Moneyzine
/Investment Guides /Putnam Mutual Funds

Putnam Mutual Funds

Moneyzine Editor
Author: 
Moneyzine Editor
3 mins
September 21st, 2023
Advertiser Disclosure

Putnam Investments has a heritage that dates back to the 1830's. That's quite a history, even when compared to the other mutual fund giants reviewed. Putnam mutual funds also reflect the balance you'd expect with such a long investment history. They produce an excellent mix of both stock and bond funds.

Putnam Family of Funds

It's possible to purchase Putnam funds through Putnam Investments, which serves both the institutional and individual investor. An interesting part of the company's history dates back to 1830, when Supreme Court Justice Samuel Putnam helped to establish the legal foundation around which the professional money management services industry exists.

In 1937, George Putnam founded the George Putnam Fund of Boston, which claims to be one of the first funds to offer investors a balance of stock and bonds in their portfolio. Today, that company has grown to manage over $77 billion in assets and over five million shareholder accounts (October 2019).

Putnam offers investors a wide range of services including over 80 different mutual funds, Roth and Traditional IRAs, professional management of over 900 different 401(k) plans and 529 college savings plans. The company boasts nearly 3,600 employees with offices in Boston, London, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Sydney, Singapore, and Beijing.

Fee Structures and Returns

Morningstar ratings indicate the expense ratio for domestic stock funds (1.27%), international stocks (1.51%), municipal bond funds (0.95%), and taxable bonds (0.99%) are Average. Putnam shows a relatively balanced mix of stock and bond funds, with around 39% of assets in stocks and 39% in bonds; the remainder being invested in money market assets.

Putnam does not have a minimum investment; it's advertised as $0, which would be the lowest of the families reviewed. Unfortunately, only around 39% of the Putnam funds are no-load mutual funds. Typical front-loads are in the 5.25% range. As of October 2019, the average return on a Putnam fund was 4.95% over the last five years.

George Putnam Balanced A (PGEOX)

  • Assets: $1.3 billion

  • Category: Large Growth

  • Specialty: None

  • Top Three Holdings: Microsoft Corp., Alphabet Inc A, and Amazon.com Inc.

  • Load: 5.75% (front load)

  • Minimum Investment: $0

  • Expense Ratio: 0.99%

  • 5-Year Average Return: 7.97%

Putnam Short Duration Bond Y (PARYX)

  • Assets: $883.8 million

  • Category: US Fund Short-Term Bond

  • Specialty: None

  • Top Three Holdings: JPMorgan Chase & Co. 3.38%, Comcast Corporation 3.7% and AT&T Inc 3.8%

  • Load: 5.75% (front load)

  • Minimum Investment: $0

  • Expense Ratio: 0.38%

  • 5-Year Average Return: 2.43%

Putnam Growth Opportunities A (POGAX)

  • Assets: $5.8 billion

  • Category: Large Growth

  • Specialty: None

  • Top Three Holdings: Microsoft Corp., Apple Inc., and Amazon.com Inc

  • Load: None

  • Minimum Investment: $0

  • Expense Ratio: 0.91%

  • 5-Year Average Return: 14.14%


About the Author - Putnam Mutual Funds


Explore Investing Further

Related Content

  • What Can Help You Meet Your Budget While Shopping for Important Items?
    Budgeting while ensuring you don't compromise on quality can seem daunting. Whether filling your pantry, updating your wardrobe, or keeping up with the latest tech, smart shopping strategies are crucial for keeping your finances in check.
    April 2nd, 2024
  • How to Make a Million Dollars in 10 Years
    Truthfully, this title should actually be “How to Make a Million Dollars in 10 Years Without Going Into Debt", but that is just getting a little too winded for my liking. It’s true though!
    March 26th, 2024
  • How to Apply Maslow’s Hierarchy to Your Money This Year
    You might vaguely remember your psychology teacher talking about Maslow. He pointed at a picture of a triangle as you nodded off in the back of the school room.
    March 27th, 2024
  • How to Tackle Multiple Savings Goals
    When there’s only so much money to go around, there are often multiple savings goals competing for your money. Think of the young professional who’d like to get a more reliable car, buy a house, and save for retirement. Or consider the young family that’s saving for college, retirement, and a bigger house.
    March 22nd, 2024
  • The Countdown to Early Retirement: 10 Expenses to Eliminate
    Dreaming of waving goodbye to the daily grind five years ahead of schedule? The road to early retirement is paved with more than good intentions; it requires a meticulously crafted strategy with surprising twists. It's not solely about what you should be doing—like diligently saving a portion of your income or investing wisely—but also about what you need to stop doing.
    March 22nd, 2024

Contributors

Moneyzine 2024. All Rights Reserved.