<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 06/30/97
000 C000000 0000051931
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
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
007 C010100 1
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
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 92821
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
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
015 A000019 BANQUE PARIBAS
015 B000019 S
015 C010019 MILAN
015 D010019 ITALY
015 D020019 20154
015 E040019 X
015 A000020 SERVICIO DE COMP Y LIQUIDACION DE VALORES
015 B000020 S
015 C010020 MADRID
015 D010020 SPAIN
015 D020020 28020
015 E040020 X
015 A000021 SKANDINAVISKA ENSKILDA BANKEN
015 B000021 S
015 C010021 STOCKHOLM
015 D010021 SWEDEN
015 D020021 S 106 40
015 E040021 X
015 A000022 VARDEPAPPERSCENTRALEN AB
015 B000022 S
015 C010022 SOLNA
015 D010022 SWEDEN
015 D020022 S 171 18
015 E040022 X
015 A000023 CREST
015 B000023 S
015 C010023 LONDON
015 D010023 UNITED KINGDOM
015 D020023 EC2R 8EU
015 E040023 X
015 A000024 DELETE
015 A000025 DELETE
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 39
019 C000000 CRMCFNDGRP
020 A000001 SMITH BARNEY
020 B000001 13-1912900
020 C000001 952
020 A000002 SALOMON BROTHERS INC.
020 B000002 13-3082694
020 C000002 857
020 A000003 UBS SECURITIES LLC
<PAGE> PAGE 5
020 B000003 13-3873456
020 C000003 657
020 A000004 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INC.
020 B000004 13-5674085
020 C000004 480
020 A000005 BARCLAYS DE ZOETE WEDD SECURITIES, INC.
020 B000005 13-3551367
020 C000005 349
020 A000006 CS FIRST BOSTON CORP.
020 B000006 13-5659485
020 C000006 333
020 A000007 MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INC.
020 B000007 13-2655998
020 C000007 302
020 A000008 PAINEWEBBER INC.
020 B000008 13-2638166
020 C000008 298
020 A000009 HSBC JAMES CAPEL INC.
020 B000009 52-1348224
020 C000009 273
020 A000010 NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP.
020 B000010 04-2785576
020 C000010 250
021 000000 8702
022 A000001 GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
022 B000001 13-5108880
022 C000001 2309375
022 D000001 103586
022 A000002 LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
022 B000002 13-2518466
022 C000002 1362978
022 D000002 58986
022 A000003 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INC.
022 B000003 13-5674085
022 C000003 1016850
022 D000003 33648
022 A000004 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES INC.
022 B000004 13-3224016
022 C000004 688636
022 D000004 25425
022 A000005 CS FIRST BOSTON CORP.
022 B000005 13-5659485
022 C000005 568833
022 D000005 91860
022 A000006 MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INC.
022 B000006 13-2655998
022 C000006 577289
022 D000006 49619
022 A000007 GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORP.
022 B000007 13-1500700
022 C000007 562552
<PAGE> PAGE 6
022 D000007 0
022 A000008 FIRST CHICAGO CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.
022 B000008 36-3595942
022 C000008 439895
022 D000008 76544
022 A000009 BANCAMERICA SECURITIES, INC.
022 B000009 95-4035346
022 C000009 276054
022 D000009 56394
022 A000010 FORD MOTOR CREDIT CO.
022 B000010 38-1612444
022 C000010 326749
022 D000010 0
023 C000000 9255819
023 D000000 1004107
024 000000 Y
025 A000001 MORGAN (J.P.) & CO., INC.
025 B000001 13-2625764
025 C000001 E
025 D000001 250500
025 A000002 DELETE
025 D000002 0
025 A000003 DELETE
025 D000003 0
025 A000004 DELETE
025 D000004 0
025 A000005 DELETE
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 Y
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
028 A010000 321643
028 A020000 0
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 342880
028 B010000 317346
028 B020000 0
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 329412
028 C010000 343154
028 C020000 137390
<PAGE> PAGE 7
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 502921
028 D010000 361813
028 D020000 0
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 345318
028 E010000 322533
028 E020000 0
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 265209
028 F010000 311839
028 F020000 137322
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 301843
028 G010000 1978328
028 G020000 274712
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 2087583
028 H000000 1104111
029 000000 Y
030 A000000 52248
030 B000000 5.75
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 8291
031 B000000 0
032 000000 43957
033 000000 0
034 000000 Y
035 000000 106
036 A000000 Y
036 B000000 0
037 000000 N
038 000000 0
039 000000 N
040 000000 Y
041 000000 Y
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 0
042 D000000 100
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
043 000000 37648
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
047 000000 Y
048 000000 0.000
048 A010000 1000000
<PAGE> PAGE 8
048 A020000 0.390
048 B010000 1000000
048 B020000 0.336
048 C010000 1000000
048 C020000 0.300
048 D010000 2000000
048 D020000 0.276
048 E010000 3000000
048 E020000 0.258
048 F010000 5000000
048 F020000 0.246
048 G010000 8000000
048 G020000 0.240
048 H010000 13000000
048 H020000 0.235
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 34000000
048 K020000 0.231
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 N
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 Y
054 C000000 Y
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 N
054 H000000 Y
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 Y
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 Y
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
056 000000 N
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
060 B000000 Y
061 000000 250
062 A000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 9
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 0.0
062 N000000 0.0
062 O000000 0.0
062 P000000 0.0
062 Q000000 0.0
062 R000000 0.0
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 0.0
066 A000000 Y
066 B000000 N
066 C000000 N
066 D000000 N
066 E000000 Y
066 F000000 N
066 G000000 N
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 N
070 A020000 N
070 B010000 N
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 N
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 N
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 N
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 N
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 N
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 N
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 Y
070 K010000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 10
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 Y
070 L020000 Y
070 M010000 Y
070 M020000 Y
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 N
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 Y
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 4078156
071 B000000 5934454
071 C000000 30244632
071 D000000 13
072 A000000 6
072 B000000 120827
072 C000000 304742
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 42092
072 G000000 0
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 10229
072 J000000 375
072 K000000 2336
072 L000000 1494
072 M000000 215
072 N000000 787
072 O000000 328
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 74
072 S000000 16
072 T000000 37648
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 1419
072 W000000 150
072 X000000 97163
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 328406
072AA000000 2153681
072BB000000 0
072CC010000 3073145
072CC020000 0
072DD010000 305784
072DD020000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 11
072EE000000 0
073 A010000 0.2400
073 A020000 0.0000
073 B000000 0.0000
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 46
074 B000000 0
074 C000000 3933011
074 D000000 1378714
074 E000000 0
074 F000000 30803461
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 0
074 J000000 175151
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 116795
074 M000000 0
074 N000000 36407178
074 O000000 55201
074 P000000 7572
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 54028
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 36290377
074 U010000 1279987
074 U020000 0
074 V010000 28.35
074 V020000 0.00
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 1515697
074 Y000000 0
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 33056007
076 000000 0.00
077 A000000 Y
077 C000000 Y
078 000000 N
080 A000000 NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
080 B000000 CHUBB CUSTOM INSURANCE / ICI MUTUAL INSURANCE
080 C000000 65000
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 51
082 A000000 N
082 B000000 0
083 A000000 N
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 12
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
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
SIGNATURE VINCENT P. CORTI
TITLE SECRETARY
For period ending 06/30/97
File number 811 - 116
77(C). Matters submitted to a vote of security holders.
a. Annual meeting of shareholders - April 29, 1997
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,
William J. Spencer.
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, 1997.
Votes: Affirmative Against Abstain
809,526,806 4,938,248 25,593,912
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START> JAN-1-1997
<PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 22,396,788
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 36,115,186
<RECEIVABLES> 291,946
<ASSETS-OTHER> 46
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 36,407,178
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 55,201
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 61,600
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 116,801
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 18,834,055
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 1,279,986,846
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 1,274,429,294
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 304,451
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 2,153,648
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 13,718,398
<NET-ASSETS> 36,290,377
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 304,742
<INTEREST-INCOME> 120,827
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 97,163
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 328,406
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 2,153,681
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 3,073,145
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 5,555,232
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 305,784
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 76,173,754
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 80,838,564
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 10,222,362
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 5,414,905
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 281,829
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 53
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 42,092
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 97,163
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 33,056,007
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 24.23
<PER-SHARE-NII> .26
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 4.1
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> .24
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 28.35
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .003
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>