2021     2020     2019     2018  
Net asset value, beginning of period     $7.24       $8.15       $7.35       $7.78       $7.91       $8.08  
Income (loss) from operations:            

Net investment income

    0.22       0.36       0.36       0.39       0.40       0.41  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    (0.54)       (0.91)       0.80       (0.43)       (0.12)       (0.18)  

Total income (loss) from operations

    (0.32)       (0.55)       1.16       (0.04)       0.28       0.23  
Less distributions from:            

Net investment income

    (0.22)       (0.36)       (0.36)       (0.37)       (0.41)       (0.40)  

Return of capital

                (0.00) 3      (0.02)       (0.00) 3       

Total distributions

    (0.22)       (0.36)       (0.36)       (0.39)       (0.41)       (0.40)  
Net asset value, end of period     $6.70       $7.24       $8.15       $7.35       $7.78       $7.91  

Total return4

    (4.36)     (7.05)     16.16     (0.73) %5      3.64     2.95
Net assets, end of period (000s)     $168       $176       $129       $158       $282       $223  
Ratios to average net assets:            

Gross expenses

    1.62 %6      1.58     1.64     1.69 %7      1.53 %7      1.50 %7 

Net expenses8,9

    1.30 6      1.30       1.30       1.30 7      1.30 7      1.30 7 

Net investment income

    6.52 6      4.51       4.53       5.07       5.14       5.14  
Portfolio turnover rate     19     79     101     83     71     68

 

1 

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

 

2 

For the six months ended November 30, 2022 (unaudited).

 

3 

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

 

4 

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

 

5 

The total return includes gains from settlement of security litigations. Without these gains, the total return would have been (0.86)% for the year ended May 31, 2020.

 

6 

Annualized.

 

7 

Reflects recapture of expenses waived/reimbursed from prior fiscal years.

 

8 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

9 

As a result of an expense limitation arrangement, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses, other than interest, brokerage commissions, taxes, extraordinary expenses, deferred organizational expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses, to average net assets of Class R shares did not exceed 1.30%. This expense limitation arrangement cannot be terminated prior to December 31, 2024 without the Board of Directors’ consent. In addition, the manager has agreed to waive the Fund’s management fee to an extent sufficient to offset the net management fee payable in connection with any investment in an affiliated money market fund.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

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 For a share of each class of capital stock outstanding throughout each year ended May 31,
 unless otherwise noted:
 
Class I Shares1   20222     2022     2021     2020     2019     2018  
Net asset value, beginning of period     $7.24       $8.14       $7.34       $7.78       $7.90       $8.07  
Income (loss) from operations:            

Net investment income

    0.24       0.40       0.40       0.44       0.45       0.46  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    (0.54)       (0.90)       0.80       (0.44)       (0.11)       (0.18)  

Total income (loss) from operations

    (0.30)       (0.50)       1.20       0.00       0.34       0.28  
Less distributions from:            

Net investment income

    (0.24)       (0.40)       (0.40)       (0.42)       (0.46)       (0.45)  

Return of capital

                (0.00) 3      (0.02)       (0.00) 3       

Total distributions

    (0.24)       (0.40)       (0.40)       (0.44)       (0.46)       (0.45)  
Net asset value, end of period     $6.70       $7.24       $8.14       $7.34       $7.78       $7.90  

Total return4

    (4.13)     (6.47)     16.65     (0.14) %5      4.40     3.53
Net assets, end of period (000s)     $37,354       $23,201       $97,099       $64,507       $84,953       $106,298  
Ratios to average net assets:            

Gross expenses

    0.93 %6      0.81     0.81     0.75     0.75     0.74

Net expenses7,8

    0.85 6      0.77       0.75       0.71       0.70       0.72  

Net investment income

    7.00 6      4.89       5.06       5.66       5.74       5.70  
Portfolio turnover rate     19     79     101     83     71     68

 

1 

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

 

2 

For the six months ended November 30, 2022 (unaudited).

 

3 

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

 

4 

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

 

5 

The total return includes gains from settlement of security litigations. Without these gains, the total return would have been (0.42)% for the year ended May 31, 2020.

 

6 

Annualized.

 

7 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

8 

As a result of an expense limitation arrangement, effective November 21, 2022, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses, other than interest, brokerage commissions, taxes, extraordinary expenses, deferred organizational expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses, to average net assets of Class I shares did not exceed 0.75%. This expense limitation arrangement cannot be terminated prior to December 31, 2024 without the Board of Directors’ consent. In addition, the manager has agreed to waive the Fund’s management fee to an extent sufficient to offset the net management fee payable in connection with any investment in an affiliated money market fund.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

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Financial highlights (cont’d)

 

 For a share of each class of capital stock outstanding throughout each year ended May 31,
 unless otherwise noted:
 
Class IS Shares1   20222     2022     2021     2020     2019     2018  
Net asset value, beginning of period     $7.35       $8.27       $7.45       $7.90       $8.03       $8.20  
Income (loss) from operations:            

Net investment income

    0.24       0.42       0.42       0.45       0.46       0.47  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    (0.54)       (0.92)       0.81       (0.45)       (0.12)       (0.18)  

Total income (loss) from operations

    (0.30)       (0.50)       1.23       0.00       0.34       0.29  
Less distributions from:            

Net investment income

    (0.25)       (0.42)       (0.41)       (0.43)       (0.47)       (0.46)  

Return of capital

                (0.00) 3      (0.02)       (0.00) 3       

Total distributions

    (0.25)       (0.42)       (0.41)       (0.45)       (0.47)       (0.46)  
Net asset value, end of period     $6.80       $7.35       $8.27       $7.45       $7.90       $8.03  

Total return4

    (4.08)     (6.40)     16.88     (0.12) %5      4.35     3.65
Net assets, end of period (000s)     $32,026       $99,232       $58,186       $102,505       $116,945       $105,176  
Ratios to average net assets:            

Gross expenses

    0.74 %6      0.68     0.71     0.69 %7      0.70 %7      0.68

Net expenses8,9

    0.65 6      0.65       0.65       0.65 7      0.65 7      0.66  

Net investment income

    6.96 6      5.22       5.20       5.72       5.79       5.77  
Portfolio turnover rate     19     79     101     83     71     68

 

1 

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

 

2 

For the six months ended November 30, 2022 (unaudited).

 

3 

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

 

4 

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

 

 

5 

The total return includes gains from settlement of security litigations. Without these gains, the total return would have been (0.26)% for the year ended May 31, 2020.

 

6 

Annualized.

 

7 

Reflects recapture of expenses waived/reimbursed from prior fiscal years.

 

8 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

9 

As a result of an expense limitation arrangement, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses, other than interest, brokerage commissions, taxes, extraordinary expenses, deferred organizational expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses, to average net assets of Class IS shares did not exceed 0.65%. In addition, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses for Class IS shares did not exceed the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses for Class I shares. These expense limitation arrangements cannot be terminated prior to December 31, 2024 without the Board of Directors’ consent. In addition, the manager has agreed to waive the Fund’s management fee to an extent sufficient to offset the net management fee payable in connection with any investment in an affiliated money market fund.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

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Notes to financial statements (unaudited)

 

1. Organization and significant accounting policies

Western Asset High Yield Fund (the “Fund”) is a separate diversified investment series of Western Asset Funds, Inc. (the “Corporation”). The Corporation, a Maryland corporation, is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company.

The Fund follows the accounting and reporting guidance in Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standard Codification Topic 946, Financial Services - Investment Companies (“ASC 946”). The following are significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund and are in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), including, but not limited to, ASC 946. Estimates and assumptions are required to be made regarding assets, liabilities and changes in net assets resulting from operations when financial statements are prepared. Changes in the economic environment, financial markets and any other parameters used in determining these estimates could cause actual results to differ. Subsequent events have been evaluated through the date the financial statements were issued.

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

Pursuant to policies adopted by the Board of Directors, the Fund’s manager has been designated as the valuation designee and is responsible for the oversight of the daily valuation process. The Fund’s manager is assisted by the Global Fund Valuation Committee (the “Valuation Committee”). The Valuation Committee is responsible for making fair value determinations, evaluating the effectiveness of the Fund’s pricing policies, and reporting to

 

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Notes to financial statements (unaudited) (cont’d)

 

the Fund’s manager and the Board of Directors. When determining the reliability of third party pricing information for investments owned by the Fund, the Valuation Committee, among other things, conducts due diligence reviews of pricing vendors, monitors the daily change in prices and reviews transactions among market participants.

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

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

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

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

 

 

Level 1 — unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical investments

 

 

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

 

 

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

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

 

 

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

 

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

Corporate Bonds & Notes

        $ 205,822,410           $ 205,822,410  

Asset-Backed Securities

          10,828,561             10,828,561  

Senior Loans:

                               

Consumer Discretionary

          2,744,224     $ 354,100       3,098,324  

Materials

                722,786       722,786  

Other Senior Loans

          6,946,115             6,946,115  

Convertible Bonds & Notes

          3,852,918             3,852,918  

Preferred Stocks

  $ 827,116                   827,116  

Sovereign Bonds

          678,428             678,428  

Common Stocks:

                               

Energy

    617,178             14,084       631,262  

Materials

                0     0

Convertible Preferred Stocks

                577,836       577,836  

Warrants

          3,684             3,684  
Total Long-Term Investments     1,444,294       230,876,340       1,668,806       233,989,440  
Short-Term Investments†     3,049,748                   3,049,748  
Total Investments   $ 4,494,042     $ 230,876,340     $ 1,668,806     $ 237,039,188  
Other Financial Instruments:                                

Futures Contracts††

  $ 40,251                 $ 40,251  

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts††

        $ 329,064             329,064  

Centrally Cleared Credit Default Swaps on Corporate Issues — Sell Protection††

          24,307             24,307  
Total Other Financial Instruments   $ 40,251     $ 353,371           $ 393,622  
Total   $ 4,534,293     $ 231,229,711     $ 1,668,806     $ 237,432,810  

 

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Notes to financial statements (unaudited) (cont’d)

 

LIABILITIES  
Description  

Quoted Prices

(Level 1)

    Other Significant
Observable Inputs
(Level 2)
    Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
    Total  
Other Financial Instruments:                                

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts††

        $ 379,766           $ 379,766  

Centrally Cleared Credit Default Swaps on Corporate Issues — Sell Protection††

          35,031             35,031  

Centrally Cleared Credit Default Swaps on Corporate Issues — Buy Protection††

          131,878             131,878  
Total         $ 546,675           $ 546,675  

 

See Schedule of Investments for additional detailed categorizations.

 

*

Amount represents less than $1.

 

††

Reflects the unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of the instruments.

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

Upon entering into a futures contract, the Fund is required to deposit cash or securities with a broker in an amount equal to a certain percentage of the contract amount. This is known as the ‘‘initial margin’’ and subsequent payments (‘‘variation margin’’) are made or received by the Fund each day, depending on the daily fluctuation in the value of the contract. For certain futures, including foreign denominated futures, variation margin is not settled daily, but is recorded as a net variation margin payable or receivable. The daily changes in contract value are recorded as unrealized appreciation or depreciation in the Statement of Operations and the Fund recognizes a realized gain or loss when the contract is closed.

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

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

 

 

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Forward foreign currency contracts involve elements of market risk in excess of the amounts reflected on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The Fund bears the risk of an unfavorable change in the foreign exchange rate underlying the forward foreign currency contract. Risks may also arise upon entering into these contracts from the potential inability of the counterparties to meet the terms of their contracts.

(d) Swap agreements. The Fund invests in swaps for the purpose of managing its exposure to interest rate, credit or market risk, or for other purposes. The use of swaps involves risks that are different from those associated with other portfolio transactions. Swap agreements are privately negotiated in the over-the-counter market and may be entered into as a bilateral contract (“OTC Swaps”) or centrally cleared (“Centrally Cleared Swaps”). Unlike Centrally Cleared Swaps, the Fund has credit exposure to the counterparties of OTC Swaps.

In a Centrally Cleared Swap, immediately following execution of the swap, the swap agreement is submitted to a clearinghouse or central counterparty (the “CCP”) and the CCP becomes the ultimate counterparty of the swap agreement. The Fund is required to interface with the CCP through a broker, acting in an agency capacity. All payments are settled with the CCP through the broker. Upon entering into a Centrally Cleared Swap, the Fund is required to deposit initial margin with the broker in the form of cash or securities.

Swap contracts are marked-to-market daily and changes in value are recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation). The daily change in valuation of Centrally Cleared Swaps, if any, is recorded as a net receivable or payable for variation margin on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Gains or losses are realized upon termination of the swap agreement. Collateral, in the form of restricted cash or securities, may be required to be held in segregated accounts with the Fund’s custodian in compliance with the terms of the swap contracts. Securities posted as collateral for swap contracts are identified in the Schedule of Investments and restricted cash, if any, is identified on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Risks may exceed amounts recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. These risks include changes in the returns of the underlying instruments, failure of the counterparties to perform under the contracts’ terms, and the possible lack of liquidity with respect to the swap agreements.

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

The Fund’s maximum exposure in the event of a defined credit event on a credit default swap to sell protection is the notional amount. As of November 30, 2022, the total notional value of all credit default swaps to sell protection was $1,600,000. This amount would be offset by the value of the swap’s reference entity, upfront premiums received on the swap and any amounts received from the settlement of a credit default swap where the Fund bought protection for the same referenced security/entity.

 

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Notes to financial statements (unaudited) (cont’d)

 

For average notional amounts of swaps held during the six months ended November 30, 2022, see Note 4.

Credit default swaps

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

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

The Fund’s maximum risk of loss from counterparty risk, as the protection buyer, is the fair value of the contract (this risk is mitigated by the posting of collateral by the counterparty to the Fund to cover the Fund’s exposure to the counterparty). As the protection seller, the Fund’s maximum risk is the notional amount of the contract. CDS are considered to have

 

 

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credit risk-related contingent features since they require payment by the protection seller to the protection buyer upon the occurrence of a defined credit event.

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

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

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

(f) Securities traded on a when-issued and delayed delivery basis. The Fund may trade securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis. In when-issued and delayed delivery transactions, the securities are purchased or sold by the Fund with payment and delivery taking place in the future in order to secure what is considered to be an advantageous price and yield to the Fund at the time of entering into the transaction. Purchasing such securities involves risk of loss if the value of the securities declines prior to settlement. These securities are subject to market fluctuations and their current value is determined in the same manner as for other securities.

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

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

Net realized foreign exchange gains or losses arise from sales of foreign currencies, including gains and losses on forward foreign currency contracts, currency gains or losses

 

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

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

(h) Credit and market risk. The Fund invests in high-yield and emerging market instruments that are subject to certain credit and market risks. The yields of high-yield and emerging market debt obligations reflect, among other things, perceived credit and market risks. The Fund’s investments in securities rated below investment grade typically involve risks not associated with higher rated securities including, among others, greater risk related to timely and ultimate payment of interest and principal, greater market price volatility and less liquid secondary market trading. The consequences of political, social, economic or diplomatic changes may have disruptive effects on the market prices of investments held by the Fund. The Fund’s investments in non-U.S. dollar denominated securities may also result in foreign currency losses caused by devaluations and exchange rate fluctuations.

Investments in securities that are collateralized by real estate mortgages are subject to certain credit and liquidity risks. When market conditions result in an increase in default rates of the underlying mortgages and the foreclosure values of underlying real estate properties are materially below the outstanding amount of these underlying mortgages, collection of the full amount of accrued interest and principal on these investments may be doubtful. Such market conditions may significantly impair the value and liquidity of these investments and may result in a lack of correlation between their credit ratings and values.

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

(j) Counterparty risk and credit-risk-related contingent features of derivative instruments. The Fund may invest in certain securities or engage in other transactions where the Fund is exposed to counterparty credit risk in addition to broader market risks. The Fund may invest in securities of issuers, which may also be considered counterparties as trading partners in other transactions. This may increase the risk of loss in the event of

 

 

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default or bankruptcy by the counterparty or if the counterparty otherwise fails to meet its contractual obligations. The Fund’s subadviser attempts to mitigate counterparty risk by (i) periodically assessing the creditworthiness of its trading partners, (ii) monitoring and/or limiting the amount of its net exposure to each individual counterparty based on its assessment and (iii) requiring collateral from the counterparty for certain transactions. Market events and changes in overall economic conditions may impact the assessment of such counterparty risk by the subadviser. In addition, declines in the values of underlying collateral received may expose the Fund to increased risk of loss.

With exchange traded and centrally cleared derivatives, there is less counterparty risk to the Fund since the exchange or clearinghouse, as counterparty to such instruments, guarantees against a possible default. The clearinghouse stands between the buyer and the seller of the contract; therefore, the credit risk is limited to failure of the clearinghouse. While offset rights may exist under applicable law, the Fund does not have a contractual right of offset against a clearing broker or clearinghouse in the event of a default of the clearing broker or clearinghouse.

The Fund has entered into master agreements, such as an International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. Master Agreement (“ISDA Master Agreement”) or similar agreement, with certain of its derivative counterparties that govern over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivatives and provide for general obligations, representations, agreements, collateral posting terms, netting provisions in the event of default or termination and credit related contingent features. The credit related contingent features include, but are not limited to, a percentage decrease in the Fund’s net assets or net asset value per share over a specified period of time. If these credit related contingent features were triggered, the derivatives counterparty could terminate the positions and demand payment or require additional collateral.

Under an ISDA Master Agreement, the Fund may, under certain circumstances, offset with the counterparty certain derivative financial instruments’ payables and/or receivables with collateral held and/or posted and create one single net payment. However, absent an event of default by the counterparty or a termination of the agreement, the terms of the ISDA Master Agreements do not result in an offset of reported amounts of financial assets and financial liabilities in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities across transactions between the Fund and the applicable counterparty. The enforceability of the right to offset may vary by jurisdiction.

Collateral requirements differ by type of derivative. Collateral or margin requirements are set by the broker or exchange clearinghouse for exchange traded derivatives while collateral terms are contract specific for OTC traded derivatives. Cash collateral that has been pledged to cover obligations of the Fund under derivative contracts, if any, will be reported separately in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Securities pledged as collateral, if any, for the same purpose are noted in the Schedule of Investments.

As of November 30, 2022, the Fund held forward foreign currency contracts with credit related contingent features which had a liability position of $379,766. If a contingent

 

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feature in the master agreements would have been triggered, the Fund would have been required to pay this amount to its derivatives counterparties.

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

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

(m) Share class accounting. Investment income, common expenses and realized/unrealized gains (losses) on investments are allocated to the various classes of the Fund on the basis of daily net assets of each class. Fees relating to a specific class are charged directly to that share class.

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

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

Management has analyzed the Fund’s tax positions taken on income tax returns for all open tax years and has concluded that as of May 31, 2022, no provision for income tax is required in the Fund’s financial statements. The Fund’s federal and state income and federal excise tax returns for tax years for which the applicable statutes of limitations have not expired are subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service and state departments of revenue.

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

 

 

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(p) Reclassification. GAAP requires that certain components of net assets be reclassified to reflect permanent differences between financial and tax reporting. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.

2. Investment management agreement and other transactions with affiliates

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA”) is the Fund’s investment manager. Western Asset Management Company, LLC (“Western Asset”) and Western Asset Management Company Limited in London (“Western Asset London”) are the Fund’s subadvisers. LMPFA, Western Asset and Western Asset London are indirect, wholly-owned subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc. (“Franklin Resources”).

LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the Fund. The Fund pays LMPFA an investment management fee, calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of 0.55% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. For their services, LMPFA pays Western Asset and Western Asset London monthly all of the management fee that it receives from the Fund.

As a result of expense limitation arrangements between the Fund and LMPFA, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses, other than interest, brokerage commissions, taxes, extraordinary expenses, deferred organizational expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses, to average net assets of Class A, Class C, Class R, Class I (effective November 21, 2022) and Class IS shares did not exceed 1.01%, 1.80%, 1.30%, 0.75% and 0.65%, respectively. In addition, the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses for Class IS shares did not exceed the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses for Class I shares. These expense limitation arrangements cannot be terminated prior to December 31, 2024 without the Board of Directors’ consent. In addition, the manager has agreed to waive the Fund’s management fee to an extent sufficient to offset the net management fee payable in connection with any investment in an affiliated money market fund (the “affiliated money market fund waiver”). The affiliated money market fund waiver is not subject to the recapture provision discussed below.

During the six months ended November 30, 2022, fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed amounted to $58,061, which included an affiliated money market fund waiver of $705.

LMPFA is permitted to recapture amounts waived and/or reimbursed to a class within two years after the fiscal year in which LMPFA earned the fee or incurred the expense if the class’ total annual fund operating expenses have fallen to a level below the expense limitation (“expense cap”) in effect at the time the fees were earned or the expenses incurred. In no case will LMPFA recapture any amount that would result, on any particular business day of the Fund, in the class’ total annual fund operating expenses exceeding the expense cap or any other lower limit then in effect.

 

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Pursuant to these arrangements, at November 30, 2022, the Fund had remaining fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements subject to recapture by LMPFA and respective dates of expiration as follows:

 

      Class A      Class C      Class R      Class I      Class IS  
Expires May 31, 2023    $ 1,855      $ 1,232      $ 442      $ 42,329      $ 47,280  
Expires May 31, 2024      20,508        526        570        19,941        27,738  
Expires May 31, 2025      26,387        427        258        9,034        21,250  
Total fee waivers/expense reimbursements subject to recapture    $ 48,750      $ 2,185      $ 1,270      $ 71,304      $ 96,268  

For the six months ended November 30, 2022, LMPFA did not recapture any fees.

Franklin Templeton Investor Services, LLC (“Investor Services”) serves as the Fund’s shareholder servicing agent and acts as the Fund’s transfer agent and dividend-paying agent. Investor Services is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources. Franklin Distributors, LLC (“Franklin Distributors”) serves as the Fund’s sole and exclusive distributor. Franklin Distributors is an indirect, wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Franklin Resources.

There is a maximum initial sales charge of 3.75% (4.25% prior to August 15, 2022) for Class A shares. There is a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% on Class C shares, which applies if redemption occurs within 12 months from purchase payment. In certain cases, Class A shares have a 1.00% CDSC, which applies if redemption occurs within 18 months from purchase payment. This CDSC only applies to those purchases of Class A shares, which, when combined with current holdings of other shares of funds sold by Franklin Distributors, equal or exceed $500,000 ($1,000,000 prior to August 15, 2022) in the aggregate. These purchases do not incur an initial sales charge.

For the six months ended November 30, 2022, sales charges retained by and CDSCs paid to Franklin Distributors and its affiliates, if any, were as follows:

 

`    Class A      Class C  
Sales charges    $ 1,742         
CDSCs           $ 12  

All officers and one Director of the Corporation are employees of Franklin Resources or its affiliates and do not receive compensation from the Corporation.

3. Investments

During the six months ended November 30, 2022, the aggregate cost of purchases and proceeds from sales of investments (excluding short-term investments) and U.S. Government & Agency Obligations were as follows:

 

        Investments        U.S. Government &
Agency Obligations
 
Purchases      $ 29,169,252           
Sales        84,666,336        $ 4,411,914  

 

 

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At November 30, 2022, the aggregate cost of investments and the aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments for federal income tax purposes were substantially as follows:

 

     

Cost/Premiums

Paid (Received)

     Gross
Unrealized
Appreciation
    

Gross

Unrealized
Depreciation

    

Net

Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)

 
Securities    $ 270,918,367      $ 1,796,372      $ (35,675,551)      $ (33,879,179)  
Futures contracts             40,251               40,251  
Forward foreign currency contracts             329,064        (379,766)        (50,702)  
Swap contracts      220,528        24,307        (166,909)        (142,602)  

4. Derivative instruments and hedging activities

Below is a table, grouped by derivative type, that provides information about the fair value and the location of derivatives within the Statement of Assets and Liabilities at November 30, 2022.

 

ASSET DERIVATIVES1  
     Interest
Rate Risk
    Foreign
Exchange Risk
    Credit
Risk
  Total  
Futures contracts2   $ 40,251             $ 40,251  
Forward foreign currency contracts         $ 329,064         329,064  
Centrally cleared swap contracts3               $24,307     24,307  
Total   $ 40,251     $ 329,064     $24,307   $ 393,622  
LIABILITY DERIVATIVES1  
            Foreign
Exchange Risk
    Credit
Risk
  Total  
Forward foreign currency contracts           $ 379,766       $ 379,766  
Centrally cleared swap contracts3                 $166,909     166,909  
Total           $ 379,766     $166,909   $ 546,675  

 

1 

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

 

2 

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

 

3 

Includes cumulative unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of centrally cleared swap contracts as reported in the Schedule of Investments. Only net variation margin is reported within the receivables and/or payables on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

 

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The following tables provide information about the effect of derivatives and hedging activities on the Fund’s Statement of Operations for the six months ended November 30, 2022. The first table provides additional detail about the amounts and sources of gains (losses) realized on derivatives during the period. The second table provides additional information about the change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) resulting from the Fund’s derivatives and hedging activities during the period.

 

AMOUNT OF NET REALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON DERIVATIVES RECOGNIZED  
     Interest
Rate Risk
    Foreign
Exchange Risk
    Credit
Risk
  Total  
Futures contracts   $ (393,003)             $ (393,003)  
Swap contracts               $(114,063)     (114,063)  
Forward foreign currency contracts         $ 4,096         4,096  
Total   $ (393,003)     $ 4,096     $(114,063)   $ (502,970)  
CHANGE IN NET UNREALIZED APPRECIATION (DEPRECIATION) ON DERIVATIVES RECOGNIZED  
     Interest
Rate Risk
    Foreign
Exchange Risk
    Credit
Risk
  Total  
Futures contracts   $ 26,039             $ 26,039  
Swap contracts               $(118,198)     (118,198)  
Forward foreign currency contracts         $ (51,728)         (51,728)  
Total   $ 26,039     $ (51,728)     $(118,198)   $ (143,887)  

During the six months ended November 30, 2022, the volume of derivative activity for the Fund was as follows:

 

        Average Market
Value
 
Futures contracts (to buy)      $ 10,059,232  
Forward foreign currency contracts (to buy)        1,677,376  
Forward foreign currency contracts (to sell)        1,702,972  
        Average Notional
Balance
 
Credit default swap contracts (buy protection)      $ 2,716,000  
Credit default swap contracts (sell protection)        2,000,243  

 

 

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The following table presents the Fund’s OTC derivative assets and liabilities by counterparty net of amounts available for offset under an ISDA Master Agreement and net of the related collateral pledged (received) by the Fund as of November 30, 2022.

 

Counterparty    Gross
Assets
Subject to
Master
Agreements1
     Gross
Liabilities
Subject to
Master
Agreements1
     Net Assets
(Liabilities)
Subject to
Master
Agreements
     Collateral
Pledged
(Received)
     Net
Amount2
 
Citibank N.A.    $ 158,410      $ (34,491)      $ 123,919             $ 123,919  
Goldman Sachs Group Inc.      132,290        (342,963)        (210,673)               (210,673)  
Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc.      38,364        (2,312)        36,052               36,052  
Total    $ 329,064      $ (379,766)      $ (50,702)             $ (50,702)  

 

1 

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

 

2 

Represents the net amount receivable (payable) from (to) the counterparty in the event of default.

5. Class specific expenses, waivers and/or expense reimbursements

The Fund has adopted a Rule 12b-1 shareholder services and distribution plan and under that plan the Fund pays service and/or distribution fees with respect to its Class A, Class C and Class R shares calculated at the annual rate of 0.25%, 1.00% and 0.50% of the average daily net assets of each class, respectively. Service and/or distribution fees are accrued daily and paid monthly.

For the six months ended November 30, 2022, class specific expenses were as follows:

 

        Service and/or
Distribution Fees
       Transfer Agent
Fees
 
Class A      $ 87,795        $ 15,337  
Class C        5,688          697  
Class R        401          306  
Class I                 22,279  
Class IS                 3,340  
Total      $ 93,884        $ 41,959  

For the six months ended November 30, 2022, waivers and/or expense reimbursements by class were as follows:

 

        Waivers/Expense
Reimbursements
 
Class A      $ 26,731  
Class C        433  
Class R        258  
Class I        9,155  
Class IS        21,484  
Total      $ 58,061  

 

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6. Distributions to shareholders by class

 

        Six Months Ended
November 30, 2022
       Year Ended
May 31, 2022
 
Net Investment Income:                      
Class A      $ 2,444,830        $ 3,221,653  
Class A2†                 183,595  
Class C        34,204          68,435  
Class R        5,243          9,285  
Class I        844,835          3,108,760  
Class IS        1,634,944          4,465,002  
Total      $ 4,964,056        $ 11,056,730  

 

On June 24, 2021, the Fund converted its Class A2 shares into Class A shares.

7. Capital shares

At November 30, 2022, the Corporation had 42.7 billion shares of capital stock authorized with a par value of $0.001 per share. Transactions in shares of each class were as follows:

 

     Six Months Ended
November 30, 2022
     Year Ended
May 31, 2022
 
      Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  
Class A                                    
Shares sold      1,482,359      $ 12,893,134        9,684,915      $ 79,718,682  
Shares issued on reinvestment      360,022        2,430,594        425,952        3,389,685  
Shares repurchased      (1,428,353)        (9,556,388)        (1,342,164)        (10,678,762)  
Shares issued with merger      16,084,506        107,604,955                
Net increase      16,498,534      $ 113,372,295        8,768,703      $ 72,429,605  
Class A2†                                    
Shares sold                    73,617      $ 608,992  
Shares issued on reinvestment                            
Shares repurchased                    (7,519,299)        (62,258,091)  
Net decrease                    (7,445,682)      $ (61,649,099)  
Class C                                    
Shares sold      6,807      $ 1,021,535        47,666      $ 384,707  
Shares issued on reinvestment      4,275        28,619        7,072        55,885  
Shares repurchased      (64,720)        (436,877)        (98,083)        (784,646)  
Shares issued with merger      57,264        379,667                
Net increase (decrease)      3,626      $ 992,944        (43,345)      $ (344,054)  
Class R                                    
Shares sold      8,126      $ 56,458        29,194      $ 238,157  
Shares issued on reinvestment      736        4,930        1,116        8,868  
Shares repurchased      (8,074)        (54,866)        (21,831)        (178,364)  
Net increase      788      $ 6,522        8,479      $ 68,661  

 

 

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     Six Months Ended
November 30, 2022
     Year Ended
May 31, 2022
 
      Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  
Class I                                    
Shares sold      1,841,049      $ 21,844,666        4,953,467      $ 40,246,838  
Shares issued on reinvestment      89,583        601,432        329,737        2,662,602  
Shares repurchased      (1,633,019)        (11,165,622)        (14,005,300)        (112,756,944)  
Shares issued with merger      2,074,407        13,773,965                
Net increase (decrease)      2,372,020      $ 25,054,441        (8,722,096)      $ (69,847,504)  
Class IS                                    
Shares sold      350,687      $ 5,946,696        6,978,147      $ 55,775,082  
Shares issued on reinvestment      239,501        1,634,849        557,850        4,464,866  
Shares repurchased      (9,490,428)        (64,790,231)        (1,072,554)        (8,606,538)  
Shares issued with merger      108,931        734,201                
Net increase (decrease)      (8,791,309)      $ (56,474,485)        6,463,443      $ 51,633,410  

 

On June 24, 2021, the Fund converted 7,460,991 Class A2 shares into 7,470,013 Class A shares, valued at $61,777,007. These amounts are reflected in the Class A shares sold and Class A2 shares repurchased, respectively.

8. Transfer of net assets

On November 18, 2022, the Fund acquired the assets and certain liabilities of Western Asset Global High Yield Bond Fund (the “Acquired Fund”), pursuant to a plan of reorganization approved by the Board of Directors of both the Acquired Fund and the Fund. Total shares issued by the Fund and the total net assets of the Acquired Fund and the Fund on the date of the transfer were as follows:

 

Acquired Fund    Shares Issued
by the Fund
     Total Net Assets
of the Acquired Fund
     Total Net Assets
of the Fund
 
Western Asset Global High Yield Bond Fund      18,325,110      $ 122,492,788      $ 118,622,633  

As part of the reorganization, for each share they held, shareholders of the Acquired Fund’s Class A, Class C, Class I and Class IS received 0.735800, 0.744103, 0.740617 and 0.729866 shares of Class A, Class C, Class I and Class IS shares of the Fund, respectively. The Fund did not issue any fractional shares to shareholders of the Acquired Fund. In lieu thereof, the Fund purchased all fractional shares at the current net asset value of the shares and remitted the cash proceeds to former shareholders of the Acquired Fund in proportion to their fractional shares.

The total net assets of the Acquired Fund before the acquisition included unrealized depreciation of $(16,622,723), accumulated net realized loss of $(72,302,004) and overdistributed net investment income of $(732,934). Total net assets of the Fund immediately after the transfer were $241,115,421. The transaction was structured to qualify as a tax-free reorganization under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

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Notes to financial statements (unaudited) (cont’d)

 

Proforma results of operations of the combined entity for the six months ended November 30, 2022, as though the acquisition had occurred as of the beginning of the period (rather than on the actual acquisition date), are as follows:

 

Net investment income    $ 8,659,517  
Net realized loss      (34,395,165)  
Change in net unrealized appreciation      7,406,869  
Decrease in net assets from operations    $ (18,328,779)  

Because the combined investment portfolios have been managed as a single portfolio since the acquisition was completed, it is not practicable to separate the amounts of revenue and earnings of the Acquired Fund that have been included in the Fund’s accompanying Statement of Operations since the close of business on November 18, 2022.

9. Transactions with affiliated companies

As defined by the 1940 Act, an affiliated company is one in which the Fund owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities, or a company which is under common ownership or control with the Fund. The Fund invested in Western Asset Premier Institutional Government Reserves, Premium Shares, an affiliated registered money market fund managed by Western Asset. Benefit Street Partners is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources. The following companies were considered affiliated companies for all or some portion of the six months ended November 30, 2022. The following transactions were effected in such companies for the six months ended November 30, 2022.

 

    Affiliate
Value at
May 31,

2022
    Purchased     Sold  
     Cost     Shares     Proceeds     Shares  
Benefit Street Partners CLO Ltd., 2017-12A C   $ 237,551                 $ 212,802       250,000  
Western Asset Premier Institutional Government Reserves, Premium Shares         $ 34,168,383       34,168,383       31,118,635       31,118,635  
    $ 237,551     $ 34,168,383             $ 31,331,437          

 

 

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(cont’d)   Realized
Gain (Loss)
    Interest/
Dividend
Income
    Net Increase
(Decrease) in
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)*
    Affiliate
Value at
November 30,
2022
 
Benefit Street Partners CLO Ltd., 2017-12A C   $ 12,523     $ 1,116     $ (24,749)        
Western Asset Premier Institutional Government Reserves, Premium Shares           16,485           $ 3,049,748  
    $ 12,523     $ 17,601     $ (24,749)     $ 3,049,748  

 

*

Reflects the impact of amortization of premium/accretion of discount, which is reported as a component of Interest from affiliated investments on the Statement of Operations.

10. Redemption facility

The Fund and certain other participating funds within the Corporation, together with other U.S. registered and foreign investment funds (collectively, the “Borrowers”) managed by LMPFA or Franklin Resources, are borrowers in a joint syndicated senior unsecured credit facility totaling $2.675 billion (the “Global Credit Facility”). The Global Credit Facility provides a source of funds to the Borrowers for temporary and emergency purposes, including the ability to meet future unanticipated or unusually large redemption requests. Unless renewed, the Global Credit Facility will terminate on February 3, 2023.

Under the terms of the Global Credit Facility, the Fund shall, in addition to interest charged on any borrowings made by the Fund and other costs incurred by the Fund, pay its share of fees and expenses incurred in connection with the implementation and maintenance of the Global Credit Facility, based upon its relative share of the aggregate net assets of all the Borrowers, including an annual commitment fee of 0.15% based upon the unused portion of the Global Credit Facility. These fees are reflected in the Statement of Operations. The Fund did not utilize the Global Credit Facility during the six months ended November 30, 2022.

11. Deferred capital losses

As of May 31, 2022, the Fund had deferred capital losses of $47,336,337, which have no expiration date, that will be available to offset future taxable capital gains.

12. Recent accounting pronouncement

In March 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848) – Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. In January 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-01, with further amendments to Topic 848. The amendments in the ASUs provide optional temporary accounting recognition and financial reporting relief from the effect of certain types of contract modifications due to the planned discontinuation of the LIBOR and other interbank-offered based reference rates as of the end of 2021 and 2023. The ASUs are effective for certain reference rate-related contract modifications that occur during the period March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. Management has

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund 2022 Semi-Annual Report  

 

57


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Notes to financial statements (unaudited) (cont’d)

 

reviewed the requirements and believes the adoption of these ASUs will not have a material impact on the financial statements.

13. Other matters

The outbreak of the respiratory illness COVID-19 (commonly referred to as “coronavirus”) has continued to rapidly spread around the world, causing considerable uncertainty for the global economy and financial markets. The ultimate economic fallout from the pandemic, and the long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers, are not known. The COVID-19 pandemic could adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, impair the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Fund’s performance. In addition, the outbreak of COVID-19, and measures taken to mitigate its effects, could result in disruptions to the services provided to the Fund by its service providers.

*  *  *

The Fund’s investments, payment obligations, and financing terms may be based on floating rates, such as the London Interbank Offered Rate, or “LIBOR,” which is the offered rate for short-term Eurodollar deposits between major international banks. On March 5, 2021, the ICE Benchmark Administration, the administrator of LIBOR, stated that it will cease the publication of the overnight and one-, three-, six- and twelve-month USD LIBOR settings immediately following the LIBOR publication on Friday, June 30, 2023. All other LIBOR settings, including the one-week and two-month USD LIBOR settings, have ceased publication as of January 1, 2022. There remains uncertainty regarding the nature of any replacement rate and the impact of the transition from LIBOR on the Fund’s transactions and the financial markets generally. As such, the potential effect of a transition away from LIBOR on the Fund or the Fund’s investments cannot yet be determined.

*  *  *

On February 24, 2022, Russia engaged in military actions in the sovereign territory of Ukraine. The current political and financial uncertainty surrounding Russia and Ukraine may increase market volatility and the economic risk of investing in securities in these countries and may also cause uncertainty for the global economy and broader financial markets. The ultimate fallout and long-term impact from these events are not known. The Fund will continue to assess the impact on valuations and liquidity and will take any potential actions needed in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Directors.

 

 

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Western Asset

High Yield Fund

 

Directors

Robert Abeles, Jr.

Jane F. Dasher

Anita L. DeFrantz

Susan B. Kerley

Michael Larson

Ronald L. Olson

Avedick B. Poladian

William E.B. Siart

Chairman

Jaynie M. Studenmund

Peter J. Taylor

Jane Trust

 

Investment manager

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC

Subadvisers

Western Asset Management Company, LLC

Western Asset Management Company Limited

Distributor

Franklin Distributors, LLC

Custodian

The Bank of New York Mellon

 

Transfer agent

Franklin Templeton Investor

Services, LLC

3344 Quality Drive

Rancho Cordova, CA 95670-7313

Independent registered public accounting firm

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Baltimore, MD

 

Western Asset High Yield Fund

The Fund is a separate investment series of Western Asset Funds, Inc.

Western Asset High Yield Fund

Legg Mason Funds

100 International Drive

Baltimore, MD 21202

 

The Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The Fund’s Forms N-PORT are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. To obtain information on Form N-PORT, shareholders can call the Fund at 877-6LM-FUND/656-3863.

Information on how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the prior 12-month period ended June 30th of each year and a description of the policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies related to portfolio transactions are available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund at 877-6LM-FUND/656-3863, (2) at www.franklintempleton.com and (3) on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

This report is submitted for the general information of the shareholders of Western Asset High Yield Fund. This report is not authorized for distribution to prospective investors in the Fund unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus.

Investors should consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other important information about the Fund. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.

www.franklintempleton.com

© 2023 Franklin Distributors, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. All rights reserved.


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Legg Mason Funds Privacy and Security Notice

 

Your Privacy Is Our Priority

Franklin Templeton* is committed to safeguarding your personal information. This notice is designed to provide you with a summary of the non-public personal information Franklin Templeton may collect and maintain about current or former individual investors; our policy regarding the use of that information; and the measures we take to safeguard the information. We do not sell individual investors’ non-public personal information to anyone and only share it as described in this notice.

Information We Collect

When you invest with us, you provide us with your non-public personal information. We collect and use this information to service your accounts and respond to your requests. The non-public personal information we may collect falls into the following categories:

 

 

Information we receive from you or your financial intermediary on applications or other forms, whether we receive the form in writing or electronically. For example, this information may include your name, address, tax identification number, birth date, investment selection, beneficiary information, and your personal bank account information and/or email address if you have provided that information.

 

 

Information about your transactions and account history with us, or with other companies that are part of Franklin Templeton, including transactions you request on our website or in our app. This category also includes your communications to us concerning your investments.

 

 

Information we receive from third parties (for example, to update your address if you move, obtain or verify your email address or obtain additional information to verify your identity).

 

 

Information collected from you online, such as your IP address or device ID and data gathered from your browsing activity and location. (For example, we may use cookies to collect device and browser information so our website recognizes your online preferences and device information.) Our website contains more information about cookies and similar technologies and ways you may limit them.

 

 

Other general information that we may obtain about you such as demographic information.

Disclosure Policy

To better service your accounts and process transactions or services you requested, we may share non-public personal information with other Franklin Templeton companies. From time to time we may also send you information about products/services offered by other Franklin Templeton companies although we will not share your non-public personal information with these companies without first offering you the opportunity to prevent that sharing.

We will only share non-public personal information with outside parties in the limited circumstances permitted by law. For example, this includes situations where we need to share information with companies who work on our behalf to service or maintain your account or process transactions you requested, when the disclosure is to companies assisting us with our own marketing efforts, when the disclosure is to a party representing you, or when required by law (for example, in response to legal process). Additionally, we will ensure that any outside

 

NOT PART OF THE SEMI-ANNUAL  REPORT


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

 

companies working on our behalf, or with whom we have joint marketing agreements, are under contractual obligations to protect the confidentiality of your information, and to use it only to provide the services we asked them to perform.

Confidentiality and Security

Our employees are required to follow procedures with respect to maintaining the confidentiality of our investors’ non-public personal information. Additionally, we maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect the information. This includes performing ongoing evaluations of our systems containing investor information and making changes when appropriate.

At all times, you may view our current privacy notice on our website at franklintempleton.com or contact us for a copy at (800) 632-2301.

*For purposes of this privacy notice Franklin Templeton shall refer to the following entities:

Fiduciary Trust International of the South (FTIOS), as custodian for individual retirement plans Franklin Advisers, Inc.

Franklin Distributors, LLC, including as program manager of the Franklin Templeton 529 College Savings Plan and the NJBEST 529 College Savings Plan

Franklin Mutual Advisers, LLC

Franklin, Templeton and Mutual Series Funds

Franklin Templeton Institutional, LLC

Franklin Templeton Investments Corp., Canada

Franklin Templeton Investments Management, Limited UK

Franklin Templeton Portfolio Advisors, Inc.

Legg Mason Funds serviced by Franklin Templeton Investor Services, LLC

Templeton Asset Management, Limited

Templeton Global Advisors, Limited

Templeton Investment Counsel, LLC

If you are a customer of other Franklin Templeton affiliates and you receive notices from them, you will need to read those notices separately.

 

NOT PART OF THE SEMI-ANNUAL  REPORT


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Western Asset Management Company, LLC

Legg Mason, Inc. Subsidiaries

www.franklintempleton.com

© 2023 Franklin Distributors, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. All rights reserved.

WASX012828 1/23 SR22-4565


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ITEM 2.

CODE OF ETHICS.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 3.

AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 4.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 5.

AUDIT COMMITTEE OF LISTED REGISTRANTS.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 6.

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS.

Included herein under Item 1.

 

ITEM 7.

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

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 8.

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS OF CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 9.

PURCHASES OF SECURITIES BY CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 10.

SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 11.

CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

 

  (a)

The registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a- 3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”)) are effective as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report that includes the disclosure required by this paragraph, based on their evaluation of the disclosure controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act and 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

  (b)

There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act) that occurred during the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are likely to materially affect the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.


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ITEM 12.

DISCLOSURE OF SECURITIES LENDING ACTIVITIES FOR CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 13.

EXHIBITS.

(a) (1) Not applicable.

Exhibit  99.CODE ETH

(a) (2)  Certifications pursuant to section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 attached hereto.

Exhibit 99.CERT

(b) Certifications pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 attached hereto.

Exhibit 99.906CERT

 


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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, there unto duly authorized.

 

Western Asset Funds, Inc.
By:  

/s/ Jane Trust

  Jane Trust
  Chief Executive Officer
Date:   January 24, 2023

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/ Jane Trust

  Jane Trust
  Chief Executive Officer
Date:   January 24, 2023
By:  

/s/ Christopher Berarducci

  Christopher Berarducci
  Principal Financial Officer
Date:   January 24, 2023