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December 27, 1995
Securities and Exchange Commission
Judiciary Plaza
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20549
Re: Rule 24f-2 Notice for MFS Series Trust VIII
(File Nos.: 811-5262, 33-37972)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Enclosed on behalf of the Trust for filing pursuant to Rule 24f-2(b)(1)
under the Investment Company Act of 1940 are the following:
1. One copy of the Trust's Rule 24f-2 Notice with respect to its
fiscal year ended October 31, 1995.
2. One copy of an opinion of counsel as required by Rule 24f-2(b)(1).
3. In accordance with subsection (c) of Rule 24f-2, the registration
fee of $2,162.20 has been remitted by wire transfer to the U.S.
Treasury designated lockbox depository at the Mellon Bank in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (wire reference #1222000528).
Please contact me collect at 617-954-5827 should you have any questions
concerning this Notice.
Very truly yours,
/S/ MARK D. KAPLAN
--------------------------
Mark D. Kaplan
Regulatory Affairs Manager
Enclosures:
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U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 24F-2
Annual Notice of Securities Sold
Pursuant to Rule 24f-2
Read instructions at end of Form before preparing Form.
Please print or type.
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1. Name and address of issuer: MFS Series Trust VIII
500 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116
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2. Name of each series or class of funds for which this notice is filed:
Series Class(es) of Shares
------ -------------------
MFS Strategic Income Fund Class A, B & C
MFS World Growth Fund Class A, B & C
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3. Investment Company Act File Number: 811-5262
Securities Act File Number: 33-37972
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4. Last day of fiscal year for which this notice is filed: October 31, 1995
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5. Check box if this notice is being filed more than 180 days after the close
of the issuer's fiscal year for purposes of reporting securities sold after
the close of the fiscal year but before termination of the issuer's 24f-2
declaration:
/ /
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6. Date of termination of issuer's declaration under rule 24f-2(a)(1), if
applicable (see Instruction A.6):
Not Applicable
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7. Number and amount of securities of the same class or series which had been
registered under the Securities Act of 1933 other than pursuant to rule
24f-2 in a prior fiscal year, but which remained unsold at the beginning of
the fiscal year: 0
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8. Number and amount of securities registered during the fiscal year other
than pursuant to rule 24f-2: 0
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9. Number and aggregate sale price of securities sold during the fiscal year:
13,287,859 shares were sold for an aggregate sale price of $211,276,563.
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10. Number and aggregate sale price of securities sold during the fiscal year
in reliance upon registration pursuant to rule 24f-2:
13,287,859 shares were sold for an aggregate sale price of $211,276,563.
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11. Number and aggregate sale price of securities issued during the fiscal
year in connection with dividend reinvestment plans, if applicable (see
Instruction B.7):
As permitted by instruction B.7, DRIP shares are included in the
securities reported in Item 9.
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12. Calculation of registration fee:
(i) Aggregate sale price of securities sold during $211,276,563
the fiscal year in reliance on rule 24f-2 (from -----------------
Item 10):
(ii) Aggregate price of shares issued in connection +(included in (i))
with dividend reinvestment plans (from Item 11, -----------------
if applicable):
(iii) Aggregate price of shares redeemed or repurchased -205,006,173
during the fiscal year (if applicable): -----------------
(iv) Aggregate price of shares redeemed or repurchased +0
and previously applied as a reduction to filing -----------------
fees pursuant to rule 24e-2 (if applicable):
(v) Net aggregate price of securities sold and issued 6,270,390
during the fiscal year in reliance of rule 24f-2 -----------------
[line (i), plus line (ii), less line (iii), plus
line (iv)] (if applicable):
(vi) Multiplier prescribed by Section 6(b) of the X 1/29 of 1%
Securities Act of 1933 or other applicable law -----------------
or regulation (see Instruction C.6):
(vii) Fee due [line (i) or line (v) multiplied by $2,162.20
line (vi)]: =================
Instruction: Issuers should complete line (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v) only if
the form is being filed within 60 days after the close of the
issuer's fiscal year. See Instruction C.3.
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13. Check box if fees are being remitted to the Commission's lockbox
depository as described in section 3a of the Commission's Rules of
Informal and Other Procedures (17 CFR 202.3a).
/x/
Date of mailing or wire transfer of filing fees to the Commissions'
lockbox depository: December 22, 1995
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SIGNATURES
This report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the
issuer and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
By (Signature and Title)* /s/ JAMES R. BORDEWICK, JR.
______________________________________________________
James R. Bordewick, Jr., Assistant Secretary
_______________________________________________________________________________
Date December 26, 1995
_______________________________
* Please print the name and title of the signing officer below the signature.
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MFS Series Trust VIII December 26, 1995
500 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116
Re: Rule 24f-2 Opinion
Gentlemen:
I am Vice President and Associate General Counsel of Massachusetts
Financial Services Company, which serves as investment adviser to MFS Series
Trust VIII (the "Trust"), and the Assistant Secretary of the Trust. I am
admitted to practice law in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Trust was
created under a written Declaration of Trust dated July 31, 1987, executed and
delivered in Boston, Massachusetts, as amended and restated February 3, 1995
respectively (the "Declaration of Trust"). The beneficial interest thereunder
is represented by transferable shares without par value. The Trustees have the
powers set forth in the Declaration of Trust, subject to the terms, provisions
and conditions therein provided.
I am of the opinion that the legal requirements have been complied with in
the creation of the Trust, and that said Declaration of Trust is legal and
valid.
Under Article III, Section 3.4 and Article VI, Section 6.4 of the
Declaration of Trust, the Trustees are empowered, in their discretion, from time
to time to issue shares of the Trust for such amount and type of consideration,
at such time or times and on such terms as the Trustees may deem best. Under
Article VI, Section 6.1, it is provided that the number of shares of beneficial
interest authorized to be issued under the Declaration of Trust is unlimited.
By vote adopted on February 2, 1995, the Trustees of the Trust
determined to sell to the public the authorized but unissued shares of
beneficial interest of the Trust for cash at a price which will net the Trust
(before taxes) not less than the net asset value thereof, as defined in the
Trust's By-Laws, determined next after the sale is made or at some later time
after such sale.
Pursuant to Rule 24f-2 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust
has registered an indefinite number of shares of beneficial interest under the
Securities Act of 1933.
The Trust is about to file a notice pursuant to Rule 24f-2 making definite
the registration of 13,287,859 shares of beneficial interest of the Trust (the
"Shares") sold in reliance upon said Rule 24f-2 during the fiscal year ending
October 31, 1995.
I have examined a certificate of the Treasurer of the Trust to the
effect that the Trust received the cash consideration for each of the Shares in
accordance with the terms of the February 2, 1995 vote of the Trustees
described above.
I am of the opinion that all necessary Trust action precedent to the issue
of all the authorized but unissued shares of beneficial interest of the Trust,
including the Shares, has been duly taken, and that all the Shares were legally
and validly issued, and are fully paid and non-assessable, except as described
below. I express no opinion as to compliance with the Securities Act of 1933,
the Investment Company Act of 1940, or applicable state "Blue Sky" or
securities laws in connection with the sale of the Shares.
The Trust is an entity of the type commonly known as a "Massachusetts
business trust." Under Massachusetts law, shareholders could, under certain
circumstances, be held personally liable for the obligations of the Trust.
However, the Declaration of Trust disclaims shareholder liability for acts or
obligations of the Trust and requires that notice of such disclaimer be given in
each agreement, obligation, or instrument entered into or executed by the Trust
or the Trustees. The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification out of
the Trust property for all loss and expense of any shareholder held personally
liable for the obligations of the Trust. Thus, the risk of a shareholder
incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to
circumstances in which the Trust itself would be unable to meet its obligations.
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I consent to your filing this opinion with the Securities and Exchange
Commission together with the Rule 24f-2 Notice referred to above.
Very truly yours,
/s/ JAMES R. BORDEWICK, JR.
James R. Bordewick, Jr.
