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 ≈ $10.63.
Trends to Q2 2026
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 |
| Q3 2025 | 44 |
| Q4 2025 | 46 |
| Q1 2026 | 45 |
| Q2 2026 | 47 |
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 2024 | 24 | 24 |
| Q4 2024 | 19 | 24 |
| Q1 2025 | 24 | 23 |
| Q2 2025 | 26 | 20 |
| Q3 2025 | 18 | 38 |
| Q4 2025 | 31 | 24 |
| Q1 2026 | 23 | 20 |
| Q2 2026 | 21 | 20 |
Biggest buyers
| Allspring Global Investments Holdings, LLC | New | +267.8k |
| SIT INVESTMENT ASSOCIATES INC | New | +173.4k |
| Pathstone Holdings, LLC | New | +108.5k |
| Shaker Financial Services, LLC | Added | +55.5k |
| JONES FINANCIAL COMPANIES LLLP | Added | +17.4k |
| Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC | New | +15.2k |
| Uncommon Cents Investing LLC | Added | +12.3k |
| SUSQUEHANNA INTERNATIONAL GROUP, LLP | New | +11.5k |
| Seelaus Asset Management LLC | New | +10.8k |
| Hara Capital LLC | Added | +6.5k |
Biggest sellers
| Calamos Advisors LLC | Sold out | -26.3k |
| Invesco Ltd. | Reduced | -26.0k |
| 1607 Capital Partners, LLC | Reduced | -23.7k |
| READYSTATE ASSET MANAGEMENT LP | Reduced | -17.8k |
| CITADEL ADVISORS LLC | Reduced | -16.4k |
| Logan Stone Capital, LLC | Reduced | -16.3k |
| GUGGENHEIM CAPITAL LLC | Reduced | -13.6k |
| HRT FINANCIAL LP | Sold out | -13.5k |
| Ionic Capital Management LLC | Reduced | -11.7k |
| Savvy Advisors, Inc. | Sold out | -10.5k |
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 since 1 Apr 2026
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q4 2024 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Q1 2025 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Q2 2025 | 1 | $11.7k | 0 | — | — |
| Q3 2025 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Q4 2025 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Q1 2026 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Q2 2026 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Q3 2026 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
None reported since 1 Apr 2026.
Holders, Q2 2026
| Manager | Shares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 517.2k $5.5m | Reduced -9.6k |
| GUGGENHEIM CAPITAL LLC 0.03% of their portfolio | 385.5k $4.1m | Reduced -13.6k |
| Shaker Financial Services, LLC 1.10% of their portfolio | 329.1k $3.5m | Added +55.5k |
| Uncommon Cents Investing LLC 0.71% of their portfolio | 307.8k $3.3m | Added +12.3k |
| Allspring Global Investments Holdings, LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 267.8k $2.8m | New |
| ABSOLUTE INVESTMENT ADVISERS, LLC 0.25% of their portfolio | 246.0k $2.6m | Unchanged |
| WOLVERINE ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC 0.03% of their portfolio | 231.3k $2.5m | Reduced -5.6k |
| Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. 0.00% of their portfolio | 175.0k $1.9m | Added +1.3k |
| SIT INVESTMENT ASSOCIATES INC 0.03% of their portfolio | 173.4k $1.8m | New |
| 1607 Capital Partners, LLC 0.15% of their portfolio | 166.6k $1.8m | Reduced -23.7k |
| MORGAN STANLEY 0.00% of their portfolio | 115.6k $1.2m | Reduced -948 |
| Pathstone Holdings, LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 108.5k $1.2m | New |
| Quarry LP 0.16% of their portfolio | 98.1k $1.0m | Unchanged |
| WELLS FARGO & COMPANY/MN 0.00% of their portfolio | 92.2k $979.9k | Reduced -276 |
| Capital Investment Advisors, LLC 0.01% of their portfolio | 83.8k $890.8k | Reduced -6.9k |
| TFB Advisors LLC 0.39% of their portfolio | 83.5k $888.0k | Unchanged |
| Logan Stone Capital, LLC 0.17% of their portfolio | 73.9k $785.9k | Reduced -16.3k |
| E&G Advisors, LLC 0.13% of their portfolio | 63.1k $671.1k | Reduced -90 |
| JONES FINANCIAL COMPANIES LLLP 0.00% of their portfolio | 60.8k $640.6k | Added +17.4k |
| CITADEL ADVISORS LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 58.1k $617.7k | Reduced -16.4k |
| Everstar Asset Management, LLC 0.23% of their portfolio | 44.1k $468.8k | Unchanged |
| LPL Financial LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 39.8k $422.7k | Added +1.0k |
| BANK OF AMERICA CORP /DE/ 0.00% of their portfolio | 36.7k $390.5k | Added +3.1k |
| Invesco Ltd. 0.00% of their portfolio | 30.9k $328.4k | Reduced -26.0k |
| RVW Wealth, LLC 0.02% of their portfolio | 27.6k $293.6k | Unchanged |
| Ionic Capital Management LLC 0.24% of their portfolio | 24.0k $254.8k | Reduced -11.7k |
| NOMURA HOLDINGS INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 20.0k $212.6k | Added +5.6k |
| READYSTATE ASSET MANAGEMENT LP 0.01% of their portfolio | 19.4k $206.4k | Reduced -17.8k |
| OSAIC HOLDINGS, INC. 0.00% of their portfolio | 17.9k $190.1k | Unchanged |
| Hara Capital LLC 0.09% of their portfolio | 16.9k $179.6k | Added +6.5k |
| PRIVATE MANAGEMENT GROUP INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 16.6k $176.7k | Added +4.5k |
| Cetera Investment Advisers 0.00% of their portfolio | 16.3k $172.9k | Added +459 |
| Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 15.2k $162.0k | New |
| Huntleigh Advisors, Inc. 0.02% of their portfolio | 13.7k $145.4k | Reduced -7.6k |
| MRA Advisory Group 0.05% of their portfolio | 13.1k $139.1k | Added +167 |
| SUSQUEHANNA INTERNATIONAL GROUP, LLP 0.00% of their portfolio | 11.5k $122.7k | New |
| Seelaus Asset Management LLC 0.08% of their portfolio | 10.8k $114.8k | New |
| Kanen Wealth Management LLC 0.03% of their portfolio | 10.0k $106.3k | Unchanged |
| INTERNATIONAL ASSETS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC 0.01% of their portfolio | 9.2k $97.7k | Unchanged |
| Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 8.1k $86.3k | Added +925 |
| FIFTH THIRD BANCORP 0.00% of their portfolio | 7.4k $78.9k | Added +191 |
| UBS Group AG 0.00% of their portfolio | 6.9k $73.2k | Reduced -4.8k |
| ROYAL BANK OF CANADA 0.00% of their portfolio | 6.1k $65.0k | Unchanged |
| Quest 10 Wealth Builders, Inc. 0.02% of their portfolio | 3.0k $32.0k | Added +79 |
| PRIVATE TRUST CO NA 0.00% of their portfolio | 3.0k $31.5k | Unchanged |
| Arax Advisory Partners 0.00% of their portfolio | 1.9k $20.1k | New |
| HIGHLINE WEALTH PARTNERS LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 250 $2.7k | Unchanged |