<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 06/30/96
000 C000000 0000051931
000 D000000 N
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000 F000000 Y
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000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 THE INVESTMENT COMPANY OF AMERICA
001 B000000 811-116
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 N
007 B000000 0
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007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A000001 CAPITAL RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT COMPANY
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-8055
008 D010001 LOS ANGELES
008 D020001 CA
008 D030001 90071
008 D040001 1443
011 A000001 AMERICAN FUNDS DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
011 B000001 8-17168
011 C010001 LOS ANGELES
011 C020001 CA
011 C030001 90071
012 A000001 AMERICAN FUNDS SERVICE COMPANY
012 B000001 84-00316
012 C010001 BREA
012 C020001 CA
012 C030001 92621
013 A000001 PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
<PAGE> PAGE 2
013 B010001 LOS ANGELES
013 B020001 CA
013 B030001 90071
015 A000001 THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, N.A.
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 NEW YORK
015 C020001 NY
015 C030001 10081
015 E010001 X
015 A000002 THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK AUSTRALIA LIMITED
015 B000002 S
015 C010002 SYDNEY, NSW
015 D010002 AUSTRALIA
015 D020002 2000
015 E040002 X
015 A000003 ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
015 B000003 S
015 C010003 TORONTO, ONTARIO
015 D010003 CANADA
015 D020003 M5J 2J5
015 E040003 X
015 A000004 CANADA TRUST COMPANY
015 B000004 S
015 C010004 TORONTO, ONTARIO
015 D010004 CANADA
015 D020004 M5J 2T2
015 E040004 X
015 A000005 BANQUE PARIBAS
015 B000005 S
015 C010005 PARIS
015 D010005 FRANCE
015 D020005 75078
015 E040005 X
015 A000006 CHASE BANK, A.G.
015 B000006 S
015 C010006 FRANKFURT AM MAIN
015 D010006 GERMANY
015 D020006 60441
015 E040006 X
015 A000007 ABN AMRO N.V.
015 B000007 S
015 C010007 DE BREDA
015 D010007 NETHERLANDS
015 D020007 4800
015 E040007 X
015 A000008 UNION BANK OF SWITZERLAND
015 B000008 S
015 C010008 ZURICH
015 D010008 SWITZERLAND
015 D020008 8021
015 E040008 X
<PAGE> PAGE 3
015 A000009 AUSTRACLEAR LIMITED
015 B000009 S
015 C010009 SYDNEY, NSW
015 D010009 AUSTRALIA
015 D020009 2000
015 E040009 X
015 A000010 RESERVE BANK INFORMATION AND TRANSFER SYSTEM
015 B000010 S
015 C010010 SYDNEY, NSW
015 D010010 AUSTRALIA
015 D020010 2000
015 E040010 X
015 A000011 THE CANADIAN DEPOSITORY FOR SECURITIES LTD
015 B000011 S
015 C010011 TORONTO, ONTARIO
015 D010011 CANADA
015 D020011 M5H 2C9
015 E040011 X
015 A000012 SOCIETE INTERPRO COMP VALEURS MOBIL.(SICOVAM)
015 B000012 S
015 C010012 NOISY LE GRAND CEDEX
015 D010012 FRANCE
015 D020012 93167
015 E040012 X
015 A000013 DEUTSCHER KASSENVEREIN AG
015 B000013 S
015 C010013 FRANKFURT AM MAIN
015 D010013 GERMANY
015 D020013 D-60313
015 E040013 X
015 A000014 NEDERLANDS CNTRL INST GIRAAL EFFECT (NECIGEF)
015 B000014 S
015 C010014 AMSTERDAM
015 D010014 THE NETHERLANDS
015 D020014 1000
015 E040014 X
015 A000015 SCHWEIZERISCHE EFFEKTEN-GIRO AG (SEGA)
015 B000015 S
015 C010015 OLTEN
015 D010015 SWITZERLAND
015 D020015 CH-4600
015 E040015 X
015 A000016 CEDEL, S.A.
015 B000016 S
015 C010016 DUCHESSE CHARLOTTE
015 D010016 LUXEMBOURG
015 D020016 L-1331
015 E040016 X
015 A000017 THE FUJI BANK, LTD.
015 B000017 S
015 C010017 TOKYO
<PAGE> PAGE 4
015 D010017 JAPAN
015 E040017 X
015 A000018 JAPAN SECURITIES DEPOSITORY CENTER
015 B000018 S
015 C010018 TOKYO
015 D010018 JAPAN
015 D020018 102
015 E040018 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 38
019 C000000 CRMCFNDGRP
020 A000001 ROBERTSON, STEPHENS & CO., L.P.
020 B000001 94-2524501
020 C000001 478
020 A000002 LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
020 B000002 13-2518466
020 C000002 381
020 A000003 EDWARDS (A.G.) & SONS, INC.
020 B000003 43-0895447
020 C000003 329
020 A000004 CS FIRST BOSTON CORP.
020 B000004 13-5659485
020 C000004 302
020 A000005 JONES (EDWARD D.) & CO.
020 B000005 43-0345811
020 C000005 271
020 A000006 JONES & ASSOCIATES, INC.
020 B000006 95-3583143
020 C000006 246
020 A000007 PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INC.
020 B000007 22-2347336
020 C000007 242
020 A000008 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INC.
020 B000008 13-5674085
020 C000008 233
020 A000009 PAINEWEBBER INC.
020 B000009 13-2638166
020 C000009 230
020 A000010 SALOMON BROTHERS INC.
020 B000010 13-3082694
020 C000010 225
021 000000 6119
022 A000001 GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
022 B000001 13-5108880
022 C000001 1036384
022 D000001 44704
022 A000002 CS FIRST BOSTON CORP.
022 B000002 13-5659485
022 C000002 734964
022 D000002 62221
<PAGE> PAGE 5
022 A000003 LEHMAN COMMERCIAL PAPER INC.
022 B000003 13-2501865
022 C000003 759358
022 D000003 23709
022 A000004 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INC.
022 B000004 13-5674085
022 C000004 522681
022 D000004 81361
022 A000005 GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORP.
022 B000005 13-1500700
022 C000005 385156
022 D000005 0
022 A000006 FORD MOTOR CREDIT CO.
022 B000006 38-1612444
022 C000006 252191
022 D000006 0
022 A000007 FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO
022 B000007 36-0899825
022 C000007 192207
022 D000007 26901
022 A000008 MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INC.
022 B000008 13-2655998
022 C000008 166230
022 D000008 0
022 A000009 BA SECURITIES, INC.
022 B000009 95-4035346
022 C000009 126557
022 D000009 0
022 A000010 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES INC.
022 B000010 13-3224016
022 C000010 78517
022 D000010 46009
023 C000000 4739364
023 D000000 475087
024 000000 Y
025 A000001 AMERICAN EXPRESS CO.
025 B000001 11-1988350
025 C000001 E
025 D000001 16958
025 A000002 AMERICAN EXPRESS CREDIT CORP.
025 B000002 11-1988350
025 C000002 D
025 D000002 56411
025 A000003 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO.
025 B000003 13-1500700
025 C000003 E
025 D000003 69200
025 A000004 GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORP.
025 B000004 13-1500700
025 C000004 D
025 D000004 67742
<PAGE> PAGE 6
025 A000005 MORGAN (J.P.) & CO. INC.
025 B000005 13-2625764
025 C000005 E
025 D000005 169250
025 A000006 DELETE
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025 D000007 0
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<PAGE> PAGE 7
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<PAGE> PAGE 8
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<PAGE> PAGE 9
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<PAGE> PAGE 10
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<PAGE> PAGE 11
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SIGNATURE VINCENT P. CORTI
TITLE SECRETARY
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START> JAN-1-1996
<PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 19,519,802
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 28,097,507
<RECEIVABLES> 145,844
<ASSETS-OTHER> 139
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 28,243,490
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 42,739
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 73,250
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 115,989
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 17,382,546
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 1,218,853,881
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 1,188,009,031
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 297,919
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 650,370
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 8,577,736
<NET-ASSETS> 28,127,501
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 284,590
<INTEREST-INCOME> 106,893
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 81,545
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 309,938
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 650,633
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 1,083,864
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 2,044,435
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 289,444
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 89,165,153
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 69,675,595
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 11,355,292
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 2,449,183
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 277,425
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 345
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 35,129
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 81,545
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 27,226,502
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 21.61
<PER-SHARE-NII> .25
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 1.46
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> .24
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 23.08
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .003
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
For period ending 06/30/96
File number 811 - 116
77(C). Matters submitted to a vote of security holders.
a. Annual meeting of shareholders - April 23,
1996
b. Directors elected:
Charles H. Black, Ann S. Bowers, Malcolm R. Currie,
Jon B. Lovelace, Jr., John G. McDonald, Bailey
Morris-Eck, Richard G. Newman, William C. Newton,
James W. Ratzlaff, Olin C. Robison.
c. Ratification or rejection of the
selection by the Board of Directors of
Price Waterhouse LLP as the independent
accountant for the year ended
December 31, 1996.
Votes: Affirmative Against Abstain
753,501,296 4,417,191 25,921,232
