Fidelity Total Bond Fund - Fidelity Investments

[Pages:7]QUARTERLY FUND REVIEW | AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

Fidelity? Total Bond Fund

Investment Approach

? Fidelity? Total Bond Fund is a diversified fixed-income strategy seeking competitive risk-adjusted performance commensurate with investor expectations of a core bond fund.

? The fund invests at least 80% of its assets in investment-grade bonds and up to 20% in noninvestment-grade debt.

? The fund's primary benchmark, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, is the basis for this review. The fund also has a secondary benchmark, the Bloomberg U.S. Universal Bond Index, which is a broader measure of bond performance.

? Utilizing a team-based investment process, the fund relies on experienced portfolio managers, research analysts and traders. We concentrate on areas where we believe we can repeatedly add value, including asset allocation, sector and security selection, yield-curve positioning and opportunistic trading.

? Robust governance and risk management support the identification of both opportunities and risks.

PERFORMANCE SUMMARY

Cumulative

3 Month

YTD

1 Year

Annualized

3 Year

5 Year

10 Year/ LOF1

Fidelity Total Bond Fund Gross Expense Ratio: 0.45%2

0.24% -0.24% 1.73% 6.34% 3.95% 4.01%

Bloomberg US Universal Bond Index

0.07% -1.07% 0.20% 5.57% 3.30% 3.46%

Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index

0.05% -1.55% -0.90% 5.36% 2.94% 3.01%

Lipper Core Bond Funds Classification

Morningstar Fund Intermediate Core-Plus Bond

0.01% 0.07%

-1.08% -0.51%

0.35% 1.49%

5.54% 5.62%

3.15% 3.50%

3.24% 3.75%

1 Life of Fund (LOF) if performance is less than 10 years. Fund inception date: 10/15/2002. 2 This expense ratio is from the most recent prospectus and generally is based on amounts incurred during the

most recent fiscal year. It does not include any fee waivers or reimbursements, which would be reflected in the fund's net expense ratio.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate; therefore, you may have a gain or loss when you sell your shares. Current performance may be higher or lower than the performance stated. Performance shown is that of the fund's Retail Class shares (if multiclass). You may own another share class of the fund with a different expense structure and, thus, have different returns. To learn more or to obtain the most recent month-end or other share-class performance, visit performance, institutional., or . Total returns are historical and include change in share value and reinvestment of dividends and capital gains, if any. Cumulative total returns are reported as of the period indicated.

For definitions and other important information, please see the Definitions and Important Information section of this Fund Review.

FUND INFORMATION

Manager(s): Ford O'Neil

Trading Symbol: FTBFX

Start Date: October 15, 2002

Size (in millions): $34,100.26

Morningstar Category: Fund Intermediate Core-Plus Bond In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk, liquidity risk, call risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible. Lower-quality bonds can be more volatile and have greater risk of default than higher-quality bonds. Foreign securities are subject to interest rate, currency exchange rate, economic, and political risks, all of which are magnified in emerging markets. Leverage can increase market exposure and magnify investment risk.

Not FDIC Insured ? May Lose Value ? No Bank Guarantee

QUARTERLY FUND REVIEW: Fidelity? Total Bond Fund | AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

Taxable Bond Market Review

U.S. taxable investment-grade bonds posted a modest advance for the three months ending September 30, 2021, as longer-term yields rose slightly across fixed-income asset classes, credit spreads stayed historically tight and broader market volatility increased toward the end of the period. The Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index gained 0.05% for the quarter.

Bond investors weighed many crosscurrents in the third quarter, including the pace of economic and jobs growth in the U.S., the rate of inflation, possible new global economic challenges and, late in the period, a Congressional showdown over the debt limit. Each had possible ramifications for the economy, as well as the timing of any changes to U.S. monetary policy.

The status of a U.S. infrastructure bill in Congress and its potential impact on the surging U.S. deficit remained a wildcard during the quarter, as did efforts by Democrats to pass a $3.5 trillion budget, which would push for higher tax rates on upper-income tax brackets to fund health care, education and infrastructure programs.

In July, bond yields declined, influenced by lukewarm economic data and concern about the spreading delta variant of the coronavirus. As consumer and producer prices increased, many investors gravitated toward investments they thought could outgain the rate of inflation, including lower-rated investment-grade bonds.

Most investors interpreted Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's testimony before Congress in July as dovish. He acknowledged that re-opening segments of the economy are driving more inflation than expected, but reiterated he expects this higher inflation to be transitory. He noted that "substantial further progress" for the economy would need to materialize before the Fed changed its accommodative policies.

Yields rose very little in August, amid improved jobs data that led some fixed-income investors to anticipate an eventual move by the Fed to slow its monthly open-market bond purchases, which the central bank has been using during the pandemic to boost the economy and keep longer-term rates low. Members of the Federal Open Markets Committee noted progress toward the Fed's dual mandate of maximum employment and price stability, which caused some members to anticipate the need to raise policy rates by the end of 2022.

Then, in September, longer-term yields rose further, and broader market volatility increased, partly due to concern about the Chinese property sector that could threaten global economic growth, and a Congressional stalemate regarding efforts to raise or suspend the U.S. debt limit. Also, Fed Chairman Powell warned that elevated inflation could last longer than anticipated.

For the quarter, the U.S. Treasury yield curve remained nearly unchanged. Short-term rates inched slightly lower and continued to be tethered by ultralow policy rates. Longer-term yields advanced modestly. Most yield-advantaged, credit-sensitive areas of the market roughly broke even this quarter. Corporate bonds returned 0.00%, slightly lagging the 0.09% gain of U.S. Treasuries. Corporate bond supply remained robust, while spreads showed little volatility and remained historically tight. Elsewhere in the index, mortgagebacked securities (+0.10%) and asset-backed securities (+0.05%) each managed a slight gain. Government-related debt (-0.10%) and commercial mortgage-backed securities (-0.03%) posted modestly negative returns for the period. Outside the index, Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) and higher-risk credit assets, such as U.S. corporate high-yield bonds and leveraged loans, solidly outdistanced Treasuries, according to Bloomberg.

U.S. TREASURY YIELD CURVE

2.4

2.0

1.6

Percent (%)

1.2

0.8

0.4

0.0

02

5

10 Years

06/30/2021 Source: Bloomberg

09/30/2021

THREE-MONTH FIXED-INCOME SECTOR RETURNS

Sector

Total Return

Excess Return*

U.S. Treasury

0.09%

0.00%

Government-Related

-0.10%

-0.22%

U.S. Mortgage-Backed Securities

0.10%

0.03%

Asset-Backed Securities

0.05%

0.03%

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities

-0.03%

-0.03%

U.S. Corporate Investment Grade

-0.00%

-0.15%

U.S. Corporate High Yield

0.89%

0.86%

Emerging Markets: Investment Grade

0.10%

-0.02%

Emerging Markets: High Yield Source: Bloomberg

-1.65%

-1.68%

*Over similar-duration Treasuries

30

2 | For definitions and other important information, please see Definitions and Important Information section of this Fund Review.

QUARTERLY FUND REVIEW: Fidelity? Total Bond Fund | AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

Performance Review

DETAILED FUND ATTRIBUTION RELATIVE TO BENCHMARK

Strategy: Asset Allocation

Market Environment

Most securities with credit risk turned in positive results this quarter.

Strategy: Sector Allocation

Market Environment

U.S. investment-grade spread sectors performed roughly in line with Treasuries, as credit spreads remained tight. Inflation-protected securities and higher-risk credit assets stood out to the upside, adding to their 2021 gains.

The fund's overweight in certain "plus" sectors added value for the quarter.

Fund Positioning (Impact vs. Benchmark)

? Positioning in high-yield bonds and holding leveraged loans added relative value. (Positive)

? An allocation to high-yield commercial mortgage-backed securities also contributed to the fund's relative result. (Positive)

? Exposure to emerging-markets debt detracted slightly. (Negative)

Fund Positioning (Impact vs. Benchmark)

Among investment-grade securities, sector allocation contributed versus the Aggregate Index.

? Exposure to Treasury InflationProtected Securities (TIPS) added relative value. (Positive)

? Underweighting mortgage-backed securities also helped. (Positive)

Strategy: Security Selection

Market Environment

Broadly speaking, there was little dispersion in returns across sector, quality and maturity spectrums. Credit markets, including securitized sectors, showed resilience, benefiting from further improvement in fundamentals.

Strategy: Duration and Yield Curve

Market Environment

Long-term Treasury rates rose moderately as short-term rates remained anchored. The yield curve steepened negligibly.

Fund Positioning (Impact vs. Benchmark)

Security selection also added value versus the Aggregate index.

? Owning energy firms, including Occidental Petroleum and Energy Transfer Partners, added to the fund's relative return. (Positive)

? Specific holdings among banks aided the fund's relative result as well, including Deutsche Bank. (Positive)

? Positions in government-agency securities tied to energy (Petr?leos Mexicanos) contributed. (Positive)

Fund Positioning (Impact vs. Benchmark)

? The fund's bulleted yield-curve positioning detracted versus the Aggregate index. (Negative)

3 | For definitions and other important information, please see Definitions and Important Information section of this Fund Review.

QUARTERLY FUND REVIEW: Fidelity? Total Bond Fund | AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

Outlook and Positioning

As of September 30, the Fed appears to be inching closer to starting the multiyear process of normalizing monetary policy. This likely includes eventual plans to taper the Fed's bond-purchase program, possibly by late this year. A gradual rise in policy rates could follow, beginning in late 2022 or 2023.

This market evolution may create both risks and opportunities for bond investors. For example, we see risks related to rising yields that could threaten bond prices in the coming months; however, an increase in volatility may present attractive investment opportunities. In a dynamic market environment, we continue to find pockets of value in our market at period end, based on our view of pricing and fundamentals. That said, we remain cautious about reaching for yield. At quarter end, corporate spreads remain historically tight and real interest rates remain negative.

As of September 30, we remain tactical. We added slightly to nominal U.S. Treasuries during the quarter but remained underweight both Treasuries and agency mortgage-backed securities. These liquid assets provide the fund "dry powder" when opportunities arise. Also, we reduced the fund's overweight in intermediate- and longer-term TIPS, which provide a degree of inflation protection.

Elsewhere at period end, the fund is overweight short-dated investment-grade credit, high-yield bonds, leveraged loans, and global bonds. Conversely, we are underweight long-dated investment-grade credit and continue to reduce exposure to investment-grade bonds that experienced meaningful gains.

We continue to overweight the intermediate part of the yield curve.

Our goal remains to work with our experienced investment teams to try to find attractively priced bonds for the portfolios while maintaining a disciplined approach to risk management.

In all markets, we seek to outperform and find pockets of value without taking on undue risk. We remain focused on the long term and follow a process that is analytical, logical and grounded in empirical data.

It is important to reiterate that our portfolios are constructed with a careful and intentional emphasis on security selection, especially with consideration to liquidity and financial resiliency.

Investing is a long-term endeavor, and we're focused on generating strong risk-adjusted performance over a full market cycle through our disciplined, risk-aware approach.

MARKET-SEGMENT DIVERSIFICATION

Market Segment

Portfolio Weight

Index Weight

Relative Change Relative From Prior Weight Quarter

U.S. Government

32.71% 39.95% -7.24% 1.67%

Non-U.S. Government

1.81% 0.87% 0.94% 0.00%

Other Government Related (U.S. & Non-U.S.)

2.14%

2.04%

0.10%

0.04%

Corporate

40.08% 27.90% 12.18% -0.91%

MBS Pass-Through

11.23% 26.84% -15.61% 0.19%

ABS

5.05% 0.30% 4.75% -0.53%

CMBS

3.42% 2.09% 1.33% -0.18%

CMOs

0.90% 0.00% 0.90% -0.07%

Covered

0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Cash

8.06% 0.00% 8.06% 0.66%

USD

8.06% 0.00% 8.06% 0.67%

Non-USD

0.00% 0.00% 0.00% -0.01%

Net Other Assets

-5.40% 0.01% -5.41% -0.87%

Futures, Options & Swaps

-1.99% 0.00% -1.99% 0.15%

Net Other Assets can include fund receivables, fund payables, and offsets to other derivative positions, as well as certain assets that do not fall into any of the portfolio composition categories. Depending on the extent to which the fund invests in derivatives and the number of positions that are held for future settlement, Net Other Assets can be a negative number.

CREDIT-QUALITY DIVERSIFICATION

Credit Quality

Portfolio Weight

Index Weight

Relative Weight

Relative Change From Prior Quarter

U.S. Government

44.53% 67.56% -23.03% 1.81%

AAA

4.03%

3.77%

0.26%

-0.68%

AA

2.55%

5.26%

-2.71%

-0.09%

A

8.73%

11.87% -3.14%

0.10%

BBB

20.07% 11.54%

8.53%

-0.03%

BB

7.66%

0.00%

7.66%

-0.63%

B

6.06%

0.00%

6.06%

-0.23%

CCC & Below

1.04%

0.00%

1.04%

-0.04%

Short-Term Rated

0.00%

0.00%

0.00%

0.00%

Not Rated/Not Available

0.31%

0.00%

0.31%

0.93%

Cash & Net Other Assets

5.02%

0.00%

5.02%

-1.14%

Net Other Assets can include fund receivables, fund payables, and offsets to other derivative positions, as well as certain assets that do not fall into any of the portfolio composition categories. Depending on the extent to which the fund invests in derivatives and the number of positions that are held for future settlement, Net Other Assets can be a negative number.

Credit ratings for a rated issuer or security are categorized using the highest credit rating among the following three Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations ("NRSRO"): Moody's Investors Service (Moody's); Standard & Poor's Rating Services (S&P); or Fitch, Inc. Securities that are not rated by any of these three NRSRO's (e.g. equity securities) are categorized as Not Rated. All U.S. government securities are included in the U.S. Government category. The table information is based on the combined investments of the fund and its pro-rata share of any investments in other Fidelity funds.

4 | For definitions and other important information, please see Definitions and Important Information section of this Fund Review.

QUARTERLY FUND REVIEW: Fidelity? Total Bond Fund | AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

CHARACTERISTICS

Duration 30-Day SEC Yield 30-Day SEC Restated Yield Net Asset Value

Portfolio 5.97 years

1.63% --

$11.12

Index 6.42 years

----

ASSET ALLOCATION

Asset Class

Change From Prior

Portfolio Weight

Quarter

Investment-Grade Bonds

76.60%

2.11%

High-Yield Investments

16.49%

-0.78%

Emerging-Markets Investments

3.86%

-0.19%

Cash & Net Other Assets

3.05%

-1.14%

Net Other Assets can include fund receivables, fund payables, and offsets to other derivative positions, as well as certain assets that do not fall into any of the portfolio composition categories. Depending on the extent to which the fund invests in derivatives and the number of positions that are held for future settlement, Net Other Assets can be a negative number.

5 | For definitions and other important information, please see Definitions and Important Information section of this Fund Review.

QUARTERLY FUND REVIEW: Fidelity? Total Bond Fund | AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

Definitions and Important Information

Information provided in this document is for informational and educational purposes only. To the extent any investment information in this material is deemed to be a recommendation, it is not meant to be impartial investment advice or advice in a fiduciary capacity and is not intended to be used as a primary basis for you or your client's investment decisions. Fidelity, and its representatives may have a conflict of interest in the products or services mentioned in this material because they have a financial interest in, and receive compensation, directly or indirectly, in connection with the management, distribution and/or servicing of these products or services including Fidelity funds, certain third-party funds and products, and certain investment services.

CHARACTERISTICS Duration is a measure of a security's price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Duration differs from maturity in that it considers a security's interest payments in addition to the amount of time until the security reaches maturity, and also takes into account certain maturity shortening features (e.g., demand features, interest rate resets, and call options) when applicable. Securities with longer durations generally tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than securities with shorter durations. A fund with a longer average duration generally can be expected to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than a fund with a shorter average duration.

30-day SEC Yield is a standard yield calculation developed by the Securities and Exchange Commission for bond funds. The yield is calculated by dividing the net investment income per share earned during the 30-day period by the maximum offering price per share on the last day of the period. The yield figure reflects the dividends and interest earned during the 30-day period, after the deduction of the fund's expenses. It is sometimes referred to as "SEC 30-Day Yield" or "standardized yield".

30-Day SEC Restated Yield is the fund's 30-day yield without applicable waivers or reimbursements, stated as of month-end.

Net Asset Value is the dollar value of one share of a fund; determined by taking the total assets of a fund, subtracting the total liabilities, and dividing by the total number of shares outstanding.

IMPORTANT FUND INFORMATION Relative positioning data presented in this commentary is based on the fund's primary benchmark (index).

INDICES It is not possible to invest directly in an index. All indices represented are unmanaged. All indices include reinvestment of dividends and interest income unless otherwise noted.

Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is a broad-based, marketvalue-weighted benchmark that measures the performance of the investment grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bond market. Sectors in the index include Treasuries, governmentrelated and corporate securities, MBS (agency fixed-rate and hybrid ARM pass-throughs), ABS, and CMBS.

Bloomberg U.S. Universal Bond Index represents the union of the

Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, the Bloomberg U.S. Corporate High Yield Bond Index, the Bloomberg 144A Bond Index, the Bloomberg Eurodollar Bond Index, the Bloomberg U.S. Emerging Markets Bond Index, and the non-ERISA portion of the Bloomberg U.S. CMBS Index. Municipal debt, private placements, and non-dollar-denominated issues are excluded from the index. The only constituent of the index that includes floating-rate debt is the Bloomberg U.S. Emerging Markets Bond Index.

LIPPER INFORMATION Lipper Averages are averages of the performance of all mutual funds with their respective investment classification category. The number of funds in each category periodically changes. Lipper, a Refinitiv company, is a nationally recognized organization that ranks the performance of mutual funds.

MARKET-SEGMENT WEIGHTS Market-segment weights illustrate examples of sectors or industries in which the fund may invest, and may not be representative of the fund's current or future investments. They should not be construed or used as a recommendation for any sector or industry.

MORNINGSTAR INFORMATION ? 2021 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved. The Morningstar information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or redistributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Fidelity does not review the Morningstar data and, for mutual fund performance, you should check the fund's current prospectus for the most up-to-date information concerning applicable loads, fees and expenses.

6 |

YIELD CURVE

The relationship at a given point in time between yields on a group of fixed-income securities with varying maturities commonly, Treasury bills, notes, and bonds. The curve typically slopes upward since longer maturities normally have higher yields, although it can be flat or even inverted.

Before investing in any mutual fund, please carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. For this and other information, call or write Fidelity for a free prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus. Read it carefully before you invest.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Views expressed are through the end of the period stated and do not necessarily represent the views of Fidelity. Views are subject to change at any time based upon market or other conditions and Fidelity disclaims any responsibility to update such views. These views may not be relied on as investment advice and, because investment decisions for a Fidelity fund are based on numerous factors, may not be relied on as an indication of trading intent on behalf of any Fidelity fund. The securities mentioned are not necessarily holdings invested in by the portfolio manager(s) or FMR LLC. References to specific company securities should not be construed as recommendations or investment advice.

Diversification does not ensure a profit or guarantee against a loss.

S&P 500 is a registered service mark of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC.

Other third-party marks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners.

All other marks appearing herein are registered or unregistered trademarks or service marks of FMR LLC or an affiliated company.

Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, Member NYSE, SIPC., 900 Salem Street, Smithfield, RI 02917.

Fidelity Distributors Company LLC, 500 Salem Street, Smithfield, RI 02917.

? 2021 FMR LLC. All rights reserved.

Not NCUA or NCUSIF insured. May lose value. No credit union guarantee.

656386.36.0

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download