- ISIN
- US5529821002
- CUSIP
- 552982100
- Issuer
- MFS
- Inception Date
- Jul 24, 1984
- Category
- Government Bonds
- Min. Investment
- $1,000
- Distribution Policy
- Distributing
- Asset Class
- Bond
Share Price Chart
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Performance
MFGSX Performance Chart
MFS Government Securities Fund (MFGSX) is down 0.2% since the beginning of the year. MFGSX is currently trading at $9 per share. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of MFGSX shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $959.
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Returns By Period
MFS Government Securities Fund (MFGSX) has returned -0.15% so far this year and 4.32% over the past 12 months. Over the last ten years, MFGSX has returned 0.56% per year, falling short of the S&P 500 Index benchmark, which averaged 13.66% annually.
MFS Government Securities Fund
- 1D
- -0.12%
- 1M
- 0.30%
- YTD
- -0.15%
- 6M
- -0.33%
- 1Y
- 4.32%
- 3Y*
- 2.53%
- 5Y*
- -0.83%
- 10Y*
- 0.56%
Benchmark (S&P 500 Index)
- 1D
- -0.74%
- 1M
- 4.90%
- YTD
- 10.35%
- 6M
- 10.28%
- 1Y
- 26.52%
- 3Y*
- 20.83%
- 5Y*
- 12.30%
- 10Y*
- 13.66%
MFGSX Monthly Returns History
Based on dividend-adjusted daily data since Jul 25, 1984, MFGSX's average daily return is +0.01%, while the average monthly return is +0.30%. At this rate, an investment would double in approximately 19.3 years.
Historically, 62% of months were positive and 38% were negative. The best month was May 1995 with a return of +4.2%, while the worst month was Sep 2022 at -4.2%. The longest winning streak lasted 12 consecutive months, and the longest losing streak was 6 months.
On a daily basis, MFGSX closed higher 44% of trading days. The best single day was Aug 28, 1985 with a return of +2.9%, while the worst single day was Aug 27, 1985 at -2.4%.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0.17% | 1.67% | -1.98% | 0.07% | 0.07% | -0.12% | -0.15% | ||||||
| 2025 | 0.53% | 2.30% | 0.05% | 0.63% | -1.10% | 1.46% | -0.51% | 1.47% | 0.66% | 0.63% | 0.74% | -0.40% | 6.62% |
| 2024 | -0.28% | -1.55% | 0.47% | -2.49% | 1.63% | 0.83% | 2.09% | 1.48% | 1.12% | -2.74% | 1.01% | -1.56% | -0.16% |
| 2023 | 2.85% | -2.36% | 2.41% | 0.59% | -1.10% | -0.87% | -0.30% | -0.93% | -2.65% | -1.93% | 4.11% | 3.72% | 3.28% |
| 2022 | -1.52% | -0.74% | -2.57% | -3.15% | 0.22% | -1.19% | 1.97% | -2.87% | -4.20% | -1.56% | 3.13% | -0.59% | -12.54% |
| 2021 | -0.47% | -1.55% | -0.79% | 0.70% | -0.11% | 0.39% | 0.88% | -0.22% | -0.72% | -0.13% | 0.27% | -0.43% | -2.18% |
Benchmark Metrics
MFS Government Securities Fund has an annualized alpha of 3.76%, beta of -0.01, and R2 of 0.00 versus S&P 500 Index. Calculated based on daily prices since July 26, 1984.
- This fund captured 9.33% of S&P 500 Index gains and tended to rise during its downturns (downside capture of -5.20%) - a profile typical of hedging or uncorrelated assets.
- Beta of -0.01 may look defensive, but with R2 of 0.00 this fund is largely uncorrelated with S&P 500 Index - low beta reflects independence, not downside protection. See the Volatility section for a true picture of this fund's risk.
- R2 of 0.00 means this fund moves largely independently of S&P 500 Index - capture ratios reflect limited market correlation rather than active downside protection. Consider using a more representative benchmark.
- Alpha
- 3.76%
- Beta
- -0.01
- R²
- 0.00
- Upside Capture
- 9.33%
- Downside Capture
- -5.20%
Expense Ratio
MFGSX has an expense ratio of 0.76%, placing it in the medium range.
Return for Risk
Risk / Return Rank
MFGSX ranks 12 for risk / return — in the bottom 12% of mutual funds on our site. This means you're taking on significantly more risk than the returns justify. Consider whether the potential upside is worth the volatility, or explore alternatives with better risk / return profiles.
Return / Risk — by metrics
The table below present risk-adjusted performance metrics for MFS Government Securities Fund (MFGSX) and compare them to S&P 500 Index.
| MFGSX | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.97 | 2.24 | -1.27 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.43 | 3.07 | -1.64 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 1.41 | -0.24 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.17 | 2.93 | -1.76 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.58 | 13.52 | -9.94 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
Dividends
Dividend History
MFS Government Securities Fund provided a 3.56% dividend yield over the last twelve months, with an annual payout of $0.31 per share. The fund has been increasing its distributions for 3 consecutive years.
| Period | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend | $0.31 | $0.30 | $0.27 | $0.22 | $0.10 | $0.10 | $0.19 | $0.21 | $0.22 | $0.24 | $0.23 | $0.22 |
Dividend yield | 3.56% | 3.47% | 3.13% | 2.51% | 1.19% | 1.03% | 1.83% | 2.11% | 2.32% | 2.43% | 2.31% | 2.16% |
Monthly Dividends
The table displays the monthly dividend distributions for MFS Government Securities Fund. The dividends shown in the table have been adjusted to account for any splits that may have occurred.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.02 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.00 | $0.13 | ||||||
| 2025 | $0.03 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.30 |
| 2024 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.00 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.00 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.27 |
| 2023 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.00 | $0.02 | $0.00 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.22 |
| 2022 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.01 | $0.00 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.10 |
| 2021 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.10 |
Drawdowns
Drawdowns Chart
The Drawdowns chart displays portfolio losses from any high point along the way. Drawdowns are calculated considering price movements and all distributions paid, if any.
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Worst Drawdowns
The table below displays the maximum drawdowns of the MFS Government Securities Fund. A maximum drawdown is a measure of risk, indicating the largest reduction in portfolio value due to a series of losing trades.
The maximum drawdown for the MFS Government Securities Fund was 19.50%, occurring on Oct 19, 2023. The portfolio has not yet recovered.
The current MFS Government Securities Fund drawdown is 6.92%.
Related event | Drawdown | Fall | Recovery | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 correction2023 | -19.50%Oct 2023 | 3y 2mo | — | 5y 10moAug 2020 - now |
1989 correction1989 | -15.22%Mar 1989 | 3y 19d | 2y 4mo | 5y 4moMar 1986 - Jul 1991 |
1994 pullback1994 | -6.73%May 1994 | 6mo 23d | 10mo 22d | 1y 5moOct 1993 - Mar 1995 |
1996 pullback1996 | -5.69%May 1996 | 2mo 19d | 6mo 8d | 8mo 27dFeb 1996 - Nov 1996 |
2013 pullback2013 | -4.99%Sep 2013 | 9mo 6d | 1y 1mo | 1y 10moDec 2012 - Oct 2014 |
Drawdown Indicators
| MFGSX | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -19.50% | -56.78% | +37.28% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.39% | -9.10% | +5.71% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -6.92% | -18.90% | +11.98% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.14% | -25.43% | +7.29% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -19.50% | -33.92% | +14.42% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.92% | -0.74% | -6.18% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.31% | -10.72% | +7.41% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.11% | 1.97% | -0.86% |
Volatility
Volatility Chart
The chart below shows the rolling one-month volatility.
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