<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 09/30/96
000 C000000 0000823620
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 AMERICAN HIGH-INCOME TRUST
001 B000000 811-5364
001 C000000 2134869200
002 A000000 333 SOUTH HOPE STREET
002 B000000 LOS ANGELES
002 C000000 CA
002 D010000 90071
002 D020000 1443
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000 1
007 C010100 1
007 C020100 AMERICAN HIGH-INCOME TRUST
007 C030100 N
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
020 A000001 EDWARDS (A.G.) & SONS, INC
020 B000001 43-0895447
020 C000001 14
020 A000002 MERRILL LYNCH, PIECE, FENNER & SMITH INC
020 B000002 13-5674085
020 C000002 2
020 A000003 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES INC.
020 B000003 13-3224016
020 C000003 2
020 A000004 SEIDLER COMPANIES INC. (THE)
020 B000004 95-2581813
020 C000004 2
020 A000005 WEEDEN & CO. L.P.
020 B000005 13-3364318
020 C000005 1
020 A000006 CIGNA FINANCIAL ADVISORS, INC
<PAGE> PAGE 2
020 B000006 06-0841987
020 C000006 1
020 C000007 0
020 C000008 0
020 C000009 0
020 C000010 0
021 000000 22
022 A000001 GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
022 B000001 13-5108880
022 C000001 3040607
022 D000001 42400
022 A000002 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES INC.
022 B000002 13-3224016
022 C000002 2371127
022 D000002 20476
022 A000003 ASSOCIATES CORP. OF NORTH AMERICA
022 B000003 74-1494554
022 C000003 1188163
022 D000003 0
022 A000004 GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORP.
022 B000004 13-1500700
022 C000004 814806
022 D000004 0
022 A000005 LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
022 B000005 13-2501865
022 C000005 334562
022 D000005 39170
022 A000006 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INC.
022 B000006 13-5674085
022 C000006 274510
022 D000006 40626
022 A000007 MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INC.
022 B000007 13-2655998
022 C000007 171376
022 D000007 68133
022 A000008 CS FIRST BOSTON CORP.
022 B000008 13-5659485
022 C000008 193646
022 D000008 17272
022 A000009 FORD MOTOR CREDIT CO.
022 B000009 38-1612444
022 C000009 179109
022 D000009 0
022 A000010 UBS SECURITIES INC.
022 B000010 13-2932996
022 C000010 115228
022 D000010 4970
023 C000000 9370802
023 D000000 457375
026 A000000 Y
026 B000000 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 3
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
008 A000101 CAPITAL RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT COMPANY
008 B000101 A
008 C000101 801-8055
008 D010101 LOS ANGELES
008 D020101 CA
008 D030101 90071
008 D040101 1443
011 A000101 AMERICAN FUNDS DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
011 B000101 8-17168
011 C010101 LOS ANGELES
011 C020101 CA
011 C030101 90071
011 C040101 1443
012 A000101 AMERICAN FUNDS SERVICE COMPANY
012 B000101 84-00316
012 C010101 BREA
012 C020101 CA
012 C030101 92821
013 A000101 DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
013 B010101 LOS ANGELES
013 B020101 CA
013 B030101 90017
015 A000101 THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, N.A.
015 B000101 C
015 C010101 NEW YORK
015 C020101 NY
015 C030101 10081
015 E010101 X
015 A000102 THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK AUSTRALIA LIMITED
<PAGE> PAGE 4
015 B000102 S
015 C010102 SYDNEY
015 D010102 AUSTRALIA
015 D020102 2000
015 E040102 X
015 A000103 ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
015 B000103 S
015 C010103 TORONTO
015 D010103 CANADA
015 D020103 M5J 2J5
015 E040103 X
015 A000104 CHASE BANK, A.G.
015 B000104 S
015 C010104 FRANKFURT/MAIN
015 D010104 GERMANY
015 D020104 60441
015 E040104 X
015 A000105 ABN-AMRO BANK
015 B000105 S
015 C010105 DE BREDA
015 D010105 THE NETHERLANDS
015 D020105 4800
015 E040105 X
015 A000106 NATIONAL NOMINEES LIMITED
015 B000106 S
015 C010106 AUCKLAND
015 D010106 NEW ZEALAND
015 E040106 X
015 A000107 CEDEL, S.A.
015 B000107 S
015 C010107 DUCHESSE CHARLOTTE
015 D010107 LUXEMBOURG
015 D020107 L-1331
015 E040107 X
015 A000108 CANADA TRUST COMPANY
015 B000108 S
015 C010108 TORONTO
015 D010108 CANADA
015 D020108 M5J 2T2
015 E040108 X
015 A000109 CAJA DE VALORES, S.A.
015 B000109 S
015 C010109 BUENOS AIRES
015 D010109 ARGENTINA
015 D020109 1353
015 E040109 X
015 A000110 CANADIAN DEPOSITORY FOR SECURITIES
015 B000110 S
015 C010110 TORONTO
015 D010110 CANADA
015 D020110 M5H 2C9
<PAGE> PAGE 5
015 E040110 X
015 A000111 DEUTSCHER KASSENVEREIN AG
015 B000111 S
015 C010111 FRANKFURT AM MAIN
015 D010111 GERMANY
015 D020111 D-60313
015 E040111 X
015 A000112 NEDERLANDS CENTRAAL INSTITUUT VOOR GIRAAL EFF
015 B000112 S
015 C010112 AMSTERDAM
015 D010112 THE NETHERLANDS
015 D020112 1000
015 E040112 X
015 A000113 SAO PAULO STOCK EXCHANGE
015 B000113 S
015 C010113 SAO PAULO
015 D010113 BRAZIL
015 D020113 01.013-001
015 E040113 X
015 A000114 CESKOSLOVENSKA OBCHODNI BANKA, A.S.
015 B000114 S
015 C010114 PRAHA
015 D010114 CZECH REPUBLIC
015 D020114 115 20
015 E040114 X
015 A000115 SECURITIES CENTER
015 B000115 S
015 C010115 PRAGUE
015 D010115 CZECH REPUBLIC
015 D020115 118 10
015 E040115 X
015 A000116 CITIBANK BUDAPEST RT.
015 B000116 S
015 C010116 BUDAPEST
015 D010116 HUNGARY
015 D020116 1052
015 E040116 X
015 A000117 HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION LTD
015 B000117 S
015 C010117 JAKARTA
015 D010117 INDONESIA
015 D020117 10023
015 E040117 X
015 A000118 THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, (M) BERHAD
015 B000118 S
015 C010118 KUALA LUMPUR
015 D010118 MALAYSIA
015 D020118 50250
015 E040118 X
015 A000119 MALAYSIAN CENTRAL DEPOSITORY SDN. BHD.
015 B000119 S
<PAGE> PAGE 6
015 C010119 KUALA LUMPUR
015 D010119 MALAYSIA
015 D020119 50490
015 E040119 X
015 A000120 HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION LTD
015 B000120 S
015 C010120 PASIG METRO MANILA
015 D010120 PHILIPPINES
015 E040120 X
015 A000121 BANK HANDLOWY W. WARZAWIE S.A.
015 B000121 S
015 C010121 WARSAW
015 D010121 POLAND
015 D020121 01-211
015 E040121 X
015 A000122 NATIONAL SECURITIES DEPOSITORY
015 B000122 S
015 C010122 WARSAW
015 D010122 POLAND
015 D020122 JASNA 12
015 E040122 X
015 A000123 CESKOSLOVENSKA OBCHODNI BANKA, A.S.
015 B000123 S
015 C010123 BRATISLAVA
015 D010123 SLOVAKIA
015 D020123 812 25
015 E040123 X
015 A000124 STEDISKO CENNYCH PAPIEROV
015 B000124 S
015 C010124 BRATISLAVA
015 D010124 SLOVAKIA
015 D020124 824 81
015 E040124 X
015 A000125 SECURITIES DEPOSITORY CENTER
015 B000125 S
015 C010125 BANGKOK
015 D010125 THAILAND
015 D020125 10 330
015 E040125 X
015 A000126 AUSTRACLEAR LIMITED
015 B000126 S
015 C010126 SYDNEY
015 D010126 AUSTRALIA
015 D020126 NSW 2000
015 E040126 X
015 A000127 THE RESERVE BANK INFORMATION AND TRANSFER SYS
015 B000127 S
015 C010127 SYDNEY
015 D010127 AUSTRALIA
015 D020127 NSW 2000
015 E040127 X
<PAGE> PAGE 7
015 A000128 THE FUJI BANK LIMITED
015 B000128 S
015 C010128 TOKYO
015 D010128 JAPAN
015 E040128 X
015 A000129 THE JAPAN SECURITIES DEPOSITORY CENTER
015 B000129 S
015 C010129 TOKYO
015 D010129 JAPAN
015 D020129 102
015 E040129 X
015 A000130 THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK MEXICO, S.A.
015 B000130 S
015 C010130 COLONIA JUAREZ
015 D010130 MEXICO
015 D020130 06660
015 E040130 X
015 A000131 AUSTRACLEAR LIMITED
015 B000131 S
015 C010131 WELLINGTON
015 D010131 NEW ZEALAND
015 E040131 X
015 A000132 THE STANDARD BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA LTD
015 B000132 S
015 C010132 JOHANNESBURG
015 D010132 SOUTH AFRICA
015 D020132 2001
015 E040132 X
015 A000133 INSTITUCIO PARA EL DEPOSITO DE VALORES
015 B000133 S
015 C010133 COLONIA
015 D010133 MEXICO
015 D020133 CP 06500
015 E040133 X
018 000100 Y
019 A000100 Y
019 B000100 38
019 C000100 CRMCFNDGRP
024 000100 N
025 D000101 0
025 D000102 0
025 D000103 0
025 D000104 0
025 D000105 0
025 D000106 0
025 D000107 0
025 D000108 0
028 A010100 50326
028 A020100 5721
028 A030100 0
028 A040100 27341
<PAGE> PAGE 8
028 B010100 68136
028 B020100 5851
028 B030100 0
028 B040100 38601
028 C010100 35844
028 C020100 5930
028 C030100 0
028 C040100 27027
028 D010100 54934
028 D020100 6039
028 D030100 0
028 D040100 33608
028 E010100 62979
028 E020100 6243
028 E030100 0
028 E040100 21225
028 F010100 49330
028 F020100 6537
028 F030100 0
028 F040100 30282
028 G010100 321549
028 G020100 36321
028 G030100 0
028 G040100 178084
028 H000100 127092
029 000100 Y
030 A000100 10107
030 B000100 4.75
030 C000100 0.00
031 A000100 1943
031 B000100 0
032 000100 8164
033 000100 0
034 000100 Y
035 000100 4
036 A000100 Y
036 B000100 0
037 000100 N
038 000100 0
039 000100 N
040 000100 Y
041 000100 Y
042 A000100 0
042 B000100 0
042 C000100 0
042 D000100 100
042 E000100 0
042 F000100 0
042 G000100 0
042 H000100 0
043 000100 3079
<PAGE> PAGE 9
044 000100 0
045 000100 Y
046 000100 N
047 000100 N
048 000100 0.000
048 A010100 0
048 A020100 0.000
048 B010100 0
048 B020100 0.000
048 C010100 0
048 C020100 0.000
048 D010100 0
048 D020100 0.000
048 E010100 0
048 E020100 0.000
048 F010100 0
048 F020100 0.000
048 G010100 0
048 G020100 0.000
048 H010100 0
048 H020100 0.000
048 I010100 0
048 I020100 0.000
048 J010100 0
048 J020100 0.000
048 K010100 0
048 K020100 0.000
049 000100 N
050 000100 Y
051 000100 N
052 000100 N
053 A000100 N
054 A000100 Y
054 B000100 Y
054 C000100 Y
054 D000100 N
054 E000100 N
054 F000100 N
054 G000100 N
054 H000100 Y
054 I000100 N
054 J000100 Y
054 K000100 N
054 L000100 Y
054 M000100 Y
054 N000100 N
054 O000100 Y
055 A000100 N
055 B000100 N
056 000100 N
057 000100 N
<PAGE> PAGE 10
058 A000100 N
059 000100 Y
060 A000100 Y
060 B000100 Y
061 000100 1000
062 A000100 Y
062 B000100 0.0
062 C000100 0.0
062 D000100 0.0
062 E000100 0.0
062 F000100 0.0
062 G000100 0.0
062 H000100 0.0
062 I000100 9.5
062 J000100 0.0
062 K000100 0.0
062 L000100 0.0
062 M000100 6.4
062 N000100 0.0
062 O000100 0.0
062 P000100 78.4
062 Q000100 2.4
062 R000100 3.9
063 A000100 0
063 B000100 5.8
064 A000100 N
064 B000100 N
066 A000100 N
067 000100 N
068 A000100 N
068 B000100 N
069 000100 N
070 A010100 Y
070 A020100 N
070 B010100 N
070 B020100 N
070 C010100 Y
070 C020100 N
070 D010100 N
070 D020100 N
070 E010100 N
070 E020100 N
070 F010100 N
070 F020100 N
070 G010100 N
070 G020100 N
070 H010100 N
070 H020100 N
070 I010100 N
070 I020100 N
070 J010100 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 11
070 J020100 Y
070 K010100 Y
070 K020100 N
070 L010100 Y
070 L020100 Y
070 M010100 Y
070 M020100 Y
070 N010100 Y
070 N020100 N
070 O010100 N
070 O020100 N
070 P010100 Y
070 P020100 N
070 Q010100 N
070 Q020100 N
070 R010100 Y
070 R020100 N
071 A000100 771970
071 B000100 483596
071 C000100 1216748
071 D000100 40
072 A000100 12
072 B000100 127327
072 C000100 2300
072 D000100 0
072 E000100 0
072 F000100 6481
072 G000100 0
072 H000100 0
072 I000100 976
072 J000100 64
072 K000100 343
072 L000100 164
072 M000100 21
072 N000100 289
072 O000100 20
072 P000100 0
072 Q000100 0
072 R000100 39
072 S000100 6
072 T000100 3079
072 U000100 0
072 V000100 0
072 W000100 18
072 X000100 11500
072 Y000100 0
072 Z000100 118127
072AA000100 4164
072BB000100 0
072CC010100 47452
072CC020100 0
<PAGE> PAGE 12
072DD010100 118864
072DD020100 0
072EE000100 0
073 A010100 1.3190
073 A020100 0.0000
073 B000100 0.0000
073 C000100 0.0000
074 A000100 80
074 B000100 0
074 C000100 147094
074 D000100 1356843
074 E000100 33038
074 F000100 19542
074 G000100 0
074 H000100 0
074 I000100 0
074 J000100 5519
074 K000100 0
074 L000100 36095
074 M000100 0
074 N000100 1598211
074 O000100 43105
074 P000100 597
074 Q000100 0
074 R010100 0
074 R020100 0
074 R030100 0
074 R040100 7613
074 S000100 0
074 T000100 1546896
074 U010100 104127
074 U020100 0
074 V010100 14.86
074 V020100 0.00
074 W000100 0.0000
074 X000100 80285
074 Y000100 20297
075 A000100 0
075 B000100 1327274
076 000100 0.00
080 A000100 NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
080 B000100 CHUBB CUSTOM INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C000100 65000
081 A000100 Y
081 B000100 51
082 A000100 N
082 B000100 0
083 A000100 N
083 B000100 0
084 A000100 N
084 B000100 0
<PAGE> PAGE 13
085 A000100 Y
085 B000100 N
SIGNATURE JULIE F. WILLIAMS
TITLE SECRETARY
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
American High-Income Trust:
In planning and performing our audit of the financial statements
of American High-Income Trust (the "Fund") for the year ended
September 30, 1996, we considered its internal control structure,
including procedures for safeguarding securities, in order to
determine our auditing procedures for the purpose of expressing
our opinion on the financial statements and to comply with the
requirements of Form N-SAR, not to provide assurance on the
internal control structure.
The management of the Fund is responsible for establishing and
maintaining an internal control structure. In fulfilling this
responsibility, estimates and judgments by management are required
to assess the expected benefits and related costs of internal
control structure policies and procedures. Two of the objectives
of an internal control structure are to provide management with
reasonable, but not absolute, assurance that assets are
safeguarded against loss from unauthorized use or disposition and
that transactions are executed in accordance with management's
authorization and recorded properly to permit preparation of
financial statements in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles.
Because of inherent limitations in any internal control structure,
errors or irregularities may occur and not be detected. Also,
projection of any evaluation of the structure to future periods is
subject to the risk that it may become inadequate because of
changes in conditions or that the effectiveness of the design and
operation may deteriorate.
Our consideration of the internal control structure would not
necessarily disclose all matters in the internal control structure
that might be material weaknesses under standards established by
the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. A
material weakness is a condition in which the design or operation
of the specific internal control structure elements does not
reduce to a relatively low level the risk that errors and
irregularities in amounts that would be material in relation to
the financial statements being audited may occur and not be
detected within a timely period by employees in the normal course
of performing their assigned functions. However, we noted no
matters involving the internal control structure, including
procedures for safeguarding
securities, that we consider to be material weaknesses as defined
above as of September 30, 1996.
This report is intended solely for the information and use of
management and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Deloitte & Touche LLP
October 29, 1996
Los Angeles, California
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1996
<PERIOD-START> OCT-1-1995
<PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 1,503,286
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 1,556,517
<RECEIVABLES> 41,614
<ASSETS-OTHER> 80
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,598,211
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 43,105
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 8,210
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 51,315
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 1,489,510
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 104,126,659
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 77,694,271
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 7,102
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (2,672)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 53,227
<NET-ASSETS> 1,546,896
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 2,300
<INTEREST-INCOME> 127,327
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 11,500
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 118,127
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 4,164
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 47,452
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 169,743
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 118,864
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 43,729,904
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 22,319,120
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 5,021,604
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 435,910
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 7,839
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (7,107)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 6,481
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 11,500
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 1,327,274
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 14.30
<PER-SHARE-NII> 1.29
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> .59
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 1.32
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 14.86
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .009
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
