United States Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Form N-CSR
Certified Shareholder Report of Registered Management Investment Companies

811-4018
(Investment Company Act File Number)

Federated Hermes High Yield Trust
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Federated Hermes Funds
4000 Ericsson Drive
Warrendale, PA 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: 2026-02-28

Date of Reporting Period: 2026-02-28

Item 1.

Reports to Stockholders

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 3: John G. Carson, Thomas M. O’Neill and John S. Walsh.

Item 4.

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

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

Fiscal year ended 2026 - $37,220

Fiscal year ended 2025 - $35,788

 

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

Fiscal year ended 2026 - $0

Fiscal year ended 2025 - $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 $1,683 respectively. Fiscal year ended 2025- Travel expenses for attendance at Board meeting.

 

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

Fiscal year ended 2026 - $0

Fiscal year ended 2025 - $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 2026 - $0

Fiscal year ended 2025 - $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. The Audit Committee is required to pre-concur with independence conclusions made by the independent auditor regarding non-audit services to be provided by the independent auditor to the Funds, the Funds Board of Directors, or any entity that is controlled directly or indirectly by the Funds. Unless a type of service to be provided by the independent auditor has received general pre-approval, it will require specific pre-approval (and pre-concurrence for non-audit services) 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/pre-concurrence 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/pre-concurrence decisions to the Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting. The Committee will designate another member with such pre-approval/pre-concurrence 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/pre-concurred certain tax services; with limited exception, all tax services involving large and complex transactions must be specifically pre-approved/pre-concurred 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/pre-concurrence 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/pre-concurrence 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/concurrence 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 2026 – 0%

Fiscal year ended 2025 - 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 2026 – 0%

Fiscal year ended 2025 – 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 2026 – 0%

Fiscal year ended 2025 – 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 2026 - $145,111

Fiscal year ended 2025 - $126,051

 

(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.

 

(i)                  Not Applicable

 

(j)                  Not Applicable

 

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 Financial Statements filed under Item 7 of this form.

(b) Not Applicable

 

Item 7.

Financial Statements and Financial Highlights for Open-End Management Companies

Item 8.

Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants for Open-End Management Investment Companies

Federated Hermes Opportunistic High Yield Bond Fund: Not Applicable.

Item 9.

Proxy Disclosures for Open-End Management Investment Companies.

Federated Hermes Opportunistic High Yield Bond Fund: Not Applicable.

Item 10.

Remuneration Paid to Directors, Officers, and Others of Open-End Management Investment Companies.

Federated Hermes Opportunistic High Yield Bond Fund: The Fund’s disclosure of remuneration items is included as part of the Financial Statements filed under Item 7 of this form.

Item 11.

Statement Regarding Basis for Approval of Investment Advisory Contract.

Federated Hermes Opportunistic High Yield Bond Fund: The Fund’s Evaluation and Approval of Advisory Contract summary by fund appear in the Financial Statements filed under Item 7 of this form.

Item 12.

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

Not Applicable

Item 13.

Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

Not Applicable

Item 14.

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

Not Applicable

Item 15.

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

No Changes to Report

Item 16.

Controls and Procedures.

(a) The registrant’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer 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 as of a date 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 period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Item 17.

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

Not Applicable

Item 18.

Recovery of Erroneously Awarded Compensation

(a)       Not Applicable

(b)       Not Applicable

 

Item 19.

Exhibits

(a)(1) Not Applicable.

(a)(2) Not Applicable.

(a)(3) Certifications of Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer.

(a)(4) Not Applicable.

(a)(5) 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 High Yield Trust

By: /s/ Jeremy D. Boughton
Jeremy D. Boughton, Principal Financial Officer

Date:  April 23, 2026

 

 

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:  April 23, 2026

 

 

By: /s/ Jeremy D. Boughton
Jeremy D. Boughton, Principal Financial Officer

Date:  April 23, 2026