PDF 20 Years of the Best and Worst: Fixed-income diversification

Fixed Income Diversification ? 20 Years of the Best and Worst

Everyone wants to be in the best-performing asset class every year. The thing is, few people are savvy enough to consistently choose the best. This chart shows annual returns for seven broad-based fixed income asset classes, and cash ranked from best to worst. As you can see, the bond market asset classes do not generally move in lockstep with the stock market -- or with each other. That's why, in any market and over time, it makes good sense to have a well-diversified portfolio.

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Emerging Market 24.18%

Cash 4.74%

Bank Loans 4.17%

Emerging Market 14.41%

Municipal 10.76%

Gov't 10.47%

Corporate 9.77%

Gov't 8.42%

High Yield 5.28%

Global 19.37%

Emerging Market 13.11%

Municipal 10.17%

High Yield 28.97%

Emerging Market 25.66%

Global 14.51%

Emerging Market 11.73%

High Yield 11.13%

Emerging Market 10.73%

Bank Loans 5.08%

High Yield 11.85%

Emerging Market 9.88%

Global 10.10%

Cash Bank Loans 3.00% 6.77%

Global 10.81%

Gov't 8.47%

Emerging Market 6.28%

Global 12.00%

Gov't 10.43%

Cash 1.80%

High Yield High Yield 58.21% 15.12%

Bank Loans 51.62%

Emerging Market 12.04%

Emerging Market 28.18%

Bank Loans 10.13%

Municipal 12.32%

Emerging Market 8.46%

Global 7.22%

Emerging Market 18.54%

High Yield 7.44%

High Yield Bank Loans 15.81% 5.29%

Bank Loans Cash 9.66% 0.05%

Municipal 8.72%

Emerging Market 5.53%

Corporate 4.16%

2015

Municipal 3.76%

Emerging Market 1.23%

Gov't 1.18%

2016

High Yield 17.13%

Emerging Market 10.19%

2017

Emerging Market 9.32%

High Yield 7.50%

Bank Loans Global 10.16% 6.83%

2018

Cash 1.86%

Gov't 1.43%

Municipal 1.41%

High Yield Corporate Municipal Corporate Bank Loans Bank Loans Municipal Global Corporate Municipal Corporate Corporate Gov't Corporate Corporate Gov't Corporate Corporate Municipal Bank Loans 2.39% 9.46% 4.62% 10.14% 9.97% 5.17% 2.74% 5.94% 5.60% 1.52% 15.93% 7.76% 6.08% 8.10% -0.17% 2.52% 0.90% 3.68% 5.83% 0.44%

AVERAGE

Emerging Market 8.97%

High Yield 6.55%

Corporate 4.84%

Municipal 4.77%

BEST

ANNUAL RETURN

WORST

Source: SPAR, FactSet Research Systems Inc.

Gov't

Cash Bank Loans Gov't Corporate Municipal High Yield Cash

Cash Corporate Municipal Global Corporate Municipal Gov't High Yield Cash Global Bank Loans Corporate

0.49% 5.96% 4.18% 9.64% 6.91% 4.15% 2.74% 4.76% 4.74% -2.76% 9.85% 6.42% 5.37% 5.70% -1.25% 2.45% 0.03% 1.57% 4.12% 0.01%

Corporate Bank Loans 0.16% 4.99%

Cash 4.09%

Bank Loans Municipal Corporate 1.91% 5.70% 4.08%

Gov't 1.68%

Municipal 4.71%

Municipal 4.29%

Emerging Market -10.91%

Global 1.90%

Gov't High Yield Gov't Municipal Bank Loans Bank Loans Gov't Corporate Global 4.98% 4.98% 1.73% -2.17% 1.60% -0.69% 1.05% 3.67% -0.66%

Municipal -1.25%

Global 2.34%

Emerging Market 1.36%

Cash 1.70%

Gov't 2.29%

Gov't Corporate Corporate Bank Loans High Yield Cash Municipal Bank Loans Global 2.33% 1.42% 4.49% 2.02% -26.16% 0.16% 4.05% 1.52% 1.30%

Global -4.50%

Global 0.67%

Global -2.61%

Cash 0.27%

Gov't High Yield 1.14% -2.08%

Global High Yield Global High Yield Cash -5.08% -5.86% -0.79% -1.41% 1.07%

Cash 1.24%

Global -6.53%

Gov't High Yield Bank Loans Gov't 3.84% 1.87% -29.10% -0.32%

Cash 0.13%

Cash 0.08%

Cash 0.07%

Emerging Market -6.58%

Cash 0.03%

High Yield Municipal -4.47% -0.12%

Cash 0.84%

Emerging Market -4.61%

S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 S&P 500 21.04% ?9.10% ?11.89% ?22.10% 28.68% 10.88% 4.91% 15.79% 5.49% -37.00% 26.46% 15.06% 2.11% 16.00% 32.39% 13.69% 1.38% 11.96% 21.83% -4.38%

Bank Loans 4.64%

Global 3.83%

Gov't 3.77%

Cash 1.81%

S&P 500 5.62%

MARKET SEGMENT

Cash Government bonds Corporate bonds Municipal bonds Bank Loans Global bonds Emerging Market Debt High Yield bonds S&P 500 - Total Return

REPRESENTED BY

FTSE 3-month T-bill Index1 Bloomberg Barclays US Intermediate Government Bond Index 2 Bloomberg Barclays US Intermediate Credit Bond Index 3 Bloomberg Barclays 10-year Municipal Bond Index 4 S&P/LSTA Leverage Loans Index - Total Return5 JPMorgan Global Government Bond Index 6 JP Morgan EMBI Global (Local)7 Bloomberg Barclays US High-Yield Corporate Bond Index 8 S&P 500 Index [per S&P]9

STANDARD DEVIATION* 0.56 2.86 3.82 4.45 5.95 6.45 8.86 9.02

14.44

INDEX DEFINITIONS

1 FTSE 3-month T-bill Index, which is derived from secondary market Treasury bill rate spublished by the Federal Reserve Bank. 2 Bloomberg Barclays US Intermediate Government Bond Index, which measures the US intermediate-term, investment-grade bond market. 3 Bloomberg Barclays US Intermediate Credit Bond Index, which measures the US intermediate-term, investment-grade bond market. 4 Bloomberg Barclays 10-year Municipal Bond Index, which measures the long-term municipal bond market. 5 S&P/LSTA Leverage Loans Index - Total Return, which measures the performance of the US leveraged loan market. 6 JPMorgan Global Government Bond Index (Unhedged), which measures government bond markets around the world. 7 JP Morgan EMBI Global (Local), which measures the performance of US dollar denominated emerging market bonds. 8 Bloomberg Barclays US High-Yield Corporate Bond Index, which measures the high-yield bond market. 9 S&P 500 Index, which measures the broad US stock market.

*Standard deviation reflects a portfolio's total return volatility, which is based on a minimum of 36 monthly returns. Standard deviation shown is based on a 20 year period as of 12/31/18.

The historical performance of each index cited is provided to illustrate market trends; it does not represent the performance of a particular MFS? investment product. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Index performance does not take into account fees and expenses. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The investments you choose should correspond to your financial needs, goals, and risk tolerance. For assistance in determining your financial situation, consult an investment professional. For more information on any MFS product, including performance, please visit .

Common stocks generally provide an opportunity for more capital appreciation than fixed-income investments but are also subject to greater market fluctuations. Investments in debt instruments may decline in value as the result 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 Fund's share price may decline during rising rates. Funds 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.

Investments in lower-rated securities may provide greater returns but may have greaterthanaverage risk. The guarantees of government-guaranteed securities apply to the underlying securities only and not to the prices and yields of a portfolio. Diversification does not guarantee a profit or protect against a loss.

See other side for important information.

MFS? Fixed Income Funds

FIXED INCOME MFS? Corporate Bond Fund MFS? Emerging Markets Debt Fund MFS? Emerging Markets Debt Local Currency Fund MFS? Global Bond Fund MFS? Global High Yield Fund MFS? Government Securities Fund MFS? High Income Fund MFS? Inflation-Adjusted Bond Fund MFS? Limited Maturity Fund MFS? Strategic Income Fund MFS? Total Return Bond Fund

FUND COMMENCEMENT

CLASS I

5/8/74 3/17/98 9/15/11 6/2/10 7/1/98 7/25/84 2/17/78 9/30/03 2/26/92 10/29/87 1/4/99

MBDIX MEDIX EMLIX MGBJX MHOIX MGSIX MHIIX MIAIX MQLIX MFIIX MRBIX

CLASS R6

CLASS A

MFBKX MEDHX EMLNX MGBOX MHOVX MFGKX MHIKX MIAKX MQLKX MFIWX MRBKX

MFBFX MEDAX EMLAX MGBAX MHOAX MFGSX MHITX MIAAX MQLFX MFIOX MRBFX

MORNINGSTAR CATEGORY

Corporate Bond Emerging Markets Bond Emerging-Markets Local-Currency Bond World Bond High Yield Bond Intermediate Government High Yield Bond Inflation-Protected Bond Short-Term Bond Multisector Bond Intermediate-Term Bond

NATIONAL TAX-ADVANTAGED FIXED INCOME MFS? Municipal High Income Fund MFS? Municipal Income Fund MFS? Municipal Limited Maturity Fund STATE-SPECIFIC TAX-ADVANTAGED FIXED INCOME MFS? Alabama Municipal Bond Fund MFS? Arkansas Municipal Bond Fund MFS? California Municipal Bond Fund MFS? Georgia Municipal Bond Fund MFS? Maryland Municipal Bond Fund MFS? Massachusetts Municipal Bond Fund MFS? Mississippi Municipal Bond Fund MFS? New York Municipal Bond Fund MFS? North Carolina Municipal Bond Fund MFS? Pennsylvania Municipal Bond Fund MFS? South Carolina Municipal Bond Fund MFS? Tennessee Municipal Bond Fund MFS? Virginia Municipal Bond Fund MFS? West Virginia Municipal Bond Fund

2/24/84 12/29/86 3/17/92

2/1/90 2/3/92 6/18/85 6/6/88 10/31/84 4/9/85 8/6/92 6/6/88 10/31/84 2/1/93 10/31/84 8/12/88 10/31/84 10/31/84

MMIIX MIMIX MTLIX

MMHKX MPMNX MTLRX

MMHYX MFIAX MTLFX

High Yield Muni Muni National Long Muni National Short

MLALX MARLX MCAVX MGATX MMDIX MTALX MMSTX MNYLX MNCLX MPALX MTSCX MTNLX MIVAX MWVIX

MPOLX MPRAX MPOAX MPGOX MPMDX MPMAX MPMSX MPNYX MPNCX MPPAX MPOCX MPONX MPVOX MPWVX

MFALX MFARX MCFTX MMGAX MFSMX MFSSX MISSX MSNYX MSNCX MFPAX MFSCX MSTNX MSVAX MFWVX

Muni Single State Long Muni Single State Long Muni California Long Muni Single State Long Muni Single State Long Muni Massachusetts Muni Single State Long Muni New York Long Muni Single State Long Muni Pennsylvania Muni Single State Long Muni Single State Long Muni Single State Long Muni Single State Long

Keep in mind that all investments, including mutual funds, carry a certain amount of risk including the possible loss of the principal amount invested.

Before investing, consider the fund's investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. For a prospectus or summary prospectus containing this and other information, contact your investment professional or view online at . Please read it carefully.

NOT FDIC INSURED ? MAY LOSE VALUE ? NO BANK GUARANTEE

MFS Fund Distributors, Inc. Boston, MA

MFSP-20YRSF-FLY-5/19 13450.17

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