<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 07/31/94
000 C000000 0000081279
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 PUTNAM VISTA FUND
001 B000000 811-1561
001 C000000 6172921000
002 A000000 ONE POST OFFICE SQUARE
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02109
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 PUTNAM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC.
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-7974
008 D010001 BOSTON
008 D020001 MA
008 D030001 02109
011 A000001 PUTNAM MUTUAL FUNDS CORP.
011 B000001 8-5088
011 C010001 BOSTON
011 C020001 MA
011 C030001 02109
012 A000001 PUTNAM INVESTOR SERVICES
012 B000001 84-401299
012 C010001 BOSTON
012 C020001 MA
012 C030001 02109
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 89
<PAGE> PAGE 2
019 C000000 PUTNAMFUND
020 A000001 AG EDWARDS & SONS, INC.
020 B000001 43-0895477
020 C000001 88
020 A000002 HOENIG & CO., INC.
020 B000002 13-2656060
020 C000002 70
020 A000003 FIRST BOSTON
020 B000003 13-5659485
020 C000003 65
020 A000004 PAINE WEBBER INC.
020 B000004 13-2638166
020 C000004 64
020 A000005 AUTRANET INCORPORATED
020 B000005 13-2691507
020 C000005 60
020 A000006 SALOMON BROTHERS
020 B000006 13-3082694
020 C000006 79
020 A000007 INVEST CORPORATION
020 B000007 59-2195688
020 C000007 55
020 A000008 DONALDSON LUFKIN & JENRETTE, INC.
020 B000008 13-2741729
020 C000008 58
020 A000009 BRIDGE TRADING
020 B000009 43-1034850
020 C000009 52
020 A000010 MERRILL LYNCH PIERCE FENNER & SMITH
020 B000010 13-5674085
020 C000010 56
021 000000 1931
022 A000001 SHEARSON LEHMAN BROTHERS
022 B000001 13-2518466
022 C000001 2446749
022 D000001 0
022 A000002 KIDDER PEABODY & CO., INC.
022 B000002 13-5650440
022 C000002 1766322
022 D000002 0
022 A000003 B.T. SECURITIES
022 B000003 13-3311934
022 C000003 1729101
022 D000003 0
022 A000004 J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES
022 B000004 13-5123346
022 C000004 697551
022 D000004 0
022 A000005 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
022 B000005 13-5108880
022 C000005 549598
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 D000005 0
022 A000006 NOMURA SECURITIES, INC.
022 B000006 13-2642206
022 C000006 489515
022 D000006 0
022 A000007 PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES, INC.
022 B000007 22-2347336
022 C000007 425701
022 D000007 0
022 A000008 MERRILL LYNCH PIERCE FENNER & SMITH
022 B000008 13-5670485
022 C000008 134778
022 D000008 0
022 A000009 CITICORP
022 B000009 13-5266470
022 C000009 19889
022 D000009 0
022 A000010 BANK OF AMERICA
022 B000010 94-1687665
022 C000010 10738
022 D000010 0
023 C000000 8285215
023 D000000 240
024 000000 N
025 A000001 DELETE
025 D000001 0
025 D000002 0
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 Y
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 Y
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 Y
026 G020000 Y
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
028 A010000 53207
028 A020000 5
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 13574
028 B010000 75748
028 B020000 2
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 27712
<PAGE> PAGE 4
028 C010000 76067
028 C020000 0
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 13443
028 D010000 32303
028 D020000 1
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 11406
028 E010000 29018
028 E020000 0
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 17079
028 F010000 35032
028 F020000 0
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 11408
028 G010000 301375
028 G020000 8
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 94622
028 H000000 301375
029 000000 Y
030 A000000 1736
030 B000000 5.75
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 212
031 B000000 0
032 000000 1524
033 000000 0
034 000000 Y
035 000000 0
036 A000000 N
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 100
042 D000000 0
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
043 000000 2144
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
047 000000 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 5
048 000000 0.000
048 A010000 100000
048 A020000 0.600
048 B010000 200000
048 B020000 0.500
048 C010000 500000
048 C020000 0.400
048 D010000 1000000
048 D020000 0.325
048 E010000 0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 1000000
048 K020000 0.300
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 N
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 Y
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 N
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
056 000000 N
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
060 B000000 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 6
061 000000 500
062 A000000 N
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 Y
066 D000000 N
066 E000000 N
066 F000000 N
066 G000000 N
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 Y
070 B010000 Y
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 N
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 Y
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 N
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 Y
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 Y
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 Y
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 7
070 J020000 N
070 K010000 N
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 Y
070 L020000 N
070 M010000 Y
070 M020000 N
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 Y
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 1074028
071 B000000 526212
071 C000000 560639
071 D000000 96
072 A000000 12
072 B000000 2162
072 C000000 6440
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 3944
072 G000000 11
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 1188
072 J000000 -222
072 K000000 76
072 L000000 82
072 M000000 22
072 N000000 106
072 O000000 0
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 28
072 S000000 21
072 T000000 2144
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 18
072 X000000 7418
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 1184
072AA000000 16597
072BB000000 0
072CC010000 0
072CC020000 17409
<PAGE> PAGE 8
072DD010000 2090
072DD020000 155
072EE000000 39941
073 A010000 0.0300
073 A020000 0.0200
073 B000000 0.5600
073 C000000 0.5600
074 A000000 1
074 B000000 21760
074 C000000 30778
074 D000000 0
074 E000000 0
074 F000000 722443
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 0
074 J000000 16838
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 2625
074 M000000 25
074 N000000 794470
074 O000000 12517
074 P000000 1771
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 775
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 779407
074 U010000 91217
074 U020000 18863
074 V010000 7.09
074 V020000 7.03
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 110077
074 Y000000 0
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 625480
076 000000 0.00
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
077 C000000 N
077 D000000 N
077 E000000 N
077 F000000 N
077 G000000 N
077 H000000 N
077 I000000 N
077 J000000 N
077 K000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 9
077 L000000 N
077 M000000 N
077 N000000 N
077 O000000 N
077 P000000 N
077 Q010000 Y
077 Q020000 N
077 Q030000 N
080 A000000 FEDERAL INSURANCE COMPANY
080 B000000 NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C000000 50000
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 69
082 A000000 N
082 B000000 0
083 A000000 N
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
SIGNATURE GORDON H. SILVER
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED
FROM PUTNAM VISTA FUND ANNUAL REPORT(CLASS A) AND IS QUALIFIED IN
ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> JUL-31-1994
<PERIOD-END> JUL-31-1994
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> $729,612,565
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> $774,981,394
<RECEIVABLES> $19,462,263
<ASSETS-OTHER> $845
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> $25,333
<TOTAL-ASSETS> $794,469,835
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> $12,517,333
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> $0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> $2,545,721
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> $15,063,054
<SENIOR-EQUITY> $0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> $735,046,058
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 91,217,427
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 58,840,281
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> $0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> $0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> $0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> ($1,008,106)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> $45,368,829
<NET-ASSETS> $779,406,781
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> $6,439,885
<INTEREST-INCOME> $2,162,428
<OTHER-INCOME> $0
<EXPENSES-NET> $7,417,900
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> $1,184,413
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> $16,596,788
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> ($17,409,528)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> $371,673
<EQUALIZATION> $0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> ($2,090,147)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> ($34,779,110)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> ($1,617,131)
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 44,771,194
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 17,194,066
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 4,800,018
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> $318,962,248
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> $1,646,402
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> $15,358,630
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> $0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> $0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> $3,944,002
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> $0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> $7,417,900
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> $549,168,255
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> $7.47
<PER-SHARE-NII> $0.01
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> $0.21
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> ($0.03)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> ($0.55)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> ($0.02)
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> $7.09
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> $0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> $0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED
FROM PUTNAM VISTA FUND ANNUAL REPORT(CLASS B) AND IS QUALIFIED IN
ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> JUL-31-1994
<PERIOD-END> JUL-31-1994
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> $729,612,565
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> $774,981,394
<RECEIVABLES> $19,462,263
<ASSETS-OTHER> $845
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> $25,333
<TOTAL-ASSETS> $794,469,835
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> $12,517,333
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> $0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> $2,545,721
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> $15,063,054
<SENIOR-EQUITY> $0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> $735,046,058
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 18,863,663
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 2,778,347
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> $0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> $0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> $0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> ($1,008,106)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> $45,368,829
<NET-ASSETS> $779,406,781
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> $6,439,885
<INTEREST-INCOME> $2,162,428
<OTHER-INCOME> $0
<EXPENSES-NET> $7,417,900
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> $1,184,413
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> $16,596,788
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> ($17,409,528)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> $371,673
<EQUALIZATION> $0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> ($155,041)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> ($4,184,211)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> ($194,554)
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 17,289,985
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 1,759,586
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 554,917
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> $318,962,248
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> $1,646,402
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> $15,358,630
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> $0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> $0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> $3,944,002
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> $0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> $7,417,900
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> $76,312,150
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> $7.46
<PER-SHARE-NII> $0.01
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> $0.15
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> ($0.02)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> ($0.55)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> ($0.02)
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> $7.03
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 2
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> $0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> $0
</TABLE>
