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007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
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008 D020001 MA
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011 C030001 02109
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012 C020001 MA
012 C030001 02109
013 A000001 PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
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<PAGE> PAGE 2
013 B030001 02109
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020 A000001 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH, INC.
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020 C000001 874
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020 B000002 43-0895477
020 C000002 844
020 A000003 SALOMON BROTHERS INC.
020 B000003 13-3082694
020 C000003 807
020 A000004 BEAR STEARNS & CO.
020 B000004 13-4946705
020 C000004 744
020 A000005 PAINE WEBBER INC.
020 B000005 13-2638166
020 C000005 733
020 A000006 LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
020 B000006 13-2518466
020 C000006 356
020 A000007 FINANCIAL NETWORK INVESTMENT CORPORATION
020 B000007 95-3845382
020 C000007 344
020 A000008 SMITH, BARNEY, HARRIS, UPHAM & CO.
020 B000008 13-1912900
020 C000008 312
020 A000009 FIRST CHICAGO INVESTMENT SERVICES INC.
020 B000009 36-0899825
020 C000009 305
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020 B000010 13-5108880
020 C000010 303
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022 B000002 13-5108880
022 C000002 984802
022 D000002 361782
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<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 B000003 13-3224016
022 C000003 473832
022 D000003 163770
022 A000004 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH, INC.
022 B000004 13-5674085
022 C000004 555799
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022 B000005 13-2932996
022 C000005 235133
022 D000005 57933
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022 C000006 172185
022 D000006 6427
022 A000007 FIRST BOSTON CO.
022 B000007 13-5659485
022 C000007 99565
022 D000007 52889
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022 B000008 13-2655998
022 C000008 53940
022 D000008 27177
022 A000009 A FIRST SECURITIES INC.
022 C000009 60544
022 D000009 19997
022 A000010 CREDIT SUISSE - FIRST BOSTON
022 C000010 24879
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<PAGE> PAGE 4
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SIGNATURE PAUL BUCUVALAS
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
The Putnam Fund for Growth and Income
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 4
<NAME> CLASS A
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> OTHER
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> OCT-31-1996
<PERIOD-END> APR-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 20,815,844,440
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 25,654,685,167
<RECEIVABLES> 334,212,904
<ASSETS-OTHER> 9,517,300
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 25,998,415,371
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 208,265,319
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 64,440,963
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 272,706,282
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 20,098,747,981
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 731,333,439
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 624,029,425
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 54,107,343
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 734,013,038
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 4,838,840,727
<NET-ASSETS> 25,725,709,089
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 309,346,962
<INTEREST-INCOME> 40,687,873
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 134,677,886
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 215,356,949
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 820,727,060
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 1,541,146,115
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 2,577,230,124
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (154,516,335)
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<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (68,385,915)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 48,130,826
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 5,153,344,842
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 87,270,432
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<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 1.99
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.23)
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<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 18.98
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .43
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
The Putnam Fund for Growth and Income
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 4
<NAME> CLASS B
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> OTHER
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> OCT-31-1996
<PERIOD-END> APR-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 20,815,844,440
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 25,654,685,167
<RECEIVABLES> 334,212,904
<ASSETS-OTHER> 9,517,300
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 25,998,415,371
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 208,265,319
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 64,440,963
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 272,706,282
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 20,098,747,981
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 593,293,405
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 480,237,247
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 54,107,343
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 734,013,038
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 4,838,840,727
<NET-ASSETS> 25,725,709,089
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 309,346,962
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<SHARES-REINVESTED> 36,375,609
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<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 1,336,245,611
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<EXPENSE-RATIO> .81
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
The Putnam Fund for Growth and Income
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 4
<NAME> CLASS M
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> OTHER
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> OCT-31-1996
<PERIOD-END> APR-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 20,815,844,440
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 25,654,685,167
<RECEIVABLES> 334,212,904
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<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
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<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
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<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 54,107,343
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<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 4,838,840,727
<NET-ASSETS> 25,725,709,089
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 309,346,962
<INTEREST-INCOME> 40,687,873
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
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<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 215,356,949
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 820,727,060
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 1,541,146,115
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 2,577,230,124
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<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (1,788,256)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (9,832,902)
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<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (918,364)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 614,935
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 5,153,344,842
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 87,270,432
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 1,336,245,611
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 49,830,316
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 139,062,226
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 180,484,436
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 18.21
<PER-SHARE-NII> .16
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 1.95
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.19)
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<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 18.89
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .68
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
The Putnam Fund for Growth and Income
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 4
<NAME> CLASS Y
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> OTHER
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> OCT-31-1996
<PERIOD-END> APR-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 20,815,844,440
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 25,654,685,167
<RECEIVABLES> 334,212,904
<ASSETS-OTHER> 9,517,300
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 25,998,415,371
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 208,265,319
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
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<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 272,706,282
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 20,098,747,981
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<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 54,107,343
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<NET-ASSETS> 25,725,709,089
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 309,346,962
<INTEREST-INCOME> 40,687,873
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 134,677,886
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 215,356,949
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 820,727,060
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 1,541,146,115
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 2,577,230,124
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (5,289,455)
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<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 7,133,546
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (2,271,791)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 1,595,920
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 5,153,344,842
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 87,270,432
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<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 139,062,226
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</TABLE>
