WESTERN ASSET HIGH YIELD DEF HYI
COM · Closed-End Fund · CUSIP 95768B107
* Summed across managers. Shares that two managers' reports both contain – a subsidiary's holdings that its parent's report includes too, or a sub-adviser's in its client's – are counted once. Holder counts are more reliable. Implied quarter-end price ≈ $11.98.
Trends to Q2 2025
Institutional holders
Managers reporting a position, each quarter
Numbers
| Quarter | Holders |
|---|---|
| Q3 2022 | 52 |
| Q4 2022 | 53 |
| Q1 2023 | 52 |
| Q2 2023 | 54 |
| Q3 2023 | 53 |
| Q4 2023 | 59 |
| Q1 2024 | 57 |
| Q2 2024 | 51 |
| Q3 2024 | 54 |
| Q4 2024 | 56 |
| Q1 2025 | 58 |
| Q2 2025 | 61 |
Buyers vs sellers
Managers adding to or starting a position, vs cutting or selling out
Numbers
| Quarter | Bought or added | Cut or sold out |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2023 | 18 | 25 |
| Q4 2023 | 19 | 26 |
| Q1 2024 | 22 | 28 |
| Q2 2024 | 17 | 29 |
| Q3 2024 | 24 | 24 |
| Q4 2024 | 19 | 24 |
| Q1 2025 | 24 | 23 |
| Q2 2025 | 26 | 20 |
Biggest buyers
| ICON ADVISERS INC/CO | Added | +246.8k |
| JANE STREET GROUP, LLC | Added | +181.1k |
| Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. | New | +165.3k |
| Almitas Capital LLC | New | +45.7k |
| SIT INVESTMENT ASSOCIATES INC | Added | +31.7k |
| Yakira Capital Management, Inc. | New | +15.6k |
| Allworth Financial LP | New | +11.0k |
| CSS LLC/IL | Added | +10.7k |
| SUSQUEHANNA INTERNATIONAL GROUP, LLP | New | +10.3k |
| OSAIC HOLDINGS, INC. | Added | +8.2k |
Biggest sellers
| Huntleigh Advisors, Inc. | Reduced | -605.5k |
| Shaker Financial Services, LLC | Reduced | -115.6k |
| RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL INC | Reduced | -84.4k |
| GUGGENHEIM CAPITAL LLC | Reduced | -49.8k |
| MORGAN STANLEY | Reduced | -37.6k |
| READYSTATE ASSET MANAGEMENT LP | Reduced | -28.8k |
| Hara Capital LLC | Reduced | -20.0k |
| STIFEL FINANCIAL CORP | Sold out | -16.8k |
| WELLS FARGO & COMPANY/MN | Reduced | -14.2k |
| HRT FINANCIAL LP | Sold out | -11.7k |
Major shareholders (over 5%)
Anyone who owns more than 5% of a class of the company's shares has to say so: on Schedule 13D if they may try to influence or control the company, on 13G if they're a passive investor, and update it as the stake changes. Each holder's latest filing, from 19 Dec 2024 on; percentages are of the share class, as the holder worked them out.
No one currently above 5% in the filings since 19 Dec 2024.
Fell to 5% or below in the last year: FIRST TRUST PORTFOLIOS LP (4.8%, 2026-07-30)
Insider purchases and sales in Q2 2025
Shares bought or sold by the company's own officers, directors and 10% owners, in the open market or privately, as they reported to the SEC on Form 4 (due within two business days of the trade). Grants, option exercises, shares withheld for tax and gifts aren't included.
Officers and directors buying vs selling
Number of people, by quarter (10% owners not included)
Numbers
| Quarter | Buying | Bought | Selling | Sold | Sold under a plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q3 2023 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Q4 2023 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Q1 2024 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Q2 2024 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Q3 2024 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Q4 2024 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Q1 2025 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Q2 2025 | 1 | $11.7k | 0 | — | — |
| Date | Insider | Trade | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-27 | GRILLO ANTHONY Director | Bought | $11.7k1.0k shares |
Their holding: how much the trade added to or took from the insider's holding (direct, or the trust or fund named). The same trade is sometimes reported by more than one insider, such as a fund and the director who represents it; totals count it once. A value is left blank where the reported price is far from the market price (usually a typo).
Holders, Q2 2025
| Manager | Shares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| SIT INVESTMENT ASSOCIATES INC 0.38% of their portfolio | 1.5m $18.0m | Added +31.7k |
| PUNCH & ASSOCIATES INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC. 0.59% of their portfolio | 806.5k $9.7m | Unchanged |
| ICON ADVISERS INC/CO 1.82% of their portfolio | 664.5k $8.0m | Added +246.8k |
| RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 567.2k $6.8m | Reduced -84.4k |
| GUGGENHEIM CAPITAL LLC 0.04% of their portfolio | 428.9k $5.1m | Reduced -49.8k |
| Huntleigh Advisors, Inc. 0.88% of their portfolio | 381.0k $4.6m | Reduced -605.5k |
| WELLS FARGO & COMPANY/MN 0.00% of their portfolio | 295.8k $3.5m | Reduced -14.2k |
| Uncommon Cents Investing LLC 0.93% of their portfolio | 290.5k $3.5m | Reduced -3.0k |
| JANE STREET GROUP, LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 198.6k $2.4m | Added +181.1k |
| Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. 0.00% of their portfolio | 165.3k $2.0m | New |
| COHEN & STEERS, INC. 0.00% of their portfolio | 138.5k $1.7m | Unchanged |
| MORGAN STANLEY 0.00% of their portfolio | 131.8k $1.6m | Reduced -37.6k |
| Capital Investment Advisors, LLC 0.03% of their portfolio | 122.6k $1.5m | Reduced -3.3k |
| RIVERNORTH CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC 0.07% of their portfolio | 98.6k $1.2m | Unchanged |
| TFB Advisors LLC 0.29% of their portfolio | 91.3k $1.1m | Reduced -2.4k |
| Hara Capital LLC 0.60% of their portfolio | 81.4k $975.4k | Reduced -20.0k |
| Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC 0.01% of their portfolio | 76.6k $917.5k | Added +1.8k |
| Invesco Ltd. 0.00% of their portfolio | 76.3k $913.8k | Added +3.4k |
| E&G Advisors, LLC 0.23% of their portfolio | 74.4k $891.4k | Reduced -2.7k |
| 1607 Capital Partners, LLC 0.07% of their portfolio | 70.8k $848.5k | Unchanged |
| Camelot Portfolios, LLC 0.49% of their portfolio | 68.9k $825.1k | Reduced -2.4k |
| Consolidated Portfolio Review Corp 0.11% of their portfolio | 67.4k $807.7k | Reduced -2.3k |
| Everstar Asset Management, LLC 0.35% of their portfolio | 48.2k $577.5k | Reduced -3.2k |
| Almitas Capital LLC 0.14% of their portfolio | 45.7k $547.7k | New |
| UBS Group AG 0.00% of their portfolio | 45.6k $546.6k | Added +7.4k |
| NorthCoast Asset Management LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 40.8k $489.0k | Reduced -1.6k |
| BANK OF AMERICA CORP /DE/ 0.00% of their portfolio | 39.6k $474.0k | Added +3.6k |
| Shaker Financial Services, LLC 0.17% of their portfolio | 39.2k $473.4k | Reduced -115.6k |
| CITY OF LONDON INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CO LTD 0.04% of their portfolio | 34.4k $412.2k | Unchanged |
| LPL Financial LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 29.5k $353.9k | Added +376 |
| RVW Wealth, LLC 0.03% of their portfolio | 27.6k $330.9k | Unchanged |
| CSS LLC/IL 0.02% of their portfolio | 20.8k $249.1k | Added +10.7k |
| OSAIC HOLDINGS, INC. 0.00% of their portfolio | 20.8k $249.1k | Added +8.2k |
| Sonora Investment Management Group, LLC 0.02% of their portfolio | 18.4k $220.3k | Unchanged |
| Gilman Hill Asset Management, LLC 0.04% of their portfolio | 18.4k $220.1k | Unchanged |
| Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB 0.00% of their portfolio | 17.5k $209.7k | Unchanged |
| READYSTATE ASSET MANAGEMENT LP 0.01% of their portfolio | 16.9k $202.7k | Reduced -28.8k |
| Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 16.5k $198.0k | Unchanged |
| Yakira Capital Management, Inc. 0.07% of their portfolio | 15.6k $187.4k | New |
| Cetera Investment Advisers 0.00% of their portfolio | 14.1k $168.8k | Reduced -2.6k |
| JONES FINANCIAL COMPANIES LLLP 0.00% of their portfolio | 13.8k $164.8k | Added +859 |
| MRA Advisory Group 0.07% of their portfolio | 11.6k $139.0k | Added +95 |
| INTERNATIONAL ASSETS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC 0.01% of their portfolio | 11.6k $138.4k | Unchanged |
| Janney Montgomery Scott LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 11.4k $136.0k | Added +25 |
| Allworth Financial LP 0.00% of their portfolio | 11.0k $131.8k | New |
| EVERGREEN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 10.4k $125.6k | Unchanged |
| SUSQUEHANNA INTERNATIONAL GROUP, LLP 0.00% of their portfolio | 10.3k $123.5k | New |
| ROYAL BANK OF CANADA 0.00% of their portfolio | 7.8k $92.0k | Added +3.9k |
| COMERICA BANK 0.00% of their portfolio | 6.7k $80.5k | Added +158 |
| Future Financial Wealth Managment LLC 0.05% of their portfolio | 6.4k $76.7k | Unchanged |
| PRIVATE TRUST CO NA 0.00% of their portfolio | 3.0k $35.4k | Unchanged |
| Quest 10 Wealth Builders, Inc. 0.03% of their portfolio | 2.7k $32.3k | Added +64 |
| NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT CO 0.00% of their portfolio | 2.3k $28.1k | Added +54 |
| Financial Perspectives, Inc 0.01% of their portfolio | 2.0k $24.5k | Unchanged |
| JPMORGAN CHASE & CO 0.00% of their portfolio | 1.5k $18.0k | New |
| CWM, LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 1.1k $14.0k | New |
| GPS Wealth Strategies Group, LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 1.1k $13.4k | Unchanged |
| FNY Investment Advisers, LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 800 $9.0k | Unchanged |
| WOLVERINE ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 611 $7.3k | New |
| NewEdge Advisors, LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 497 $6.0k | Added +12 |
| CONCOURSE FINANCIAL GROUP SECURITIES, INC. — of their portfolio | 0 $0 | Unchanged |