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Form N-CSR Federated Hermes Investm For: Nov 30

January 25, 2022 12:23 PM EST

United States

Securities and Exchange Commission

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Form N-CSR

Certified Shareholder Report of Registered Management Investment Companies

 

 

 

 

811-58429

 

(Investment Company Act File Number)

 

Federated Hermes Investment Series Funds, Inc.

_______________________________________________________________

 

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

 

Federated Hermes Funds

4000 Ericsson Drive

Warrendale, Pennsylvania 15086-7561

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

 

(412) 288-1900

(Registrant's Telephone Number)

 

 

Peter J. Germain, Esquire

1001 Liberty Avenue

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-3779

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

(Notices should be sent to the Agent for Service)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date of Fiscal Year End: 11/30/21

 

 

Date of Reporting Period: 11/30/21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Item 1. Reports to Stockholders

 

Annual Shareholder Report
November 30, 2021
Share Class | Ticker
A | FDBAX
B | FDBBX
C | FDBCX
 
F | ISHIX
Institutional | FDBIX
R6 | FDBLX

Federated Hermes Corporate Bond Fund
Fund Established 1987

A Portfolio of Federated Hermes Investment Series Funds, Inc.
Dear Valued Shareholder,
We are pleased to present the Annual Shareholder Report for your fund covering the period from December 1, 2020 through November 30, 2021. This report includes Management’s Discussion of Fund Performance, a complete listing of your fund’s holdings, performance information and financial statements along with other important fund information.
As a global leader in active, responsible investment management, Federated Hermes is guided by our conviction that responsible investing is the best way to create wealth over the long term. The company provides capabilities across a wide range of asset classes to investors around the world.
In addition, FederatedInvestors.com offers quick and easy access to valuable resources that include timely fund updates, economic and market insights from our investment strategists and financial planning tools. You can also access many of those insights by following us on Twitter (@FederatedHermes) and LinkedIn.
Thank you for investing with us. We hope you find this information useful and look forward to keeping you informed.
Sincerely,
J. Christopher Donahue, President

Not FDIC Insured ▪ May Lose Value ▪ No Bank Guarantee

Management’s Discussion of Fund Performance (unaudited)
The total return of Federated Hermes Corporate Bond Fund (the “Fund”), based on net asset value for the 12-month reporting period ended November 30, 2021, was 0.41% for Class A Shares, -0.47% for Class B Shares, -0.42% for Class C Shares, 0.41% for Class F Shares, 0.66% for Institutional Shares and 0.68% for R6 Shares. The total return for the Fund’s broad-based benchmark, a blended index comprised of 75% Bloomberg US Credit Index and 25% Bloomberg US Corporate High Yield 2% Issuer Capped Index (Blended Index),1,2 was 0.89% for the same period. The total returns of the Lipper Corporate Debt Funds BBB-Rated Average (LCDBBB),3 a peer group average for the Fund, was -0.34% during the same period. The total returns for the Fund and LCDBBB for the most recently completed fiscal year reflected actual cash flows, transaction costs and expenses which were not reflected in the total return of the Blended Index.
During the reporting period, the most significant factors affecting the Fund’s performance relative to the Blended Index was security selection, sector allocation and yield curve positioning. The use of U.S. Treasury derivatives4 to adjust interest rate and yield curve exposure was a detractor to overall performance.
The following discussion will focus on the performance of the Fund’s R6 Shares relative to the Blended Index.
MARKET OVERVIEW
The reporting period started on a somewhat disconcerting note, with a renewed spike in Covid-19 infection rates as the weather cooled threatening what had been a sharp and rapid recovery from the depths of the pandemic-driven recession. But there were positive developments, too. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines received emergency approval for use in December 2020, and uncertainty over the outcome of the U.S. elections lifted as Democrat Joe Biden prevailed in the presidential race and Democrats recaptured the House and Senate majorities by the thinnest of margins. At the end of November 2020, credit spreads as measured by the option-adjusted spread (OAS) of the Bloomberg US Credit Index were 100 basis points (bps) and the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note was 0.84%.
The new year saw good news start to come in droves. Vaccinations ramped up quickly, a new round of nearly $900 billion in Covid relief funds were distributed and a third, larger $1.9 trillion package of Covid-related fiscal stimulus was passed and signed into law in March. On the macro front, consumer spending accelerated, as did job and income growth, as well as manufacturing and services activity. Inflation also began to climb, in part on increases off the prior year’s sharp deceleration during the depths of the
Annual Shareholder Report
1

recession but also on wage increases and global supply chain issues as businesses struggled to keep up with demand. This prompted concerns over whether the higher inflation would prove transitory, as the Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) suggested, or more permanent.
With the pandemic recovery on more solid footing, the second half of the reporting period saw the market’s focus on the transitory argument intensify as key inflation metrics continued to climb. Questions began to arise about when the Fed might start to taper its monthly quantitative-easing purchases of Treasury and mortgage-backed securities and raise policy rates.5 The debate and uncertainty wreaked havoc on the yield curve, which bear flattened with a “twist”yields on the short end started pricing in potential rate hikes and rose, while yields on the long end declined on expectations the Fed may turn more aggressive to ensure inflation does not get out of control. By period end, the Fed had initiatedand indicated it may acceleratetapering and said it was preparing to discuss when to initiate the first policy rate hikes off the 0-0.25% range.
In a year of significant volatility, the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield that started the period at 0.84% peaked at 1.72% in March, then closed the period at 1.44%. Similarly, the OAS of the Bloomberg US Credit Index started the period at 100 basis points, dipped to 77 basis points in June and closed the period at 94 basis points. While the movements in rates were significant, the peaks and valleys were somewhat subdued relative to the 2020 pandemic year that saw the economy effectively shut down that springa sign, perhaps, that markets are beginning to believe the economy is moving beyond the pandemic even as new variants arise.
Security selection
During the reporting period, the Fund had strong overall security selection relative to the Blended Index. Positive security selection was experienced in the Energy, Insurance, Technology and Capital Goods sectors. Specific Fund holdings that positively impacted performance relative to the Blended Index included: Callon Petroleum, Mallinckrodt, Valmont Industries, Dell Technologies and Antero Midstream.
The Fund was negatively affected by security selection in the Basic Industries, Banking, Transportation, REIT and Electric Utility sectors. Specific Fund holdings that negatively impacted performance relative to the Blended Index included: Citigroup, Danaher Corporation, Morgan Stanley and Community Health Systems.
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SECTOR ALLOCATION
The Fund benefited from positive overall sector allocation relative to the Blended Index. The strong allocation was derived from an overweight position (˃25%) in the high-yield asset class and an underweight position (˂75%) in the investment-grade asset class during the reporting period.6 The high-yield component (Bloomberg US Corporate High Yield 2% Issuer Capped Index) of the Blended Index reported period returns of 5.29%, while the investment-grade portion (Bloomberg US Credit Index) reported period returns of -0.55%. Additionally, specific industry positions with positive contribution included the following: underweight to non-corporate component, overweight to energy, underweight to banking and an overweight to capital goods. This was partially offset by the following negative-contributing industry positions: a cash position of approximately 90 bps and overweight positions to communications and technology.
Yield Curve Positioning
The Fund was negatively impacted by being underweight the long-end of the credit curve relative to the Blended Index during the reporting period. The negative impact was isolated to a few months where the interest rate curve “twisted’ significantlyincluding mid-year and towards the end of the reporting period. The Fund’s yield curve position was consistent throughout the period.7
1
Please see the footnotes to the line graphs under “Fund Performance and Growth of a $10,000 Investment” below for the definition of, and more information about, the Blended Index. The Blended Index is comprised of 75% Bloomberg US Credit Index (BUSC) and 25% Bloomberg US Corporate High Yield 2% Issuer Capped Index (BHY2%ICI).
2
The Fund’s broad-based securities market index is the Bloomberg US Credit Index (BUSC). Please see the footnotes to the line graphs under “Fund Performance and Growth of a $10,000 Investment” below for the definition of, and more information about, the BUSC. The Blended Index is being used for comparison purposes because, although it is not the Fund’s broad-based securities market index, the Fund’s Adviser believes it more closely reflects the market sectors in which the Fund invests.
3
Please see the footnotes to the line graphs under “Fund Performance and Growth of a $10,000 Investment” below for the definition of, and more information about, the Lipper peer group.
4
The Fund’s use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional instruments.
5
Bond prices are sensitive to changes in interest rates, and a rise in interest rates can cause a decline in their prices.
6
High-yield, lower-rated securities generally entail greater market, credit/default and liquidity risks, and may be more volatile than investment grade securities.
7
The yield curve is a graph showing the comparative yields of securities in a particular class according to maturity. Securities on the long-end of the yield curve have longer maturities.
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FUND PERFORMANCE AND GROWTH OF A $10,000 INVESTMENT
The graph below illustrates the hypothetical investment of $10,0001 in the Federated Hermes Corporate Bond Fund (the “Fund”) from November 30, 2011 to November 30, 2021, compared to the Bloomberg US Credit Index (BUSC),2 a blend of indexes comprised of 75% Bloomberg US Credit Index and 25% Bloomberg US Corporate High Yield 2% Issuer Capped Index (BHY2%ICI) (the “Blended Index”)2 and the Lipper Corporate Debt Funds BBB-Rated Average (LCDBBB).3 The Average Annual Total Return table below shows returns for each class averaged over the stated periods.
Growth of a $10,000 Investment
Growth of $10,000 as of November 30, 2021
■ Total returns shown for Class B Shares include the maximum contingent deferred sales charge of 5.50%, as applicable.
■ Total returns shown for Class F Shares include the maximum sales charge of 1.00% ($10,000 investment minus $100 sales charge = $9,900) and the 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge, as applicable.
The Fund offers multiple share classes whose performance may be greater than or less than its other share class(es) due to differences in sales charges and expenses. See the Average Annual Return table below for the returns of additional classes not shown in the graph above.
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Average Annual Total Returns for the Period Ended 11/30/2021
(returns reflect all applicable sales charges and contingent deferred sales charge as specified below in footnote #1)
 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class A Shares
-4.11%
4.24%
4.50%
Class B Shares
-5.82%
3.99%
4.28%
Class C Shares
-1.39%
4.36%
4.29%
Class F Shares
-1.54%
5.01%
4.86%
Institutional Shares
0.66%
5.48%
5.22%
Class R6 Shares4
0.68%
5.48%
5.12%
BUSC
-0.55%
5.20%
4.66%
Blended Index
0.89%
5.49%
5.24%
LCDBBB
-0.34%
5.12%
4.75%
Performance data quoted represents past performance which is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Mutual fund performance changes over time and current performance may be lower or higher than what is stated. For current to the most recent month-end performance and after-tax returns, visit FederatedInvestors.com or call 1-800-341-7400. Returns shown do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares. Mutual funds are not obligations of or guaranteed by any bank and are not federally insured.
1
Represents a hypothetical investment of $10,000 in the Fund after deducting applicable sales charges: for Class A Shares, the maximum sales charge of 4.50% ($10,000 investment minus $450 sales charge = $9,550); for Class B Shares, the maximum contingent deferred sales charge is 5.50% on any redemption less than one year from the purchase date; for Class C Shares, a 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge would be applied on any redemption less than one year from the purchase date; for Class F Shares, the maximum sales charge of 1.00% ($10,000 investment minus $100 sales charge = $9,900) and a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% would be applied on any redemption less than three years from the purchase date. The Fund’s performance assumes the reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. The BUSC and the LCDBBB have been adjusted to reflect reinvestment of dividends on securities in the index and average.
2
The BUSC is composed of all publicly issued, fixed-rate, nonconvertible, investment-grade corporate debt and a non-corporate component that includes foreign agencies, sovereigns, supranationals and local authorities. Issues are rated at least “Baa” by Moody’s Investors Service or “BBB” by Standard & Poor’s, if unrated by Moody’s. The BHY2%ICI is an issuer-constrained version of the Bloomberg U.S. Corporate High-Yield Index that measures the market of USD-denominated, noninvestment-grade, fixed-rate, taxable corporate bonds. The index follows the same rules as the uncapped index but limits the exposure of each issuer to 2% of the total market value and redistributes any excess market value index-wide on a pro-rata basis. Effective August 24, 2021, the name of the index changed from “Bloomberg Barclays US Credit Index” to “Bloomberg US Credit Index.” The Blended Index is a custom blended index comprised of 75% of the BUSC and 25% of the BHY2%ICI. Effective August 24, 2021, the names of the respective Bloomberg indexes changed from “Bloomberg Barclays” to “Bloomberg.” The indexes are not
Annual Shareholder Report
5

adjusted to reflect sales loads, expenses or other fees that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires to be reflected in the Fund’s performance. The indexes are unmanaged and, unlike the Fund, are not affected by cash flows. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.
3
Lipper figures represent the average of the total returns reported by all funds designated by Lipper, Inc., as falling into the respective category and is not adjusted to reflect any sales charges. The Lipper figures in the Growth of $10,000 line graph are based on historical return information published by Lipper and reflect the return of the funds comprising the category in the year of publication. Because the funds designated by Lipper as falling into the category can change over time, the Lipper figures in the line graph may not match the Lipper figures in the Average Annual Total Returns table, which reflect the return of the funds that currently comprise the category.
4
The Fund’s R6 Shares commenced operations on September 30, 2016. For the period prior to the commencement of operations of the R6 Shares, the performance information shown is for the Fund’s Class A Shares. In relation to the R6 Shares, the performance of Class A Shares has not been adjusted to reflect the expenses of the R6 Shares since the R6 Shares have a lower expense ratio than the expense ratio of the Class A Shares. The performance of Class A Shares has been adjusted to reflect the absence of sales charges and to remove any voluntary waiver of Fund expenses related to the Class A Shares that may have occurred during the period prior to the commencement of operations of the R6 Shares.
Annual Shareholder Report
6

Portfolio of Investments Summary Table (unaudited)
At November 30, 2021, the Fund’s portfolio composition1 was as follows:
Portfolio Composition
Percentage of
Total Net Assets2
Corporate Debt Securities
98.2%
Municipal Bonds
0.1%
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations3
0.0%
Mortgage-Backed Securities3,4
0.0%
Cash Equivalents5
0.5%
Other Security Types6
0.1%
Derivative Contracts3,7
0.0%
Other Assets and Liabilities—Net8
1.1%
TOTAL
100%
1
See the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information for more complete
information regarding these security types.
2
As of the date specified above, the Fund owned shares of one or more affiliated investment
companies. For purposes of this table, the affiliated investment company (other than an affiliated
money market mutual fund) is not treated as a single portfolio security, but rather the Fund is
treated as owning a pro rata portion of each security and each other asset and liability owned by
the affiliated investment company. Accordingly, the percentages of total net assets shown in the
table will differ from those presented on the Portfolio of Investments.
3
Represents less than 0.1%.
4
For purposes of this table, mortgage-backed securities include mortgage-backed securities
guaranteed by Government Sponsored Entities.
5
Cash Equivalents include any investments in money market mutual funds and/or overnight
repurchase agreements.
6
Other Security Types consist of common stocks and preferred stocks.
7
Based upon net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) or value of the derivative contracts as
applicable. Derivative contracts may consist of futures, forwards, options and swaps. The impact
of a derivative contract on the Fund’s performance may be larger than its unrealized
appreciation (depreciation) or value may indicate. In many cases, the notional value or amount of
a derivative contract may provide a better indication of the contract’s significance to the
portfolio. More complete information regarding the Fund’s direct investments in derivative
contracts, including unrealized appreciation (depreciation), value and notional values or amounts
of such contracts, can be found in the table at the end of the Portfolio of Investments included
in this Report.
8
Assets, other than investments in securities, less liabilities. See Statement of Assets and
Liabilities.
Annual Shareholder Report
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Portfolio of Investments
November 30, 2021
Principal
Amount
or Shares
 
 
Value
          
 
CORPORATE BONDS—   71.8%
 
 
 
Basic Industry - Chemicals—   0.5%
 
$ 1,500,000
 
RPM International, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.750%, 3/15/2027
$1,625,984    
2,780,000
 
RPM International, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.550%, 3/1/2029
3,169,752    
1,415,000
 
RPM International, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.250%, 6/1/2045
1,801,934    
 
 
TOTAL
6,597,670
 
 
Basic Industry - Metals & Mining—   1.6%
 
4,180,000
 
Anglo American Capital PLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A,
2.875%, 3/17/2031
4,170,372    
3,900,000
 
Carpenter Technology Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.450%, 3/1/2023
4,005,466    
2,795,000
 
Glencore Funding LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 2.850%, 4/27/2031
2,783,262    
5,350,000
 
Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.500%, 4/15/2023
5,561,372    
1,080,000
 
Southern Copper Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 6.750%, 4/16/2040
1,489,973    
1,360,000
 
Worthington Industries, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.300%, 8/1/2032
1,493,610    
3,124,000
 
Worthington Industries, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.550%, 4/15/2026
3,441,735    
 
 
TOTAL
22,945,790
 
 
Capital Goods - Aerospace & Defense—   2.0%
 
2,940,000
 
BAE Systems Holdings, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A,
3.850%, 12/15/2025
3,173,389    
2,120,000
 
Boeing Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.950%, 2/1/2030
2,140,600    
1,755,000
 
Boeing Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.950%, 8/1/2059
1,835,383    
3,000,000
 
Boeing Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.805%, 5/1/2050
4,052,387    
1,930,000
 
Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.483%, 12/1/2027
2,058,656    
5,900,000
 
Leidos, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series WI, 2.300%, 2/15/2031
5,725,360    
1,540,000
 
Leidos, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series WI, 3.625%, 5/15/2025
1,644,882    
2,775,000
 
Teledyne Technologies, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 1.600%, 4/1/2026
2,758,872    
3,230,000
1
Textron Financial Corp., Jr. Sub. Note, 144A, 1.891% (3-month USLIBOR
+1.735%), 2/15/2042
2,793,950    
   760,000
 
Textron, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.875%, 3/1/2025
812,268      
1,660,000
 
Textron, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.900%, 9/17/2029
1,837,332    
   690,000
 
Textron, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.300%, 3/1/2024
730,479      
 
 
TOTAL
29,563,558
 
 
Capital Goods - Building Materials—   1.7%
 
5,625,000
 
Allegion PLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.500%, 10/1/2029
6,043,049    
4,160,000
 
Allegion US Holdings Co., Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.550%, 10/1/2027
4,446,695    
2,980,000
 
Carrier Global Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.700%, 2/15/2031
3,027,759    
1,435,000
 
Carrier Global Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.722%, 2/15/2030
1,465,730    
3,095,000
 
Carrier Global Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.577%, 4/5/2050
3,295,098    
Annual Shareholder Report
8

Principal
Amount
or Shares
 
 
Value
          
 
CORPORATE BONDS—   continued
 
 
 
Capital Goods - Building Materials—   continued
 
$ 5,010,000
 
Masco Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.500%, 5/15/2047
$6,146,614    
 
 
TOTAL
24,424,945
 
 
Capital Goods - Construction Machinery—   1.1%
 
2,820,000
 
Ashtead Capital, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 2.450%, 8/12/2031
2,778,499    
1,920,000
 
CNH Industrial Capital America LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note,
1.950%, 7/2/2023
1,950,562    
1,670,000
 
CNH Industrial Capital America LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note,
4.200%, 1/15/2024
1,770,762    
2,500,000
 
CNH Industrial Capital America LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note,
4.375%, 4/5/2022
2,530,323    
3,100,000
 
CNH Industrial NV, Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series MTN, 3.850%, 11/15/2027
3,382,058    
3,300,000
 
Weir Group PLC/The, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 2.200%, 5/13/2026
3,270,543    
 
 
TOTAL
15,682,747
 
 
Capital Goods - Diversified Manufacturing—   2.1%
 
   859,000
 
General Electric Capital Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series GMTN,
3.100%, 1/9/2023
880,679      
2,210,000
 
Hubbell, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.300%, 3/15/2031
2,215,620    
1,560,000
 
Lennox International, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 1.700%, 8/1/2027
1,544,390    
3,074,000
 
Lennox International, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.000%, 11/15/2023
3,187,908    
2,300,000
 
Parker-Hannifin Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.250%, 3/1/2027
2,470,005    
3,250,000
 
Roper Technologies, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 1.750%, 2/15/2031
3,035,305    
2,155,000
 
Roper Technologies, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.000%, 6/30/2030
2,085,513    
1,050,000
 
Roper Technologies, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.950%, 9/15/2029
1,101,288    
   820,000
 
Roper Technologies, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.800%, 12/15/2026
895,374      
   680,000
 
Roper Technologies, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.850%, 12/15/2025
737,673      
2,840,000
 
Roper Technologies, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.200%, 9/15/2028
3,193,468    
4,045,000
 
Valmont Industries, Inc., 5.250%, 10/1/2054
5,316,484    
1,220,000
 
Wabtec Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.200%, 6/15/2025
1,280,133    
1,895,000
 
Xylem, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.250%, 1/30/2031
1,906,409    
 
 
TOTAL
29,850,249
 
 
Capital Goods - Packaging—   0.2%
 
2,210,000
 
WestRock Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series WI, 4.900%, 3/15/2029
2,581,949    
 
 
Communications - Cable & Satellite—   2.5%
 
6,400,000
 
CCO Safari II LLC, 4.908%, 7/23/2025
7,064,794    
1,235,000
 
CCO Safari II LLC, 6.484%, 10/23/2045
1,690,779    
   335,000
 
Charter Communications Operating, LLC/Charter Communications
Operating Capital Corp., 5.050%, 3/30/2029
387,069      
3,350,000
 
Charter Communications Operating, LLC/Charter Communications
Operating Capital Corp., Term Loan - 1st Lien, 3.900%, 6/1/2052
3,392,593    
1,165,000
 
Charter Communications, Inc., 4.200%, 3/15/2028
1,279,230    
   900,000
 
Comcast Corp., 7.050%, 3/15/2033
1,302,932    
Annual Shareholder Report
9

Principal
Amount
or Shares
 
 
Value
          
 
CORPORATE BONDS—   continued
 
 
 
Communications - Cable & Satellite—   continued
 
$ 5,225,000
 
Comcast Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.650%, 2/1/2030
$5,410,557    
1,500,000
 
Comcast Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.150%, 2/15/2028
1,611,809    
1,455,000
 
Comcast Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.300%, 2/1/2027
1,562,539    
2,500,000
 
Comcast Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.250%, 10/15/2030
2,884,394    
1,727,000
 
Comcast Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series WI, 3.999%, 11/1/2049
2,008,981    
1,910,000
 
Cox Communications, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 3.350%, 9/15/2026
2,044,203    
1,250,000
 
NBC Universal, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.950%, 4/1/2041
1,801,616    
1,310,000
 
Time Warner Cable, Inc., Company Guarantee, 5.500%, 9/1/2041
1,607,592    
1,000,000
 
Time Warner Cable, Inc., Company Guarantee, 6.750%, 6/15/2039
1,373,126    
   200,000
 
Time Warner Cable, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 8.375%, 3/15/2023
219,200      
 
 
TOTAL
35,641,414
 
 
Communications - Media & Entertainment—   1.3%
 
3,995,000
 
British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC, 144A, 3.750%, 9/16/2024
4,272,640    
1,170,000
 
Discovery Communications LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.650%, 5/15/2050
1,390,007    
4,380,000
 
Grupo Televisa S.A., 6.625%, 3/18/2025
5,021,750    
   785,000
 
Grupo Televisa S.A., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.000%, 5/13/2045
941,605      
2,615,000
 
Interpublic Group of Cos., Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.375%, 3/1/2041
2,770,668    
2,350,000
 
ViacomCBS, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.900%, 8/15/2044
2,856,240    
   985,000
 
ViacomCBS, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.950%, 5/19/2050
1,245,935    
 
 
TOTAL
18,498,845
 
 
Communications - Telecom Wireless—   1.6%
 
2,500,000
 
American Tower Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.750%, 1/15/2027
2,585,230    
1,365,000
 
American Tower Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.000%, 2/15/2024
1,474,936    
2,500,000
 
Crown Castle International Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.200%, 9/1/2024
2,618,799    
2,815,000
 
Crown Castle International Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.250%, 1/15/2051
2,816,159    
2,795,000
 
Crown Castle International Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.800%, 2/15/2028
3,043,838    
3,000,000
 
T-Mobile USA, Inc., Sec. Fac. Bond, 4.500%, 4/15/2050
3,514,162    
2,700,000
 
T-Mobile USA, Inc., Sec. Fac. Bond, 144A, 3.400%, 10/15/2052
2,681,939    
3,000,000
 
T-Mobile USA, Inc., Sec. Fac. Bond, 3.875%, 4/15/2030
3,265,068    
1,135,000
 
Vodafone Group PLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.125%, 5/30/2025
1,234,915    
 
 
TOTAL
23,235,046
 
 
Communications - Telecom Wirelines—   3.7%
 
2,425,000
 
AT&T, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.250%, 2/1/2032
2,342,078    
5,331,000
 
AT&T, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.550%, 12/1/2033
5,157,610    
4,200,000
 
AT&T, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.400%, 5/15/2025
4,459,398    
4,033,000
 
AT&T, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.800%, 12/1/2057
4,219,452    
   650,000
 
AT&T, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.850%, 6/1/2060
681,194      
2,500,000
 
AT&T, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.350%, 3/1/2029
2,819,538    
1,000,000
 
AT&T, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.150%, 3/15/2042
1,246,680    
Annual Shareholder Report
10

Principal
Amount
or Shares
 
 
Value
          
 
CORPORATE BONDS—   continued
 
 
 
Communications - Telecom Wirelines—   continued
 
$ 3,080,000
 
AT&T, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 6.375%, 3/1/2041
$4,374,108    
1,400,000
 
AT&T, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series WI, 5.300%, 8/15/2058
1,823,133    
2,175,000
 
Telefonica Emisiones SAU, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.213%, 3/8/2047
2,726,550    
2,530,000
 
Telefonica Emisiones SAU, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.520%, 3/1/2049
3,295,282    
3,730,000
 
Verizon Communications, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.550%, 3/21/2031
3,772,824    
6,000,000
 
Verizon Communications, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.400%, 3/22/2041
6,385,728    
6,340,000
 
Verizon Communications, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.125%, 8/15/2046
7,457,699    
2,000,000
 
Verizon Communications, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.500%, 8/10/2033
2,361,291    
 
 
TOTAL
53,122,565
 
 
Consumer Cyclical - Automotive—   1.2%
 
   960,000
 
General Motors Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.000%, 4/1/2025
1,030,367    
1,775,000
 
General Motors Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.200%, 4/1/2045
2,195,416    
3,000,000
 
General Motors Financial Co., Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.700%, 6/10/2031
2,974,442    
1,110,000
 
General Motors Financial Co., Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.650%, 1/17/2029
1,319,383    
1,780,000
 
Hyundai Capital America, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 2.375%, 2/10/2023
1,809,987    
1,405,000
 
Stellantis Finance US, Inc., 144A, 1.711%, 1/29/2027
1,379,257    
3,000,000
 
Volkswagen Group of America Finance LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A,
2.850%, 9/26/2024
3,119,814    
3,000,000
 
Volkswagen Group of America Finance LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A,
3.200%, 9/26/2026
3,178,531    
 
 
TOTAL
17,007,197
 
 
Consumer Cyclical - Retailers—   1.7%
 
1,835,000
 
Advance Auto Parts, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 1.750%, 10/1/2027
1,786,428    
5,600,000
 
Advance Auto Parts, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series WI,
3.900%, 4/15/2030
6,153,754    
1,080,000
 
AutoNation, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.750%, 6/1/2030
1,251,161    
   667,485
 
CVS Health Corp., Pass Thru Cert., 144A, 5.298%, 1/11/2027
723,252      
2,750,000
 
CVS Health Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.750%, 4/1/2030
3,019,918    
1,685,000
 
CVS Health Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.875%, 7/20/2025
1,816,836    
2,395,000
 
CVS Health Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.780%, 3/25/2038
2,920,252    
2,100,000
 
CVS Health Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.050%, 3/25/2048
2,778,723    
   985,000
 
CVS Health Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.125%, 7/20/2045
1,290,462    
3,200,000
 
Tractor Supply Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 1.750%, 11/1/2030
3,020,741    
 
 
TOTAL
24,761,527
 
 
Consumer Cyclical - Services—   0.9%
 
1,460,000
 
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.600%, 11/28/2024
1,547,690    
1,915,000
 
Booking Holdings, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.625%, 4/13/2030
2,244,204    
5,285,000
 
Expedia Group, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series WI, 2.950%, 3/15/2031
5,342,454    
3,985,000
 
IHS Markit Ltd., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.250%, 5/1/2029
4,513,411    
 
 
TOTAL
13,647,759
Annual Shareholder Report
11

Principal
Amount
or Shares
 
 
Value
          
 
CORPORATE BONDS—   continued
 
 
 
Consumer Non-Cyclical - Food/Beverage—   4.5%
 
$ 5,545,000
 
Anheuser-Busch Cos LLC / Anheuser-Busch InBev Worldwide, Inc., Sr.
Unsecd. Note, 3.650%, 2/1/2026
$5,973,923    
3,870,000
 
Anheuser-Busch Cos LLC / Anheuser-Busch InBev Worldwide, Inc., Sr.
Unsecd. Note, 4.900%, 2/1/2046
4,919,455    
6,525,000
 
Anheuser-Busch InBev Worldwide, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note,
4.600%, 4/15/2048
8,007,426    
   980,000
 
Bacardi Ltd., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 2.750%, 7/15/2026
1,012,997    
2,000,000
 
Constellation Brands, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.150%, 8/1/2029
2,111,233    
   405,000
 
Constellation Brands, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.750%, 5/1/2050
451,671      
4,185,000
 
Constellation Brands, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.650%, 11/15/2028
4,793,767    
1,850,000
 
Constellation Brands, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.250%, 11/15/2048
2,475,402    
2,150,000
 
Danone SA, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 2.947%, 11/2/2026
2,258,051    
1,590,000
 
Flowers Foods, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.500%, 10/1/2026
1,717,362    
1,624,000
 
Grupo Bimbo S.A.B. de CV, 144A, 4.875%, 6/27/2044
1,953,278    
   391,000
 
Grupo Bimbo S.A.B. de CV, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 4.500%, 1/25/2022
393,121      
4,650,000
 
International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A,
1.230%, 10/1/2025
4,571,313    
   730,000
 
International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A,
1.832%, 10/15/2027
720,011      
1,530,000
 
Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.417%, 5/25/2025
1,673,775    
1,030,000
 
Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.985%, 5/25/2038
1,289,840    
6,165,000
 
Kraft Heinz Foods Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.375%, 6/1/2046
7,144,289    
   610,000
 
Molson Coors Brewing Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.200%, 7/15/2046
677,092      
3,025,000
 
Smithfield Foods, Inc., 144A, 2.625%, 9/13/2031
2,969,082    
4,464,000
 
Smithfield Foods, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 3.000%, 10/15/2030
4,489,532    
5,000,000
 
Sysco Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.450%, 3/15/2048
5,965,117    
 
 
TOTAL
65,567,737
 
 
Consumer Non-Cyclical - Health Care—   3.1%
 
1,500,000
 
Agilent Technologies, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.750%, 9/15/2029
1,556,771    
3,280,000
 
Agilent Technologies, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.050%, 9/22/2026
3,478,452    
   585,000
 
Alcon Finance Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 2.600%, 5/27/2030
592,969      
1,500,000
 
Alcon Finance Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 2.750%, 9/23/2026
1,551,953    
2,000,000
 
Alcon Finance Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 3.000%, 9/23/2029
2,100,492    
2,350,000
 
Becton Dickinson & Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.700%, 6/6/2027
2,544,793    
1,455,000
 
Becton Dickinson & Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.734%, 12/15/2024
1,553,066    
2,615,000
 
Becton Dickinson & Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.685%, 12/15/2044
3,270,802    
2,495,000
 
Danaher Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.600%, 10/1/2050
2,437,657    
6,740,000
 
DH Europe Finance II S.a.r.l., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.600%, 11/15/2029
7,031,541    
4,365,000
 
DH Europe Finance II S.a.r.l., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.400%, 11/15/2049
4,866,747    
2,840,000
 
HCA, Inc., Sec. Fac. Bond, 3.500%, 7/15/2051
2,906,898    
Annual Shareholder Report
12

Principal
Amount
or Shares
 
 
Value
          
 
CORPORATE BONDS—   continued
 
 
 
Consumer Non-Cyclical - Health Care—   continued
 
$ 2,420,000
 
PerkinElmer, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 1.900%, 9/15/2028
$2,363,618    
1,820,000
 
PerkinElmer, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.550%, 3/15/2031
1,861,118    
2,275,000
 
PerkinElmer, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.300%, 9/15/2029
2,414,700    
2,750,000
 
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.600%, 10/1/2029
2,854,447    
1,500,000
 
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.950%, 9/19/2026
1,585,046    
 
 
TOTAL
44,971,070
 
 
Consumer Non-Cyclical - Pharmaceuticals—   2.6%
 
   895,000
 
Abbott Laboratories, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 1.400%, 6/30/2030
860,775      
4,200,000
 
AbbVie, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.950%, 11/21/2026
4,422,930    
3,800,000
 
AbbVie, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.200%, 11/21/2029
4,037,459    
   805,000
 
AbbVie, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.450%, 3/15/2022
807,823      
   750,000
 
AbbVie, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.800%, 3/15/2025
802,143      
   970,000
 
AbbVie, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.250%, 11/21/2049
1,168,707    
2,875,000
 
AstraZeneca PLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.125%, 8/6/2050
2,573,209    
2,330,000
 
AstraZeneca PLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.125%, 6/12/2027
2,493,644    
2,500,000
 
AstraZeneca PLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.000%, 1/17/2029
2,828,570    
1,500,000
 
Bayer US Finance II LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 3.875%, 12/15/2023
1,576,080    
   730,000
 
Bayer US Finance II LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 4.250%, 12/15/2025
795,163      
   500,000
 
Bayer US Finance II LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 4.875%, 6/25/2048
632,441      
   280,000
 
Bayer US Finance LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 3.375%, 10/8/2024
293,703      
1,090,000
 
Biogen, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.250%, 5/1/2030
1,067,495    
3,165,000
 
Biogen, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.150%, 5/1/2050
3,115,392    
2,609,000
 
Biogen, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 3.250%, 2/15/2051
2,610,077    
1,365,000
 
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 1.750%, 9/15/2030
1,281,370    
4,538,000
 
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.800%, 9/15/2050
4,285,190    
1,915,000
 
Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.050%, 3/31/2030
1,863,455    
 
 
TOTAL
37,515,626
 
 
Consumer Non-Cyclical - Tobacco—   0.5%
 
3,080,000
 
Bat Capital Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series WI, 3.557%, 8/15/2027
3,226,262    
4,220,000
 
Bat Capital Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series WI, 4.540%, 8/15/2047
4,431,538    
 
 
TOTAL
7,657,800
 
 
Energy - Independent—   1.4%
 
5,890,000
 
Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., 5.850%, 2/1/2035
7,441,590    
   980,000
 
Coterra Energy, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 3.900%, 5/15/2027
1,063,559    
4,119,000
 
Hess Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.600%, 2/15/2041
5,085,213    
4,440,000
 
Pioneer Natural Resources, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.150%, 1/15/2031
4,269,415    
   440,000
 
XTO Energy, Inc., 6.375%, 6/15/2038
624,482      
   775,000
 
XTO Energy, Inc., 6.750%, 8/1/2037
1,112,518    
 
 
TOTAL
19,596,777
Annual Shareholder Report
13

Principal
Amount
or Shares
 
 
Value
          
 
CORPORATE BONDS—   continued
 
 
 
Energy - Integrated—   1.4%
 
$ 1,695,000
 
BP Capital Markets America, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 1.749%, 8/10/2030
$1,631,121    
6,100,000
 
BP Capital Markets America, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.939%, 6/4/2051
5,951,534    
1,785,000
 
BP Capital Markets America, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.119%, 5/4/2026
1,890,989    
3,000,000
 
BP Capital Markets America, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.937%, 9/21/2028
3,334,966    
3,255,000
 
Cenovus Energy, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.750%, 2/15/2052
3,201,483    
1,750,000
 
CNPC Hong Kong Overseas Capital Ltd., Company Guarantee, 144A,
5.950%, 4/28/2041
2,484,419    
2,000,000
 
Husky Energy, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.400%, 4/15/2029
2,199,177    
   220,000
 
Petro-Canada, Deb., 7.000%, 11/15/2028
285,087      
 
 
TOTAL
20,978,776
 
 
Energy - Midstream—   3.3%
 
3,975,000
 
Boardwalk Pipeline Partners LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.400%, 2/15/2031
4,127,966    
   805,000
 
Boardwalk Pipeline Partners LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.800%, 5/3/2029
912,372      
1,652,000
 
Columbia Pipeline Group, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.500%, 6/1/2025
1,810,102    
1,000,000
 
Columbia Pipeline Group, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.800%, 6/1/2045
1,364,811    
1,290,000
 
Eastern Energy Gas Holdings, Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series B, 144A,
3.000%, 11/15/2029
1,344,688    
5,730,000
 
Energy Transfer Partners LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.900%, 2/1/2024
6,089,304    
2,137,000
 
Energy Transfer Partners LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.150%, 3/15/2045
2,442,840    
2,475,000
 
Enterprise Products Operating LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note,
3.750%, 2/15/2025
2,642,631    
2,500,000
 
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP, Note, 6.550%, 9/15/2040
3,422,011    
1,190,000
 
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 6.375%, 3/1/2041
1,598,797    
3,190,000
 
MPLX LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.000%, 3/15/2028
3,470,392    
2,350,000
 
MPLX LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.500%, 4/15/2038
2,611,958    
1,525,000
 
MPLX LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.200%, 3/1/2047
1,862,349    
2,265,000
 
MPLX LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series WI, 5.200%, 12/1/2047
2,778,222    
3,050,000
 
ONEOK Partners LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.375%, 10/1/2022
3,095,737    
3,085,000
 
ONEOK, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.200%, 7/15/2048
3,724,373    
2,150,000
 
Texas Eastern Transmission LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A,
2.800%, 10/15/2022
2,174,323    
2,300,000
 
Williams Partners LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.900%, 1/15/2045
2,765,441    
 
 
TOTAL
48,238,317
 
 
Energy - Refining—   0.7%
 
   875,000
 
Marathon Petroleum Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.625%, 9/15/2024
923,140      
1,340,000
 
Marathon Petroleum Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.500%, 4/1/2048
1,533,887    
   720,000
 
Marathon Petroleum Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 6.500%, 3/1/2041
997,681      
1,665,000
 
Valero Energy Corp., 7.500%, 4/15/2032
2,282,495    
2,700,000
 
Valero Energy Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.650%, 12/1/2051
2,658,293    
Annual Shareholder Report
14

Principal
Amount
or Shares
 
 
Value
          
 
CORPORATE BONDS—   continued
 
 
 
Energy - Refining—   continued
 
$ 1,555,000
 
Valero Energy Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.000%, 4/1/2029
$1,691,259    
 
 
TOTAL
10,086,755
 
 
Financial Institution - Banking—   11.6%
 
2,000,000
 
Associated Banc-Corp., Sub. Note, 4.250%, 1/15/2025
2,135,921    
2,450,000
 
Bank of America Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.592%, 4/29/2031
2,471,733    
3,500,000
 
Bank of America Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.366%, 1/23/2026
3,697,533    
2,175,000
 
Bank of America Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.705%, 4/24/2028
2,350,519    
6,395,000
 
Bank of America Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series GMTN,
2.816%, 7/21/2023
6,476,937    
2,500,000
 
Bank of America Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series MTN,
2.496%, 2/13/2031
2,505,877    
6,000,000
 
Bank of America Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series MTN,
2.884%, 10/22/2030
6,206,496    
3,750,000
 
Bank of America Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series MTN,
3.458%, 3/15/2025
3,929,397    
2,230,000
 
Bank of America Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series MTN,
3.824%, 1/20/2028
2,418,583    
1,850,000
 
Bank of America Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series MTN,
4.000%, 4/1/2024
1,971,537    
2,100,000
 
Bank of America Corp., Sub. Note, Series L, 3.950%, 4/21/2025
2,254,618    
2,250,000
 
Bank of America Corp., Sub. Note, Series L, 4.183%, 11/25/2027
2,462,773    
5,500,000
 
Capital One Bank, Sub. Note, 3.375%, 2/15/2023
5,662,576    
1,200,000
 
Capital One Financial Corp., Sr. Sub. Note, 4.200%, 10/29/2025
1,306,124    
   990,000
 
Citigroup, Inc., 4.125%, 7/25/2028
1,088,336    
2,800,000
 
Citigroup, Inc., 4.300%, 11/20/2026
3,090,308    
2,750,000
 
Citigroup, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.572%, 6/3/2031
2,767,262    
3,410,000
 
Citigroup, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.876%, 7/24/2023
3,456,607    
2,780,000
 
Citigroup, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.976%, 11/5/2030
2,892,315    
1,705,000
 
Citigroup, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.352%, 4/24/2025
1,785,900    
1,910,000
 
Citigroup, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.400%, 5/1/2026
2,055,846    
6,000,000
 
Citigroup, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.520%, 10/27/2028
6,438,564    
2,750,000
 
Citigroup, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.980%, 3/20/2030
3,048,543    
3,500,000
 
Citizens Financial Group, Inc., Sub. Note, 144A, 4.150%, 9/28/2022
3,600,293    
1,000,000
 
Comerica, Inc., 3.800%, 7/22/2026
1,085,322    
2,625,000
 
Compass Bank, Birmingham, Sub. Note, Series BKNT,
3.875%, 4/10/2025
2,831,001    
1,840,000
 
Fifth Third Bancorp, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.375%, 1/28/2025
1,896,553    
1,680,000
 
FNB Corp. (PA), Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.200%, 2/24/2023
1,700,211    
2,750,000
 
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.600%, 2/7/2030
2,790,087    
2,000,000
 
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.272%, 9/29/2025
2,098,936    
7,700,000
 
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.814%, 4/23/2029
8,394,461    
Annual Shareholder Report
15

Principal
Amount
or Shares
 
 
Value
          
 
CORPORATE BONDS—   continued
 
 
 
Financial Institution - Banking—   continued
 
$ 2,000,000
 
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.850%, 1/26/2027
$2,145,051    
4,625,000
 
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.223%, 5/1/2029
5,133,680    
2,100,000
 
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Sub. Note, 6.345%, 2/15/2034
2,910,710    
1,480,000
 
JPMorgan Chase & Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.776%, 4/25/2023
1,492,118    
7,380,000
 
JPMorgan Chase & Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.509%, 1/23/2029
7,942,363    
2,000,000
 
JPMorgan Chase & Co., Sub. Deb., 2.956%, 5/13/2031
2,067,045    
   870,000
 
JPMorgan Chase & Co., Sub. Deb., 8.000%, 4/29/2027
1,133,711    
   740,000
 
JPMorgan Chase & Co., Sub. Note, 3.375%, 5/1/2023
766,791      
7,500,000
 
JPMorgan Chase & Co., Sub. Note, 3.875%, 9/10/2024
8,006,618    
4,000,000
 
Morgan Stanley, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.625%, 1/20/2027
4,332,578    
2,375,000
 
Morgan Stanley, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.457%, 4/22/2039
2,879,984    
2,500,000
 
Morgan Stanley, Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series GMTN, 2.699%, 1/22/2031
2,569,479    
7,500,000
 
Morgan Stanley, Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series GMTN, 3.772%, 1/24/2029
8,192,932    
2,650,000
 
Morgan Stanley, Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series GMTN, 3.875%, 1/27/2026
2,877,397    
2,750,000
 
Morgan Stanley, Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series GMTN, 4.431%, 1/23/2030
3,139,263    
1,500,000
 
Morgan Stanley, Sub. Note, 3.950%, 4/23/2027
1,640,342    
4,320,000
 
Morgan Stanley, Sub. Note, Series MTN, 4.100%, 5/22/2023
4,517,199    
   468,725
2
Regional Diversified Funding, 144A, 9.250%, 3/15/2030
196,864      
1,000,000
 
Synovus Bank GA, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.289%, 2/10/2023
1,001,983    
4,000,000
 
Wells Fargo & Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series MTN, 2.393%, 6/2/2028
4,054,570    
2,750,000
 
Wells Fargo & Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series MTN, 2.572%, 2/11/2031
2,791,734    
 
 
TOTAL
166,663,581
 
 
Financial Institution - Broker/Asset Mgr/Exchange—   1.1%
 
2,150,000
 
CBOE Holdings, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.650%, 1/12/2027
2,353,105    
4,255,000
 
FMR LLC, Bond, 144A, 7.570%, 6/15/2029
5,936,189    
2,950,000
 
Jefferies Group LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.625%, 10/15/2031
2,895,689    
2,250,000
 
Jefferies Group LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.850%, 1/15/2027
2,568,620    
1,650,000
 
Jefferies Group LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 6.500%, 1/20/2043
2,312,467    
 
 
TOTAL
16,066,070
 
 
Financial Institution - Finance Companies—   1.7%
 
2,015,000
 
AerCap Ireland Capital Ltd. / AerCap Global Aviation Trust, Sr. Unsecd.
Note, 1.750%, 1/30/2026
1,976,474    
1,650,000
 
AerCap Ireland Capital Ltd. / AerCap Global Aviation Trust, Sr. Unsecd.
Note, 3.400%, 10/29/2033
1,662,598    
1,010,000
 
AerCap Ireland Capital Ltd. / AerCap Global Aviation Trust, Sr. Unsecd.
Note, 3.500%, 5/26/2022
1,021,820    
3,050,000
 
AerCap Ireland Capital Ltd. / AerCap Global Aviation Trust, Sr. Unsecd.
Note, 4.625%, 10/15/2027
3,374,353    
   600,000
 
AerCap Ireland Capital Ltd. / AerCap Global Aviation Trust, Sr. Unsecd.
Note, 4.875%, 1/16/2024
641,410      
Annual Shareholder Report
16

Principal
Amount
or Shares
 
 
Value
          
 
CORPORATE BONDS—   continued
 
 
 
Financial Institution - Finance Companies—   continued
 
$ 3,050,000
 
Air Lease Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.625%, 12/1/2027
$3,215,962    
2,517,000
 
Discover Financial Services, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.850%, 11/21/2022
2,593,293    
7,856,000
 
GE Capital International Funding, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note,
4.418%, 11/15/2035
9,504,122    
 
 
TOTAL
23,990,032
 
 
Financial Institution - Insurance - Health—   0.1%
 
   740,000
 
Anthem, Inc., 5.850%, 1/15/2036
997,240      
 
 
Financial Institution - Insurance - Life—   1.7%
 
3,100,000
 
Aflac, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.875%, 10/15/2026
3,301,582    
2,750,000
 
AXA-UAP, Sub. Note, 8.600%, 12/15/2030
3,993,505    
1,720,000
 
Lincoln National Corp., Sr. Note, 7.000%, 6/15/2040
2,650,830    
   700,000
 
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., Sub. Note, 144A,
5.375%, 12/1/2041
938,270      
   710,000
 
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., Sub. Note, 144A,
8.875%, 6/1/2039
1,171,076    
1,000,000
 
MetLife, Inc., Jr. Sub. Note, 10.750%, 8/1/2039
1,712,698    
   700,000
 
New York Life Insurance Co., Sub. Note, 144A, 6.750%, 11/15/2039
1,066,316    
4,000,000
 
Pacific LifeCorp., Bond, 144A, 6.600%, 9/15/2033
5,647,770    
1,000,000
 
Penn Mutual Life Insurance Co., Sr. Note, 144A, 7.625%, 6/15/2040
1,496,024    
1,530,000
 
Prudential Financial, Inc., Series MTN, 6.625%, 12/1/2037
2,256,333    
 
 
TOTAL
24,234,404
 
 
Financial Institution - Insurance - P&C—   0.9%
 
1,210,000
 
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.125%, 3/15/2026
1,295,174    
1,000,000
 
Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note,
6.625%, 4/15/2042
1,460,053    
2,880,000
 
Liberty Mutual Group, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 3.951%, 10/15/2050
3,293,233    
3,400,000
 
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co., Sub. Note, 144A, 9.375%, 8/15/2039
6,002,896    
1,000,000
 
USF&G Corp., 8.312%, 7/1/2046
1,550,977    
 
 
TOTAL
13,602,333
 
 
Financial Institution - REIT - Apartment—   0.5%
 
2,155,000
 
Avalonbay Communities, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series MTN,
3.350%, 5/15/2027
2,333,448    
2,000,000
 
Mid-America Apartment Communities LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note,
3.750%, 6/15/2024
2,120,752    
1,225,000
 
UDR, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.100%, 11/1/2034
1,283,861    
1,600,000
 
UDR, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series MTN, 2.950%, 9/1/2026
1,677,750    
 
 
TOTAL
7,415,811
 
 
Financial Institution - REIT - Healthcare—   0.3%
 
1,250,000
 
Health Care REIT, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.000%, 6/1/2025
1,348,072    
2,190,000
 
Healthcare Trust of America, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.000%, 3/15/2031
2,069,332    
Annual Shareholder Report
17

Principal
Amount
or Shares
 
 
Value
          
 
CORPORATE BONDS—   continued
 
 
 
Financial Institution - REIT - Healthcare—   continued
 
$ 1,170,000
 
Physicians Realty Trust, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.300%, 3/15/2027
$1,306,637    
 
 
TOTAL
4,724,041
 
 
Financial Institution - REIT - Office—   0.5%
 
2,730,000
 
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note,
1.875%, 2/1/2033
2,574,126    
1,570,000
 
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note,
3.950%, 1/15/2028
1,749,084    
2,380,000
 
Boston Properties LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.200%, 1/15/2025
2,499,917    
 
 
TOTAL
6,823,127
 
 
Financial Institution - REIT - Other—   0.5%
 
2,285,000
 
Host Hotels & Resorts LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series E, 4.000%, 6/15/2025
2,425,441    
2,275,000
 
WP Carey, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.400%, 2/1/2031
2,254,682    
1,890,000
 
WP Carey, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.600%, 4/1/2024
2,017,928    
 
 
TOTAL
6,698,051
 
 
Financial Institution - REIT - Retail—   0.3%
 
   380,000
 
Kimco Realty Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.400%, 11/1/2022
387,474      
1,730,000
 
Kimco Realty Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.800%, 4/1/2027
1,886,576    
1,860,000
 
Tanger Properties LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.125%, 9/1/2026
1,935,759    
 
 
TOTAL
4,209,809
 
 
Supranational—   0.1%
 
1,100,000
 
Corp Andina De Fomento, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.375%, 6/15/2022
1,122,427    
 
 
Technology—   5.5%
 
1,897,000
 
Broadcom, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.150%, 11/15/2030
2,075,825    
2,460,000
 
Broadcom, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 3.137%, 11/15/2035
2,420,591    
   103,000
 
Broadcom, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 3.187%, 11/15/2036
101,524      
1,050,000
 
Broadcom, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 3.750%, 2/15/2051
1,094,241    
1,370,000
 
CDW LLC / CDW Finance, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.670%, 12/1/2026
1,381,145    
1,400,000
 
Corning, Inc., Unsecd. Note, 4.750%, 3/15/2042
1,791,952    
3,880,000
 
Dell International LLC / EMC Corp., 5.300%, 10/1/2029
4,603,468    
4,750,000
 
Dell International LLC / EMC Corp., 6.200%, 7/15/2030
6,046,696    
1,565,000
 
Dell International LLC / EMC Corp., 8.350%, 7/15/2046
2,615,880    
3,575,000
 
Equifax, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.600%, 12/1/2024
3,708,958    
2,420,000
 
Equifax, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.250%, 6/1/2026
2,558,968    
1,440,000
 
Equifax, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series 5Y, 3.950%, 6/15/2023
1,504,394    
1,350,000
 
Fidelity National Information Services, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note,
3.100%, 3/1/2041
1,351,128    
3,000,000
 
Fiserv, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.650%, 6/1/2030
3,036,923    
1,000,000
 
Fiserv, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.200%, 7/1/2026
1,056,060    
2,500,000
 
Fiserv, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.850%, 6/1/2025
2,679,158    
2,210,000
 
Fiserv, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.200%, 10/1/2028
2,470,791    
Annual Shareholder Report
18

Principal
Amount
or Shares
 
 
Value
          
 
CORPORATE BONDS—   continued
 
 
 
Technology—   continued
 
$ 1,565,000
 
Flextronics International Ltd., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.750%, 6/15/2025
$1,711,697    
1,030,000
 
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.900%, 10/15/2025
1,145,432    
3,325,000
 
Keysight Technologies, Inc., 4.550%, 10/30/2024
3,620,072    
3,970,000
 
Keysight Technologies, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.000%, 10/30/2029
4,197,956    
2,500,000
 
Micron Technology, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.663%, 2/15/2030
2,856,796    
2,600,000
 
Molex Electronics Technologies LLC, Unsecd. Note, 144A,
3.900%, 4/15/2025
2,753,138    
1,460,000
 
Qualcomm, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.600%, 1/30/2023
1,491,595    
   975,000
 
SAIC, Inc., Company Guarantee, Series 1, 5.950%, 12/1/2040
1,240,252    
2,420,000
 
Total System Services, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.450%, 6/1/2028
2,692,563    
   445,000
 
Total System Services, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.800%, 4/1/2026
494,024      
   150,000
 
Verisk Analytics, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.125%, 3/15/2029
169,252      
1,380,000
 
Verisk Analytics, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.125%, 9/12/2022
1,414,766    
2,490,000
 
Verisk Analytics, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.500%, 6/15/2045
3,458,250    
   200,000
 
Verisk Analytics, Inc., Unsecd. Note, 4.000%, 6/15/2025
216,841      
5,510,000
 
VMware, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.200%, 8/15/2031
5,370,029    
6,400,000
 
Vontier Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 2.950%, 4/1/2031
6,332,160    
 
 
TOTAL
79,662,525
 
 
Technology Services—   0.4%
 
1,285,000
 
Fortinet, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 1.000%, 3/15/2026
1,251,101    
1,325,000
 
Global Payments, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.900%, 11/15/2031
1,341,782    
2,125,000
 
Global Payments, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.150%, 8/15/2049
2,413,277    
   650,000
 
Verisign, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.700%, 6/15/2031
656,997      
 
 
TOTAL
5,663,157
 
 
Transportation - Airlines—   0.1%
 
   740,000
 
Southwest Airlines Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.250%, 5/4/2025
822,708      
 
 
Transportation - Railroads—   0.8%
 
3,095,000
 
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., Deb., 5.750%, 5/1/2040
4,310,097    
2,265,000
 
Canadian Pacific Railway Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.900%, 2/1/2025
2,375,387    
1,240,000
 
Canadian Pacific Railway Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.000%, 12/2/2041
1,263,942    
1,325,000
 
Kansas City Southern Industries, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note,
3.000%, 5/15/2023
1,360,987    
2,060,000
 
Kansas City Southern Industries, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note,
4.700%, 5/1/2048
2,619,104    
 
 
TOTAL
11,929,517
 
 
Transportation - Services—   2.0%
 
4,440,000
 
Enterprise Rent-A-Car USA Finance Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A,
5.625%, 3/15/2042
6,168,387    
1,220,000
 
FedEx Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.100%, 8/5/2029
1,294,956    
2,325,000
 
FedEx Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.050%, 2/15/2048
2,648,901    
Annual Shareholder Report
19

Principal
Amount
or Shares
 
 
Value
          
 
CORPORATE BONDS—   continued
 
 
 
Transportation - Services—   continued
 
$ 2,340,000
 
GXO Logistics, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 1.650%, 7/15/2026
$2,292,486    
2,270,000
 
GXO Logistics, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 2.650%, 7/15/2031
2,245,200    
2,640,000
 
Penske Truck Leasing Co. LP & PTL Finance Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note,
144A, 1.200%, 11/15/2025
2,592,571    
3,300,000
 
Penske Truck Leasing Co. LP & PTL Finance Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note,
144A, 3.400%, 11/15/2026
3,510,562    
2,255,000
 
Penske Truck Leasing Co. LP & PTL Finance Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note,
144A, 3.450%, 7/1/2024
2,378,304    
3,275,000
 
Ryder System, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series MTN, 2.900%, 12/1/2026
3,433,934    
2,540,000
 
Ryder System, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series MTN, 3.875%, 12/1/2023
2,686,022    
 
 
TOTAL
29,251,323
 
 
Utility - Electric—   3.2%
 
   990,000
 
Ameren Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 1.950%, 3/15/2027
989,886      
   990,000
 
Ameren Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.650%, 2/15/2026
1,062,134    
2,500,000
 
American Electric Power Co., Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note,
3.200%, 11/13/2027
2,654,089    
1,705,000
 
Black Hills Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.500%, 6/15/2030
1,699,929    
1,530,000
 
Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note,
5.950%, 12/15/2036
2,054,673    
1,233,000
 
Consolidated Edison Co., 4.625%, 12/1/2054
1,573,119    
1,210,000
 
Duke Energy Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.650%, 9/1/2026
1,254,291    
1,330,000
 
Duke Energy Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.750%, 9/1/2046
1,438,164    
   100,000
 
Duke Energy Indiana, Inc., 1st Mtg. Bond, 6.350%, 8/15/2038
144,679      
1,950,000
 
EDP Finance BV, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A, 3.625%, 7/15/2024
2,057,481    
5,000,000
 
Electricite de France SA, Jr. Sub. Note, 144A, 5.625%, 7/22/2070
5,263,750    
   840,000
 
Emera US Finance LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.550%, 6/15/2026
899,658      
1,280,000
 
Emera US Finance LP, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.750%, 6/15/2046
1,522,287    
2,950,000
 
Enel Finance International NV, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A,
3.500%, 4/6/2028
3,190,245    
   750,000
 
Enel Finance International NV, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 144A,
4.875%, 6/14/2029
886,693      
4,100,000
 
Exelon Generation Co. LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.250%, 6/15/2022
4,142,678    
   900,000
 
Exelon Generation Co. LLC, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.750%, 10/1/2041
1,103,646    
2,350,000
 
Fortis, Inc. / Canada, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.055%, 10/4/2026
2,461,321    
3,080,000
 
NextEra Energy Capital Holdings, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note,
3.550%, 5/1/2027
3,327,220    
1,500,000
 
NextEra Energy Capital Holdings, Inc., Sr. Unsecd. Note,
3.625%, 6/15/2023
1,546,734    
   715,000
 
NiSource Finance Corp., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 4.375%, 5/15/2047
862,313      
   875,000
 
Puget Energy, Inc., Sec. Fac. Bond, 2.379%, 6/15/2028
867,420      
3,185,000
 
Southern Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.250%, 7/1/2026
3,375,655    
Annual Shareholder Report
20

Principal
Amount
or Shares
 
 
Value
          
 
CORPORATE BONDS—   continued
 
 
 
Utility - Electric—   continued
 
$ 2,000,000
 
Southwestern Electric Power Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, Series K,
2.750%, 10/1/2026
$2,088,397    
 
 
TOTAL
46,466,462
 
 
Utility - Natural Gas—   0.8%
 
1,730,000
 
National Fuel Gas Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 2.950%, 3/1/2031
1,753,144    
2,600,000
 
National Fuel Gas Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.750%, 3/1/2023
2,669,778    
2,130,000
 
National Fuel Gas Co., Sr. Unsecd. Note, 5.500%, 1/15/2026
2,415,081    
2,700,000
 
Sempra Energy, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.550%, 6/15/2024
2,864,017    
1,300,000
 
Sempra Energy, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 6.000%, 10/15/2039
1,806,879    
 
 
TOTAL
11,508,899
 
 
Utility - Natural Gas Distributor—   0.1%
 
   815,000
 
Southern Co. Gas Capital, Sr. Unsecd. Note, 3.950%, 10/1/2046
922,864      
 
 
TOTAL CORPORATE BONDS
(IDENTIFIED COST $956,487,213)
1,034,948,500
 
 
MUNICIPAL BOND—   0.1%
 
 
 
Municipal Services—   0.1%
 
1,035,000
 
Tampa, FL Sports Authority, (GTD by National Public Finance Guarantee
Corporation), 8.020%, 10/1/2026
(IDENTIFIED COST $1,048,455)
1,145,456    
 
 
COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATION—   0.0%
 
 
 
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation—   0.0%
 
    40,772
 
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. REMIC, Series 3051, Class MY,
5.500%, 10/15/2025
(IDENTIFIED COST $39,991)
43,759       
 
 
MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES—   0.0%
 
 
 
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation—   0.0%
 
       410
 
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., Pool C00702, 6.000%, 1/1/2029
454          
       451
 
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., Pool C00748, 6.000%, 4/1/2029
501          
       298
 
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., Pool C20263, 6.000%, 1/1/2029
329          
       413
 
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., Pool C25621, 6.500%, 5/1/2029
469          
 
 
TOTAL
1,753
 
 
Federal National Mortgage Association—   0.0%
 
       765
 
Federal National Mortgage Association, Pool 323159, 7.500%, 4/1/2028
860          
       548
 
Federal National Mortgage Association, Pool 421223, 7.000%, 5/1/2028
611          
     3,859
 
Federal National Mortgage Association, Pool 439947,
6.500%, 11/1/2028
4,288        
     2,288
 
Federal National Mortgage Association, Pool 489867, 6.500%, 3/1/2029
2,548        
 
 
TOTAL
8,307
 
 
Government National Mortgage Association—   0.0%
 
       412
 
Government National Mortgage Association, Pool 449491,
7.500%, 12/15/2027
462          
Annual Shareholder Report
21

Principal
Amount
or Shares
 
 
Value
 
 
MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES—   continued
 
 
 
Government National Mortgage Association—   continued
 
$       302
 
Government National Mortgage Association, Pool 486467,
7.000%, 8/15/2028
$337          
       311
 
Government National Mortgage Association, Pool 780339,
8.000%, 12/15/2023
324          
       203
 
Government National Mortgage Association, Pool 780373,
7.000%, 12/15/2023
210          
 
 
TOTAL
1,333
 
 
TOTAL MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES
(IDENTIFIED COST $10,259)
11,393
 
 
PREFERRED STOCK—   0.0%
 
 
 
Financials—   0.0%
 
130,000
2,3,4
Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc., Pfd., 5.670%
(IDENTIFIED COST $11,050)
1,300        
 
 
INVESTMENT COMPANY—   27.4%
 
63,485,644
 
High Yield Bond Core Fund
(IDENTIFIED COST $411,494,928)
396,150,419  
 
 
TOTAL INVESTMENT IN SECURITIES—99.3%
(IDENTIFIED COST $1,369,091,896)5
1,432,300,827
 
 
OTHER ASSETS AND LIABILITIES - NET—0.7%6
9,676,937
 
 
TOTAL NET ASSETS—100%
$1,441,977,764
At November 30, 2021, the Fund had the following outstanding futures contracts:
Description
Number of
Contracts
Notional
Value
Expiration
Date
Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation
Long Futures:
 
 
 
 
4United States Treasury Long Bond
Long Futures
245
$39,720,625
March 2022
$391,716
Net Unrealized Appreciation on Futures Contracts is included in “Other Assets and Liabilities—Net.”
Annual Shareholder Report
22

Affiliated fund holdings are investment companies which are managed by the Adviser or an affiliate of the Adviser. Transactions with affiliated fund holdings during the period ended November 30, 2021, were as follows:
 
Federated Hermes
Institutional
Prime Value
Obligations Fund,
Institutional Shares
High Yield
Bond Core Fund
Total of
Affiliated
Transactions
Value as of 11/30/2020
$11,921,955
$402,099,645
$414,021,600
Purchases at Cost
$271,228,274
$31,000,000
$302,228,274
Proceeds from Sales
$(283,148,980)
$(36,000,000)
$(319,148,980)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation/
Depreciation
$(2,805)
$16,220,594
$16,217,789
Net Realized Gain/(Loss)
$1,556
$(17,169,820)
$(17,168,264)
Value as of 11/30/2021
$
$396,150,419
$396,150,419
Shares Held as of 11/30/2021
63,485,644
63,485,644
Dividend Income
$2,978
$22,991,871
$22,994,849
1
Floating/variable note with current rate and current maturity or next reset date shown.
2
Market quotations and price evaluations are not available. Fair value determined using
significant unobservable inputs in accordance with procedures established by and under the
general supervision of the Fund’s Board of Directors (the “Directors”).
3
Issuer in default.
4
Non-income-producing security.
5
The cost of investments for federal tax purposes amounts to $1,384,708,675.
6
Assets, other than investments in securities, less liabilities. See Statement of Assets and
Liabilities.
Note: The categories of investments are shown as a percentage of total net assets at November 30, 2021.
Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund’s investments. These inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below:
Level 1—quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2—other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.). Also includes securities valued at amortized cost.
Level 3—significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).
The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Annual Shareholder Report
23


The following is a summary of the inputs used, as of November 30, 2021, in valuing the Fund’s assets carried at fair value:
Valuation Inputs
 
Level 1—
Quoted
Prices
Level 2—
Other
Significant
Observable
Inputs
Level 3—
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
Total
Debt Securities:
 
 
 
 
Corporate Bonds
$
$1,034,751,636
$196,864
$1,034,948,500
Municipal Bond
1,145,456
1,145,456
Collateralized
Mortgage Obligation
43,759
43,759
Mortgage-Backed Securities
11,393
11,393
Equity Security:
 
 
 
 
Preferred Stock
 
 
 
 
Domestic
1,300
1,300
Investment Companies
396,150,419
396,150,419
TOTAL SECURITIES
$396,150,419
$1,035,952,244
$198,164
$1,432,300,827
Other Financial Instruments:1
 
 
 
 
Assets
$391,716
$
$
$391,716
TOTAL OTHER
FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
$391,716
$
$
$391,716
1
Other financial instruments are futures contracts.
The following acronym(s) are used throughout this portfolio:
 
BKNT
—Bank Notes
GMTN
—Global Medium Term Note
GTD
—Guaranteed
LIBOR
—London Interbank Offered Rate
MTN
—Medium Term Note
REIT
—Real Estate Investment Trust
REMIC
—Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit
See Notes which are an integral part of the Financial Statements
Annual Shareholder Report
24

Financial HighlightsClass A Shares
(For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period)
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
$9.98
$9.50
$8.70
$9.29
$9.03
Income From Investment Operations:
 
 
 
 
 
Net investment income (loss)1
0.30
0.32
0.34
0.34
0.36
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
(0.26)
0.48
0.81
(0.57)
0.26
Total From Investment Operations
0.04
0.80
1.15
(0.23)
0.62
Less Distributions:
 
 
 
 
 
Distributions from net investment income
(0.31)
(0.32)
(0.35)
(0.35)
(0.36)
Distributions from net realized gain
(0.01)
(0.00)2
Total Distributions
(0.31)
(0.32)
(0.35)
(0.36)
(0.36)
Net Asset Value, End of Period
$9.71
$9.98
$9.50
$8.70
$9.29
Total Return3
0.41%
8.65%
13.43%
(2.53)%
7.01%
Ratios to Average Net Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
Net expenses4
0.85%
0.85%
0.85%
0.85%
0.85%
Net investment income
3.02%
3.32%
3.73%
3.82%
3.88%
Expense waiver/reimbursement5
0.12%
0.13%
0.14%
0.14%
0.14%
Supplemental Data:
 
 
 
 
 
Net assets, end of period (000 omitted)
$403,132
$438,296
$401,690
$364,175
$419,962
Portfolio turnover6
13%
17%
18%
10%
13%
1
Per share numbers have been calculated using the average shares method.
2
Represents less than $0.01.
3
Based on net asset value, which does not reflect the sales charge, redemption fee or contingent
deferred sales charge, if applicable.
4
Amount does not reflect net expenses incurred by investment companies in which the Fund
may invest.
5
This expense decrease is reflected in both the net expense and the net investment income ratios
shown above. Amount does not reflect expense waiver/reimbursement recorded by investment
companies in which the Fund may invest.
6
Securities that mature are considered sales for purposes of this calculation.
See Notes which are an integral part of the Financial Statements
Annual Shareholder Report
25

Financial HighlightsClass B Shares
(For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period)
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
$10.05
$9.56
$8.75
$9.35
$9.09
Income From Investment Operations:
 
 
 
 
 
Net investment income (loss)1
0.21
0.24
0.27
0.27
0.28
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
(0.25)
0.49
0.81
(0.59)
0.26
Total From Investment Operations
(0.04)
0.73
1.08
(0.32)
0.54
Less Distributions:
 
 
 
 
 
Distributions from net investment income
(0.23)
(0.24)
(0.27)
(0.27)
(0.28)
Distributions from net realized gain
(0.01)
(0.00)2
Total Distributions
(0.23)
(0.24)
(0.27)
(0.28)
(0.28)
Net Asset Value, End of Period
$9.78
$10.05
$9.56
$8.75
$9.35
Total Return3
(0.47)%
7.77%
12.51%
(3.45)%
6.06%
Ratios to Average Net Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
Net expenses4
1.71%
1.70%
1.70%
1.70%
1.70%
Net investment income
2.17%
2.51%
2.91%
2.97%
2.99%
Expense waiver/reimbursement5
0.05%
0.06%
0.07%
0.06%
0.07%
Supplemental Data:
 
 
 
 
 
Net assets, end of period (000 omitted)
$3,365
$6,690
$12,717
$17,075
$27,087
Portfolio turnover6
13%
17%
18%
10%
13%
1
Per share numbers have been calculated using the average shares method.
2
Represents less than $0.01.
3
Based on net asset value, which does not reflect the sales charge, redemption fee or contingent
deferred sales charge, if applicable.
4
Amount does not reflect net expenses incurred by investment companies in which the Fund
may invest.
5
This expense decrease is reflected in both the net expense and the net investment income ratios
shown above. Amount does not reflect expense waiver/reimbursement recorded by investment
companies in which the Fund may invest.
6
Securities that mature are considered sales for purposes of this calculation.
See Notes which are an integral part of the Financial Statements
Annual Shareholder Report
26

Financial HighlightsClass C Shares
(For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period)
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
$10.05
$9.56
$8.76
$9.36
$9.09
Income From Investment Operations:
 
 
 
 
 
Net investment income (loss)1
0.22
0.24
0.27
0.27
0.28
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
(0.26)
0.49
0.80
(0.59)
0.27
Total From Investment Operations
(0.04)
0.73
1.07
(0.32)
0.55
Less Distributions:
 
 
 
 
 
Distributions from net investment income
(0.23)
(0.24)
(0.27)
(0.27)
(0.28)
Distributions from net realized gain
(0.01)
(0.00)2
Total Distributions
(0.23)
(0.24)
(0.27)
(0.28)
(0.28)
Net Asset Value, End of Period
$9.78
$10.05
$9.56
$8.76
$9.36
Total Return3
(0.42)%
7.81%
12.41%
(3.42)%
6.21%
Ratios to Average Net Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
Net expenses4
1.67%
1.67%
1.66%
1.67%
1.67%
Net investment income
2.21%
2.51%
2.94%
3.00%
3.02%
Expense waiver/reimbursement5
0.05%
0.06%
0.07%
0.06%
0.07%
Supplemental Data:
 
 
 
 
 
Net assets, end of period (000 omitted)
$31,524
$47,820
$47,337
$48,592
$85,798
Portfolio turnover6
13%
17%
18%
10%
13%
1
Per share numbers have been calculated using the average shares method.
2
Represents less than $0.01.
3
Based on net asset value, which does not reflect the sales charge, redemption fee or contingent
deferred sales charge, if applicable.
4
Amount does not reflect net expenses incurred by investment companies in which the Fund
may invest.
5
This expense decrease is reflected in both the net expense and the net investment income ratios
shown above. Amount does not reflect expense waiver/reimbursement recorded by investment
companies in which the Fund may invest.
6
Securities that mature are considered sales for purposes of this calculation.
See Notes which are an integral part of the Financial Statements
Annual Shareholder Report
27

Financial HighlightsClass F Shares
(For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period)
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
$10.07
$9.58
$8.77
$9.37
$9.10
Income From Investment Operations:
 
 
 
 
 
Net investment income (loss)1
0.30
0.32
0.35
0.35
0.36
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
(0.26)
0.49
0.81
(0.59)
0.27
Total From Investment Operations
0.04
0.81
1.16
(0.24)
0.63
Less Distributions:
 
 
 
 
 
Distributions from net investment income
(0.31)
(0.32)
(0.35)
(0.35)
(0.36)
Distributions from net realized gain
(0.01)
(0.00)2
Total Distributions
(0.31)
(0.32)
(0.35)
(0.36)
(0.36)
Net Asset Value, End of Period
$9.80
$10.07
$9.58
$8.77
$9.37
Total Return3
0.41%
8.68%
13.44%
(2.62)%
7.07%
Ratios to Average Net Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
Net expenses4
0.85%
0.85%
0.85%
0.85%
0.85%
Net investment income
3.02%
3.33%
3.74%
3.82%
3.83%
Expense waiver/reimbursement5
0.09%
0.11%
0.11%
0.11%
0.12%
Supplemental Data:
 
 
 
 
 
Net assets, end of period (000 omitted)
$127,519
$138,694
$134,534
$128,112
$151,638
Portfolio turnover6
13%
17%
18%
10%
13%
1
Per share numbers have been calculated using the average shares method.
2
Represents less than $0.01.
3
Based on net asset value, which does not reflect the sales charge, redemption fee or contingent
deferred sales charge, if applicable.
4
Amount does not reflect net expenses incurred by investment companies in which the Fund
may invest.
5
This expense decrease is reflected in both the net expense and the net investment income ratios
shown above. Amount does not reflect expense waiver/reimbursement recorded by investment
companies in which the Fund may invest.
6
Securities that mature are considered sales for purposes of this calculation.
See Notes which are an integral part of the Financial Statements
Annual Shareholder Report
28

Financial HighlightsInstitutional Shares
(For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period)
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
$9.98
$9.50
$8.70
$9.30
$9.03
Income From Investment Operations:
 
 
 
 
 
Net investment income (loss)1
0.32
0.34
0.37
0.37
0.37
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
(0.26)
0.49
0.80
(0.59)
0.28
Total From Investment Operations
0.06
0.83
1.17
(0.22)
0.65
Less Distributions:
 
 
 
 
 
Distributions from net investment income
(0.33)
(0.35)
(0.37)
(0.37)
(0.38)
Distributions from net realized gain
(0.01)
(0.00)2
Total Distributions
(0.33)
(0.35)
(0.37)
(0.38)
(0.38)
Net Asset Value, End of Period
$9.71
$9.98
$9.50
$8.70
$9.30
Total Return3
0.66%
8.92%
13.72%
(2.39)%
7.38%
Ratios to Average Net Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
Net expenses4
0.60%
0.60%
0.60%
0.60%
0.60%
Net investment income
3.27%
3.56%
3.98%
4.07%
3.98%
Expense waiver/reimbursement5
0.12%
0.13%
0.14%
0.14%
0.14%
Supplemental Data:
 
 
 
 
 
Net assets, end of period (000 omitted)
$795,317
$890,497
$733,626
$515,139
$553,671
Portfolio turnover6
13%
17%
18%
10%
13%
1
Per share numbers have been calculated using the average shares method.
2
Represents less than $0.01.
3
Based on net asset value.
4
Amount does not reflect net expenses incurred by investment companies in which the Fund
may invest.
5
This expense decrease is reflected in both the net expense and the net investment income ratios
shown above. Amount does not reflect expense waiver/reimbursement recorded by investment
companies in which the Fund may invest.
6
Securities that mature are considered sales for purposes of this calculation.
See Notes which are an integral part of the Financial Statements
Annual Shareholder Report
29

Financial HighlightsClass R6 Shares
(For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period)
 
Year Ended November 30,
 
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period
$9.99
$9.51
$8.71
$9.31
$9.04
Income From Investment Operations:
 
 
 
 
 
Net investment income (loss)1
0.32
0.35
0.37
0.37
0.37
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
(0.26)
0.48
0.80
(0.59)
0.27
Total From Investment Operations
0.06
0.83
1.17
(0.22)
0.64
Less Distributions:
 
 
 
 
 
Distributions from net investment income
(0.33)
(0.35)
(0.37)
(0.37)
(0.37)
Distributions from net realized gain
(0.01)
(0.00)2
Total Distributions
(0.33)
(0.35)
(0.37)
(0.38)
(0.37)
Net Asset Value, End of Period
$9.72
$9.99
$9.51
$8.71
$9.31
Total Return3
0.68%
8.93%
13.72%
(2.38)%
7.24%
Ratios to Average Net Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
Net expenses4
0.58%
0.58%
0.58%
0.58%
0.58%
Net investment income
3.29%
3.60%
3.99%
4.13%
3.97%
Expense waiver/reimbursement5
0.05%
0.06%
0.07%
0.07%
0.03%
Supplemental Data:
 
 
 
 
 
Net assets, end of period (000 omitted)
$81,121
$68,232
$96,838
$67,370
$17,112
Portfolio turnover6
13%
17%
18%
10%
13%
1
Per share numbers have been calculated using the average shares method.
2
Represents less than $0.01.
3
Based on net asset value.
4
Amount does not reflect net expenses incurred by investment companies in which the Fund
may invest.
5
This expense decrease is reflected in both the net expense and the net investment income ratios
shown above. Amount does not reflect expense waiver/reimbursement recorded by investment
companies in which the Fund may invest.
6
Securities that mature are considered sales for purposes of this calculation.
See Notes which are an integral part of the Financial Statements
Annual Shareholder Report
30

Statement of Assets and Liabilities
November 30, 2021
Assets:
 
Investment in securities, at value including $396,150,419 of investment in affiliated
holdings*(identified cost $1,369,091,896)
$1,432,300,827
Due from broker (Note2)
857,500
Income receivable
9,171,801
Income receivable from affiliated holdings
1,835,602
Receivable for investments sold
3,668,303
Receivable for shares sold
535,970
Receivable for variation margin on futures contracts
413,471
Total Assets
1,448,783,474
Liabilities:
 
Payable for investments purchased
2,603,527
Payable for shares redeemed
2,466,868
Payable to bank
1,098,949
Income distribution payable
217,247
Payable for investment adviser fee (Note5)
18,184
Payable for administrative fee (Note5)
3,085
Payable for distribution services fee (Note5)
21,690
Payable for other service fees (Notes 2 and5)
115,931
Accrued expenses (Note5)
260,229
Total Liabilities
6,805,710
Net assets for 148,382,510 shares outstanding
$1,441,977,764
Net Assets Consist of:
 
Paid-in capital
$1,433,485,003
Total distributable earnings (loss)
8,492,761
Total Net Assets
$1,441,977,764
Annual Shareholder Report
31

Statement of Assets and Liabilitiescontinued
Net Asset Value, Offering Price and Redemption Proceeds Per Share:
 
Class A Shares:
 
Net asset value per share ($403,132,105 ÷ 41,536,810 shares outstanding) $0.001
par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized
$9.71
Offering price per share (100/95.50 of $9.71)
$10.17
Redemption proceeds per share
$9.71
Class B Shares:
 
Net asset value per share ($3,365,436 ÷ 344,077 shares outstanding) $0.001 par
value, 500,000,000 shares authorized
$9.78
Offering price per share
$9.78
Redemption proceeds per share (94.50/100 of $9.78)
$9.24
Class C Shares:
 
Net asset value per share ($31,524,130 ÷ 3,222,537 shares outstanding) $0.001 par
value, 500,000,000 shares authorized
$9.78
Offering price per share
$9.78
Redemption proceeds per share (99.00/100 of $9.78)
$9.68
Class F Shares:
 
Net asset value per share ($127,518,822 ÷ 13,013,599 shares outstanding) $0.001
par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized
$9.80
Offering price per share (100/99.00 of $9.80)
$9.90
Redemption proceeds per share (99.00/100 of $9.80)
$9.70
Institutional Shares:
 
Net asset value per share ($795,316,686 ÷ 81,922,169 shares outstanding) $0.001
par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized
$9.71
Offering price per share
$9.71
Redemption proceeds per share
$9.71
Class R6 Shares:
 
Net asset value per share ($81,120,585 ÷ 8,343,318 shares outstanding) $0.001 par
value, 500,000,000 shares authorized
$9.72
Offering price per share
$9.72
Redemption proceeds per share
$9.72
*
See information listed after the Fund’s Portfolio of Investments.
See Notes which are an integral part of the Financial Statements
Annual Shareholder Report
32

Statement of Operations
Year Ended November 30, 2021
Investment Income:
 
Interest
$35,839,926
Dividends (including $22,994,849 received from affiliated holdings*)
22,987,116
TOTAL INCOME
58,827,042
Expenses:
 
Investment adviser fee (Note5)
7,588,994
Administrative fee (Note5)
1,190,978
Custodian fees
50,949
Transfer agent fees (Note 2)
1,447,591
Directors’/Trustees’ fees (Note5)
16,124
Auditing fees
32,801
Legal fees
10,937
Portfolio accounting fees
234,654
Distribution services fee (Note5)
322,638
Other service fees (Notes 2 and5)
1,498,965
Share registration costs
122,409
Printing and postage
108,200
Taxes
300
Miscellaneous (Note5)
42,085
TOTAL EXPENSES
12,667,625
Waiver and Reimbursements:
 
Waiver/reimbursement of investment adviser fee (Note5)
(749,654)
Reimbursement of other operating expenses (Notes 2 and 5)
(895,653)
TOTAL WAIVER AND REIMBURSEMENTS
(1,645,307)
Net expenses
11,022,318
Net investment income
$47,804,724
Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments and Futures Contracts:
 
Net realized loss on investments (including net realized loss of $(17,168,264) on sales
of investments in affiliated holdings*)
(2,519,072)
Net realized loss on futures contracts
(6,624,442)
Net change in unrealized appreciation of investments (including net change in
unrealized depreciation of $16,217,789 on investments in affiliated holdings*)
(31,577,139)
Net change in unrealized depreciation of futures contracts
598,570
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments and futures contracts
(40,122,083)
Change in net assets resulting from operations
$7,682,641
*
See information listed after the Fund’s Portfolio of Investments.
See Notes which are an integral part of the Financial Statements
Annual Shareholder Report
33

Statement of Changes in Net Assets
Year Ended November 30
2021
2020
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets
 
 
Operations:
 
 
Net investment income
$47,804,724
$48,847,254
Net realized gain (loss)
(9,143,514)
(8,778,032)
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation
(30,978,569)
82,222,683
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS
7,682,641
122,291,905
Distributions to Shareholders:
 
 
Class A Shares
(13,334,238)
(14,097,542)
Class B Shares
(104,809)
(238,117)
Class C Shares
(869,774)
(1,176,646)
Class F Shares
(4,146,157)
(4,476,314)
Institutional Shares
(28,561,099)
(28,102,539)
Class R6 Shares
(2,481,503)
(2,271,704)
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM DISTRIBUTIONS
TO SHAREHOLDERS
(49,497,580)
(50,362,862)
Share Transactions:
 
 
Proceeds from sale of shares
346,253,378
681,603,943
Net asset value of shares issued to shareholders in payment of
distributions declared
46,969,863
47,685,397
Cost of shares redeemed
(499,659,562)
(637,730,691)
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM
SHARE TRANSACTIONS
(106,436,321)
91,558,649
Change in net assets
(148,251,260)
163,487,692
Net Assets:
 
 
Beginning of period
1,590,229,024
1,426,741,332
End of period
$1,441,977,764
$1,590,229,024
See Notes which are an integral part of the Financial Statements
Annual Shareholder Report
34

Notes to Financial Statements
November 30, 2021
1. ORGANIZATION
Federated Hermes Investment Series Funds, Inc. (the “Corporation”) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Act”), as a diversified, open-end management investment company. The Corporation consists of one diversified portfolio, Federated Hermes Corporate Bond Fund (the “Fund”). The Fund offers six classes of shares: Class A Shares, Class B Shares, Class C Shares,Class F Shares, Institutional Shares and Class R6 Shares. All shares of the Fund have equal rights with respect to voting, except on class-specific matters. The investment objective of the Fund is to provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital.
Class B Shares may be purchased through an exchange from the same share class of another Federated Hermes fund but are closed to new accounts, new investors and new purchases made by existing shareholders (excluding reinvestment of dividends and capital gains). Class B Shares of the Fund may be exchanged for Class B Shares of any other Federated Hermes fund.
2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements. These policies are in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
Investment Valuation
In calculating its net asset value (NAV), the Fund generally values investments as follows:

Fixed-income securities are fair valued using price evaluations provided by a pricing service approved by the Directors.

Shares of other mutual funds or non-exchange-traded investment companies are valued based upon their reported NAVs, or NAV per share practical expedient, as applicable.

Equity securities listed on an exchange or traded through a regulated market system are valued at their last reported sale price or official closing price in their principal exchange or market.

Derivative contracts listed on exchanges are valued at their reported settlement or closing price, except that options are valued at the mean of closing bid and asked quotations.

Over-the-counter (OTC) derivative contracts are fair valued using price evaluations provided by a pricing service approved by the Directors.

For securities that are fair valued in accordance with procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Directors, certain factors may be considered, such as: the last traded or purchase price of the security, information obtained by contacting the issuer or dealers, analysis of the issuer’s financial statements or other available documents, fundamental analytical data, the nature and duration of restrictions on disposition, the movement of the market in which the security is normally traded, public trading in similar securities or derivative contracts of the issuer or comparable issuers, movement of a relevant index, or other factors including but not limited to industry changes and relevant government actions.
Annual Shareholder Report
35

If any price, quotation, price evaluation or other pricing source is not readily available when the NAV is calculated, if the Fund cannot obtain price evaluations from a pricing service or from more than one dealer for an investment within a reasonable period of time as set forth in the Fund’s valuation policies and procedures, or if information furnished by a pricing service, in the opinion of the valuation committee (“Valuation Committee”), is deemed not representative of the fair value of such security, the Fund uses the fair value of the investment determined in accordance with the procedures described below. There can be no assurance that the Fund could obtain the fair value assigned to an investment if it sold the investment at approximately the time at which the Fund determines its NAV per share, and the actual value obtained could be materially different.
Fair Valuation and Significant Events Procedures
The Directors have ultimate responsibility for determining the fair value of investments for which market quotations are not readily available. The Directors have appointed a Valuation Committee comprised of officers of the Fund, Federated Investment Management Company (the “Adviser”) and certain of the Adviser’s affiliated companies to assist in determining fair value and in overseeing the calculation of the NAV. The Directors have also authorized the use of pricing services recommended by the Valuation Committee to provide fair value evaluations of the current value of certain investments for purposes of calculating the NAV. The Valuation Committee employs various methods for reviewing third-party pricing-service evaluations including periodic reviews of third-party pricing services’ policies, procedures and valuation methods (including key inputs, methods, models and assumptions), transactional back-testing, comparisons of evaluations of different pricing services, and review of price challenges by the Adviser based on recent market activity. In the event that market quotations and price evaluations are not available for an investment, the Valuation Committee determines the fair value of the investment in accordance with procedures adopted by the Directors. The Directors periodically review and approve the fair valuations made by the Valuation Committee and any changes made to the procedures.
Factors considered by pricing services in evaluating an investment include the yields or prices of investments of comparable quality, coupon, maturity, call rights and other potential prepayments, terms and type, reported transactions, indications as to values from dealers and general market conditions. Some pricing services provide a single price evaluation reflecting the bid-side of the market for an investment (a “bid” evaluation). Other pricing services offer both bid evaluations and price evaluations indicative of a price between the prices bid and asked for the investment (a “mid” evaluation). The Fund normally uses bid evaluations for any U.S. Treasury and Agency securities, mortgage-backed securities and municipal securities. The Fund normally uses mid evaluations for any other types of fixed-income securities and any OTC derivative contracts. In the event that market quotations and price evaluations are not available for an investment, the fair value of the investment is determined in accordance with procedures adopted by the Directors.
The Directors also have adopted procedures requiring an investment to be priced at its fair value whenever the Adviser determines that a significant event affecting the value of the investment has occurred between the time as of which the price of the investment would otherwise be determined and the time as of which the NAV is computed. An event is considered significant if there is both an affirmative expectation
Annual Shareholder Report
36

that the investment’s value will change in response to the event and a reasonable basis for quantifying the resulting change in value. Examples of significant events that may occur after the close of the principal market on which a security is traded, or after the time of a price evaluation provided by a pricing service or a dealer, include:

With respect to securities traded principally in foreign markets, significant trends in U.S. equity markets or in the trading of foreign securities index futures contracts;

Political or other developments affecting the economy or markets in which an issuer conducts its operations or its securities are traded;

Announcements concerning matters such as acquisitions, recapitalizations, litigation developments, or a natural disaster affecting the issuer’s operations or regulatory changes or market developments affecting the issuer’s industry.
The Directors have adopted procedures whereby the Valuation Committee uses a pricing service to provide factors to update the fair value of equity securities traded principally in foreign markets from the time of the close of their respective foreign stock exchanges to the pricing time of the Fund. For other significant events, the Fund may seek to obtain more current quotations or price evaluations from alternative pricing sources. If a reliable alternative pricing source is not available, the Fund will determine the fair value of the investment in accordance with the fair valuation procedures approved by the Directors. The Directors have ultimate responsibility for any fair valuations made in response to a significant event.
Repurchase Agreements
The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements for short-term liquidity purposes. It is the policy of the Fund to require the other party to a repurchase agreement to transfer to the Fund’s custodian or sub-custodian eligible securities or cash with a market value (after transaction costs) at least equal to the repurchase price to be paid under the repurchase agreement. The eligible securities are transferred to accounts with the custodian or sub-custodian in which the Fund holds a “securities entitlement” and exercises “control” as those terms are defined in the Uniform Commercial Code. The Fund has established procedures for monitoring the market value of the transferred securities and requiring the transfer of additional eligible securities if necessary to equal at least the repurchase price. These procedures also allow the other party to require securities to be transferred from the account to the extent that their market value exceeds the repurchase price or in exchange for other eligible securities of equivalent market value.
The insolvency of the other party or other failure to repurchase the securities may delay the disposition of the underlying securities or cause the Fund to receive less than the full repurchase price. Under the terms of the repurchase agreement, any amounts received by the Fund in excess of the repurchase price and related transaction costs must be remitted to the other party.
The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements in which eligible securities are transferred into joint trading accounts maintained by the custodian or sub-custodian for investment companies and other clients advised by the Adviser and its affiliates. The Fund will participate on a pro rata basis with the other investment companies and clients in its share of the securities transferred under such repurchase agreements and in its share of proceeds from any repurchase or other disposition of such securities.
Annual Shareholder Report
37

Investment Income, Gains and Losses, Expenses and Distributions
Investment transactions are accounted for on a trade-date basis. Realized gains and losses from investment transactions are recorded on an identified-cost basis. Interest income and expenses are accrued daily. Dividend income and distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Foreign dividends are recorded on the ex-dividend date or when the Fund is informed of the ex-dividend date. Distributions of net investment income, if any, are declared and paid monthly. Non-cash dividends included in dividend income, if any, are recorded at fair value. Amortization/accretion of premium and discount is included in investment income. Gains and losses realized on principal payment of mortgage-backed securities (paydown gains and losses) are classified as part of investment income. Investment income, realized and unrealized gains and losses, and certain fund-level expenses are allocated to each class based on relative average daily net assets, except that select classes will bear certain expenses unique to those classes. Dividends are declared separately for each class. No class has preferential dividend rights; differences in per share dividend rates are generally due to differences in separate class expenses. The detail of the total fund expense waiver and reimbursements of $1,645,307 is disclosed in various locations in this Note 2 and Note 5.
Transfer Agent Fees
For the year ended November 30, 2021, transfer agent fees for the Fund were as follows:
 
Transfer Agent
Fees Incurred
Transfer Agent
Fees Reimbursed
Class A Shares
$432,277
$(283,198)
Class B Shares
6,562
Class C Shares
38,396
Class F Shares
105,743
(54,821)
Institutional Shares
853,664
(557,634)
Class R6 Shares
10,949
TOTAL
$1,447,591
$(895,653)
Other Service Fees
The Fund may pay other service fees up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund’s Class A Shares, Class B Shares, Class C Shares and Class F Shares to unaffiliated financial intermediaries or to Federated Shareholder Services Company (FSSC) for providing services to shareholders and maintaining shareholder accounts. Subject to the terms described in the Expense Limitation note, FSSC may voluntarily reimburse the Fund for other service fees.
Annual Shareholder Report
38

For the year ended November 30, 2021, other service fees for the Fund were as follows:
 
Other Service
Fees Incurred
Class A Shares
$1,062,488
Class B Shares
11,785
Class C Shares
95,550
Class F Shares
329,142
TOTAL
$1,498,965
Federal Taxes
It is the Fund’s policy to comply with the Subchapter M provision of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) and to distribute to shareholders each year substantially all of its income. Accordingly, no provision for federal income tax is necessary. As of and during the year ended November 30, 2021, the Fund did not have a liability for any uncertain tax positions. The Fund recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to tax liabilities as income tax expense in the Statement of Operations. As of November 30, 2021, tax years 2018 through 2021 remain subject to examination by the Fund’s major tax jurisdictions, which include the United States of America, the State of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery Transactions
The Fund may engage in when-issued or delayed-delivery transactions. The Fund records when-issued securities on the trade date and maintains security positions such that sufficient liquid assets will be available to make payment for the securities purchased. Securities purchased on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis are marked to market daily and begin earning interest on the settlement date. Losses may occur on these transactions due to changes in market conditions or the failure of counterparties to perform under the contract.
Futures Contracts
The Fund purchases and sells financial futures contracts to manage duration and yield curve risks. Upon entering into a financial futures contract with a broker, the Fund is required to deposit with a broker, either U.S. government securities or a specified amount of cash, which is shown as due from broker in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Futures contracts are valued daily and unrealized gains or losses are recorded in a “variation margin” account. The Fund receives from or pays to the broker a specified amount of cash based upon changes in the variation margin account. When a contract is closed, the Fund recognizes a realized gain or loss. Futures contracts have market risks, including the risk that the change in the value of the contract may not correlate with the changes in the value of the underlying securities. There is minimal counterparty risk to the Fund since futures contracts are exchange traded and the exchange’s clearinghouse, as counterparty to all exchange traded futures contracts, guarantees the futures contracts against default.
Futures contracts outstanding at period end are listed after the Fund’s Portfolio of Investments.
Annual Shareholder Report
39

The average notional value of long futures contracts held by the Fund throughout the period was $38,805,300. This is based on amounts held as of each month-end throughout the fiscal period.
Restricted Securities
The Fund may purchase securities which are considered restricted. Restricted securities are securities that either: (a) cannot be offered for public sale without first being registered, or being able to take advantage of an exemption from registration, under the Securities Act of 1933; or (b) are subject to contractual restrictions on public sales. In some cases, when a security cannot be offered for public sale without first being registered, the issuer of the restricted security has agreed to register such securities for resale, at the issuer’s expense, either upon demand by the Fund or in connection with another registered offering of the securities. Many such restricted securities may be resold in the secondary market in transactions exempt from registration. Restricted securities may be determined to be liquid under criteria established by the Directors. The Fund will not incur any registration costs upon such resales. The Fund’s restricted securities, like other securities, are priced in accordance with procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Directors.
Additional Disclosure Related to Derivative Instruments
Fair Value of Derivative Instruments
 
Assets
 
Statement of
Assets and
Liabilities
Location
Fair
Value
Derivatives not accounted for as hedging instruments
under ASC Topic 815
 
 
Interest rate contracts
Receivable for variation margin on
futures contracts
$391,716*
*
Includes cumulative net appreciation of futures contracts as reported in the footnotes to the
Portfolio of Investments. Only the current day’s variation margin is reported within the Statement
of Assets and Liabilities.
The Effect of Derivative Instruments on the Statement of Operations for the Year Ended November 30, 2021
Amount of Realized Gain or (Loss) on Derivatives Recognized in Income
 
Futures
Contracts
Interest rate contracts
$(6,624,442)
Change in Unrealized Appreciation or (Depreciation) on Derivatives Recognized in Income
 
Futures
Contracts
Interest rate contracts
$598,570
Annual Shareholder Report
40

Other
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts of assets, liabilities, expenses and revenues reported in the financial statements. Actual results could differ materially from those estimated. The Fund applies investment company accounting and reporting guidance.
3. CAPITAL STOCK
The following tables summarize capital stock activity:
 
Year Ended
11/30/2021
Year Ended
11/30/2020
Class A Shares:
Shares
Amount
Shares
Amount
Shares sold
5,670,793
$55,749,959
10,186,780
$97,511,599
Shares issued to shareholders in payment of
distributions declared
1,278,930
12,539,189
1,383,364
13,216,917
Shares redeemed
(9,348,474)
(91,802,059)
(9,939,037)
(95,123,661)
NET CHANGE RESULTING FROM CLASS A
SHARE TRANSACTIONS
(2,398,751)
$(23,512,911)
1,631,107
$15,604,855
 
Year Ended
11/30/2021
Year Ended
11/30/2020
Class B Shares:
Shares
Amount
Shares
Amount
Shares sold
8,454
$84,216
43,575
$400,827
Shares issued to shareholders in payment of
distributions declared
10,363
102,446
24,234
232,286
Shares redeemed
(340,528)
(3,380,070)
(731,979)
(7,090,471)
NET CHANGE RESULTING FROM CLASS B
SHARE TRANSACTIONS
(321,711)
$(3,193,408)
(664,170)
$(6,457,358)
 
Year Ended
11/30/2021
Year Ended
11/30/2020
Class C Shares:
Shares
Amount
Shares
Amount
Shares sold
442,933
$4,391,043
1,523,705
$14,728,047
Shares issued to shareholders in payment of
distributions declared
84,338
833,707
117,150
1,127,153
Shares redeemed
(2,062,189)
(20,348,066)
(1,832,422)
(17,624,946)
NET CHANGE RESULTING FROM CLASS C
SHARE TRANSACTIONS
(1,534,918)
$(15,123,316)
(191,567)
$(1,769,746)
 
Year Ended
11/30/2021
Year Ended
11/30/2020
Class F Shares:
Shares
Amount
Shares
Amount
Shares sold
1,240,338
$12,313,675
1,661,015
$16,046,826
Shares issued to shareholders in payment of
distributions declared
399,044
3,948,914
440,731
4,249,525
Shares redeemed
(2,400,024)
(23,773,758)
(2,369,068)
(22,788,762)
NET CHANGE RESULTING FROM CLASS F
SHARE TRANSACTIONS
(760,642)
$(7,511,169)
(267,322)
$(2,492,411)
Annual Shareholder Report
41

 
Year Ended
11/30/2021
Year Ended
11/30/2020
Institutional Shares:
Shares
Amount
Shares
Amount
Shares sold
25,004,382
$246,030,213
54,952,847
$527,478,977
Shares issued to shareholders in payment of
distributions declared
2,775,689
27,219,492
2,805,009
26,894,705
Shares redeemed
(35,095,981)
(345,366,438)
(45,758,581)
(435,892,700)
NET CHANGE RESULTING FROM
INSTITUTIONAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS
(7,315,910)
$(72,116,733)
11,999,275
$118,480,982
 
Year Ended
11/30/2021
Year Ended
11/30/2020
Class R6 Shares:
Shares
Amount
Shares
Amount
Shares sold
2,805,442
$27,684,272
2,617,808
$25,437,667
Shares issued to shareholders in payment of
distributions declared
236,915
2,326,115
205,037
1,964,811
Shares redeemed
(1,527,071)
(14,989,171)
(6,176,263)
(59,210,151)
NET CHANGE RESULTING FROM
CLASS R6 SHARE TRANSACTIONS
1,515,286
$15,021,216
(3,353,418)
$(31,807,673)
NET CHANGE RESULTING FROM TOTAL
FUND SHARE TRANSACTIONS
(10,816,646)
$(106,436,321)
9,153,905
$91,558,649
4. FEDERAL TAX INFORMATION
The tax character of distributions as reported on the Statement of Changes in Net Assets for the years ended November 30, 2021 and 2020, was as follows:
 
2021
2020
Ordinary income
$49,497,580
$50,362,862
As of November 30, 2021, the components of distributable earnings on a tax-basis were as follows:
Undistributed ordinary income
$37,921
Net unrealized appreciation
$46,754,654
Capital loss carryforwards
$(38,299,814)
The difference between book-basis and tax-basis net unrealized appreciation is attributable to differing treatments for deferral of losses on wash sales, discount accretion/premium amortization on debt securities and mark-to-market of futures contracts.
At November 30, 2021, the cost of investments for federal tax purposes was $1,384,708,675. The net unrealized appreciation of investments for federal tax purposes was $47,592,152. This consists of net unrealized appreciation from investments for those securities having an excess of value over cost of $68,957,521 and net unrealized depreciation from investments for those securities having an excess of cost over value of $21,365,369. The amounts presented are inclusive of derivative contracts.
Annual Shareholder Report
42

As of November 30, 2021, the Fund had a capital loss carryforward of $38,299,814 which will reduce the Fund’s taxable income arising from future net realized gains on investments, if any, to the extent permitted by the Code, thereby reducing the amount of distributions to shareholders which would otherwise be necessary to relieve the Fund of any liability for federal income tax. Pursuant to the Code, these net capital losses retain their character as either short-term or long-term and do not expire.
The following schedule summarizes the Fund’s capital loss carryforwards:
Short-Term
Long-Term
Total
$4,508,910
$33,790,904
$38,299,814
5. INVESTMENT ADVISER FEE AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES
Investment Adviser Fee
The advisory agreement between the Fund and the Adviser provides for an annual fee equal to 0.50% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Subject to the terms described in the Expense Limitation note, the Adviser may voluntarily choose to waive any portion of its fee and/or reimburse certain operating expenses of the Fund for competitive reasons such as to maintain the Fund’s expense ratio, or as and when appropriate, to maintain positive or zero net yields. For the year ended November 30, 2021, the Adviser voluntarily waived $744,532 of its fee.
The Adviser has agreed to reimburse the Fund for certain investment adviser fees as a result of transactions in other affiliated investment companies. For the year ended November 30, 2021, the Adviser reimbursed $5,122. For the year ended November 30, 2021, the Adviser voluntarily reimbursed $895,653 of transfer agent fees.
Administrative Fee
Federated Administrative Services (FAS), under the Administrative Services Agreement, provides the Fund with administrative personnel and services. For purposes of determining the appropriate rate breakpoint, “Investment Complex” is defined as all of the Federated Hermes Funds subject to a fee under the Administrative Services Agreement. The fee paid to FAS is based on the average daily net assets of the Investment Complex as specified below:
Administrative Fee
Average Daily Net Assets
of the Investment Complex
0.100%
on assets up to $50 billion
0.075%
on assets over $50 billion
Subject to the terms described in the Expense Limitation note, FAS may voluntarily choose to waive any portion of its fee. For the year ended November 30, 2021, the annualized fee paid to FAS was 0.078% of average daily net assets of the Fund.
In addition, FAS may charge certain out-of-pocket expenses to the Fund.
Annual Shareholder Report
43

Distribution Services Fee
The Fund has adopted a Distribution Plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Act. Under the terms of the Plan, the Fund will compensate Federated Securities Corp. (FSC), the principal distributor, from the daily net assets of the Class A Shares, Class B Shares and Class C Shares to finance activities intended to result in the sale of these shares. The Plan provides that the Fund may incur distribution expenses at the following percentages of average daily net assets annually, to compensate FSC:
 
Percentage of Average Daily
Net Assets of Class
Class A Shares
0.05%
Class B Shares
0.75%
Class C Shares
0.75%
Subject to the terms described in the Expense Limitation note, FSC may voluntarily choose to waive any portion of its fee. For the year ended November 30, 2021, distribution services fees for the Fund were as follows:
 
Distribution Services
Fees Incurred
Class B Shares
$35,355
Class C Shares
287,283
TOTAL
$322,638
For the year ended November 30, 2021, the Fund’s Class A Shares did not incur a distribution services fee; however, it may begin to incur this fee upon approval of the Directors.
When FSC receives fees, it may pay some or all of them to financial intermediaries whose customers purchase shares. For the year ended November 30, 2021, FSC retained $70,957 of fees paid by the Fund.
Sales Charges
Front-end sales charges and contingent deferred sales charges (CDSC) do not represent expenses of the Fund. They are deducted from the proceeds of sales of Fund shares prior to investment or from redemption proceeds prior to remittance, as applicable. For the year ended November 30, 2021, FSC retained $18,577 in sales charges from the sale of Class A Shares. FSC also retained $11,262, $2,436, $4,790 and $6,600 of CDSC relating to redemptions of Class A Shares, Class B Shares, Class C Shares and Class F Shares, respectively.
Other Service Fees
For the year ended November 30, 2021, FSSC received $40,248 of the other service fees disclosed in Note 2.
Expense Limitation
The Adviser and certain of its affiliates (which may include FSC, FAS and FSSC) on their own initiative have agreed to waive certain amounts of their respective fees and/or reimburse expenses. Total annual fund operating expenses (as shown in the financial highlights, excluding interest expense, extraordinary expenses and proxy-related expenses paid by the Fund, if any) paid by the Fund’s Class A Shares, Class B Shares,
Annual Shareholder Report
44

Class C Shares, Class F Shares, Institutional Shares and Class R6 Shares (after the voluntary waivers and/or reimbursements) will not exceed 0.85%, 1.72%, 1.69%, 0.85%, 0.60% and 0.58% (the “Fee Limit”), respectively, up to but not including the later of (the “Termination Date”): (a) February 1, 2023; or (b) the date of the Fund’s next effective Prospectus. While the Adviser and its applicable affiliates currently do not anticipate terminating or increasing these arrangements prior to the Termination Date, these arrangements may only be terminated or the Fee Limit increased prior to the Termination Date with the agreement of the Directors.
Directors’/Trustees’ and Miscellaneous Fees
Certain Officers and Directors of the Fund are Officers and Directors or Trustees of certain of the above companies. To efficiently facilitate payment, Independent Directors’/Trustees’ fees and certain expenses related to conducting meetings of the Directors/Trustees and other miscellaneous expenses are paid by an affiliate of the Adviser which in due course are reimbursed by the Fund. These expenses related to conducting meetings of the Directors/Trustees and other miscellaneous expenses may be included in Accrued and Miscellaneous Expenses on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Statement of Operations, respectively.
6. INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS
Purchases and sales of investments, excluding long-term U.S. government securities and short-term obligations, for the year ended November 30, 2021, were as follows:
Purchases
$194,035,976
Sales
$288,116,720
7. LINE OF CREDIT
The Fund participates with certain other Federated Hermes Funds, on a several basis, in an up to $500,000,000 unsecured, 364-day, committed, revolving line of credit (LOC) agreement dated June 23, 2021. The LOC was made available to temporarily finance the repurchase or redemption of shares of the Fund, failed trades, payment of dividends, settlement of trades and for other short-term, temporary or emergency general business purposes. The Fund cannot borrow under the LOC if an inter-fund loan is outstanding. The Fund’s ability to borrow under the LOC also is subject to the limitations of the Act and various conditions precedent that must be satisfied before the Fund can borrow. Loans under the LOC are charged interest at a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest, on any day, of (a) (i) the federal funds effective rate, (ii) the one month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), or a replacement rate as appropriate, and (iii) 0.0%, plus (b) a margin. Any fund eligible to borrow under the LOC pays its pro rata share of a commitment fee based on the amount of the lenders’ commitment that has not been utilized, quarterly in arrears and at maturity. As of November 30, 2021, the Fund had no outstanding loans. During the year ended November 30, 2021, the Fund did not utilize the LOC.
Annual Shareholder Report
45

8. INTERFUND LENDING
Pursuant to an Exemptive Order issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Fund, along with other funds advised by subsidiaries of Federated Hermes, Inc., may participate in an interfund lending program. This program provides an alternative credit facility allowing the Fund to borrow from other participating affiliated funds. As of November 30, 2021, there were no outstanding loans. During the year ended November 30, 2021, the program was not utilized.
9. OTHER MATTERS
An outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus was first detected in China in late 2019 and subsequently spread globally. As of the date of the issuance of these financial statements, this coronavirus has resulted in closing borders, enhanced health screenings, disruptions to healthcare service preparation and delivery, quarantines, cancellations, and disruptions to supply chains, workflow operations and consumer activity, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The impact of this coronavirus may be short-term or may last for an extended period of time and has resulted in substantial economic volatility. Health crises caused by outbreaks, such as the coronavirus outbreak, may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks. The impact of this outbreak, and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future, could continue to negatively affect the worldwide economy, as well as the economies of individual countries, individual companies (including certain Fund service providers and issuers of the Fund’s investments) and the markets in general in significant and unforeseen ways. Any such impact could adversely affect the Fund’s performance.
10. Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In March 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2020-04 “Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting,” which provides optional, temporary relief with respect to the financial reporting of contracts subject to certain types of modifications due to the planned discontinuation of the LIBOR and other interbank-offered reference rates. The temporary relief provided by ASU 2020-04 is effective immediately for certain reference rate-related contract modifications that occur through December 31, 2022. Management does not expect ASU 2020-04 to have a material impact on the financial statements.
Annual Shareholder Report
46

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF FEDERATED HERMES INVESTMENT SERIES FUNDS, INC. AND SHAREHOLDERS OF FEDERATED HERMES CORPORATE BOND FUND:
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of Federated Hermes Corporate Bond Fund (the “Fund”) (the sole portfolio constituting Federated Hermes Investment Series Funds, Inc. (the “Corporation”)), including the portfolio of investments, as of November 30, 2021, and the related statement of operations for the year then ended, the statement of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund (one of the portfolios constituting Federated Hermes Investment Series, Inc.) at November 30, 2021, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended and its financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Corporation’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Corporation in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Corporation is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of the Corporation’s internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Corporation’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Annual Shareholder Report
47

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of November 30, 2021, by correspondence with the custodian and others or by other appropriate auditing procedures where replies from others were not received. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
We have served as the auditor of one or more Federated Hermes investment companies since 1979.
Boston, Massachusetts
January 24, 2022
Annual Shareholder Report
48

Shareholder Expense Example (unaudited)
As a shareholder of the Fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including sales charges (loads) on purchase or redemption payments; and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees and to the extent applicable, distribution (12b-1) fees and/or other service fees and other Fund expenses. This Example is intended to help you to understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds. It is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period from June 1, 2021 to November 30, 2021.
ACTUAL EXPENSES
The first section of the table below provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this section, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you incurred over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first section under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses attributable to your investment during this period.
HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES
The second section of the table below provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. Thus, you should not use the hypothetical account values and expenses to estimate the actual ending account balance or your expenses for the period. Rather, these figures are required to be provided to enable you to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund with other funds. To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.
Annual Shareholder Report
49

Please note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transaction costs, such as sales charges (loads) on purchase or redemption payments. Therefore, the second section of the table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transaction costs were included, your costs would have been higher.
 
Beginning
Account Value
6/1/2021
Ending
Account Value
11/30/2021
Expenses Paid
During Period1
Actual:
 
 
 
Class A Shares
$1,000
$1,012.70
$4.29
Class B Shares
$1,000
$1,008.20
$8.51
Class C Shares
$1,000
$1,008.40
$8.41
Class F Shares
$1,000
$1,012.60
$4.29
Institutional Shares
$1,000
$1,014.00
$3.03
Class R6 Shares
$1,000
$1,014.10
$2.93
Hypothetical (assuming a 5% return
before expenses):
 
 
 
Class A Shares
$1,000
$1,020.81
$4.31
Class B Shares
$1,000
$1,016.60
$8.54
Class C Shares
$1,000
$1,016.70
$8.44
Class F Shares
$1,000
$1,020.81
$4.31
Institutional Shares
$1,000
$1,022.06
$3.04
Class R6 Shares
$1,000
$1,022.16
$2.94
1
Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized net expense ratios, multiplied by the average
account value over the period, multiplied by 183/365 (to reflect the one-half-year period). The
annualized net expense ratios are as follows:
Class A Shares
0.85%
Class B Shares
1.69%
Class C Shares
1.67%
Class F Shares
0.85%
Institutional Shares
0.60%
Class R6 Shares
0.58%
Annual Shareholder Report
50

Board of Directors and Corporation Officers
The Board of Directors is responsible for managing the Corporation’s business affairs and for exercising all the Corporation’s powers except those reserved for the shareholders. The following tables give information about each Director and the senior officers of the Fund. Where required, the tables separately list Directors who are “interested persons” of the Fund (i.e., “Interested” Directors) and those who are not (i.e., “Independent” Directors). Unless otherwise noted, the address of each person listed is 1001 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779. The address of all Independent Directors listed is 4000 Ericsson Drive, Warrendale, PA 15086-7561; Attention: Mutual Fund Board. As of December 31, 2021, the Corporation comprised one portfolio(s), and the Federated Hermes Fund Family consisted of 33 investment companies (comprising 102 portfolios). Unless otherwise noted, each Officer is elected annually. Unless otherwise noted, each Director oversees all portfolios in the Federated Hermes Fund Family and serves for an indefinite term. The Fund’s Statement of Additional Information includes additional information about Corporation Directors and is available, without charge and upon request, by calling 1-800-341-7400.
Interested DIRECTORS Background
Name
Birth Date
Positions Held with
Corporation
Date Service Began
Principal Occupation(s) for Past Five Years,
Other Directorships Held and Previous Position(s)
J. Christopher Donahue*
Birth Date: April 11, 1949
President and Director
Indefinite Term
Began serving: May 1992
Principal Occupations: Principal Executive Officer and President of
certain of the Funds in the Federated Hermes Fund Family; Director or
Trustee of the Funds in the Federated Hermes Fund Family; President,
Chief Executive Officer and Director, Federated Hermes, Inc.;
Chairman and Trustee, Federated Investment Management Company;
Trustee, Federated Investment Counseling; Chairman and Director,
Federated Global Investment Management Corp.; Chairman and
Trustee, Federated Equity Management Company of Pennsylvania;
Trustee, Federated Shareholder Services Company; Director,
Federated Services Company.
Previous Positions: President, Federated Investment Counseling;
President and Chief Executive Officer, Federated Investment
Management Company, Federated Global Investment Management
Corp. and Passport Research, Ltd; Chairman, Passport Research, Ltd.
Annual Shareholder Report
51

Name
Birth Date
Positions Held with
Corporation
Date Service Began
Principal Occupation(s) for Past Five Years,
Other Directorships Held and Previous Position(s)
John B. Fisher*
Birth Date: May 16, 1956
Director
Indefinite Term
Began serving: May 2016
Principal Occupations: Principal Executive Officer and President of
certain of the Funds in the Federated Hermes Fund Family; Director or
Trustee of certain of the Funds in the Federated Hermes Fund Family;
Vice President, Federated Hermes, Inc.; President, Director/Trustee
and CEO, Federated Advisory Services Company, Federated Equity
Management Company of Pennsylvania, Federated Global Investment
Management Corp., Federated Investment Counseling, Federated
Investment Management Company; President of some of the Funds in
the Federated Hermes Fund Family and Director, Federated Investors
Trust Company.
Previous Positions: President and Director of the Institutional Sales
Division of Federated Securities Corp.; President and Director of
Federated Investment Counseling; President and CEO of Passport
Research, Ltd.; Director, Edgewood Securities Corp.; Director,
Federated Services Company; Director, Federated Hermes, Inc.;
Chairman and Director, Southpointe Distribution Services, Inc. and
President, Technology, Federated Services Company.
*
Reasons for “interested” status: J. Christopher Donahue and John B. Fisher are interested due to their beneficial ownership of shares of Federated Hermes, Inc. and due to positions they hold with Federated Hermes, Inc. and its subsidiaries.
INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS Background
Name
Birth Date
Positions Held with
Corporation
Date Service Began
Principal Occupation(s) for Past Five Years,
Other Directorships Held, Previous Position(s) and Qualifications
John T. Collins
Birth Date: January 24, 1947
Director
Indefinite Term
Began serving: October 2013
Principal Occupations: Director or Trustee, and Chair of the Board
of Directors or Trustees, of the Federated Hermes Fund Family;
formerly, Chairman and CEO, The Collins Group, Inc. (a private equity
firm) (Retired).
Other Directorships Held: Director, KLX Energy Services Holdings,
Inc. (oilfield services); former Director of KLX Corp. (aerospace).
Qualifications: Mr. Collins has served in several business and financial
management roles and directorship positions throughout his career.
Mr. Collins previously served as Chairman and CEO of The Collins
Group, Inc. (a private equity firm) and as a Director of KLX Corp.
Mr. Collins serves as Chairman Emeriti, Bentley University. Mr. Collins
previously served as Director and Audit Committee Member, Bank of
America Corp.; Director, FleetBoston Financial Corp.; and Director,
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Harvard University
Affiliate Hospital).
Annual Shareholder Report
52

Name
Birth Date
Positions Held with
Corporation
Date Service Began
Principal Occupation(s) for Past Five Years,
Other Directorships Held, Previous Position(s) and Qualifications
G. Thomas Hough
Birth Date: February 28, 1955
Director
Indefinite Term
Began serving: August 2015
Principal Occupations: Director or Trustee, Chair of the Audit
Committee of the Federated Hermes Fund Family; formerly, Vice
Chair, Ernst & Young LLP (public accounting firm) (Retired).
Other Directorships Held: Director, Chair of the Audit Committee,
Equifax, Inc.; Lead Director, Member of the Audit and Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committees, Haverty Furniture Companies,
Inc.; formerly, Director, Member of Governance and Compensation
Committees, Publix Super Markets, Inc.
Qualifications: Mr. Hough has served in accounting, business
management and directorship positions throughout his career.
Mr. Hough most recently held the position of Americas Vice Chair of
Assurance with Ernst & Young LLP (public accounting firm). Mr. Hough
serves on the President’s Cabinet and Business School Board of
Visitors for the University of Alabama. Mr. Hough previously served on
the Business School Board of Visitors for Wake Forest University, and
he previously served as an Executive Committee member of the
United States Golf Association.
Maureen Lally-Green
Birth Date: July 5, 1949
Director
Indefinite Term
Began serving: August 2009
Principal Occupations: Director or Trustee of the Federated Hermes
Fund Family; Adjunct Professor Emerita of Law, Duquesne University
School of Law; formerly, Dean of the Duquesne University School of
Law and Professor of Law and Interim Dean of the Duquesne
University School of Law; formerly, Associate General Secretary and
Director, Office of Church Relations, Diocese of Pittsburgh.
Other Directorships Held: Director, CNX Resources Corporation
(formerly known as CONSOL Energy Inc.).
Qualifications: Judge Lally-Green has served in various legal and
business roles and directorship positions throughout her career. Judge
Lally-Green previously held the position of Dean of the School of Law
of Duquesne University (as well as Interim Dean). Judge Lally-Green
previously served as a member of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania
and as a Professor of Law, Duquesne University School of Law. Judge
Lally-Green was appointed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to
serve on the Supreme Court’s Board of Continuing Judicial Education
and the Supreme Court’s Appellate Court Procedural Rules
Committee. Judge Lally-Green also currently holds the positions on
not for profit or for profit boards of directors as follows: Director
and Chair, UPMC Mercy Hospital; Regent, Saint Vincent Seminary;
Member, Pennsylvania State Board of Education (public); Director,
Catholic Charities, Pittsburgh; and Director CNX Resources
Corporation (formerly known as CONSOL Energy Inc.). Judge
Lally-Green has held the positions of: Director, Auberle; Director,
Epilepsy Foundation of Western and Central Pennsylvania; Director,
Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh; Director, Saint Thomas More Society;
Director and Chair, Catholic High Schools of the Diocese of
Pittsburgh, Inc.; Director, Pennsylvania Bar Institute; Director,
St. Vincent College; Director and Chair, North Catholic High
School, Inc.; Director and Vice Chair, Our Campaign for the Church
Alive!, Inc.; and Director, Saint Francis University.
Annual Shareholder Report
53

Name
Birth Date
Positions Held with
Corporation
Date Service Began
Principal Occupation(s) for Past Five Years,
Other Directorships Held, Previous Position(s) and Qualifications
Thomas M. O’Neill
Birth Date: June 14, 1951
Director
Indefinite Term
Began serving: August 2006
Principal Occupations: Director or Trustee of the Federated Hermes
Fund Family; Sole Proprietor, Navigator Management Company
(investment and strategic consulting).
Other Directorships Held: None.
Qualifications: Mr. O’Neill has served in several business, mutual fund
and financial management roles and directorship positions throughout
his career. Mr. O’Neill serves as Director, Medicines for Humanity.
Mr. O’Neill previously served as Chief Executive Officer and President,
Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer, Fleet Investment
Advisors; President and Chief Executive Officer, Aeltus Investment
Management, Inc.; General Partner, Hellman, Jordan Management
Co., Boston, MA; Chief Investment Officer, The Putnam Companies,
Boston, MA; Credit Analyst and Lending Officer, Fleet Bank; Director
and Consultant, EZE Castle Software (investment order management
software); Director, The Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples,
Florida; and Director, Midway Pacific (lumber).
Madelyn A. Reilly
Birth Date: February 2, 1956
Director
Indefinite Term
Began serving:
November 2020
Principal Occupations: Director or Trustee of the Federated Hermes
Fund Family; formerly, Senior Vice President for Legal Affairs, General
Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Directors, Duquesne University.
Other Directorships Held: None.
Qualifications: Ms. Reilly has served in various business and legal
management roles throughout her career. Ms. Reilly previously served
as Senior Vice President for Legal Affairs, General Counsel and
Secretary to the Board of Directors and Assistant General Counsel and
Director of Risk Management, Duquesne University. Prior to her work
at Duquesne University, Ms. Reilly served as Assistant General
Counsel of Compliance and Enterprise Risk as well as Senior Counsel
of Environment, Health and Safety, PPG Industries.
P. Jerome Richey
Birth Date: February 23, 1949
Director
Indefinite Term
Began serving: October 2013
Principal Occupations: Director or Trustee of the Federated Hermes
Fund Family; Management Consultant; Retired; formerly, Senior Vice
Chancellor and Chief Legal Officer, University of Pittsburgh and
Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, CONSOL Energy Inc.
(now split into two separate publicly traded companies known as
CONSOL Energy Inc. and CNX Resources Corp.).
Other Directorships Held: None.
Qualifications: Mr. Richey has served in several business and legal
management roles and directorship positions throughout his career.
Mr. Richey most recently held the positions of Senior Vice Chancellor
and Chief Legal Officer, University of Pittsburgh. Mr. Richey previously
served as Chairman of the Board, Epilepsy Foundation of Western
Pennsylvania and Chairman of the Board, World Affairs Council of
Pittsburgh. Mr. Richey previously served as Chief Legal Officer and
Executive Vice President, CONSOL Energy Inc. and CNX Gas
Company; and Board Member, Ethics Counsel and Shareholder,
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC (a law firm).
Annual Shareholder Report
54

Name
Birth Date
Positions Held with
Corporation
Date Service Began
Principal Occupation(s) for Past Five Years,
Other Directorships Held, Previous Position(s) and Qualifications
John S. Walsh
Birth Date:
November 28, 1957
Director
Indefinite Term
Began serving: January 1999
Principal Occupations: Director or Trustee of the Federated Hermes
Fund Family; President and Director, Heat Wagon, Inc. (manufacturer
of construction temporary heaters); President and Director,
Manufacturers Products, Inc. (distributor of portable construction
heaters); President, Portable Heater Parts, a division of Manufacturers
Products, Inc.
Other Directorships Held: None.
Qualifications: Mr. Walsh has served in several business management
roles and directorship positions throughout his career. Mr. Walsh
previously served as Vice President, Walsh & Kelly, Inc.
(paving contractors).
OFFICERS
Name
Birth Date
Positions Held with
Corporation
Date Service Began
Principal Occupation(s) for Past Five Years
and Previous Position(s)
Lori A. Hensler
Birth Date: January 6, 1967
TREASURER
Officer since: April 2013
Principal Occupations: Principal Financial Officer and Treasurer of the
Federated Hermes Fund Family; Senior Vice President, Federated
Administrative Services; Financial and Operations Principal for
Federated Securities Corp.; and Assistant Treasurer, Federated
Investors Trust Company. Ms. Hensler has received the Certified
Public Accountant designation.
Previous Positions: Controller of Federated Hermes, Inc.; Senior Vice
President and Assistant Treasurer, Federated Investors Management
Company; Treasurer, Federated Investors Trust Company; Assistant
Treasurer, Federated Administrative Services, Federated
Administrative Services, Inc., Federated Securities Corp., Edgewood
Services, Inc., Federated Advisory Services Company, Federated
Equity Management Company of Pennsylvania, Federated Global
Investment Management Corp., Federated Investment Counseling,
Federated Investment Management Company, Passport Research,
Ltd., and Federated MDTA, LLC; Financial and Operations Principal for
Federated Securities Corp., Edgewood Services, Inc. and Southpointe
Distribution Services, Inc.
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Name
Birth Date
Positions Held with
Corporation
Date Service Began
Principal Occupation(s) for Past Five Years
and Previous Position(s)
Peter J. Germain
Birth Date:
September 3, 1959
CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER,
SECRETARY and EXECUTIVE
VICE PRESIDENT
Officer since: January 2005
Principal Occupations: Mr. Germain is Chief Legal Officer, Secretary
and Executive Vice President of the Federated Hermes Fund Family.
He is General Counsel, Chief Legal Officer, Secretary and Executive
Vice President, Federated Hermes, Inc.; Trustee and Senior Vice
President, Federated Investors Management Company; Trustee and
President, Federated Administrative Services; Director and President,
Federated Administrative Services, Inc.; Director and Vice President,
Federated Securities Corp.; Director and Secretary, Federated Private
Asset Management, Inc.; Secretary, Federated Shareholder Services
Company; and Secretary, Retirement Plan Service Company of
America. Mr. Germain joined Federated Hermes, Inc. in 1984 and is a
member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
Previous Positions: Deputy General Counsel, Special Counsel,
Managing Director of Mutual Fund Services, Federated Hermes, Inc.;
Senior Vice President, Federated Services Company; and Senior
Corporate Counsel, Federated Hermes, Inc.
Stephen Van Meter
Birth Date: June 5, 1975
CHIEF COMPLIANCE
OFFICER AND SENIOR
VICE PRESIDENT
Officer since: July 2015
Principal Occupations: Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance
Officer of the Federated Hermes Fund Family; Vice President and
Chief Compliance Officer of Federated Hermes, Inc. and Chief
Compliance Officer of certain of its subsidiaries. Mr. Van Meter joined
Federated Hermes, Inc. in October 2011. He holds FINRA licenses
under Series 3, 7, 24 and 66.
Previous Positions: Mr. Van Meter previously held the position of
Compliance Operating Officer, Federated Hermes, Inc. Prior to joining
Federated Hermes, Inc., Mr. Van Meter served at the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission in the positions of Senior
Counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Division of Investment Management
and Senior Counsel, Division of Enforcement.
Robert J. Ostrowski
Birth Date: April 26, 1963
Chief Investment Officer
Officer since: May 2004
Principal Occupations: Robert J. Ostrowski joined Federated Hermes,
Inc. in 1987 as an Investment Analyst and became a Portfolio Manager
in 1990. He was named Chief Investment Officer of Federated
Hermes’ taxable fixed-income products in 2004 and also serves as a
Senior Portfolio Manager. Mr. Ostrowski became an Executive Vice
President of the Fund’s Adviser in 2009 and served as a Senior Vice
President of the Fund’s Adviser from 1997 to 2009. Mr. Ostrowski has
received the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He received his
M.S. in Industrial Administration from Carnegie Mellon University.
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Evaluation and Approval of Advisory ContractMay 2021
Federated Hermes Corporate Bond Fund (the “Fund”)
At its meetings in May 2021 (the “May Meetings”), the Fund’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), including those Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Fund, as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Independent Directors”), reviewed and unanimously approved the continuation of the investment advisory contract between the Fund and Federated Investment Management Company (the “Adviser”) (the “Contract”) for an additional one-year term. The Board’s determination to approve the continuation of the Contract reflects the exercise of its business judgment after considering all of the information and factors believed to be relevant and appropriate on whether to approve the continuation of the existing arrangement. The information, factors and conclusions that formed the basis for the Board’s approval are summarized below.
Information Received and Review Process
At the request of the Independent Directors, the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer (the “CCO”) furnished to the Board in advance of its May Meetings an independent written evaluation presenting on the topics discussed below. The Board considered the CCO’s independent written evaluation (the “CCO Fee Evaluation Report”), along with other information, in evaluating the reasonableness of the Fund’s management fee and in determining to approve the continuation of the Contract. The CCO, in preparing the CCO Fee Evaluation Report, has the authority to retain consultants, experts or staff as reasonably necessary to assist in the performance of his duties, reports directly to the Board, and can be terminated only with the approval of a majority of the Independent Directors. At the request of the Independent Directors, the CCO Fee Evaluation Report followed the same general approach and covered the same topics as that of the report that had previously been delivered by the CCO in his capacity as “Senior Officer” prior to the elimination of the Senior Officer position in December 2017.
In addition to the extensive materials that comprise and accompany the CCO Fee Evaluation Report, the Board considered information specifically prepared in connection with the approval of the continuation of the Contract that was presented at the May Meetings. In this regard, in the months preceding the May Meetings, the Board requested and reviewed written responses and supporting materials prepared by the Adviser and its affiliates (collectively, “Federated Hermes”) in response to requests posed to Federated Hermes on behalf of the Independent Directors encompassing a wide variety of topics, including those summarized below. The Board also considered such additional
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matters as the Independent Directors deemed reasonably necessary to evaluate the Contract, which included detailed information about the Fund and Federated Hermes furnished to the Board at its meetings throughout the year and in between regularly scheduled meetings on particular matters as the need arose.
The Board’s consideration of the Contract included review of materials and information covering the following matters, among others: the Adviser’s investment philosophy, revenue, profitability, personnel and processes; investment and operating strategies; the Fund’s short-term and long-term performance (in absolute terms, both on a gross basis and net of expenses, and relative to the Fund’s particular investment program and a group of its peer funds and/or its benchmark, as appropriate) and comments on the reasons for the Fund’s performance; the Fund’s investment objectives; the Fund’s expenses, including the advisory fee and the overall expense structure of the Fund (both in absolute terms and relative to a group of its peer funds), with due regard for contractual or voluntary expense limitations (if any); the use and allocation of brokerage commissions derived from trading the Fund’s portfolio securities (if any); and the nature, quality and extent of the advisory and other services provided to the Fund by the Adviser and its affiliates. The Board also considered the preferences and expectations of Fund shareholders; the entrepreneurial and other risks assumed by the Adviser in sponsoring and managing the Fund; the continuing state of competition in the mutual fund industry and market practices; the range of comparable fees for similar funds in the mutual fund industry; the Fund’s relationship to the other funds advised by Federated Hermes (each, a “Federated Hermes Fund” and, collectively, the “Federated Hermes Funds”), which include a comprehensive array of funds with different investment objectives, policies and strategies, and the benefits to shareholders of being part of the family of Federated Hermes Funds, which include the general right to exchange investments between the same class of shares without the incurrence of additional sales charges; compliance and audit reports concerning the Federated Hermes Funds and Federated Hermes’ affiliates that service them (including communications from regulatory agencies), as well as Federated Hermes’ responses to any issues raised therein; and relevant developments in the mutual fund industry and how the Federated Hermes Funds and/or Federated Hermes may be responding to them. The Board noted that its evaluation process is evolutionary and that the criteria considered and the emphasis placed on relevant criteria may change in recognition of changing circumstances in the mutual fund marketplace.
The Board also considered judicial decisions concerning allegedly excessive investment advisory fees in determining to approve the Contract. Using these judicial decisions as a guide, the Board observed that the following factors may be relevant to an adviser’s fiduciary duty with respect to its receipt of compensation from a fund: (1) the nature and quality of the services provided by an adviser to a fund and its shareholders (including the performance of the
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fund, its benchmark, and comparable funds); (2) an adviser’s cost of providing the services (including the profitability to an adviser of providing advisory services to a fund); (3) the extent to which an adviser may realize “economies of scale” as a fund grows larger and, if such economies of scale exist, whether they have been appropriately shared with a fund and its shareholders or the family of funds; (4) any “fall-out” benefits that accrue to an adviser because of its relationship with a fund (including research services received from brokers that execute fund trades and any fees paid to affiliates of an adviser for services rendered to a fund); (5) comparative fee and expense structures (including a comparison of fees paid to an adviser with those paid by similar funds both internally and externally as well as management fees charged to institutional and other advisory clients of the adviser for what might be viewed as like services); and (6) the extent of care, conscientiousness and independence with which the fund’s board members perform their duties and their expertise (including whether they are fully informed about all facts the board deems relevant to its consideration of an adviser’s services and fees). The Board noted that the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) disclosure requirements regarding the basis for a fund board’s approval of the fund’s investment advisory contract generally align with the factors listed above. The Board was guided by these factors in its review of the Contract to the extent it considered them to be appropriate and relevant, as discussed further below. The Board considered and weighed these factors in light of its substantial accumulated experience in governing the Fund and working with Federated Hermes on matters relating to the Federated Hermes Funds.
In addition to considering the above-referenced factors, the Board was mindful of the potential disruptions of the Fund’s operations and various risks, uncertainties and other effects that could occur as a result of a decision to terminate or not renew the Contract. In particular, the Board recognized that many shareholders have invested in the Fund on the strength of Federated Hermes’ industry standing and reputation and with the expectation that Federated Hermes will have a continuing role in providing advisory services to the Fund. Thus, the Board observed that in the marketplace there are a range of investment options available to the Fund’s shareholders and such shareholders, having had the opportunity to consider other investment options, have effectively selected Federated Hermes by virtue of investing in the Fund.
In determining to approve the continuation of the Contract, the members of the Board reviewed and evaluated information and factors they believed to be relevant and appropriate through the exercise of their reasonable business judgment. While individual members of the Board may have weighed certain factors differently, the Board’s determination to approve the continuation of the Contract was based on a comprehensive consideration of all information provided to the Board throughout the year and specifically with respect to the continuation of the Contract. The Independent Directors were assisted throughout the evaluation process by independent legal counsel. In connection
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with their deliberations at the May Meetings, the Independent Directors met separately in executive session with their independent legal counsel and without management present to review the relevant materials and consider their responsibilities under applicable laws. In addition, senior management representatives of Federated Hermes also met with the Independent Directors and their independent legal counsel to discuss the materials and presentations furnished to the Board at the May Meetings. The Board considered the approval of the Contract for the Fund as part of its consideration of agreements for funds across the Federated Hermes Funds family, but its approvals were made on a fund-by-fund basis.
Nature, Extent and Quality of Services
The Board considered the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the Fund by the Adviser and the resources of the Adviser and its affiliates dedicated to the Fund. In this regard, the Board evaluated, among other things, the terms of the Contract and the range of services provided to the Fund by the Adviser and its affiliates. The Board considered the Adviser’s personnel, investment philosophy and process, investment research capabilities and resources, trade execution capabilities, experience and performance track record. The Board reviewed the qualifications, backgrounds and responsibilities of the portfolio management team primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund and the Adviser’s ability and experience in attracting and retaining qualified personnel to service the Fund. The Fund’s ability to deliver competitive performance when compared to its Performance Peer Group (as defined below) was also deemed to be relevant by the Board as a useful indicator of how the Adviser is executing the Fund’s investment program.
In addition, the Board considered the financial resources and overall reputation of Federated Hermes and its willingness to consider and make investments in personnel, infrastructure, technology, cybersecurity, business continuity planning and operational enhancements that are designed to benefit the Federated Hermes Funds. The Board noted the significant acquisition of Hermes Fund Managers Limited by Federated Hermes in 2018, which has deepened the organization’s investment management expertise and capabilities and expanded the investment process for all of the Federated Hermes Funds to have access to analytical resources related to environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors and issuer engagement on ESG matters.
The Board considered the quality of the Adviser’s communications with the Board and responsiveness to Board inquiries and requests made from time to time with respect to the Fund and other Federated Hermes Funds. In this regard, the Board took into account the Adviser’s communications with the Board in light of the market volatility amidst the pandemic. The Board also considered that Federated Hermes is responsible for providing the Federated Hermes Funds’ officers.
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The Board received and evaluated information regarding the Adviser’s regulatory and compliance environment. The Board considered the Adviser’s compliance program, compliance history, and reports from the CCO about the Adviser’s compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including responses to regulatory developments and any compliance or other issues raised by regulatory agencies. The Board also noted Federated Hermes’ support of the Federated Hermes Funds’ compliance control structure and, in particular, the compliance-related resources devoted by the Adviser and its affiliates in support of the Fund’s obligations pursuant to Rule 38a-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, including the Adviser’s commitment to respond to rulemaking and other regulatory initiatives of the SEC. The Board considered Federated Hermes’ day-to-day oversight of the Federated Hermes Funds’ compliance with their investment objectives and policies as well as with applicable laws and regulations, noting that regulatory and other developments had over time led to an increase in the scope of Federated Hermes’ oversight in this regard, including in connection with the designation of the Federated Hermes Funds’ investment advisers as the administrators of the Federated Hermes Funds’ liquidity risk management program.
The Board also considered discussions with Federated Hermes regarding the implementation of its business continuity plans and recognized steps taken by Federated Hermes to continue to provide the same nature, extent and quality of services to the Federated Hermes Funds during the pandemic. In addition, the Board noted Federated Hermes’ commitment to maintaining high quality systems and expending substantial resources to prepare for and respond to ongoing changes due to the market, regulatory and control environments in which the Fund and its service providers operate, including changes associated with the pandemic.
Based on these considerations, the Board concluded that the nature, extent and quality of the Adviser’s investment management and related services warrant the continuation of the Contract.
Fund Investment Performance
In evaluating the Fund’s investment performance, the Board considered performance results in light of the Fund’s investment objective, strategies and risks, as disclosed in the Fund’s prospectus. The Board also considered detailed investment reports on, and the Adviser’s analysis of, the Fund’s performance over different time periods that were provided to the Board throughout the year and in connection with the May Meetings. These reports include, among other items, information on the Fund’s gross and net returns, the Fund’s investment performance compared to one or more relevant investment categories and the Fund’s benchmark index, portfolio attribution information and commentary on the effect of current and recent market conditions.
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The Board also reviewed comparative information regarding the performance of other mutual funds in the category of peer funds selected by Morningstar, Inc. (the “Morningstar”), an independent fund ranking organization (the “Performance Peer Group”), noting the CCO’s view that comparisons to fund peer groups may be helpful, though not conclusive, in evaluating the performance of the Adviser in managing the Fund. The Board considered, in evaluating such comparisons, that in some cases there may be differences in the funds’ objectives or investment management techniques, or the costs to implement the funds, even within the same Performance Peer Group.
For the periods ended December 31, 2020, the Fund’s performance for the five-year period was above the median of the Performance Peer Group, and the Fund’s performance fell below the median of the Performance Peer Group for the one-year and three-year periods. The Board discussed the Fund’s performance with the Adviser and recognized the efforts being taken by the Adviser in the context of other factors considered relevant by the Board.
Following such evaluation and full deliberations, the Board concluded that the performance of the Fund supported renewal of the Contract.
Fund Expenses
The Board considered the advisory fee and overall expense structure of the Fund and the comparative fee and expense information that had been provided in connection with the May Meetings. In this regard, the Board was presented with, and considered, information regarding the contractual advisory fee rates, net advisory fee rates, total expense ratios and each element of the Fund’s total expense ratio (i.e., gross and net advisory fees, administrative fees, custody fees, portfolio accounting fees and transfer agency fees) relative to an appropriate group of peer funds compiled by Federated Hermes from the category of peer funds selected by Morningstar (the “Expense Peer Group”). The Board received a description of the methodology used to select the Expense Peer Group from the overall Morningstar category. The Board also reviewed comparative information regarding the fees and expenses of the broader group of funds in the overall Morningstar category.
While mindful that courts have cautioned against giving too much weight to comparative information concerning fees charged by other advisers for managing funds with comparable investment programs, the Board noted that it found the use of such comparisons to be relevant to its deliberations. The Board focused on comparisons with other similar mutual funds more heavily than non-mutual fund products or services because such comparisons are believed to be more relevant. The Board considered that other mutual funds are the products most like the Fund, in that they are readily available to Fund shareholders as alternative investment vehicles, and they are the type of
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investment vehicle, in fact, chosen and maintained by the Fund’s shareholders. The Board noted that the range of such other mutual funds’ fees and expenses, therefore, appears to be a relevant indicator of what consumers have found to be reasonable in the marketplace in which the Fund competes.
The Board reviewed the contractual advisory fee rate, net advisory fee rate and other expenses of the Fund and noted the position of the Fund’s fee rates relative to its Expense Peer Group. In this regard, the Board noted that the contractual advisory fee rate was above the median of the relevant Expense Peer Group, but the Board noted the applicable waivers and reimbursements, and that the overall expense structure of the Fund remained competitive in the context of other factors considered by the Board.
The Board also received and considered information about the fees charged by Federated Hermes for providing advisory services to other types of clients with investment strategies similar to those of the Federated Hermes Funds, including non-mutual fund clients (such as institutional separate accounts) and third-party unaffiliated mutual funds for which the Adviser or its affiliates serve as sub-adviser. The Board noted the CCO’s conclusion that non-mutual fund clients are inherently different products due to the following differences, among others: (i) different types of targeted investors; (ii) different applicable laws and regulations; (iii) different legal structures; (iv) different average account sizes and portfolio management techniques made necessary by different cash flows and different associated costs; (v) the time spent by portfolio managers and their teams (among other personnel across various departments, including legal, compliance and risk management) in reviewing securities pricing, addressing different administrative responsibilities, and addressing different degrees of risk associated with management; and (vi) a variety of different costs. The Board also considered information regarding the differences in the nature of the services required for Federated Hermes to manage its proprietary mutual fund business versus managing a discrete pool of assets as a sub-adviser to another institution’s mutual fund, noting the CCO’s view that Federated Hermes generally performs significant additional services and assumes substantially greater risks in managing the Fund and other Federated Hermes Funds than in its role as sub-adviser to an unaffiliated third-party mutual fund. The Board noted that the CCO did not consider the fees for providing advisory services to other types of clients to be determinative in judging the appropriateness of the Federated Hermes Funds’ advisory fees.
Following such evaluation and full deliberations, the Board concluded that the fees and expenses of the Fund are reasonable and supported renewal of the Contract.
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Profitability and Other Benefits
The Board also received financial information about Federated Hermes, including information regarding the compensation and ancillary (or “fall-out”) benefits that Federated Hermes derived from its relationships with the Federated Hermes Funds. This information covered not only the fees under the Federated Hermes Funds’ investment advisory contracts, but also fees received by Federated Hermes’ affiliates for providing other services to the Federated Hermes Funds under separate contracts (e.g., for serving as the Federated Hermes Funds’ administrator and distributor). In this regard, the Board considered that certain of Federated Hermes’ affiliates provide distribution and shareholder services to the Federated Hermes Funds, for which they may be compensated through distribution and servicing fees paid pursuant to Rule 12b-1 plans or otherwise. The Board also received and considered information detailing any indirect benefit that Federated Hermes may derive from its receipt of research services from brokers who execute portfolio trades for the Federated Hermes Funds. In addition, the Board considered that, in order for the Federated Hermes Funds to remain competitive in the marketplace, the Adviser and its affiliates frequently waived fees and/or reimbursed expenses and have disclosed to Federated Hermes Fund shareholders and/or reported to the Board their intention to do so (or continue to do so) in the future. Moreover, the Board received and considered regular reports from Federated Hermes throughout the year as to the institution, adjustment or elimination of these voluntary waivers and/or reimbursements.
The Board received and considered information furnished by Federated Hermes, as requested by the CCO, that reported revenues on a fund-by-fund basis and made estimates of the allocation of expenses on a fund-by-fund basis, using allocation methodologies specified by the CCO and described to the Board. The Board considered the CCO’s view that, while these cost allocation reports apply consistent allocation processes, the inherent difficulties in allocating costs continues to cause the CCO to question the precision of the process and to conclude that such reports may be unreliable because a single change in an allocation estimate may dramatically alter the resulting estimate of cost and/or profitability of a Federated Hermes Fund and may produce unintended consequences. The allocation information, including the CCO’s view that cost allocations on a fund-by-fund basis may be unreliable, was considered in the evaluation by the Board. In addition, the Board considered the CCO’s view that the allocation methodologies used by Federated Hermes in estimating profitability for purposes of reporting to the Board in connection with the continuation of the Contract are consistent with the methodologies previously reviewed by an independent consultant. The Board noted that the independent consultant had previously conducted a review of the allocation methodologies and reported that, although there is no single best method to allocate expenses, the methodologies used by Federated Hermes are reasonable.
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The Board also reviewed information compiled by Federated Hermes comparing its profitability information to other publicly held fund management companies, including information regarding profitability trends over time. The Board considered the CCO’s conclusion that, based on such profitability information, Federated Hermes’ profit margins did not appear to be excessive. The Board also considered the CCO’s view that Federated Hermes appeared financially sound, with the resources necessary to fulfill its obligations under its contracts with the Federated Hermes Funds.
Economies of Scale
The Board received and considered information about the notion of possible realization of “economies of scale” as a fund grows larger, the difficulties of calculating economies of scale at an individual fund level, and the extent to which potential scale benefits are shared with shareholders. In this regard, the Board considered that Federated Hermes has made significant and long-term investments in areas that support all of the Federated Hermes Funds, such as personnel and processes for the portfolio management (including market data on which portfolio managers make investment decisions), trading operations, issuer engagement (including with respect to ESG matters), shareholder services, compliance, business continuity, internal audit and risk management functions, as well as systems technology (including technology relating to cybersecurity) and use of data. The Board noted that Federated Hermes’ investments in these areas are extensive and are designed to provide enhanced services to the Federated Hermes Funds and their shareholders. The Board considered that the benefits of these investments (as well as the benefits of any economies of scale, should they exist) are likely to be shared with the family of Federated Hermes Funds as a whole. In addition, the Board considered that the Adviser and its affiliates have frequently waived fees and/or reimbursed expenses for the Federated Hermes Funds and that such waivers and reimbursements are another means for potential economies of scale to be shared with shareholders and can provide protection from an increase in expenses if a Federated Hermes Fund’s assets decline. The Board also considered reports on adviser-paid fees (commonly referred to as “revenue sharing”) that were provided to the Board throughout the year and in connection with the May Meetings. The Board considered the beliefs of Federated Hermes and the CCO that this information should be viewed to determine if there was an incentive to either not apply breakpoints, or to apply breakpoints at higher levels, and should not be viewed to determine the appropriateness of advisory fees. The Board also noted the absence of any applicable regulatory or industry guidelines on this subject, which is compounded by the lack of any common industry practice or general pattern with respect to structuring fund advisory fees with “breakpoints” that serve to reduce the fees as a fund attains a certain size.
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Conclusions
The Board considered: (i) the CCO’s conclusion that his observations and the information accompanying the CCO Fee Evaluation Report show that the management fee for the Fund was reasonable; and (ii) the CCO’s recommendation that the Board approve the management fee. The Board noted that, under these circumstances, no changes were recommended to, and no objection was raised to the continuation of, the Contract by the CCO. The CCO also recognized that the Board’s evaluation of the Federated Hermes Funds’ advisory and sub-advisory arrangements is a continuing and ongoing process that is informed by the information that the Board requests and receives from management throughout the course of the year and, in this regard, the CCO noted certain items for future reporting to the Board or further consideration by management as the Board continues its ongoing oversight of the Federated Hermes Funds.
On the basis of the information and factors summarized above, among other information and factors deemed relevant by the Board, and the evaluation thereof, the Board, including the Independent Directors, unanimously voted to approve the continuation of the Contract. The Board based its determination to approve the Contract on the totality of the circumstances and relevant factors and with a view of past and future long-term considerations. Not all of the factors and considerations identified above were necessarily deemed to be relevant to the Fund, nor did the Board consider any one of them to be determinative. With respect to the factors that were deemed to be relevant, the Board’s determination to approve the continuation of the Contract reflects its view that Federated Hermes’ performance and actions provided a satisfactory basis to support the determination to approve the continuation of the existing arrangement.
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Liquidity Risk Management Program
Annual Evaluation of Adequacy and Effectiveness
In accordance with Rule 22e-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Liquidity Rule”), Federated Hermes Investment Series Funds, Inc. (the “Corporation”) has adopted and implemented a liquidity risk management program (the “Program”) for Federated Hermes Corporate Bond Fund (the “Fund” and, collectively with the other non-money market open-end funds advised by Federated Hermes, the “Federated Hermes Funds”). The Program seeks to assess and manage the Fund’s liquidity risk. “Liquidity risk” is defined under the Liquidity Rule as the risk that the Fund is unable to meet redemption requests without significantly diluting remaining investors’ interests in the Fund. The Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) has approved the designation of the Fund’s investment adviser as the administrator for the Program with respect to the Fund (the “Administrator”). Each affiliated Federated Hermes advisory subsidiary (including the Fund’s investment adviser) that serves as investment adviser to a Federated Hermes Fund (including the Fund) has been approved as the administrator of the Program with respect to each Federated Hermes Fund that is managed by such advisory subsidiary (collectively, the “Administrator”). The Administrator, in turn, has delegated day-to-day responsibility for the administration of the Program to multiple Liquidity Risk Management Committees, which are comprised of representatives from certain divisions within Federated Hermes.
The Program is comprised of various components designed to support the assessment and/or management of liquidity risk, including: (1) the periodic assessment (no less frequently than annually) of certain factors that influence the Fund’s liquidity risk; (2) the periodic classification (no less frequently than monthly) of the Fund’s investments into one of four liquidity categories that reflect an estimate of their liquidity under current market conditions; (3) a 15% limit on the acquisition of “illiquid investments” (as defined under the Liquidity Rule); (4) to the extent a Fund does not invest primarily in “highly liquid investments” (as defined under the Liquidity Rule), the determination of a minimum percentage of the Fund’s assets that generally will be invested in highly liquid investments (an “HLIM”); (5) if a Fund has established an HLIM, the periodic review (no less frequently than annually) of the HLIM and the adoption of policies and procedures for responding to a shortfall of the Fund’s highly liquid investments below its HLIM; and (6) periodic reporting to the Board.
At its meetings in May 2021, the Board received and reviewed a written report (the “Report”) from the Federated Hermes Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Risk Officer, on behalf of the Administrator, concerning the operation of the Program for the period from April 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021 (the “Period”). The Report addressed the operation of the Program and assessed its adequacy and effectiveness, including, where
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applicable, the operation of any HLIM established for a Federated Hermes Fund and each Federated Hermes Fund’s access to other available funding sources such as the Federated Hermes Funds’ interfund lending facility, redemptions in-kind and committed lines of credit. There were no material changes to the Program during the Period. The Report summarized the operation of the Program and the information and factors considered by the Administrator in assessing whether the Program has been adequately and effectively implemented with respect to the Federated Hermes Funds. Such information and factors included, among other things:
■ confirmation that the Fund did not utilize alternative funding sources during the Period;
■ the periodic classifications of the Fund’s investments into one of four liquidity categories and the methodologies and inputs used to classify the investments, including the Fund’s reasonably anticipated trade size;
■ the analysis received from a third-party liquidity assessment vendor that is taken into account in the process of determining the liquidity classifications of the Fund’s investments and the results of an evaluation of the services performed by the vendor in support of this process;
■ the fact that the Fund invested primarily in highly liquid investments during the Period and, therefore, was not required to establish, and has not established, an HLIM and the procedures for monitoring the status of the Fund as investing primarily in highly liquid investments;
■ the fact that the Fund invested no more than 15% of its assets in illiquid investments during the Period and the procedures for monitoring this limit; and
■ liquidity events during the Period, including the impact on liquidity caused by extended non-U.S. market closures and the March-April 2020 market conditions, and the fact that there were no specific liquidity events during the Period that materially affected the Fund’s liquidity risk.
Based on this review, the Administrator concluded that the Program is operating effectively to assess and manage the Fund’s liquidity risk, and that the Program has been and continues to be adequately and effectively implemented to monitor and, as applicable, respond to the Fund’s liquidity developments.
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Voting Proxies on Fund Portfolio Securities
A description of the policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies, if any, relating to securities held in the Fund’s portfolio is available, without charge and upon request, by calling 1-800-341-7400. A report on “Form N-PX” of how the Fund voted any such proxies during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available via the Proxy Voting Record (Form N-PX) link associated with the Fund and share class name at FederatedInvestors.com/FundInformation. Form N-PX filings are also available at the SEC’s website at sec.gov.
Quarterly Portfolio Schedule
Each fiscal quarter, the Fund will file with the SEC a complete schedule of its monthly portfolio holdings on “Form N-PORT.” The Fund’s holdings as of the end of the third month of every fiscal quarter, as reported on Form N-PORT, will be publicly available on the SEC’s website at sec.gov within 60 days of the end of the fiscal quarter upon filing. You may also access this information via the link to the Fund and share class name at FederatedInvestors.com.
Annual Shareholder Report
69

Mutual funds are not bank deposits or obligations, are not guaranteed by any bank and are not insured or guaranteed by the U.S. government, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency. Investment in mutual funds involves investment risk, including the possible loss of principal.
This Report is authorized for distribution to prospective investors only when preceded or accompanied by the Fund’s Prospectus, which contains facts concerning its objective and policies, management fees, expenses and other information.
Federated Hermes Corporate Bond Fund
Federated Hermes Funds
4000 Ericsson Drive
Warrendale, PA 15086-7561
Contact us at FederatedInvestors.com
or call 1-800-341-7400.
Federated Securities Corp., Distributor
CUSIP 31420F103
CUSIP 31420F202
CUSIP 31420F301
CUSIP 31420F400
CUSIP 31420F509
CUSIP 31420F608
29747 (1/22)
© 2022 Federated Hermes, Inc.

  Item 2. Code of Ethics

 

(a) As of the end of the period covered by this report, the registrant has adopted a code of ethics (the "Section 406 Standards for Investment Companies - Ethical Standards for Principal Executive and Financial Officers") that applies to the registrant's Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer; the registrant's Principal Financial Officer also serves as the Principal Accounting Officer.

(c) There was no amendment to the registrant’s code of ethics described in Item 2(a) above during the period covered by the report.

(d) There was no waiver granted, either actual or implicit, from a provision to the registrant’s code of ethics described in Item 2(a) above during the period covered by the report.

(e) Not Applicable

(f)(3) The registrant hereby undertakes to provide any person, without charge, upon request, a copy of the code of ethics. To request a copy of the code of ethics, contact the registrant at 1-800-341-7400, and ask for a copy of the Section 406 Standards for Investment Companies - Ethical Standards for Principal Executive and Financial Officers.

Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert

The registrant's Board has determined that each of the following members of the Board's Audit Committee is an “audit committee financial expert,” and is "independent," for purposes of this Item:   G. Thomas Hough and Thomas M. O'Neill. 

 

  Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services

 

(a)       Audit Fees billed to the registrant for the two most recent fiscal years:

Fiscal year ended 2021 – $32,800

Fiscal year ended 2020 - $32,800

(b)       Audit-Related Fees billed to the registrant for the two most recent fiscal years:

Fiscal year ended 2021 - $0

Fiscal year ended 2020 - $0

Amount requiring approval of the registrant’s Audit Committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X, $0 and $0 respectively.

(c)        Tax Fees billed to the registrant for the two most recent fiscal years:

Fiscal year ended 2021 - $0

Fiscal year ended 2020 - $0

Amount requiring approval of the registrant’s Audit Committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X, $0 and $0 respectively.

(d)       All Other Fees billed to the registrant for the two most recent fiscal years:

Fiscal year ended 2021 - $0

Fiscal year ended 2020 - $0

Amount requiring approval of the registrant’s Audit Committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X, $0 and $0 respectively.

(e)(1) Audit Committee Policies regarding Pre-approval of Services.

The Audit Committee is required to pre-approve audit and non-audit services performed by the independent auditor in order to assure that the provision of such services do not impair the auditor’s independence. Unless a type of service to be provided by the independent auditor has received general pre-approval, it will require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee. Any proposed services exceeding pre-approved cost levels will require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee.

Certain services have the general pre-approval of the Audit Committee. The term of the general pre-approval is 12 months from the date of pre-approval, unless the Audit Committee specifically provides for a different period. The Audit Committee will annually review the services that may be provided by the independent auditor without obtaining specific pre-approval from the Audit Committee and may grant general pre-approval for such services. The Audit Committee will revise the list of general pre-approved services from time to time, based on subsequent determinations. The Audit Committee will not delegate to management its responsibilities to pre-approve services performed by the independent auditor.

The Audit Committee has delegated pre-approval authority to its chairman (the “Chairman”) for services that do not exceed a specified dollar threshold. The Chairman or Chief Audit Executive will report any such pre-approval decisions to the Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting. The Committee will designate another member with such pre-approval authority when the Chairman is unavailable.

AUDIT SERVICES

The annual audit services engagement terms and fees will be subject to the specific pre-approval of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee will approve, if necessary, any changes in terms, conditions and fees resulting from changes in audit scope, registered investment company (RIC) structure or other matters.

In addition to the annual audit services engagement specifically approved by the Audit Committee, the Audit Committee may grant general pre-approval for other audit services, which are those services that only the independent auditor reasonably can provide. The Audit Committee has pre-approved certain audit services; with limited exception, all other audit services must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee.

AUDIT-RELATED SERVICES

Audit-related services are assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the RIC’s financial statements or that are traditionally performed by the independent auditor. The Audit Committee believes that the provision of audit-related services does not impair the independence of the auditor, and has pre-approved certain audit-related services; all other audit-related services must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee.

TAX SERVICES

The Audit Committee believes that the independent auditor can provide tax services to the RIC such as tax compliance, tax planning and tax advice without impairing the auditor’s independence. However, the Audit Committee will not permit the retention of the independent auditor in connection with a transaction initially recommended by the independent auditor, the purpose of which may be tax avoidance and the tax treatment of which may not be supported in the Internal Revenue Code and related regulations. The Audit Committee has pre-approved certain tax services; with limited exception, all tax services involving large and complex transactions must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee.

ALL OTHER SERVICES

With respect to the provision of permissible services other than audit, review or attest services the pre-approval requirement is waived if:

  (1) With respect to such services rendered to the Funds, the aggregate amount of all such services provided constitutes no more than five percent of the total amount of revenues paid by the audit client to its accountant during the fiscal year in which the services are provided; and,

 

  (2) With respect to such services rendered to the Fund’s investment adviser ( the “Adviser”)and any entity controlling, controlled by to under common control with the Adviser such as affiliated non-U.S. and U.S. funds not under the Audit Committee’s purview and which do not fall within a category of service which has been determined by the Audit Committee not to have a direct impact on the operations or financial reporting of the RIC, the aggregate amount of all services provided constitutes no more than five percent of the total amount of revenues paid to the RIC’s auditor by the RIC, its Adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Adviser during the fiscal year in which the services are provided; and

 

  (3) Such services were not recognized by the issuer or RIC at the time of the engagement to be non-audit services; and

 

  (4) Such services are promptly brought to the attention of the Audit Committee and approved prior to the completion of the audit by the Audit Committee or by one or more members of the Audit Committee who are members of the Board of Directors to whom authority to grant such approvals has been delegated by the Audit Committee.

 

The Audit Committee may grant general pre-approval to those permissible non-audit services which qualify for pre-approval and which it believes are routine and recurring services, and would not impair the independence of the auditor.

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) rules and relevant guidance should be consulted to determine the precise definitions of these services and applicability of exceptions to certain of the prohibitions.

PRE-APPROVAL FEE LEVELS

Pre-approval fee levels for all services to be provided by the independent auditor will be established annually by the Audit Committee. Any proposed services exceeding these levels will require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee.

PROCEDURES

Requests or applications to provide services that require specific approval by the Audit Committee will be submitted to the Audit Committee by the Fund’s Principal Accounting Officer and/or the Chief Audit Executive of Federated Hermes, Inc., only after those individuals have determined that the request or application is consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence.

(e)(2) Percentage of services identified in items 4(b) through 4(d) that were approved by the registrant’s Audit Committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X:

4(b)

Fiscal year ended 2021 – 0%

Fiscal year ended 2020 - 0%

Percentage of services provided to the registrant’s Adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant that were approved by the registrant’s Audit Committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X, 0% and 0% respectively.

4(c)

Fiscal year ended 2021 – 0%

Fiscal year ended 2020 – 0%

Percentage of services provided to the registrant’s Adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant that were approved by the registrant’s Audit Committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X, 0% and 0% respectively.

4(d)

Fiscal year ended 2021 – 0%

Fiscal year ended 2020 – 0%

Percentage of services provided to the registrant’s Adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant that were approved by the registrant’s Audit Committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X, 0% and 0% respectively.

  (f) NA

 

  (g) Non-Audit Fees billed to the registrant, the registrant’s Adviser, and certain entities controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Adviser:

Fiscal year ended 2021 - $72,827

Fiscal year ended 2020 - $76,575

  (h) The registrant’s Audit Committee has considered that the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to the registrant’s Adviser (not including any sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment adviser), and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant that were not pre-approved pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X is compatible with maintaining the principal accountant’s independence.

 

  Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants

 

Not Applicable

 

  Item 6. Schedule of Investments

 

(a) The registrant’s Schedule of Investments is included as part of the Report to Stockholders filed under Item 1 of this form.

 

(b) Not Applicable; Fund had no divestments during the reporting period covered since the previous Form N-CSR filing.

 

  Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies

 

Not Applicable

 

  Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies

 

Not Applicable

 

  Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers

 

Not Applicable

 

  Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

 

No Changes to Report

 

  Item 11. Controls and Procedures

 

(a) The registrant’s President and Treasurer have concluded that the

registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in rule 30a-3(c) under the Act) are effective in design and operation and are sufficient to form the basis of the certifications required by Rule 30a-(2) under the Act, based on their evaluation of these disclosure controls and procedures within 90 days of the filing date of this report on Form N-CSR.

 

(b) There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in rule 30a-3(d) under the Act) during the registrant’s most recent fiscal half-year (the registrant’s second fiscal half-year in the case of an annual report) that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

  Item 12. Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies

 

Not Applicable

 

  Item 13. Exhibits

 

(a)(1) Code of Ethics- Not Applicable to this Report.

 

(a)(2) Certifications of Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer.

 

(a)(3) Not Applicable.

 

(b) Certifications pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

Registrant Federated Hermes Investment Series Funds, Inc.

 

By /S/ Lori A. Hensler

 

Lori A. Hensler, Principal Financial Officer

 

Date January 24, 2022

 

 

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/ J. Christopher Donahue

 

J. Christopher Donahue, Principal Executive Officer

 

Date January 24, 2022

 

 

By /S/ Lori A. Hensler

 

Lori A. Hensler, Principal Financial Officer

 

Date January 24, 2022

 

 

N-CSR Item 13(a)(2) - Exhibits: Certifications

 

 

I, J. Christopher Donahue, certify that:

 

  1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Federated Hermes Investment Series Funds, Inc. on behalf of: Federated Hermes Corporate Bond Fund ("registrant");

 

  1. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

  1. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

  1. The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have:

 

    1. designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

    1. designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

    1. evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based on such evaluation; and

 

    1. disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal half-year (the registrant’s second fiscal half-year in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

  1. The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

    1. all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and

 

    1. any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

 

 

Date: January 24, 2022

/S/ J. Christopher Donahue

J. Christopher Donahue, President - Principal Executive Officer

 

 

N-CSR Item 13(a)(2) - Exhibits: Certifications

 

 

I, Lori A. Hensler, certify that:

 

  1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Federated Hermes Investment Series Funds, Inc. on behalf of: Federated Hermes Corporate Bond Fund ("registrant");

 

  1. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

  1. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

  1. The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have:

 

    1. designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

    1. designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

    1. evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based on such evaluation; and

 

    1. disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal half-year (the registrant’s second fiscal half-year in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

  1. The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

    1. all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and

 

    1. any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

 

 

Date: January 24, 2022

/S/ Lori A. Hensler

Lori A. Hensler, Treasurer - Principal Financial Officer

 

 

N-CSR Item 13(b) - Exhibits: Certifications

 

SECTION 906 CERTIFICATION

 

Pursuant to 18 U.S.C.§ 1350, the undersigned officers of Federated Hermes Investment Series Funds, Inc. on behalf of Federated Hermes Corporate Bond Fund (the “Registrant”), hereby certify, to the best of our knowledge, that the Registrant’s Report on Form N-CSR for the period ended November 30, 2021 (the “Report”) fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d), as applicable, of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 and that the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Registrant.

 

 

Dated: January 24, 2022

 

/s/ J. Christopher Donahue

J. Christopher Donahue

Title: President, Principal Executive Officer

 

 

 

Dated: January 24, 2022

 

/s/ Lori A. Hensler

Lori A. Hensler

Title: Treasurer, Principal Financial Officer

 

This certification is being furnished solely pursuant to 18 U.S.C.§ 1350 and is not being filed as part of the Report or as a separate disclosure document.



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