UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-Q

 

QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY

 

Investment Company Act file number

811-10603

 

Western Asset Premier Bond Fund

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

620 Eighth Avenue, 49th Floor, New York, NY

 

10018

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip code)

 

Robert I. Frenkel, Esq.

Legg Mason & Co., LLC

100 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

(888) 777-0102

 

 

Date of fiscal year end:

December 31

 

 

Date of reporting period:

September 30, 2012

 

 



 

ITEM 1.                 SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

 



 

WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND

 

FORM N-Q

SEPTEMBER 30, 2012

 


 

WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND

 

Schedule of investments (unaudited)

September 30, 2012

 

SECURITY

 

RATE

 

MATURITY
DATE

 

FACE
AMOUNT

 

VALUE

 

CORPORATE BONDS & NOTES — 44.7%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY — 8.3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Automobiles — 2.1%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DaimlerChrysler NA Holding Corp., Notes

 

8.500%

 

1/18/31

 

1,000,000

 

$

1,583,964

 

Ford Motor Credit Co., LLC, Senior Notes

 

12.000%

 

5/15/15

 

1,030,000

 

1,277,200

 

Ford Motor Credit Co., LLC, Senior Notes

 

8.000%

 

12/15/16

 

680,000

 

812,807

 

Total Automobiles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,673,971

 

Diversified Consumer Services — 0.4%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Service Corp. International, Senior Notes

 

7.625%

 

10/1/18

 

5,000

 

5,925

 

Service Corp. International, Senior Notes

 

7.500%

 

4/1/27

 

60,000

 

63,600

 

ServiceMaster Co., Senior Notes

 

7.000%

 

8/15/20

 

650,000

 

666,250

(a)

Total Diversified Consumer Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

735,775

 

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 0.6%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Caesars Entertainment Operating Co. Inc., Senior Notes

 

10.750%

 

2/1/16

 

300,000

 

239,250

 

El Pollo Loco Inc., Secured Notes

 

17.000%

 

1/1/18

 

396,951

 

412,829

(a)(b)

Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, Secured Notes

 

11.500%

 

11/1/17

 

170,000

 

179,350

(a)

NCL Corp. Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

 

11.750%

 

11/15/16

 

170,000

 

195,925

 

Station Casinos Inc., Senior Subordinated Notes

 

6.625%

 

3/15/18

 

100,000

 

0

(c)(d)(e)(f)

Total Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,027,354

 

Media — 5.2%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CCH II LLC/CCH II Capital Corp., Senior Notes

 

13.500%

 

11/30/16

 

61,940

 

67,205

 

Comcast Corp., Notes

 

5.900%

 

3/15/16

 

400,000

 

464,792

 

Comcast Corp., Notes

 

7.050%

 

3/15/33

 

1,000,000

 

1,311,955

 

CSC Holdings LLC, Senior Notes

 

6.750%

 

11/15/21

 

1,000,000

 

1,102,500

(a)

DISH DBS Corp., Senior Notes

 

7.875%

 

9/1/19

 

385,000

 

447,562

 

Nara Cable Funding Ltd., Senior Secured Notes

 

8.875%

 

12/1/18

 

1,500,000

 

1,368,750

(a)

News America Inc., Notes

 

8.875%

 

4/26/23

 

400,000

 

540,304

 

Time Warner Inc., Senior Debentures

 

7.700%

 

5/1/32

 

980,000

 

1,376,261

 

UPC Holding BV, Junior Secured Subordinated Notes

 

6.375%

 

9/15/22

 

1,820,000

EUR

2,245,239

(a)

Total Media

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8,924,568

 

TOTAL CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14,361,668

 

CONSUMER STAPLES — 2.3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food & Staples Retailing — 1.7%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CVS Corp., Pass-Through Trust, Secured Bonds

 

5.789%

 

1/10/26

 

517,579

 

575,807

(a)

CVS Corp., Pass-Through Trust, Secured Notes

 

6.943%

 

1/10/30

 

473,776

 

577,134

 

CVS Pass-Through Trust, Secured Notes

 

5.880%

 

1/10/28

 

507,852

 

570,297

 

CVS Pass-Through Trust, Secured Notes

 

6.036%

 

12/10/28

 

500,961

 

581,705

 

CVS Pass-Through Trust, Secured Notes

 

7.507%

 

1/10/32

 

454,892

 

583,522

(a)

Total Food & Staples Retailing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,888,465

 

Food Products — 0.5%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ahold Lease USA Inc., Pass-Through Certificates

 

8.620%

 

1/2/25

 

686,921

 

831,174

(d)

Tobacco — 0.1%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alliance One International Inc., Senior Notes

 

10.000%

 

7/15/16

 

160,000

 

165,600

 

TOTAL CONSUMER STAPLES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,885,239

 

ENERGY — 4.5%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Energy Equipment & Services — 0.5%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Compagnie Generale de Geophysique-Veritas, Senior Notes

 

6.500%

 

6/1/21

 

750,000

 

772,500

 

Hercules Offshore Inc., Senior Secured Notes

 

10.500%

 

10/15/17

 

155,000

 

163,331

(a)

Total Energy Equipment & Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

935,831

 

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — 4.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anadarko Finance Co., Senior Notes

 

7.500%

 

5/1/31

 

570,000

 

763,202

 

Arch Coal Inc., Senior Notes

 

7.000%

 

6/15/19

 

750,000

 

630,000

 

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

1


 

WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND

 

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

September 30, 2012

 

SECURITY

 

RATE

 

MATURITY
DATE

 

FACE
AMOUNT

 

VALUE

 

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — continued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Atlas Pipeline Partners LP/Atlas Pipeline Finance Corp., Senior Notes

 

6.625%

 

10/1/20

 

170,000

 

$

172,975

(a)

Burlington Resources Finance Co., Senior Notes

 

7.400%

 

12/1/31

 

450,000

 

659,897

 

Chesapeake Energy Corp., Senior Notes

 

7.250%

 

12/15/18

 

270,000

 

290,250

 

Colorado Interstate Gas Co., Senior Notes

 

6.800%

 

11/15/15

 

150,000

 

174,076

 

CONSOL Energy Inc., Senior Notes

 

8.250%

 

4/1/20

 

440,000

 

460,900

 

Devon Energy Corp., Debentures

 

7.950%

 

4/15/32

 

310,000

 

457,656

 

El Paso Corp., Medium-Term Notes

 

7.800%

 

8/1/31

 

190,000

 

220,771

 

EXCO Resources Inc., Senior Notes

 

7.500%

 

9/15/18

 

500,000

 

467,500

 

Hess Corp., Notes

 

7.875%

 

10/1/29

 

350,000

 

484,344

 

Plains Exploration & Production Co., Senior Notes

 

8.625%

 

10/15/19

 

125,000

 

139,375

 

Quicksilver Resources Inc., Senior Notes

 

11.750%

 

1/1/16

 

185,000

 

186,850

 

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

 

6.500%

 

7/15/21

 

750,000

 

802,500

 

Teekay Corp., Senior Notes

 

8.500%

 

1/15/20

 

310,000

 

325,500

 

Williams Cos. Inc., Debentures

 

7.500%

 

1/15/31

 

413,000

 

517,609

 

Williams Cos. Inc., Senior Notes

 

8.750%

 

3/15/32

 

39,000

 

54,103

 

Total Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6,807,508

 

TOTAL ENERGY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7,743,339

 

FINANCIALS — 10.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capital Markets — 1.1%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Senior Notes

 

5.250%

 

7/27/21

 

800,000

 

881,948

 

Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Subordinated Notes

 

6.750%

 

10/1/37

 

1,000,000

 

1,071,282

 

Total Capital Markets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,953,230

 

Commercial Banks — 1.2%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barclays Bank PLC, Subordinated Notes

 

10.179%

 

6/12/21

 

610,000

 

792,469

(a)

Credit Agricole SA, Subordinated Notes

 

8.375%

 

10/13/19

 

510,000

 

495,975

(a)(g)(h)

Intesa Sanpaolo SpA, Senior Notes

 

3.625%

 

8/12/15

 

300,000

 

294,000

(a)

Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC, Subordinated Notes

 

5.050%

 

1/8/15

 

230,000

 

238,597

 

Santander US Debt SA Unipersonal, Senior Notes

 

3.724%

 

1/20/15

 

300,000

 

297,750

(a)

Total Commercial Banks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,118,791

 

Consumer Finance — 1.3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ally Financial Inc., Senior Notes

 

8.000%

 

3/15/20

 

350,000

 

409,500

 

HSBC Finance Corp., Notes

 

4.750%

 

7/15/13

 

1,670,000

 

1,718,577

 

Total Consumer Finance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,128,077

 

Diversified Financial Services — 5.2%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bank of America Corp., Senior Notes

 

5.000%

 

5/13/21

 

1,100,000

 

1,209,099

 

Citigroup Inc., Subordinated Notes

 

6.625%

 

6/15/32

 

1,000,000

 

1,145,221

 

General Electric Capital Corp., Notes

 

5.300%

 

2/11/21

 

450,000

 

516,405

 

General Electric Capital Corp., Subordinated Debentures

 

6.375%

 

11/15/67

 

500,000

 

527,600

(g)

International Lease Finance Corp., Senior Notes

 

8.750%

 

3/15/17

 

1,380,000

 

1,614,600

 

International Lease Finance Corp., Senior Notes

 

5.875%

 

8/15/22

 

750,000

 

774,788

 

JPMorgan Chase & Co., Subordinated Notes

 

5.125%

 

9/15/14

 

1,300,000

 

1,394,908

 

Nationstar Mortgage LLC/Nationstar Capital Corp., Senior Notes

 

7.875%

 

10/1/20

 

500,000

 

508,750

(a)

UFJ Finance Aruba AEC

 

6.750%

 

7/15/13

 

500,000

 

523,170

 

Unitymedia GmbH, Senior Secured Bonds

 

8.125%

 

12/1/17

 

100,000

 

107,500

(a)

ZFS Finance USA Trust II, Bonds

 

6.450%

 

12/15/65

 

500,000

 

530,000

(a)(g)

Total Diversified Financial Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8,852,041

 

Insurance — 1.2%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ING Capital Funding Trust III, Junior Subordinated Bonds

 

3.962%

 

12/31/12

 

100,000

 

91,972

(g)(h)

Liberty Mutual Group, Junior Subordinated Bonds

 

7.800%

 

3/15/37

 

200,000

 

217,000

(a)

Metlife Inc., Junior Subordinated Notes

 

10.750%

 

8/1/39

 

500,000

 

742,500

 

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

2


 

WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND

 

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

September 30, 2012

 

SECURITY

 

RATE

 

MATURITY
DATE

 

FACE
AMOUNT

 

VALUE

 

Insurance — continued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XL Capital Ltd.

 

5.250%

 

9/15/14

 

1,000,000

 

$

1,067,996

 

Total Insurance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,119,468

 

TOTAL FINANCIALS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17,171,607

 

HEALTH CARE — 0.8%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Health Care Providers & Services — 0.6%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HCA Inc., Debentures

 

7.500%

 

11/15/95

 

185,000

 

157,250

 

HCA Inc., Notes

 

6.375%

 

1/15/15

 

430,000

 

463,325

 

HCA Inc., Notes

 

7.690%

 

6/15/25

 

90,000

 

91,350

 

HCA Inc., Senior Notes

 

6.250%

 

2/15/13

 

85,000

 

86,169

 

Vanguard Health Holdings Co., II LLC, Senior Notes

 

8.000%

 

2/1/18

 

215,000

 

229,512

 

Total Health Care Providers & Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,027,606

 

Pharmaceuticals — 0.2%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elan Finance PLC/Elan Finance Corp., Senior Notes

 

6.250%

 

10/15/19

 

400,000

 

403,000

(a)

TOTAL HEALTH CARE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,430,606

 

INDUSTRIALS — 9.8%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aerospace & Defense — 0.5%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boeing Co., Notes

 

6.125%

 

2/15/33

 

600,000

 

805,177

 

Airlines — 8.8%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Air 2 US, Notes

 

8.027%

 

10/1/19

 

2,157,186

 

2,200,330

(a)

America West Airlines Inc., Ambac Assurance Corp.

 

8.057%

 

7/2/20

 

2,034,850

 

2,167,115

 

Continental Airlines Inc., Pass-Through Certificates

 

7.160%

 

3/24/13

 

52,952

 

53,349

 

Continental Airlines Inc., Pass-Through Certificates

 

6.900%

 

1/2/18

 

740,014

 

806,615

 

Continental Airlines Inc., Pass-Through Certificates

 

6.820%

 

5/1/18

 

908,918

 

972,542

(d)

Continental Airlines Inc., Pass-Through Certificates

 

6.545%

 

2/2/19

 

1,007,567

 

1,103,285

 

Continental Airlines Inc., Pass-Through Certificates

 

8.048%

 

11/1/20

 

512,269

 

585,267

 

Continental Airlines Inc., Pass-Through Certificates

 

6.703%

 

6/15/21

 

674,732

 

735,458

 

Continental Airlines Inc., Secured Notes

 

6.250%

 

4/11/20

 

1,000,000

 

1,035,000

 

DAE Aviation Holdings Inc., Senior Notes

 

11.250%

 

8/1/15

 

250,000

 

257,500

(a)

Delta Air Lines Inc., Pass-Through Certificates, Secured Notes

 

8.021%

 

8/10/22

 

147,598

 

159,406

 

Delta Air Lines Inc., Senior Secured Notes

 

9.500%

 

9/15/14

 

59,000

 

61,950

(a)

Northwest Airlines Corp., Pass-Through Certificates

 

7.575%

 

3/1/19

 

438,934

 

471,855

 

US Airways Pass-Through Trust, Pass-Through Certificates

 

6.850%

 

1/30/18

 

2,346,868

 

2,452,478

 

US Airways Pass-Through Trust, Secured Notes

 

7.125%

 

10/22/23

 

1,967,871

 

2,144,980

 

Total Airlines

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15,207,130

 

Building Products — 0.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ashton Woods USA LLC/Ashton Woods Finance Co., Senior Subordinated Notes

 

11.000%

 

6/30/15

 

65,000

 

62,075

(a)(e)

Commercial Services & Supplies — 0.2%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Altegrity Inc., Senior Subordinated Notes

 

10.500%

 

11/1/15

 

310,000

 

269,700

(a)

Electrical Equipment — 0.2%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

International Wire Group Holdings Inc., Senior Secured Notes

 

8.500%

 

10/15/17

 

340,000

 

340,000

(a)

Road & Rail — 0.1%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kansas City Southern de Mexico, Senior Notes

 

12.500%

 

4/1/16

 

111,000

 

123,487

 

TOTAL INDUSTRIALS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16,807,569

 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY — 0.4%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IT Services — 0.4%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Electronic Data Systems Corp., Notes

 

7.450%

 

10/15/29

 

500,000

 

602,172

 

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

3


 

WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND

 

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

September 30, 2012

 

SECURITY

 

RATE

 

MATURITY
DATE

 

FACE
AMOUNT

 

VALUE

 

IT Services — continued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Data Corp., Senior Secured Notes

 

6.750%

 

11/1/20

 

150,000

 

$

149,062

(a)

Total IT Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

751,234

 

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment — 0.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Freescale Semiconductor Inc., Senior Subordinated Notes

 

10.125%

 

12/15/16

 

28,000

 

29,050

 

TOTAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

780,284

 

MATERIALS — 3.5%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chemicals — 0.6%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dow Chemical Co., Notes

 

6.000%

 

10/1/12

 

1,000,000

 

1,000,000

 

Containers & Packaging — 1.4%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reynolds Group Issuer Inc./Reynolds Group Issuer LLC/Reynolds Group Issuer (Luxembourg) SA, Senior Notes

 

9.875%

 

8/15/19

 

2,300,000

 

2,446,625

 

Metals & Mining — 0.9%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Metals USA Inc., Senior Secured Notes

 

11.125%

 

12/1/15

 

445,000

 

458,350

 

Molycorp Inc., Senior Secured Notes

 

10.000%

 

6/1/20

 

910,000

 

900,900

(a)

Vedanta Resources PLC, Senior Notes

 

8.750%

 

1/15/14

 

130,000

 

135,525

(a)

Total Metals & Mining

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,494,775

 

Paper & Forest Products — 0.6%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appleton Papers Inc., Senior Secured Notes

 

11.250%

 

12/15/15

 

235,000

 

235,000

 

NewPage Corp., Senior Secured Notes

 

11.375%

 

12/31/14

 

215,000

 

135,450

(c)

Weyerhaeuser Co., Debentures

 

7.375%

 

3/15/32

 

560,000

 

664,516

 

Total Paper & Forest Products

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,034,966

 

TOTAL MATERIALS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5,976,366

 

TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES — 2.8%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diversified Telecommunication Services — 2.4%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AT&T Inc., Senior Notes

 

5.350%

 

9/1/40

 

170,000

 

204,614

 

Cincinnati Bell Telephone Co., Senior Debentures

 

6.300%

 

12/1/28

 

25,000

 

22,625

 

Deutsche Telekom International Finance BV

 

5.250%

 

7/22/13

 

600,000

 

622,053

 

France Telecom SA, Notes

 

8.500%

 

3/1/31

 

600,000

 

903,577

 

Intelsat Luxembourg SA, Senior Notes

 

11.250%

 

2/4/17

 

750,000

 

793,125

 

Qwest Corp., Senior Notes

 

7.500%

 

10/1/14

 

150,000

 

167,335

 

Wind Acquisition Finance SA, Senior Notes

 

11.750%

 

7/15/17

 

1,500,000

 

1,413,750

(a)

Total Diversified Telecommunication Services

 

 

 

 

 

4,127,079

 

Wireless Telecommunication Services — 0.4%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sprint Capital Corp., Senior Notes

 

6.875%

 

11/15/28

 

750,000

 

690,000

 

TOTAL TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES

 

 

 

 

 

 

4,817,079

 

UTILITIES — 2.3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Electric Utilities — 0.9%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FirstEnergy Corp., Notes

 

7.375%

 

11/15/31

 

1,020,000

 

1,336,063

 

MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co., Senior Notes

 

5.875%

 

10/1/12

 

250,000

 

250,000

 

Total Electric Utilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,586,063

 

Gas Utilities — 0.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Southern Natural Gas Co., Senior Notes

 

8.000%

 

3/1/32

 

20,000

 

28,291

 

Independent Power Producers & Energy Traders — 1.4%

 

 

 

 

 

 

AES Corp., Senior Notes

 

9.750%

 

4/15/16

 

360,000

 

430,200

 

AES Corp., Senior Notes

 

8.000%

 

6/1/20

 

100,000

 

116,250

 

Calpine Corp., Senior Secured Notes

 

7.875%

 

1/15/23

 

700,000

 

773,500

(a)

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

4

 


 

WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND

 

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

September 30, 2012

 

SECURITY

 

RATE

 

MATURITY
DATE

 

FACE
AMOUNT

 

VALUE

 

Independent Power Producers & Energy Traders — continued

 

 

 

 

 

Energy Future Intermediate Holding Co. LLC/EFIH Finance Inc., Senior Secured Notes

 

10.000%

 

12/1/20

 

885,000

 

$

995,625

 

Total Independent Power Producers & Energy Traders

 

 

 

 

 

2,315,575

 

TOTAL UTILITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,929,929

 

TOTAL CORPORATE BONDS & NOTES (Cost — $70,271,303)

 

 

 

76,903,686

 

ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES — 33.3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AAA Trust, 2005-1A 1A3B

 

0.626%

 

2/27/35

 

474,376

 

339,416

(a)(g)

ABFS Mortgage Loan Trust, 2002-3 M1

 

5.902%

 

9/15/33

 

1,079,765

 

791,163

 

ACE Securities Corp., 2005-WF1 M1

 

0.637%

 

5/25/35

 

470,000

 

438,866

(g)

Ameriquest Mortgage Securities Inc., 2004-R1 A1B

 

1.017%

 

2/25/34

 

595,958

 

500,807

(g)

Ameriquest Mortgage Securities Inc., 2004-R9 M1

 

1.147%

 

10/25/34

 

400,000

 

386,142

(g)

Amortizing Residential Collateral Trust, 2004-1 A5

 

0.717%

 

10/25/34

 

231,962

 

212,736

(g)

Argent Securities Inc., 2003-W3 M1

 

1.342%

 

9/25/33

 

161,777

 

155,846

(g)

Associates Manufactured Housing Pass Through Certificates, 1997-CLB2

 

8.900%

 

6/15/28

 

2,519,603

 

2,535,980

(d)

Associates Manufactured Housing Pass-Through Certificates, 1997-1 B1

 

7.600%

 

6/15/28

 

309,359

 

335,731

(g)

Associates Manufactured Housing Pass-Through Certificates, 1997-2 B1

 

8.084%

 

3/15/28

 

1,239,685

 

1,462,992

(g)

Bank of America Manufactured Housing Contract Trust, 1997-2M

 

6.900%

 

4/10/28

 

100,000

 

115,273

(g)

Bayview Financial Asset Trust, 2004-SSRA A1

 

0.817%

 

12/25/39

 

305,801

 

250,757

(a)(g)

Bayview Financial Asset Trust, 2007-SR1A A

 

0.667%

 

3/25/37

 

1,878,554

 

1,408,915

(a)(g)

Bayview Financial Asset Trust, 2007-SR1A M1

 

1.017%

 

3/25/37

 

1,235,330

 

830,759

(a)(g)

Bayview Financial Asset Trust, 2007-SR1A M3

 

1.367%

 

3/25/37

 

468,573

 

267,087

(a)(g)

Bayview Financial Asset Trust, 2007-SR1A M4

 

1.717%

 

3/25/37

 

127,793

 

66,452

(a)(g)

Bear Stearns Asset Backed Securities Trust, 2006-SD3 1P0, STRIPS, PO

 

0.000%

 

8/25/36

 

871,118

 

595,842

 

Bear Stearns Asset Backed Securities Trust, 2007-SD1 1A3A

 

6.500%

 

10/25/36

 

1,233,765

 

963,457

 

Centex Home Equity Loan Trust, 2003-B AF4

 

3.735%

 

2/25/32

 

349,152

 

324,514

 

Citigroup Mortgage Loan Trust Inc., 2006-SHL1 A1

 

0.417%

 

11/25/45

 

159,746

 

144,380

(a)(g)

Contimortgage Home Equity Trust, 1997-4 B1F

 

7.330%

 

10/15/28

 

312,585

 

320,337

 

Countrywide Asset-Backed Certificates, 2004-3 3A3

 

0.977%

 

8/25/34

 

198,609

 

195,353

(g)

Countrywide Asset-Backed Certificates, 2006-3 3A1

 

0.337%

 

6/25/36

 

652,379

 

461,760

(g)

Countrywide Asset-Backed Certificates, 2007-13 2A1

 

1.117%

 

10/25/47

 

1,056,358

 

774,800

(g)

Countrywide Asset-Backed Certificates, 2007-SEA2 1A1

 

1.217%

 

8/25/47

 

51,648

 

34,619

(a)(g)

Countrywide Home Equity Loan Trust, 2006-HW 2A1B

 

0.371%

 

11/15/36

 

1,132,772

 

824,598

(g)

Credit-Based Asset Servicing & Securitization, 2005-CB4 M1

 

0.637%

 

8/25/35

 

2,000,000

 

1,514,896

(g)

Credit-Based Asset Servicing & Securitization LLC, 2004-CB2 M1

 

0.997%

 

7/25/33

 

2,209,205

 

1,709,248

(g)

Credit-Based Asset Servicing and Securitization LLC, 2005-RP1 M1

 

0.837%

 

1/25/35

 

780,000

 

722,580

(a)(g)

CS First Boston Mortgage Securities Corp., 2004-CF2 2A1

 

0.687%

 

5/25/44

 

27,768

 

27,108

(a)(g)

Educap Student Loan Asset-Backed Notes, 2004-1 B

 

1.786%

 

6/25/38

 

1,328,155

 

1,168,777

(d)(g)

Education Funding Capital Trust, 2004-1 B1

 

1.990%

 

6/15/43

 

1,200,000

 

1,044,000

(d)(g)

EMC Mortgage Loan Trust, 2003-B A1

 

0.767%

 

11/25/41

 

64,932

 

60,663

(a)(g)

Firstfed Corp. Manufactured Housing Contract, 1996-1 B

 

8.060%

 

10/15/22

 

1,333,895

 

1,078,324

(a)

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

5


 

WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND

 

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

September 30, 2012

 

SECURITY

 

RATE

 

MATURITY
DATE

 

FACE
AMOUNT

 

VALUE

 

ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES — continued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fremont Home Loan Trust, 2006-2 2A2

 

0.327%

 

2/25/36

 

23,002

 

$

22,827

(g)

GMAC Mortgage Corp. Loan Trust, 2004-VF1 A1

 

0.967%

 

2/25/31

 

324,054

 

287,564

(a)(g)

Green Tree Financial Corp., 1992-2 B

 

9.150%

 

1/15/18

 

33,968

 

7,758

 

Green Tree Financial Corp., 1993-1 B

 

8.450%

 

4/15/18

 

65,617

 

48,023

 

Green Tree Home Improvement Loan Trust, 1996-D HIB2

 

8.000%

 

9/15/27

 

30,026

 

22,501

 

Greenpoint Manufactured Housing, 1999-2 A2

 

2.983%

 

3/18/29

 

425,000

 

344,970

(g)

Greenpoint Manufactured Housing, 1999-3 2A2

 

3.609%

 

6/19/29

 

125,000

 

102,314

(g)

Greenpoint Manufactured Housing, 1999-4 A2

 

3.719%

 

2/20/30

 

125,000

 

101,816

(g)

Greenpoint Manufactured Housing, 1999-5 A5

 

7.820%

 

12/15/29

 

706,000

 

750,614

(g)

Greenpoint Manufactured Housing, 2001-2 IA2

 

3.740%

 

2/20/32

 

475,000

 

380,117

(g)

Greenpoint Manufactured Housing, 2001-2 IIA2

 

3.740%

 

3/13/32

 

775,000

 

647,888

(g)

GSAA Home Equity Trust, 2004-8 A3A

 

0.587%

 

9/25/34

 

212,749

 

208,748

(g)

GSAA Home Equity Trust, 2006-19 A3A

 

0.457%

 

12/25/36

 

731,252

 

408,132

(g)

GSAMP Trust, 2003-SEA2 A1

 

4.422%

 

7/25/33

 

1,777,640

 

1,514,875

 

GSRPM Mortgage Loan Trust, 2006-1 A1

 

0.517%

 

3/25/35

 

132,019

 

112,448

(a)(g)

GSRPM Mortgage Loan Trust, 2006-2 A2

 

0.517%

 

9/25/36

 

245,889

 

204,635

(a)(g)

Indymac Manufactured Housing Contract, 1997-1 A5

 

6.970%

 

2/25/28

 

188,111

 

187,452

 

Keycorp Student Loan Trust, 2002-A 1A2

 

0.617%

 

8/27/31

 

2,122,906

 

1,939,461

(g)

Keycorp Student Loan Trust, 2003-A 1A2

 

0.711%

 

10/25/32

 

995,125

 

917,301

(g)

Lehman XS Trust, 2007-1 WF1

 

5.529%

 

1/25/37

 

838,452

 

487,402

(g)

Long Beach Mortgage Loan Trust, 2004-4 M1

 

1.117%

 

10/25/34

 

1,620,000

 

1,389,442

(g)

Merit Securities Corp., 13 A4

 

7.891%

 

12/28/33

 

2,154,100

 

2,358,385

(g)

Morgan Stanley ABS Capital I, 2003-SD1 A1

 

1.217%

 

3/25/33

 

19,765

 

17,531

(g)

Morgan Stanley Capital Inc., 2003-NC9 M

 

1.342%

 

9/25/33

 

1,720,456

 

1,306,840

(g)

Morgan Stanley Capital Inc., 2004-HE7 M1

 

1.117%

 

8/25/34

 

1,539,471

 

1,272,253

(g)

MSDWCC Heloc Trust, 2003-2 A

 

0.737%

 

4/25/16

 

57,372

 

55,223

(g)

New Century Home Equity Loan Trust, 2004-2 A2

 

0.587%

 

8/25/34

 

475,320

 

392,374

(g)

New Century Home Equity Loan Trust, 2004-3 M1

 

1.147%

 

11/25/34

 

1,480,740

 

1,117,926

(g)

Oakwood Mortgage Investors Inc., 2002-B A3

 

6.060%

 

3/15/25

 

230,515

 

215,037

(g)

Option One Mortgage Loan Trust, 2003-2 A2

 

0.817%

 

4/25/33

 

384,120

 

338,103

(g)

Origen Manufactured Housing, 2006-A A2

 

3.720%

 

10/15/37

 

2,700,000

 

1,755,000

(g)

Origen Manufactured Housing, 2007-A A2

 

3.720%

 

4/15/37

 

3,257,539

 

2,117,401

(g)

PAMCO CLO, 1997-1A B

 

7.910%

 

8/6/13

 

738,191

 

235,298

(d)

Park Place Securities Inc., 2004-WCW1 M2

 

0.897%

 

9/25/34

 

1,900,000

 

1,802,065

(g)

Park Place Securities Inc., 2004-WHQ2 M2

 

0.847%

 

2/25/35

 

750,000

 

725,675

(g)

Pegasus Aviation Lease Securitization, 2000-1 A2

 

8.370%

 

3/25/30

 

1,600,000

 

432,000

(a)

Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, 2003-1 B1

 

2.430%

 

7/25/42

 

3,000,000

 

2,610,000

(g)

People’s Choice Home Loan Securities Trust, 2004-1 A3

 

1.257%

 

6/25/34

 

400,842

 

360,175

(g)

RAAC Series, 2007-RP1 M1

 

0.767%

 

5/25/46

 

210,000

 

49,827

(a)(g)

Renaissance Home Equity Loan Trust, 2004-2 AF4

 

5.392%

 

7/25/34

 

491,734

 

499,541

 

Renaissance Home Equity Loan Trust, 2005-2 AF5

 

5.201%

 

8/25/35

 

750,000

 

448,503

 

Renaissance Home Equity Loan Trust, 2005-3 AV3

 

0.597%

 

11/25/35

 

670,781

 

567,158

(g)

Residential Asset Mortgage Products Inc., 2004-RZ1 AII

 

0.697%

 

3/25/34

 

369,083

 

295,944

(g)

Residential Asset Securities Corp., 2001-KS3 AII

 

0.677%

 

9/25/31

 

277,704

 

226,045

(g)

Residential Asset Securities Corp., 2002-KS2 AI6

 

6.228%

 

4/25/32

 

394,269

 

404,391

(g)

Residential Asset Securities Corp., 2003-KS8 AI6

 

4.830%

 

10/25/33

 

500,097

 

484,367

(g)

Settlement Fee Finance LLC, 2004-1A A

 

9.100%

 

7/25/34

 

817,860

 

842,396

(a)(d)

SLM Student Loan Trust, 2001-4 B

 

0.951%

 

1/25/21

 

1,000,000

 

939,690

(g)

Structured Asset Securities Corp., 2002-AL1 A3

 

3.450%

 

2/25/32

 

649,701

 

643,911

 

Structured Asset Securities Corp., 2003-AL1 A

 

3.357%

 

4/25/31

 

94,640

 

92,125

(a)

Structured Asset Securities Corp., 2005-4XS 2A1A

 

1.996%

 

3/25/35

 

479,823

 

424,672

(g)

Structured Asset Securities Corp., 2006-GEL3 A2

 

0.447%

 

7/25/36

 

1,358,566

 

1,282,099

(a)(g)

Structured Asset Securities Corp., 2007-BC1 A2

 

0.267%

 

2/25/37

 

194,192

 

190,380

(g)

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

6


 

WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND

 

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

September 30, 2012

 

SECURITY

 

RATE

 

MATURITY
DATE

 

FACE
AMOUNT

 

VALUE

 

ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES — continued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vanderbilt Mortgage Finance, 2000-B IB2

 

9.250%

 

7/7/30

 

665,140

 

$

672,960

(g)

TOTAL ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES (Cost — $53,055,986)

 

 

 

57,325,761

 

COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS — 29.3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Home Mortgage Investment Trust, 2007-A 4A

 

0.667%

 

7/25/46

 

744,630

 

218,568

(a)(g)

Banc of America Funding Corp., 2004-B 6A1

 

2.912%

 

12/20/34

 

520,222

 

327,549

(g)

Bayview Commercial Asset Trust, 2005-3A A2

 

0.617%

 

11/25/35

 

544,527

 

428,933

(a)(g)

Bayview Commercial Asset Trust, 2005-4A A1

 

0.517%

 

1/25/36

 

318,915

 

236,864

(a)(g)

BCAP LLC Trust, 2009-RR12 2A2

 

0.596%

 

3/26/35

 

1,844,014

 

764,630

(a)(g)

Bear Stearns Adjustable Rate Mortgage Trust, 2004-1 23A1

 

5.362%

 

4/25/34

 

176,611

 

174,945

(g)

Bear Stearns Alt-A Trust, 2004-03 A1

 

0.857%

 

4/25/34

 

415,339

 

375,271

(g)

Bear Stearns Alt-A Trust, 2004-08 1A

 

0.917%

 

9/25/34

 

212,278

 

206,035

(g)

Bear Stearns Alt-A Trust, 2005-10 21A1

 

3.099%

 

1/25/36

 

975,499

 

602,382

(g)

Bear Stearns Asset Backed Securities Trust, 2002-AC1 B4

 

7.000%

 

1/25/32

 

755,492

 

266,152

(a)

Bella Vista Mortgage Trust, 2004-2 A1

 

0.587%

 

2/25/35

 

1,769,024

 

1,080,727

(g)

BlackRock Capital Finance LP, 1997-R2 B5

 

6.188%

 

12/25/35

 

105,693

 

4,492

(d)(g)

Chevy Chase Mortgage Funding Corp., 2004-3A A1

 

0.467%

 

8/25/35

 

1,262,104

 

959,619

(a)(g)

Chevy Chase Mortgage Funding Corp., 2004-4A A1

 

0.447%

 

10/25/35

 

1,819,075

 

1,310,467

(a)(g)

Chevy Chase Mortgage Funding Corp., 2005-4A A1

 

0.417%

 

10/25/36

 

1,583,824

 

1,138,827

(a)(g)

Countrywide Home Loan Mortgage Pass-Through Trust, 2004-HYB5 7A1

 

2.442%

 

4/20/35

 

2,598,914

 

2,325,082

(g)

Countrywide Home Loans, 2004-R2 1AF1

 

0.637%

 

11/25/34

 

404,630

 

335,558

(a)(g)

Countrywide Home Loans, 2004-R2 1AF2

 

0.637%

 

11/25/34

 

910,417

 

755,006

(a)(g)

Countrywide Home Loans, 2005-7 1A1

 

0.487%

 

3/25/35

 

1,334,465

 

1,134,079

(g)

Countrywide Home Loans, 2005-R2 2A1

 

7.000%

 

6/25/35

 

1,160,250

 

1,125,148

(a)

Countrywide Home Loans, 2006-HYB4 3B

 

5.025%

 

6/20/36

 

1,071,461

 

706,908

(g)

Countrywide Home Loans Mortgage Pass-Through Trust, 2005-R1 1AF1

 

0.577%

 

3/25/35

 

677,076

 

554,812

(a)(g)

Credit Suisse Mortgage Capital Certificates, 2009-16R 4A1

 

2.819%

 

3/26/35

 

370,306

 

348,871

(a)(g)

Extended Stay America Trust, 2010-ESHA XB1, IO

 

1.368%

 

1/5/16

 

20,500,000

 

44,977

(a)(g)

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. (FHLMC), Multi-Family Structured Pass-Through Certificates, K007 X1, IO

 

1.403%

 

4/25/20

 

11,083,771

 

756,767

(g)

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. (FHLMC), Multi-Family Structured Pass-Through Certificates, K008 X1, IO

 

1.834%

 

6/25/20

 

980,551

 

93,673

(g)

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. (FHLMC), Multi-Family Structured Pass-Through Certificates, K009 X1, IO

 

1.676%

 

8/25/20

 

5,793,883

 

489,554

(g)

Greenpoint Mortgage Funding Trust, 2005-AR5 2A2

 

0.487%

 

11/25/46

 

634,050

 

856,411

(g)

Greenpoint Mortgage Funding Trust, 2005-AR5 3A2

 

0.487%

 

11/25/46

 

977,264

 

673,628

(g)

GSMPS Mortgage Loan Trust, 2001-2 A

 

7.500%

 

6/19/32

 

1,393,873

 

1,467,532

(a)(g)

GSMPS Mortgage Loan Trust, 2004-4 1AF

 

0.617%

 

6/25/34

 

847,919

 

723,206

(a)(g)

GSMPS Mortgage Loan Trust, 2005-RP1 2A1

 

3.319%

 

1/25/35

 

1,370,704

 

1,252,674

(a)(g)

GSMPS Mortgage Loan Trust, 2005-RP3 1AF

 

0.567%

 

9/25/35

 

1,120,547

 

905,929

(a)(g)

Harborview Mortgage Loan Trust, 2004-08 3A2

 

0.619%

 

11/19/34

 

142,417

 

92,523

(g)

Harborview Mortgage Loan Trust, 2004-10 4A

 

2.924%

 

1/19/35

 

363,933

 

366,855

(g)

Harborview Mortgage Loan Trust, 2005-9 B10

 

1.969%

 

6/20/35

 

1,079,207

 

50,439

(g)

Impac CMB Trust, 2004-9 1A1

 

0.977%

 

1/25/35

 

46,369

 

40,185

(g)

Impac CMB Trust, 2005-2 2A2

 

0.617%

 

4/25/35

 

200,082

 

191,431

(g)

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

7


 

WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND

 

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

September 30, 2012

 

SECURITY

 

RATE

 

MATURITY
DATE

 

FACE
AMOUNT

 

VALUE

 

COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS — continued

 

 

 

 

 

 

Impac CMB Trust, 2A-10

 

0.857%

 

3/25/35

 

386,168

 

$

308,996

(g)

Indymac Index Mortgage Loan Trust, 2007-AR15 2A1

 

4.740%

 

8/25/37

 

3,642,615

 

2,779,938

(g)

Indymac Manufactured Housing Contract, A2-2

 

6.170%

 

8/25/29

 

178,106

 

177,451

 

Jefferies & Co., 2009-B 9A

 

0.549%

 

11/21/35

 

106,266

 

317,789

(a)(d)(g)

JP Morgan Mortgage Trust, 2005-A6 3A3

 

3.110%

 

9/25/35

 

630,000

 

482,903

(g)

JPMorgan Alternative Loan Trust, 2006-S1 3A4

 

6.180%

 

3/25/36

 

1,100,000

 

633,343

(g)

JPMorgan Mortgage Trust, 2007-A2 4A2

 

5.571%

 

4/25/37

 

271,633

 

242,571

(g)

LB-UBS Commercial Mortgage Trust, 2001-C3 X, IO, STRIPS

 

0.843%

 

6/15/36

 

377,516

 

363

(a)(e)(g)

Luminent Mortgage Trust, 2006-6 A1

 

0.417%

 

10/25/46

 

912,967

 

697,242

(g)

MASTR Adjustable Rate Mortgages Trust, 2004-13 3A7

 

2.624%

 

11/21/34

 

2,000,000

 

2,042,150

(g)

MASTR Alternative Loans Trust, PAC, 2003-7 7A1

 

0.617%

 

11/25/33

 

30,660

 

30,482

(g)

MASTR ARM Trust, 2004-7 6M1

 

0.867%

 

8/25/34

 

800,000

 

654,862

(g)

Merit Securities Corp., 11PA 3A1

 

0.836%

 

4/28/27

 

145,903

 

118,538

(a)(g)

Merit Securities Corp., 11PA B3

 

2.466%

 

9/28/32

 

850,000

 

651,948

(a)(g)

Metropolitan Asset Funding Inc., 1998-BI B1

 

8.000%

 

11/20/24

 

683,867

 

468,980

(g)

Nomura Asset Acceptance Corp., 2004-AR4 1A1

 

2.621%

 

12/25/34

 

361,332

 

365,454

(g)

Prime Mortgage Trust, 2005-2 2XB, STRIPS, IO

 

1.743%

 

10/25/32

 

3,366,328

 

88,131

(g)

Prime Mortgage Trust, 2005-5 1X, STRIPS, IO

 

0.929%

 

7/25/34

 

6,452,771

 

70,264

(g)

Prime Mortgage Trust, 2005-5 1XB, STRIPS, IO

 

1.181%

 

7/25/34

 

1,898,356

 

17,128

(g)

Regal Trust IV, 1999-1 A

 

2.616%

 

9/29/31

 

69,782

 

64,419

(a)(g)

Residential Asset Mortgage Products Inc., 2004-SL4 A5

 

7.500%

 

7/25/32

 

1,124,888

 

1,063,719

 

Residential Asset Mortgage Products, Inc., 2005-SL2 AP0, STRIPS, PO

 

0.000%

 

2/25/32

 

165,402

 

165,042

 

Sequoia Mortgage Trust, 2003-2 A2

 

1.068%

 

6/20/33

 

43,237

 

41,568

(g)

Sequoia Mortgage Trust, 2004-10 A1A

 

0.529%

 

11/20/34

 

26,310

 

25,362

(g)

Sequoia Mortgage Trust, 2004-11 A1

 

0.519%

 

12/20/34

 

40,304

 

37,177

(g)

Sequoia Mortgage Trust, 2004-12 A1

 

0.489%

 

1/20/35

 

323,089

 

290,547

(g)

Structured Asset Securities Corp., 1998-RF2 A

 

7.524%

 

7/15/27

 

366,247

 

373,056

(a)(g)

Structured Asset Securities Corp., 2002-9 A2

 

0.517%

 

10/25/27

 

816,627

 

807,061

(g)

Structured Asset Securities Corp., 2003-9A 2A2

 

2.735%

 

3/25/33

 

227,653

 

225,024

(g)

Structured Asset Securities Corp., 2004-NP1 A

 

0.617%

 

9/25/33

 

213,126

 

193,750

(a)(g)

Structured Asset Securities Corp., 2005-4XS 3A4

 

4.790%

 

3/25/35

 

389,850

 

390,693

 

Structured Asset Securities Corp., 2005-RF2 A

 

0.567%

 

4/25/35

 

1,113,002

 

893,318

(a)(g)

Thornburg Mortgage Securities Trust, 2003-4 A1

 

0.857%

 

9/25/43

 

723,121

 

717,418

(g)

Thornburg Mortgage Securities Trust, 2004-03 A

 

0.957%

 

9/25/44

 

733,678

 

714,381

(g)

Thornburg Mortgage Securities Trust, 2007-4 3A1

 

6.118%

 

9/25/37

 

460,640

 

472,183

(g)

WaMu Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, 2004-AR06 A

 

0.670%

 

5/25/44

 

585,183

 

537,455

(g)

WaMu Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, 2004-AR08 A1

 

0.670%

 

6/25/44

 

402,735

 

332,140

(g)

WaMu Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, 2004-AR13 A2A

 

0.620%

 

11/25/34

 

1,641,523

 

1,571,930

(g)

WaMu Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, 2007-HY7 2A3

 

2.608%

 

7/25/37

 

1,429,160

 

1,065,635

(g)

WaMu Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, 2007-OA3 2A

 

0.918%

 

4/25/47

 

991,731

 

713,377

(g)

Washington Mutual Alternative Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, 2006-5 3A3

 

6.221%

 

7/25/36

 

774,984

 

398,805

 

Washington Mutual Alternative Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, 2006-7 A2A

 

5.667%

 

9/25/36

 

1,275,368

 

756,020

 

Washington Mutual Alternative Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, 2006-7 A3

 

6.081%

 

9/25/36

 

156,388

 

90,210

 

Washington Mutual Inc., 2004-AR12 A2A

 

0.640%

 

10/25/44

 

482,792

 

443,810

(g)

Washington Mutual Inc., 2005-AR8 2A1A

 

0.507%

 

7/25/45

 

387,577

 

353,983

(g)

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

8

 


 

WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND

 

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

September 30, 2012

 

SECURITY

 

RATE

 

MATURITY
DATE

 

FACE
AMOUNT

 

VALUE

 

COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS — continued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Washington Mutual Inc., Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, 2004-AR02 A

 

1.548

%

4/25/44

 

268,675

 

$

247,570

(g)

Washington Mutual Inc., Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, 2004-AR13 A1A

 

0.610

%

11/25/34

 

1,167,240

 

1,154,783

(g)

Washington Mutual Inc., Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, 2005-AR13 A1A1

 

0.507

%

10/25/45

 

320,279

 

289,750

(g)

Washington Mutual Inc., Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, 2006-AR5 3A

 

1.088

%

7/25/46

 

1,096,398

 

507,415

(g)

Washington Mutual Inc., MSC Pass-Through Certificates, 2004-RA1 2A

 

7.000

%

3/25/34

 

34,992

 

36,965

 

Wells Fargo Mortgage Loan Trust, 2010-RR2 1A2

 

3.540

%

9/27/35

 

2,418,992

 

2,006,636

(a)(g)

TOTAL COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS (Cost — $45,276,904)

 

 

 

50,516,444

 

COLLATERALIZED SENIOR LOANS — 2.6%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY — 1.5%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Getty Images Inc., Term Loan B

 

5.250

%

11/7/16

 

919,461

 

919,289

(i)

Las Vegas Sands LLC, Extended Delayed Draw Term Loan

 

2.720

%

11/23/16

 

140,920

 

139,864

(i)

Las Vegas Sands LLC, Extended Term Loan B

 

2.720

%

11/23/16

 

701,150

 

697,254

(i)

Univision Communications Inc., Extended Term Loan

 

4.466

%

3/31/17

 

791,841

 

783,263

(i)

TOTAL CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,539,670

 

ENERGY — 0.3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chesapeake Energy Corp., Term Loan

 

8.500

%

12/1/17

 

570,000

 

571,425

(i)

HEALTH CARE — 0.5%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Community Health Systems Inc., Term Loan

 

3.862 - 3.923

%

1/25/17

 

91,687

 

91,954

(i)

MedAssets Inc., Term Loan B

 

5.250

%

11/16/16

 

762,028

 

765,838

(i)

TOTAL HEALTH CARE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

857,792

 

INDUSTRIALS — 0.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trico Shipping AS, New Term Loan A

 

10.000

%

5/13/14

 

18,802

 

18,708

(e)(i)

Trico Shipping AS, New Term Loan B

 

 

5/13/14

 

33,104

 

32,939

(e)(j)

TOTAL INDUSTRIALS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

51,647

 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY — 0.3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Data Corp., Extended Term Loan B

 

4.217

%

3/23/18

 

424,158

 

404,540

(i)

First Data Corp., Non-Extended Term Loan B2

 

2.967

%

9/24/14

 

22,827

 

22,673

(i)

TOTAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

427,213

 

TOTAL COLLATERALIZED SENIOR LOANS (Cost — $4,382,628)

 

 

 

4,447,747

 

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES — 0.3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FNMA — 0.3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), Whole Loan (Cost - $401,539)

 

6.500

%

8/25/44

 

391,822

 

450,170

 

MUNICIPAL BONDS — 7.9%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Florida — 1.5%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Florida Educational Loan Marketing Corp.

 

0.560

%

12/1/36

 

650,000

 

550,413

(d)(g)(k)

Florida Educational Loan Marketing Corp., Education Loan Revenue

 

0.071

%

12/1/18

 

2,300,000

 

2,069,094

(d)(g)(k)

Total Florida

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,619,507

 

Kentucky — 0.9%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carroll County, KY, PCR, Kentucky Utilities Co. Project, AMBAC

 

0.242

%

10/1/32

 

1,800,000

 

1,447,305

(d)(g)

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

9


 

WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND

 

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

September 30, 2012

 

SECURITY

 

RATE

 

MATURITY
DATE

 

FACE
AMOUNT

 

VALUE

 

Nevada — 0.8%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Washoe County, NV, Pollution Control, Gas & Water Facilities Revenue, Sierra Pacific Power Co., AMBAC

 

0.627

%

3/1/36

 

1,700,000

 

$

1,394,000

(g)(k)

Pennsylvania — 4.7%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pennsylvania State Higher Education Assistance Agency, Student Loan Revenue

 

1.089

%

5/1/46

 

1,300,000

 

1,214,625

(d)(g)

Pennsylvania State Higher Education Assistance Agency, Student Loan Revenue

 

0.928

%

6/1/47

 

4,150,000

 

3,875,423

(d)(g)

Pennsylvania State Higher Education Assistance Agency, Student Loan Revenue

 

1.043

%

5/1/46

 

2,525,000

 

2,358,398

(d)(g)

Pennsylvania State Higher Education Assistance Agency, Student Loan Revenue

 

0.775

%

5/1/46

 

650,000

 

607,014

(d)(g)

Total Pennsylvania

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8,055,460

 

TOTAL MUNICIPAL BONDS (Cost — $13,312,023)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13,516,272

 

NON-U.S. TREASURY INFLATION PROTECTED SECURITIES — 5.8%

 

 

 

 

 

Brazil Nota do Tesouro Nacional, Notes

 

6.000

%

5/15/45

 

4,700,000

BRL

6,438,377

 

Brazil Nota do Tesouro Nacional, Notes

 

6.000

%

8/15/50

 

5,669,834

BRL

3,609,726

 

TOTAL NON-U.S. TREASURY INFLATION PROTECTED SECURITIES (Cost — $8,170,854)

 

10,048,103

 

SOVEREIGN BONDS — 1.9%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brazil — 0.6%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brazil Nota do Tesouro Nacional, Notes

 

10.000

%

1/1/14

 

280,000

BRL

141,557

 

Brazil Nota do Tesouro Nacional, Notes

 

10.000

%

1/1/17

 

1,348,000

BRL

687,085

 

Brazil Nota do Tesouro Nacional, Notes

 

10.000

%

1/1/21

 

523,000

BRL

263,188

 

Total Brazil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,091,830

 

India — 0.1%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ICICI Bank Ltd., Junior Subordinated Bonds

 

6.375

%

4/30/22

 

184,000

 

184,000

(a)(g)

Malaysia — 0.4%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Government of Malaysia, Senior Bonds

 

3.835

%

8/12/15

 

1,500,000

MYR

499,169

 

Government of Malaysia, Senior Bonds

 

4.262

%

9/15/16

 

290,000

MYR

98,434

 

Total Malaysia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

597,603

 

Mexico — 0.8%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mexican Bonos, Bonds

 

8.000

%

6/11/20

 

11,147,000

MXN

1,019,780

 

Mexican Bonos, Bonds

 

6.500

%

6/9/22

 

1,062,400

MXN

89,760

 

United Mexican States, Bonds

 

10.000

%

12/5/24

 

2,750,000

MXN

300,465

 

Total Mexico

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,410,005

 

Venezuela — 0.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Collective Action Securities, Global Senior Bonds

 

9.375

%

1/13/34

 

2,000

 

1,775

 

TOTAL SOVEREIGN BONDS (Cost — $3,350,085)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,285,213

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SHARES

 

 

 

COMMON STOCKS — 0.1%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY — 0.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Automobiles — 0.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

General Motors Co.

 

 

 

 

 

64

 

1,456

*

Media — 0.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cumulus Media Inc., Class A Shares

 

 

 

 

 

7,983

 

21,873

*

TOTAL CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

23,329

 

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

10


 

WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND

 

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

September 30, 2012

 

SECURITY

 

 

 

 

 

SHARES

 

VALUE

 

INDUSTRIALS — 0.1%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marine — 0.1%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DeepOcean Group Holding AS

 

 

 

 

 

8,860

 

$

160,810

(d)(e)

TOTAL COMMON STOCKS (Cost — $205,724)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

184,139

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RATE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCKS — 0.5%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FINANCIALS — 0.5%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diversified Financial Services — 0.5%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Citigroup Inc.

 

7.500

%

 

 

9,000

 

872,820

 

Thrifts & Mortgage Finance — 0.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA)

 

5.375

%

 

 

15

 

27,000

*

TOTAL CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCKS (Cost — $2,107,796)

 

 

 

899,820

 

PREFERRED STOCKS — 0.6%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY — 0.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Automobiles — 0.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Escrow GCB General Motors

 

 

 

 

 

55,025

 

0

*(d)(e)(f)

FINANCIALS — 0.6%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diversified Financial Services — 0.6%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Citigroup Capital XIII

 

7.875

%

 

 

37,975

 

1,057,604

(g)

Corporate-Backed Trust Certificates, Series 2001-8, Class A-1

 

7.375

%

 

 

33,900

 

6,780

*(c)(e)

Total Diversified Financial Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,064,384

 

Thrifts & Mortgage Finance — 0.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. (FHLMC)

 

0.000

%

 

 

100

 

103

*(g)

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. (FHLMC)

 

5.000

%

 

 

200

 

208

*

Total Thrifts & Mortgage Finance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

311

 

TOTAL FINANCIALS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,064,695

 

TOTAL PREFERRED STOCKS (Cost — $994,273)

 

 

 

 

 

1,064,695

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXPIRATION
DATE

 

WARRANTS

 

 

 

WARRANTS — 0.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charter Communications Inc.

 

 

 

11/30/14

 

265

 

6,890

*(d)

Nortek Inc.

 

 

 

12/7/14

 

576

 

2,880

*(d)(e)

SemGroup Corp.

 

 

 

11/30/14

 

830

 

11,031

*(d)(e)

TOTAL WARRANTS (Cost — $7,874)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20,801

 

TOTAL INVESTMENTS BEFORE SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS (Cost — $201,536,989)

 

218,662,851

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RATE

 

MATURITY DATE

 

FACE
AMOUNT†

 

 

 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS — 15.4%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Government Agencies — 4.1%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB), Discount Notes

 

0.080

%

12/4/12

 

 

3,500,000

 

3,499,542

(l)

Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), Discount Notes

 

0.125

%

12/26/12

 

3,500,000

 

3,499,664

(l)

Total U.S. Government Agencies (Cost — $6,998,457)

 

 

 

6,999,206

 

Repurchase Agreements — 11.3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barclays Capital Inc. tri-party repurchase agreement dated 9/28/12; Proceeds at maturity $16,787,210; (Fully collateralized by U.S. government obligations, 0.875% due 1/31/17; Market value $17,120,303)

 

0.150

%

10/1/12

 

16,787,000

 

16,787,000

 

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

11


 

WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND

 

Schedule of investments (unaudited) (cont’d)

September 30, 2012

 

SECURITY

 

RATE

 

MATURITY
DATE

 

FACE
AMOUNT

 

VALUE

 

Repurchase Agreements — continued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. repurchase agreement dated 9/28/12; Proceeds at maturity - $2,653,042; (Fully collateralized by U.S. government agency obligations, 1.125% due 2/27/14; Market value - $2,706,060)

 

0.190

%

10/1/12

 

2,653,000

 

$

2,653,000

 

Total Repurchase Agreements (Cost — $19,440,000)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19,440,000

 

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS (Cost — $26,438,457)

 

 

 

 

 

26,439,206

 

TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 142.4% (Cost — $227,975,446#)

 

 

 

 

 

245,102,057

 

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (0.6)%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1,004,071

)

Liquidation value of Preferred Shares — (41.8)%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(72,000,000

)

TOTAL NET ASSETS — 100.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

172,097,986

 

 

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

*

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 Trustees, unless otherwise noted.

(b)

Payment-in-kind security for which part of the income earned may be paid as additional principal.

(c)

The coupon payment on these securities is currently in default as of September 30, 2012.

(d)

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

(e)

Illiquid security.

(f)

Value is less than $1.

(g)

Variable rate security. Interest rate disclosed is as of the most recent information available.

(h)

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

(i)

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

(j)

All or a portion of this loan is unfunded as of September 30, 2012.

(k)

Income from this issue is considered a preference item for purposes of calculating the alternative minimum tax (“AMT”).

(l)

Rate shown represents yield-to-maturity.

#

Aggregate cost for federal income tax purposes is substantially the same.

 

 

 

Abbreviations used in this schedule:

 

ARM

 

- Adjustable Rate Mortgage

 

BRL

 

- Brazilian Real

 

CMB

 

- Cash Management Bill

 

EUR

 

- Euro

 

IO

 

- Interest Only

 

MXN

 

- Mexican Peso

 

MYR

 

- Malaysian Ringgit

 

PAC

 

- Planned Amortization Class

 

PO

 

- Principal Only

 

STRIPS

 

- Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal Securities

 

See Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

12

 


 

Notes to schedule of investments (unaudited)

 

1. Organization and significant accounting policies

 

Western Asset Premier Bond Fund (the “Fund”) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as a diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund commenced investment operations on March 28, 2002.

 

The Fund’s investment objective is to provide current income and capital appreciation by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of investment grade bonds.

 

The following are significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund and are in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”).

 

(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 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.  Short-term fixed income securities that will mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, unless it is determined that using this method would not reflect an investment’s fair value. 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 Trustees.

 

The Board of Trustees is responsible for the valuation process and has delegated the supervision of the daily valuation process to the Legg Mason North American Fund Valuation Committee (the “Valuation Committee”). The Valuation Committee, pursuant to the policies adopted by the Board of Trustees, is responsible for making fair value determinations, evaluating the effectiveness of the Fund’s pricing policies, and reporting to the Board of Trustees. 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 Trustees, 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 Trustees 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.

 

13


 

Notes to schedule of investments (unaudited) (continued)

 

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—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.

 

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

 

ASSETS

 

 

QUOTED
PRICES

 

OTHER
SIGNIFICANT
OBSERVABLE
INPUTS

 

SIGNIFICANT
UNOBSERVABLE
INPUTS

 

 

 

DESCRIPTION

 

(LEVEL 1)

 

(LEVEL 2)

 

(LEVEL 3)

 

TOTAL

 

Long-term investments†:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corporate bonds & notes

 

 

$

76,072,512

 

$

831,174

 

$

76,903,686

 

Asset-backed securities

 

 

52,577,004

 

4,748,757

 

57,325,761

 

Collateralized mortgage obligations

 

 

50,511,952

 

4,492

 

50,516,444

 

Collateralized senior loans

 

 

4,447,747

 

 

4,447,747

 

Mortgage-backed securities

 

 

450,170

 

 

450,170

 

Municipal bonds

 

 

13,516,272

 

 

13,516,272

 

Non - U.S. treasury inflation protected securities

 

 

10,048,103

 

 

10,048,103

 

Sovereign bonds

 

 

3,285,213

 

 

3,285,213

 

Common stocks

 

$

23,329

 

 

160,810

 

184,139

 

Convertible preferred stocks

 

872,820

 

27,000

 

 

899,820

 

Preferred stocks

 

1,064,384

 

311

 

0

*

1,064,695

 

Warrants

 

 

17,921

 

2,880

 

20,801

 

Total long-term investments

 

$

1,960,533

 

$

210,954,205

 

$

5,748,113

 

$

218,662,851

 

Short-term investments†

 

 

26,439,206

 

 

26,439,206

 

Total investments

 

$

1,960,533

 

$

237,393,411

 

$

5,748,113

 

$

245,102,057

 

Other financial instruments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forward foreign currency contracts

 

 

$

23,487

 

 

$

23,487

 

Total

 

$

1,960,533

 

$

237,416,898

 

$

5,748,113

 

$

245,125,544

 

 

†See Schedule of Investments for additional detailed categorizations.

*Value is less than $1.

 

The following is a reconciliation of investments in which significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) were used in determining fair value:

 

14


 

Notes to schedule of investments (unaudited) (continued)

 

 

 

CORPORATE

 

ASSET-

 

COLLATERALIZED

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BONDS &

 

BACKED

 

MORTGAGE

 

MUNICIPAL

 

COMMON

 

PREFERRED

 

 

 

 

 

INVESTMENTS IN SECURITIES

 

NOTES

 

SECURITIES

 

OBLIGATIONS

 

BONDS

 

STOCKS

 

STOCKS

 

WARRANTS

 

TOTAL

 

Balance as of December 31, 2011

 

$

3,155,267

 

$

4,034,660

 

$

11,655

 

$

154,000

 

$

141,760

 

 

$

6,197

 

$

7,503,539

 

Accrued premiums/discounts

 

55,875

 

57,321

 

(4,457

)

2,568

 

 

 

 

111,307

 

Realized gain (loss)(1)

 

136,979

 

(84,572

)

(83,593

)

20,673

 

 

 

 

(10,513

)

Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)(2)

 

(3,696

)

(130,807

)

112,453

 

3,259

 

19,050

 

 

7,714

 

7,973

 

Purchases

 

 

1,044,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,044,000

 

Sales

 

(2,513,251

)

(171,845

)

(31,566

)

(180,500

)

 

 

 

(2,897,162

)

Transfers into Level 3(3)

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

0

*

 

 

Transfers out of Level 3(4)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(11,031

)

(11,031

)

Balance as of September 30, 2012

 

$

831,174

 

$

4,748,757

 

$

4,492

 

 

$

160,810

 

$

0

*

$

2,880

 

$

5,748,113

 

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) for investments in securities still held at September 30, 2012(2)

 

$

54,826

 

$

(130,807

)

$

112,453

 

$

 

19,050

 

 

$

1,325

 

$

56,847

 

The Fund’s policy is to recognize transfers between levels as of the end of the reporting period.

*Value is less than $1.

(1) This amount is included in net realized gain (loss) from investment transactions.

(2) Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) includes net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) resulting from changes in investment values during the reporting period and the reversal of previously recorded unrealized appreciation (depreciation) when gains or losses are realized.

(3) Transferred into Level 3 as a result of the unavailability of a quoted price in an active market for an identical investment or the unavailability of other significant observable inputs.

(4) Transferred out of Level 3 as a result of the availability of a quoted price in an active market for an identical investment or the availability of other significant observable inputs.

 

(b) Repurchase agreements. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with institutions that its investment adviser has determined are creditworthy. Each repurchase agreement is recorded at cost. Under the terms of a typical repurchase agreement, the Fund acquires a debt security subject to an obligation of the seller to repurchase, and of the Fund to resell, the security at an agreed-upon price and time, thereby determining the yield during the Fund’s holding period. When entering into repurchase agreements, it is the Fund’s policy that its custodian or a third party custodian, acting on the Fund’s behalf, take possession of the underlying collateral securities, the market value of which, at all times, at least equals the principal amount of the repurchase transaction, including accrued interest. To the extent that any repurchase transaction maturity exceeds one business day, the value of the collateral is marked-to-market and measured against the value of the agreement in an effort to ensure the adequacy of the collateral. If the counterparty defaults, the Fund generally has the right to use the collateral to satisfy the terms of the repurchase transaction. However, if the market value of the collateral declines during the period in which the Fund seeks to assert its rights or if bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller of the security, realization of the collateral by the Fund may be delayed or limited.

 

(c) 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.

 

(d) Unfunded loan commitments. The Fund may enter into certain credit agreements all or a portion of which may be unfunded. The Fund is obligated to fund these commitments at the borrower’s discretion. The commitments are disclosed in the accompanying Schedule of Investments. At September 30, 2012, the Fund had sufficient cash and/or securities to cover these commitments.

 

(e) Stripped securities. The Fund may invest in ‘‘Stripped Securities,’’ a term used collectively for components, or strips, of fixed income securities. Stripped securities can be principal only securities (“PO”), which are debt obligations that have been stripped of unmatured interest coupons, or interest only securities (“IO”), which are unmatured interest coupons that have been stripped from debt obligations. The market value of Stripped Securities will fluctuate in response to changes in economic conditions, rates of pre-payment, interest rates and the market’s perception of the securities. However, fluctuations in response to interest rates may be greater in Stripped Securities than for debt obligations of comparable maturities that pay interest currently. The amount of fluctuation may increase with a longer period of maturity.

 

15


 

Notes to schedule of investments (unaudited) (continued)

 

The yield to maturity on IO’s is sensitive to the rate of principal repayments (including prepayments) on the related underlying debt obligation and principal payments may have a material effect on yield to maturity. If the underlying debt obligation experiences greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may not fully recoup its initial investment in IO’s.

 

(f) Inflation-indexed bonds. Inflation-indexed bonds are fixed-income securities whose principal value or interest rate is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. As the index measuring inflation changes, the principal value or interest rate of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted accordingly. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation-indexed bonds. For bonds that do not provide a similar guarantee, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal.

 

(g) 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 contracts are marked-to-market daily and changes in value are recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation). 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.

 

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 September 30, 2012, the Fund did not hold credit default swaps to sell protection.

 

For average notional amounts of swaps held during the period ended September 30, 2012, see Note 3.

 

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 credit default swap 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 credit default swap agreements on corporate or sovereign issues are disclosed in the Notes to 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 credit default swap 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. Credit default swaps are considered to have 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.

 

16


 

Notes to schedule of investments (unaudited) (continued)

 

Entering into a CDS agreement involves, to varying degrees, elements of credit, market and documentation risk. 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.

 

Total return swaps

 

The Fund enters into total return swaps for investment purposes. Total return swaps are agreements to exchange the return generated by one instrument for the return generated by another instrument. For example, the agreement to pay a predetermined or fixed interest rate in exchange for a market-linked return based on a notional amount. To the extent the total return of a referenced index or instrument exceeds the offsetting interest obligation, the Fund will receive a payment from the counterparty. To the extent it is less, the Fund will make a payment to the counterparty.

 

(h)Forward Foreign Currency Contracts. The Fund may enter 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.

 

When entering into a forward foreign currency contract, 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.

 

(i) 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.

 

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.

 

(j) 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 residential 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.

 

(k) 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 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.

 

(l) 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

 

17


 

Notes to schedule of investments (unaudited) (continued)

 

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 default or bankruptcy by the counterparty or if the counterparty otherwise fails to meet its contractual obligations. The Fund’s investment manager 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 investment manager. In addition, declines in the values of underlying collateral received may expose the Fund to increased risk of loss.

 

The Fund has entered into master agreements with certain of its derivative counterparties that provide for general obligations, representations, agreements, collateral, events 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 NAV 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.

 

As of September 30, 2012, the Fund did not have any open derivative transactions with credit related contingent features in a net liability position.

 

(m) Security transactions.  Security transactions are accounted for on a trade date basis.

 

2.  Investments

 

At September 30, 2012, the aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments for federal income tax purposes were substantially as follows:

 

Gross unrealized appreciation

 

$

25,121,613

 

Gross unrealized depreciation

 

(7,995,002

)

Net unrealized appreciation

 

$

17,126,611

 

 

At September 30, 2012, the Fund had the following open forward foreign currency contracts:

 

FOREIGN CURRENCY

 

COUNTERPARTY

 

LOCAL
CURRENCY

 

MARKET
VALUE

 

SETTLEMENT
DATE

 

UNREALIZED
GAIN

 

Contracts to Sell:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Euro

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank

 

1,800,000

 

$

2,314,270

 

11/16/12

 

$

23,487

 

 

3. Derivative instruments and hedging activities

 

Financial Accounting Standards Board Codification Topic 815 requires enhanced disclosure about an entity’s derivative and hedging activities.

 

The following is a summary of the Fund’s derivative instruments categorized by risk exposure at September 30, 2012.

 

 

 

Forward Foreign
Currency Contracts

 

Primary Underlying
Risk Disclosure

 

Unrealized
Appreciation

 

Foreign Exchange Risk

 

$

23,487

 

 

During the period ended September 30, 2012, the volume of derivative activity for the Fund was as follows:

 

 

 

Average Market
Value

 

Forward foreign currency contracts (to buy)

 

$

558,525

 

Forward foreign currency contracts (to sell)

 

2,045,402

 

 

18


 

Notes to schedule of investments (unaudited) (continued)

 

 

 

Average Notional
Balance

 

Credit default swap contracts (to buy protection)

 

$

2,459,500

 

Credit default swap contracts (to sell protection)

 

12,862,875

 

Total return swap contracts†

 

200,000

 

At September 30, 2012 there were no open positions held in this derivative.

 

19

 


 

ITEM 2.                 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 registrant’s last fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are likely to materially affect the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

ITEM 3.                 EXHIBITS.

 

Certifications pursuant to Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, are attached hereto.

 



 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

Western Asset Premier Bond Fund

 

 

 

By

/s/ R. Jay Gerken

 

 

R. Jay Gerken

 

 

President

 

 

 

Date: November 26, 2012

 

 

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/ R. Jay Gerken

 

 

R. Jay Gerken

 

 

President

 

 

 

Date: November 26, 2012

 

 

By

/s/ Richard F. Sennett

 

 

Richard F. Sennett

 

 

Principal Financial Officer

 

 

 

Date: November 26, 2012