Seeks total return with an emphasis on high income exempt from federal income tax, but also considering capital appreciation.
INVESTMENT FOCUS
MFS has been investing in municipal bonds since the 1970's. The fund benefits from the experience, continuity and stability of the investment team, and utilizing our integrated global investment platform
Portfolio management-driven approach to risk budgeting; quantitative tools help analyze market risk, and an experienced analyst team focuses on idiosyncratic risk
Risk-aware approach with a focus on consistent long-term performance
Fund Information
Fund Commencement
02/24/1984
Net Assets
($
M)
As of 11/30/24
$4623.39
Fiscal Year End
JANUARY
Benchmark
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index measures the municipal bond market.
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index
Share Class Information
Class Inception
09/07/1993
Net Asset Value (NAV)
As of 12/24/24
$7.48
Most Recent NAV Change
As of 12/24/24
$0.00
|
0.00%
Fund Number
225
Maximum Sales Charge
4%
Gross Expense Ratio
Gross Expense Ratio: The Gross Expense Ratio is the fund's total operating expense ratio from the fund's most recent prospectus.
1.67%
Net Expense Ratio
Net Expense Ratio: The Net Expense Ratio reflects the reduction of expenses from contractual fee waivers and reimbursements. Elimination of these reductions will result in higher expenses and lower performance.
These reductions will continue until at least 05/31/25
Housing Development Corp NY 8 Spruce Street-Class F 4.500 FEB 15 48
Berks County Municipal Authority/The PA Exchange-Tower Health Project- 5.000 JUN 30 39
California Community Choice Financing Authority CA Variable-Green Bonds-Ser C 5.250 JAN 01 54
Public Finance Authority WI American Dream @ Meadowlands P 6.250 AUG 01 27
New York Transportation Development Corp NY Amt-Sustainable Bond-Jfk Inter AGM 5.125 JUN 30 60
City of Chicago IL Ref-Ser A 5.000 JAN 01 33
New Hampshire Business Finance Authority NH Centurion Biosquare Inc-Ser A 5.880 DEC 15 38
New York Liberty Development Corp NY Ref-Class 1-3 World Trade Ctr 5.000 NOV 15 44
Important Risk Considerations
The fund may not achieve its objective and/or you could lose money on your investment in the fund.
Bond: Investments in debt instruments may decline in value as the result of, or perception of, declines in the credit quality of the issuer, borrower, counterparty, or other entity responsible for payment, underlying collateral, or changes in economic, political, issuer-specific, or other conditions. Certain types of debt instruments can be more sensitive to these factors and therefore more volatile. In addition, debt instruments entail interest rate risk (as interest rates rise, prices usually fall). Therefore, the portfolio's value may decline during rising rates. Portfolios that consist of debt instruments with longer durations are generally more sensitive to a rise in interest rates than those with shorter durations. At times, and particularly during periods of market turmoil, all or a large portion of segments of the market may not have an active trading market. As a result, it may be difficult to value these investments and it may not be possible to sell a particular investment or type of investment at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The price of an instrument trading at a negative interest rate responds to interest rate changes like other debt instruments; however, an instrument purchased at a negative interest rate is expected to produce a negative return if held to maturity.
Derivatives: Investments in derivatives can be used to take both long and short positions, be highly volatile, involve leverage (which can magnify losses), and involve risks in addition to the risks of the underlying indicator(s) on which the derivative is based, such as counterparty and liquidity risk.
High Yield: Investments in below investment grade quality debt instruments can be more volatile and have greater risk of default, or already be in default, than higher-quality debt instruments.
Municipal Bond: Investments in municipal instruments can be volatile and significantly affected by adverse tax or court rulings, legislative or political changes, market and economic conditions, issuer, industry-specific (including the credit quality of municipal insurers), and other conditions. Because many municipal instruments are issued to finance similar projects, conditions in certain industries can significantly affect the portfolio and the overall municipal market.
Concentrated: The portfolio's performance could be closely tied to the economic, political, and other conditions in the state and other states and U.S. territories and possessions in which the portfolio invests and could be more volatile than the performance of more geographically diversified portfolios.
Please see the prospectus for further information on these and other risk considerations.
Jason Kosty
Portfolio Manager
29
YEARS WITH INDUSTRY
4
YEARS WITH PORTFOLIO
29
YEARS WITH INDUSTRY
4
YEARS WITH PORTFOLIO
Jason R. Kosty is an investment officer and fixed income portfolio manager of national municipal bond strategies at MFS Investment Management® (MFS®). In this role, he is responsible for final buy and sell decisions, portfolio construction and risk and cash management. He also participates in the research process and strategy discussions.
Jason joined the firm in 2003 as a municipal bond research analyst and took on portfolio management responsibilities in 2014. Previously, he worked as a research associate and municipal bond analyst for Columbia Management Group. He began his career in the financial services industry in 1995.
Jason earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of Massachusetts and a Master of Business Administration degree from Duke University. He is a member of the National Federation of Municipal Analysts and the Boston Municipal Analysts Forum.
Megan Poplowski
Portfolio Manager
24
YEARS WITH INDUSTRY
3
YEARS WITH PORTFOLIO
24
YEARS WITH INDUSTRY
3
YEARS WITH PORTFOLIO
Megan Poplowski is co-head of municipal research and a fixed income portolio manager with MFS Investment Management® (MFS®). As a member of the portolio management team, she is responsible for final buy and sell decisions, portfolio construction, risk assessment and cash management. She also participates in the research process and strategy discussions. As co-head of municipal research, Megan works closely with a team of municipal research analysts tasked with developing and communicating impactful investment ideas for the municipal portfolios and across the MFS fixed income platform.
Megan joined MFS in 2015 as a fixed income analyst and was named director of research in 2017, adding portfolio management responsibilities in 2022. She previously worked for Eaton Vance Management for seven years. She also spent five years with Financial Guaranty Insurance and two years at Moody's Investors Service. She began her career in municipal finance at the New York City budget office.
Megan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Holy Cross College and a Master of Public Administration degree from New York University. She is a member of the National Federation of Municipal Analysts and its Boston chapter.
Geoffrey Schechter, CFA, CPA
Portfolio Manager
36
YEARS WITH INDUSTRY
22
YEARS WITH PORTFOLIO
36
YEARS WITH INDUSTRY
22
YEARS WITH PORTFOLIO
Geoffrey L. Schechter, CFA, CPA, is an investment officer at MFS Investment Management® (MFS®) and a portfolio manager of the firm's government securities and municipal bond portfolios.
Geoff joined MFS as an investment officer in 1993 after working as a municipal credit analyst with a major insurance company. He was named portfolio manager in 1993.
Geoff is a graduate of the University of Texas and has an MBA degree from Boston University. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designations.
Our portfolio managers are supported by our entire team of investment professionals in nine worldwide offices. The team employs a proprietary investment process to build better insights for our clients. The core principles of our approach are integrated research, global collaboration and active risk management.
These results represent the percent change in net asset value.
Monthly|QuarterlyAs of
09/30/24
(*YTD Updated
Daily,
As of 12/24/24 , subject to revision and not annualized.)
The performance shown is attributable in part to unusual market conditions. These conditions may not be repeated in the future.
Performance data shown represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value fluctuate so your shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than the original cost; current performance may be lower or higher than quoted.
MORNINGSTAR RATING
Morningstar Overall Rating As of 11/30/24 Class B Shares
Morningstar High Yield Muni
Morningstar ratings are based on risk adjusted performance.
Performance results reflect any applicable expense subsidies and waivers in effect during the periods shown. Without such subsidies and waivers the fund's performance results would be less favorable. All results are historical and assume the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains.
Dividends are generally subject to state and local taxes. For investors subject to the alternative minimum tax, a small portion of dividend income may be taxable. Capital gains distributions, if any, are taxable.
Sales Charges
Class B shares ("B") results include the applicable contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC), which declines over six years from 4% to 0%. The elimination of the charge begins six years after the end of the month in which shares were initially purchased.
Annual Rate of Return
Annual Rate of Return (%)
As of
12/31/23|Benchmark: Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index
annual rate of return table
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
At NAV
13.85
4.22
0.89
6.96
1.32
8.65
2.74
4.52
-14.47
5.35
With Sales Charge
9.85
0.22
-3.01
2.96
-2.59
4.65
-1.25
0.52
-17.79
1.35
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index
9.05
3.30
0.25
5.45
1.28
7.54
5.21
1.52
-8.53
6.40
At NAV
With Sales Charge
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index
2023
5.35
1.35
6.4
2022
-14.47
-17.79
-8.53
2021
4.52
0.52
1.52
2020
2.74
-1.25
5.21
2019
8.65
4.65
7.54
2018
1.32
-2.59
1.28
2017
6.96
2.96
5.45
2016
0.89
-3.01
0.25
2015
4.22
0.22
3.3
2014
13.85
9.85
9.05
Pricing & Distributions
Pricing History
NAV at Close of Trading on:
12/24/24
Net Asset Value (NAV):
$7.48
Change
($) (since
12/23/24
):
0.00
Change (%) (since
12/23/24
):
0.00
Market Price (MP):
Maximum data displayed is for the most recent 10 years
Historical NAV Lookup
Enter date for which you wish to obtain a Historical NAV for this fund
Historical NAV may not be available for all dates.
Historical MP Lookup
Enter date for which you wish to obtain a Historical MP for this fund
Historical MP may not be available for all dates.
Historical Exit Price Table
NAV at Close of Trading on
Net Asset Value (NAV)
No Data Available
Distribution Rates (%)
The distribution rates are computed by annualizing the current distribution rate per share (excluding short-term capital gains), and dividing the result by the public offering price (for the distribution rate including sales charge) or net asset value (for the distribution rate not including sales charge) at the end of the business day.
As of
11/30/24
Charges
Distribution Rate
Not Including Sales Charges
3.48
Including Sales Charges
3.48
30-Day SEC Yield (%)
The fund's 30-day yield is based on the yield of a fund's investments over a 30-day period and not on the dividend paid by the fund, which may differ.
As of
11/30/24
Wavier
Yield Value
Without Waiver
3.09
With Waiver
3.42
Distributions
The Record Date is the date on which a fund declares a distribution. To receive the distribution, an investor must be a shareholder of record on that date.
The Payable Date is the date on which the distribution is paid to shareholders.
Dividend Rate per Share is the amount of dividend that a shareholder will receive for each share held. It can be calculated by taking the total amount of dividends paid and dividing it by the total shares outstanding.
Dividend Reinvestment at NAV is the automatic reinvestment of shareholder dividends in more shares at net asset value.
Ex-Dividend Date is the date on which a fund goes ex-dividend. The interval between the announcement and the payment of the next dividend. An investor must own the fund before the ex-dividend date to be eligible for the dividend payout.
Long-term Capital Gain
The gain on the sale of a capital asset where the holding period was more than 12 months and the profit was subject to the long-term capital gains tax.
(Source: Barron's Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms)
Short-term Capital Gain
For tax purposes the profit realized from the sale of securities or other capital assets held for less than 12 months. Short-term gains are taxable at ordinary income rates to the extent they are not reduced by offsetting capital losses.
(Source: Barron's Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms)
Updated Daily As of
12/25/24
Record Date
Ex-Date
Payable Date
Type of Earnings
Rate per Share (US$)
Reinvestment NAV (US$)
11/29/24
11/29/24
12/02/24
Dividend
0.02189
7.65
10/31/24
10/31/24
11/01/24
Dividend
0.02276
7.56
09/30/24
09/30/24
10/01/24
Dividend
0.02120
7.69
08/30/24
08/30/24
09/03/24
Dividend
0.02168
7.59
07/31/24
07/31/24
08/01/24
Dividend
0.02262
7.53
06/28/24
06/28/24
07/01/24
Dividend
0.02120
7.46
05/31/24
05/31/24
06/03/24
Dividend
0.02168
7.26
04/30/24
04/30/24
05/01/24
Dividend
0.02129
7.24
03/28/24
03/28/24
04/01/24
Dividend
0.02259
7.36
02/29/24
02/29/24
03/01/24
Dividend
0.02146
7.33
01/31/24
01/31/24
02/01/24
Dividend
0.02342
7.33
12/29/23
12/29/23
12/29/23
Dividend
0.02289
7.32
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Please consult your tax advisor for further information.
Portfolio & Holdings Information
Portfolio characteristic data are based on unaudited net assets.
The portfolio is actively managed, and current holdings may be different.
Average Coupon: Average Coupon is the equivalent exposure weighted coupon of all interest bearing instruments as a percent of the total equivalent exposure of all fixed income holdings, including short term and interest rate derivatives which have coupons. Coupons are netted for securities with a payable and receivable leg. Non-accruing securities are treated as having a coupon equal to zero.
Average Effective Duration is a measure of how much a bond's price is likely to fluctuate with general changes in interest rates, e.g., if rates rise 1.00%, a bond with a 5-year duration is likely to lose about 5.00% of its value.
Average Effective Maturity is a weighted average of maturity of the bonds held in a portfolio, taking into account any prepayments, puts, and adjustable coupons which may shorten the maturity. Longer-maturity funds are generally considered more interest-rate sensitive than shorter maturity funds.
Weighted average yield-to-worst of all portfolio holdings excluding cash & derivatives. Yield-to-worst is the annual estimate of the portfolio yield considering factors such as call provisions, prepayments, and other features that may affect a bond's cash flow; and assumes no default. It is an estimated characteristic at a point in time and is not a measure of portfolio performance.
As of
11/30/24
Data table of holding characteristics
characteristics
Fixed Earning
Number of Issues
1749
Number of Issuers
531
Average Coupon
4.67
Average Effective Duration
6.68 yrs
Average Effective Maturity
20.02 yrs
Yield To Worst
4.98%
Performance Statistics
Alpha is a measure of the portfolio's risk-adjusted performance. When compared to the portfolio's beta, a positive alpha indicates better-than-expected portfolio performance and a negative indicates alpha worse-than-expected portfolio performance.
Beta is a measure of the volatility of a portfolio relative to the overall market. A beta less than 1.0 indicates lower risk than the market; a beta greater than 1.0 indicates higher risk than the market. It is most reliable as a risk measure when the return fluctuations of the portfolio are highly correlated with the return fluctuations of the index chosen to represent the market.
Information ratio is a measure of consistency in excess return. It is calculated by taking the annualized excess return over a benchmark and dividing it by the annualized standard deviation of excess return.
R squared represents the percentage of the portfolio's movements that can be explained by the general movements of the market. Index portfolios will tend to have values very close to 100. R squared is not a measure of performance.
The Sharpe Ratio is a risk-adjusted measure calculated to determine reward per unit of risk. It uses a standard deviation and excess return. The higher the Sharpe Ratio, the better the portfolio's historical risk-adjusted performance.
Standard Deviation is an indicator of the portfolio's total return volatility, which is based on a minimum of 36 monthly returns. The larger the portfolio's standard deviation, the greater the portfolio's volatility.
Tracking error is the standard deviation of a portfolio's excess returns. Excess returns are a portfolio's return minus the benchmark's annualized return.
Treynor Ratio: Treynor Ratio is a risk adjusted measure of performance. It is the ratio of the annualized excess return of the portfolio over the risk free rate for a given period divided by the Beta of the portfolio versus its benchmark for the same period. It measures the amount of excess return over the risk free rate earned per unit of systematic risk (beta) assumed.
Upside and downside capture is a measure of how well a manager was able to replicate or improve on phases of positive benchmark returns, and how badly the manager was affected by phases of negative benchmark returns. Upside capture ratio for a portfolio is calculated by taking the portfolio's return during periods when the benchmark had a positive return and dividing it by the benchmark return during that same period. Downside capture ratio is calculated by taking the portfolio's return during the periods of negative benchmark performance and dividing it by the benchmark return for that period.
Housing Development Corp NY 8 Spruce Street-Class F 4.500 FEB 15 48
Berks County Municipal Authority/The PA Exchange-Tower Health Project- 5.000 JUN 30 39
California Community Choice Financing Authority CA Variable-Green Bonds-Ser C 5.250 JAN 01 54
Public Finance Authority WI American Dream @ Meadowlands P 6.250 AUG 01 27
New York Transportation Development Corp NY Amt-Sustainable Bond-Jfk Inter AGM 5.125 JUN 30 60
City of Chicago IL Ref-Ser A 5.000 JAN 01 33
New Hampshire Business Finance Authority NH Centurion Biosquare Inc-Ser A 5.880 DEC 15 38
New York Liberty Development Corp NY Ref-Class 1-3 World Trade Ctr 5.000 NOV 15 44
The portfolio is actively managed, and current holdings may be different.
Exposures
Portfolio Structure (%)
As of
11/30/24
Municipals
96.33
High Yield Corporates
0.73
U.S. Equities
0.00
Cash & Cash Equivalents
2.94
Credit Quality (%)
For all securities other than those described below, ratings are assigned utilizing ratings from Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard & Poor’s and applying the following hierarchy: If all three agencies provide a rating, the consensus rating is assigned if applicable or the middle rating if not; if two of the three agencies rate a security, the lower of the two is assigned. If none of the 3 Rating Agencies above assign a rating, but the security is rated by DBRS Morningstar, then the DBRS Morningstar rating is assigned. If none of the 4 rating agencies listed above rate the security, but the security is rated by the Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA), then the KBRA rating is assigned. Other Not Rated includes other fixed income securities not rated by any rating agency. Ratings are shown in the S&P and Fitch scale (e.g., AAA). All ratings are subject to change. The portfolio itself has not been rated by any rating agency. The credit quality of a particular security or group of securities does not ensure the stability or safety of an overall portfolio. The quality ratings of individual issues/issuers are provided to indicate the credit-worthiness of such issues/ issuer and generally range from AAA, Aaa, or AAA (highest) to D, C, or D (lowest) for S&P, Moody’s, and Fitch respectively. The index rating methodology may differ.
As of
11/30/24
% of Total Net Assets
AAA
2.46
AA
6.30
A
11.03
BBB
21.63
BB
15.19
B
2.11
CCC
0.54
CC
1.13
Other Not Rated
39.60
Important Characteristics Information
The portfolio is actively managed, and current holdings may be different.
Portfolio characteristics are based on equivalent exposure, which measures how a portfolio's value would change due to price changes in an asset held either directly or, in the case of a derivative contract, indirectly. The market value of the holding may differ.
*Short positions, unlike long positions, lose value if the underlying asset gains value.
Fees
1.36% Net Expense Ratio
Net Expense Ratio: The Net Expense Ratio reflects the reduction of expenses from contractual fee waivers and reimbursements. Elimination of these reductions will result in higher expenses and lower performance.
These reductions will continue until at least 05/31/25
1.67% Gross Expense Ratio
Gross Expense Ratio: The Gross Expense Ratio is the fund's total operating expense ratio from the fund's most recent prospectus.
4.00
%Maximum Sales Charge
Class B shares ("B") results include the applicable contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC), which declines over six years from 4% to 0%. The elimination of the charge begins six years after the end of the month in which shares were initially purchased.
Notice of personnel announcements on FI and Quant teams
This website is a general communication and is provided for informational and/or educational purposes only. None of the content should be viewed as a suggestion that you take or refrain from taking any action nor as a recommendation for any specific investment product, strategy, plan feature or other such purpose. Your use of this website indicates that you agree with the intended purpose. Prior to making any investment or financial decision, you should seek individualized advice from a personal financial, tax, and other professionals who are able to provide advice in the context of your particular financial situation.
The information provided on this page should be read in conjunction with the fund's prospectus or summary prospectus for the portfolio being offered, which are available online here or by contacting MFS. Consider the fund's investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses, and otherwise read these documents carefully before you invest. Shares of the funds are not FDIC-insured and are not deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, any bank. Shares of the funds involve investment risk, including possible loss of principal.
MFS registered investment products are offered through MFS® Fund Distributors, Inc., Member SIPC, 111 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02199.
Seeks total return with an emphasis on high income exempt from federal income tax, but also considering capital appreciation.
INVESTMENT FOCUS
MFS has been investing in municipal bonds since the 1970's. The fund benefits from the experience, continuity and stability of the investment team, and utilizing our integrated global investment platform
Portfolio management-driven approach to risk budgeting; quantitative tools help analyze market risk, and an experienced analyst team focuses on idiosyncratic risk
Risk-aware approach with a focus on consistent long-term performance
Fund Information
Fund Commencement
02/24/1984
Net Assets
($
M)
As of 11/30/24
$4623.39
Fiscal Year End
JANUARY
Benchmark
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index measures the municipal bond market.
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index
Share Class Information
Class Inception
09/07/1993
Net Asset Value (NAV)
As of 12/24/24
$7.48
Most Recent NAV Change
As of 12/24/24
$0.00
|
0.00%
Fund Number
225
Maximum Sales Charge
4%
Gross Expense Ratio
Gross Expense Ratio: The Gross Expense Ratio is the fund's total operating expense ratio from the fund's most recent prospectus.
1.67%
Net Expense Ratio
Net Expense Ratio: The Net Expense Ratio reflects the reduction of expenses from contractual fee waivers and reimbursements. Elimination of these reductions will result in higher expenses and lower performance.
These reductions will continue until at least 05/31/25
Housing Development Corp NY 8 Spruce Street-Class F 4.500 FEB 15 48
Berks County Municipal Authority/The PA Exchange-Tower Health Project- 5.000 JUN 30 39
California Community Choice Financing Authority CA Variable-Green Bonds-Ser C 5.250 JAN 01 54
Public Finance Authority WI American Dream @ Meadowlands P 6.250 AUG 01 27
New York Transportation Development Corp NY Amt-Sustainable Bond-Jfk Inter AGM 5.125 JUN 30 60
City of Chicago IL Ref-Ser A 5.000 JAN 01 33
New Hampshire Business Finance Authority NH Centurion Biosquare Inc-Ser A 5.880 DEC 15 38
New York Liberty Development Corp NY Ref-Class 1-3 World Trade Ctr 5.000 NOV 15 44
Important Risk Considerations
The fund may not achieve its objective and/or you could lose money on your investment in the fund.
Bond: Investments in debt instruments may decline in value as the result of, or perception of, declines in the credit quality of the issuer, borrower, counterparty, or other entity responsible for payment, underlying collateral, or changes in economic, political, issuer-specific, or other conditions. Certain types of debt instruments can be more sensitive to these factors and therefore more volatile. In addition, debt instruments entail interest rate risk (as interest rates rise, prices usually fall). Therefore, the portfolio's value may decline during rising rates. Portfolios that consist of debt instruments with longer durations are generally more sensitive to a rise in interest rates than those with shorter durations. At times, and particularly during periods of market turmoil, all or a large portion of segments of the market may not have an active trading market. As a result, it may be difficult to value these investments and it may not be possible to sell a particular investment or type of investment at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The price of an instrument trading at a negative interest rate responds to interest rate changes like other debt instruments; however, an instrument purchased at a negative interest rate is expected to produce a negative return if held to maturity.
Derivatives: Investments in derivatives can be used to take both long and short positions, be highly volatile, involve leverage (which can magnify losses), and involve risks in addition to the risks of the underlying indicator(s) on which the derivative is based, such as counterparty and liquidity risk.
High Yield: Investments in below investment grade quality debt instruments can be more volatile and have greater risk of default, or already be in default, than higher-quality debt instruments.
Municipal Bond: Investments in municipal instruments can be volatile and significantly affected by adverse tax or court rulings, legislative or political changes, market and economic conditions, issuer, industry-specific (including the credit quality of municipal insurers), and other conditions. Because many municipal instruments are issued to finance similar projects, conditions in certain industries can significantly affect the portfolio and the overall municipal market.
Concentrated: The portfolio's performance could be closely tied to the economic, political, and other conditions in the state and other states and U.S. territories and possessions in which the portfolio invests and could be more volatile than the performance of more geographically diversified portfolios.
Please see the prospectus for further information on these and other risk considerations.
Jason Kosty
Portfolio Manager
29
YEARS WITH INDUSTRY
4
YEARS WITH PORTFOLIO
29
YEARS WITH INDUSTRY
4
YEARS WITH PORTFOLIO
Jason R. Kosty is an investment officer and fixed income portfolio manager of national municipal bond strategies at MFS Investment Management® (MFS®). In this role, he is responsible for final buy and sell decisions, portfolio construction and risk and cash management. He also participates in the research process and strategy discussions.
Jason joined the firm in 2003 as a municipal bond research analyst and took on portfolio management responsibilities in 2014. Previously, he worked as a research associate and municipal bond analyst for Columbia Management Group. He began his career in the financial services industry in 1995.
Jason earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of Massachusetts and a Master of Business Administration degree from Duke University. He is a member of the National Federation of Municipal Analysts and the Boston Municipal Analysts Forum.
Megan Poplowski
Portfolio Manager
24
YEARS WITH INDUSTRY
3
YEARS WITH PORTFOLIO
24
YEARS WITH INDUSTRY
3
YEARS WITH PORTFOLIO
Megan Poplowski is co-head of municipal research and a fixed income portolio manager with MFS Investment Management® (MFS®). As a member of the portolio management team, she is responsible for final buy and sell decisions, portfolio construction, risk assessment and cash management. She also participates in the research process and strategy discussions. As co-head of municipal research, Megan works closely with a team of municipal research analysts tasked with developing and communicating impactful investment ideas for the municipal portfolios and across the MFS fixed income platform.
Megan joined MFS in 2015 as a fixed income analyst and was named director of research in 2017, adding portfolio management responsibilities in 2022. She previously worked for Eaton Vance Management for seven years. She also spent five years with Financial Guaranty Insurance and two years at Moody's Investors Service. She began her career in municipal finance at the New York City budget office.
Megan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Holy Cross College and a Master of Public Administration degree from New York University. She is a member of the National Federation of Municipal Analysts and its Boston chapter.
Geoffrey Schechter, CFA, CPA
Portfolio Manager
36
YEARS WITH INDUSTRY
22
YEARS WITH PORTFOLIO
36
YEARS WITH INDUSTRY
22
YEARS WITH PORTFOLIO
Geoffrey L. Schechter, CFA, CPA, is an investment officer at MFS Investment Management® (MFS®) and a portfolio manager of the firm's government securities and municipal bond portfolios.
Geoff joined MFS as an investment officer in 1993 after working as a municipal credit analyst with a major insurance company. He was named portfolio manager in 1993.
Geoff is a graduate of the University of Texas and has an MBA degree from Boston University. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designations.
Our portfolio managers are supported by our entire team of investment professionals in nine worldwide offices. The team employs a proprietary investment process to build better insights for our clients. The core principles of our approach are integrated research, global collaboration and active risk management.
These results represent the percent change in net asset value.
Monthly|QuarterlyAs of
09/30/24
(*YTD Updated
Daily,
As of 12/24/24 , subject to revision and not annualized.)
The performance shown is attributable in part to unusual market conditions. These conditions may not be repeated in the future.
Performance data shown represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value fluctuate so your shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than the original cost; current performance may be lower or higher than quoted.
MORNINGSTAR RATING
Morningstar Overall Rating As of 11/30/24 Class B Shares
Morningstar High Yield Muni
Morningstar ratings are based on risk adjusted performance.
Performance results reflect any applicable expense subsidies and waivers in effect during the periods shown. Without such subsidies and waivers the fund's performance results would be less favorable. All results are historical and assume the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains.
Dividends are generally subject to state and local taxes. For investors subject to the alternative minimum tax, a small portion of dividend income may be taxable. Capital gains distributions, if any, are taxable.
Sales Charges
Class B shares ("B") results include the applicable contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC), which declines over six years from 4% to 0%. The elimination of the charge begins six years after the end of the month in which shares were initially purchased.
Annual Rate of Return
Annual Rate of Return (%)
As of
12/31/23|Benchmark: Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index
annual rate of return table
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
At NAV
13.85
4.22
0.89
6.96
1.32
8.65
2.74
4.52
-14.47
5.35
With Sales Charge
9.85
0.22
-3.01
2.96
-2.59
4.65
-1.25
0.52
-17.79
1.35
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index
9.05
3.30
0.25
5.45
1.28
7.54
5.21
1.52
-8.53
6.40
At NAV
With Sales Charge
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index
2023
5.35
1.35
6.4
2022
-14.47
-17.79
-8.53
2021
4.52
0.52
1.52
2020
2.74
-1.25
5.21
2019
8.65
4.65
7.54
2018
1.32
-2.59
1.28
2017
6.96
2.96
5.45
2016
0.89
-3.01
0.25
2015
4.22
0.22
3.3
2014
13.85
9.85
9.05
Pricing & Distributions
Pricing History
NAV at Close of Trading on:
12/24/24
Net Asset Value (NAV):
$7.48
Change
($) (since
12/23/24
):
0.00
Change (%) (since
12/23/24
):
0.00
Market Price (MP):
Maximum data displayed is for the most recent 10 years
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Historical Exit Price Table
NAV at Close of Trading on
Net Asset Value (NAV)
No Data Available
Distribution Rates (%)
The distribution rates are computed by annualizing the current distribution rate per share (excluding short-term capital gains), and dividing the result by the public offering price (for the distribution rate including sales charge) or net asset value (for the distribution rate not including sales charge) at the end of the business day.
As of
11/30/24
Charges
Distribution Rate
Not Including Sales Charges
3.48
Including Sales Charges
3.48
30-Day SEC Yield (%)
The fund's 30-day yield is based on the yield of a fund's investments over a 30-day period and not on the dividend paid by the fund, which may differ.
As of
11/30/24
Wavier
Yield Value
Without Waiver
3.09
With Waiver
3.42
Distributions
The Record Date is the date on which a fund declares a distribution. To receive the distribution, an investor must be a shareholder of record on that date.
The Payable Date is the date on which the distribution is paid to shareholders.
Dividend Rate per Share is the amount of dividend that a shareholder will receive for each share held. It can be calculated by taking the total amount of dividends paid and dividing it by the total shares outstanding.
Dividend Reinvestment at NAV is the automatic reinvestment of shareholder dividends in more shares at net asset value.
Ex-Dividend Date is the date on which a fund goes ex-dividend. The interval between the announcement and the payment of the next dividend. An investor must own the fund before the ex-dividend date to be eligible for the dividend payout.
Long-term Capital Gain
The gain on the sale of a capital asset where the holding period was more than 12 months and the profit was subject to the long-term capital gains tax.
(Source: Barron's Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms)
Short-term Capital Gain
For tax purposes the profit realized from the sale of securities or other capital assets held for less than 12 months. Short-term gains are taxable at ordinary income rates to the extent they are not reduced by offsetting capital losses.
(Source: Barron's Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms)
Updated Daily As of
12/25/24
Record Date
Ex-Date
Payable Date
Type of Earnings
Rate per Share (US$)
Reinvestment NAV (US$)
11/29/24
11/29/24
12/02/24
Dividend
0.02189
7.65
10/31/24
10/31/24
11/01/24
Dividend
0.02276
7.56
09/30/24
09/30/24
10/01/24
Dividend
0.02120
7.69
08/30/24
08/30/24
09/03/24
Dividend
0.02168
7.59
07/31/24
07/31/24
08/01/24
Dividend
0.02262
7.53
06/28/24
06/28/24
07/01/24
Dividend
0.02120
7.46
05/31/24
05/31/24
06/03/24
Dividend
0.02168
7.26
04/30/24
04/30/24
05/01/24
Dividend
0.02129
7.24
03/28/24
03/28/24
04/01/24
Dividend
0.02259
7.36
02/29/24
02/29/24
03/01/24
Dividend
0.02146
7.33
01/31/24
01/31/24
02/01/24
Dividend
0.02342
7.33
12/29/23
12/29/23
12/29/23
Dividend
0.02289
7.32
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Please consult your tax advisor for further information.
Average Coupon: Average Coupon is the equivalent exposure weighted coupon of all interest bearing instruments as a percent of the total equivalent exposure of all fixed income holdings, including short term and interest rate derivatives which have coupons. Coupons are netted for securities with a payable and receivable leg. Non-accruing securities are treated as having a coupon equal to zero.
Average Effective Duration is a measure of how much a bond's price is likely to fluctuate with general changes in interest rates, e.g., if rates rise 1.00%, a bond with a 5-year duration is likely to lose about 5.00% of its value.
Average Effective Maturity is a weighted average of maturity of the bonds held in a portfolio, taking into account any prepayments, puts, and adjustable coupons which may shorten the maturity. Longer-maturity funds are generally considered more interest-rate sensitive than shorter maturity funds.
Weighted average yield-to-worst of all portfolio holdings excluding cash & derivatives. Yield-to-worst is the annual estimate of the portfolio yield considering factors such as call provisions, prepayments, and other features that may affect a bond's cash flow; and assumes no default. It is an estimated characteristic at a point in time and is not a measure of portfolio performance.
As of
11/30/24
Data table of holding characteristics
characteristics
Fixed Earning
Number of Issues
1749
Number of Issuers
531
Average Coupon
4.67
Average Effective Duration
6.68 yrs
Average Effective Maturity
20.02 yrs
Yield To Worst
4.98%
Performance Statistics
Alpha is a measure of the portfolio's risk-adjusted performance. When compared to the portfolio's beta, a positive alpha indicates better-than-expected portfolio performance and a negative indicates alpha worse-than-expected portfolio performance.
Beta is a measure of the volatility of a portfolio relative to the overall market. A beta less than 1.0 indicates lower risk than the market; a beta greater than 1.0 indicates higher risk than the market. It is most reliable as a risk measure when the return fluctuations of the portfolio are highly correlated with the return fluctuations of the index chosen to represent the market.
Information ratio is a measure of consistency in excess return. It is calculated by taking the annualized excess return over a benchmark and dividing it by the annualized standard deviation of excess return.
R squared represents the percentage of the portfolio's movements that can be explained by the general movements of the market. Index portfolios will tend to have values very close to 100. R squared is not a measure of performance.
The Sharpe Ratio is a risk-adjusted measure calculated to determine reward per unit of risk. It uses a standard deviation and excess return. The higher the Sharpe Ratio, the better the portfolio's historical risk-adjusted performance.
Standard Deviation is an indicator of the portfolio's total return volatility, which is based on a minimum of 36 monthly returns. The larger the portfolio's standard deviation, the greater the portfolio's volatility.
Tracking error is the standard deviation of a portfolio's excess returns. Excess returns are a portfolio's return minus the benchmark's annualized return.
Treynor Ratio: Treynor Ratio is a risk adjusted measure of performance. It is the ratio of the annualized excess return of the portfolio over the risk free rate for a given period divided by the Beta of the portfolio versus its benchmark for the same period. It measures the amount of excess return over the risk free rate earned per unit of systematic risk (beta) assumed.
Upside and downside capture is a measure of how well a manager was able to replicate or improve on phases of positive benchmark returns, and how badly the manager was affected by phases of negative benchmark returns. Upside capture ratio for a portfolio is calculated by taking the portfolio's return during periods when the benchmark had a positive return and dividing it by the benchmark return during that same period. Downside capture ratio is calculated by taking the portfolio's return during the periods of negative benchmark performance and dividing it by the benchmark return for that period.
Housing Development Corp NY 8 Spruce Street-Class F 4.500 FEB 15 48
Berks County Municipal Authority/The PA Exchange-Tower Health Project- 5.000 JUN 30 39
California Community Choice Financing Authority CA Variable-Green Bonds-Ser C 5.250 JAN 01 54
Public Finance Authority WI American Dream @ Meadowlands P 6.250 AUG 01 27
New York Transportation Development Corp NY Amt-Sustainable Bond-Jfk Inter AGM 5.125 JUN 30 60
City of Chicago IL Ref-Ser A 5.000 JAN 01 33
New Hampshire Business Finance Authority NH Centurion Biosquare Inc-Ser A 5.880 DEC 15 38
New York Liberty Development Corp NY Ref-Class 1-3 World Trade Ctr 5.000 NOV 15 44
The portfolio is actively managed, and current holdings may be different.
Exposures
Portfolio Structure (%)
As of
11/30/24
Municipals
96.33
High Yield Corporates
0.73
U.S. Equities
0.00
Cash & Cash Equivalents
2.94
Credit Quality (%)
For all securities other than those described below, ratings are assigned utilizing ratings from Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard & Poor’s and applying the following hierarchy: If all three agencies provide a rating, the consensus rating is assigned if applicable or the middle rating if not; if two of the three agencies rate a security, the lower of the two is assigned. If none of the 3 Rating Agencies above assign a rating, but the security is rated by DBRS Morningstar, then the DBRS Morningstar rating is assigned. If none of the 4 rating agencies listed above rate the security, but the security is rated by the Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA), then the KBRA rating is assigned. Other Not Rated includes other fixed income securities not rated by any rating agency. Ratings are shown in the S&P and Fitch scale (e.g., AAA). All ratings are subject to change. The portfolio itself has not been rated by any rating agency. The credit quality of a particular security or group of securities does not ensure the stability or safety of an overall portfolio. The quality ratings of individual issues/issuers are provided to indicate the credit-worthiness of such issues/ issuer and generally range from AAA, Aaa, or AAA (highest) to D, C, or D (lowest) for S&P, Moody’s, and Fitch respectively. The index rating methodology may differ.
As of
11/30/24
% of Total Net Assets
AAA
2.46
AA
6.30
A
11.03
BBB
21.63
BB
15.19
B
2.11
CCC
0.54
CC
1.13
Other Not Rated
39.60
Important Characteristics Information
The portfolio is actively managed, and current holdings may be different.
Portfolio characteristics are based on equivalent exposure, which measures how a portfolio's value would change due to price changes in an asset held either directly or, in the case of a derivative contract, indirectly. The market value of the holding may differ.
*Short positions, unlike long positions, lose value if the underlying asset gains value.
Net Expense Ratio: The Net Expense Ratio reflects the reduction of expenses from contractual fee waivers and reimbursements. Elimination of these reductions will result in higher expenses and lower performance.
These reductions will continue until at least 05/31/25
1.67% Gross Expense Ratio
Gross Expense Ratio: The Gross Expense Ratio is the fund's total operating expense ratio from the fund's most recent prospectus.
4.00
%Maximum Sales Charge
Class B shares ("B") results include the applicable contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC), which declines over six years from 4% to 0%. The elimination of the charge begins six years after the end of the month in which shares were initially purchased.
Notice of personnel announcements on FI and Quant teams
This website is a general communication and is provided for informational and/or educational purposes only. None of the content should be viewed as a suggestion that you take or refrain from taking any action nor as a recommendation for any specific investment product, strategy, plan feature or other such purpose. Your use of this website indicates that you agree with the intended purpose. Prior to making any investment or financial decision, you should seek individualized advice from a personal financial, tax, and other professionals who are able to provide advice in the context of your particular financial situation.
The information provided on this page should be read in conjunction with the fund's prospectus or summary prospectus for the portfolio being offered, which are available online here or by contacting MFS. Consider the fund's investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses, and otherwise read these documents carefully before you invest. Shares of the funds are not FDIC-insured and are not deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, any bank. Shares of the funds involve investment risk, including possible loss of principal.
MFS registered investment products are offered through MFS® Fund Distributors, Inc., Member SIPC, 111 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02199.