<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 02/29/96
000 C000000 0000932101
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 Y
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 PUTNAM INVESTMENT FUNDS
001 B000000 811-7237
001 C000000 6172921562
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002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02109
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004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
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007 C030200 N
007 C010300 3
007 C020300 PUTNAM BALANCED FUND
007 C030300 N
007 C010400 4
007 C020400 PUTNAM NEW VALUE FUND
007 C030400 N
007 C010500 5
007 C020500 PUTNAM GLOBAL UTILITIES FUND
007 C030500 N
007 C010600 6
007 C020600 PUTNAM REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITIES FUND
007 C030600 N
007 C010700 7
007 C020700 PUTNAM INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND
007 C030700 N
007 C010800 8
007 C020800 PUTNAM EMERGING GROWTH FUND
007 C030800 N
007 C010900 9
007 C020900 PUTNAM INTERNATIONAL FUND
007 C030900 N
007 C011000 10
007 C021000 PUTNAM GENESIS FUND
<PAGE> PAGE 2
007 C031000 N
020 A000001 NIKKO SECURITIES CO. INTERNATIONAL INC.
020 B000001 94-1302123
020 C000001 29
020 A000002 KLEINWORT BENSON INC.
020 B000002 13-2647786
020 C000002 7
020 A000003 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
020 B000003 13-5108880
020 C000003 3
020 A000004 WI CARR & SONS
020 B000004 13-2927466
020 C000004 2
020 A000005 ROBERT FLEMING INC.
020 B000005 13-3298866
020 C000005 2
020 A000006 SALOMON BROTHERS INC.
020 B000006 13-3082694
020 C000006 2
020 A000007 BARING SECURITIES INC.
020 B000007 04-2455153
020 C000007 2
020 A000008 KANKAKU SECURITIES (AMERICA) INC.
020 B000008 13-3038090
020 C000008 1
020 A000009 GARANTIA SA CORRETORA DE TITU
020 C000009 1
020 A000010 WORLDSEC INTERNATIONAL
020 C000010 1
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<PAGE> PAGE 3
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<PAGE> PAGE 4
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<PAGE> PAGE 5
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<PAGE> PAGE 6
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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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<PAGE> PAGE 12
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<PAGE> PAGE 13
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<PAGE> PAGE 14
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<PAGE> PAGE 15
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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>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM Putnam New Value Fund Class A AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY B
Y REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> OTHER
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-1995
<PERIOD-END> FEB-29-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST > 4,329,097 <INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 4,774,236
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<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
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<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
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<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (178,420)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
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<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (4,612)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 24,155
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 2,425,868
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<GROSS-EXPENSE> 14,695
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 2,798,661
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.53
<PER-SHARE-NII> .12
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 1.04
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (.96)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 10.73
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .52
<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>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM Putnam New Value Fund Class B AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY B
Y REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> OTHER
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-1995
<PERIOD-END> FEB-29-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST > 4,329,097 <INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 4,774,236
<RECEIVABLES> 1,259,696
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<TOTAL-ASSETS> 6,077,972
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<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 24,473
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 1,179,449
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<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 41,775
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 2,005
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 128,368
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
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<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 44,646
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<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 34,280
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 116,239
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 9,767
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 14,695
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 115,224
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.86
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.13)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 10.73
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .06
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>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM Putnam New Value Fund Class M ND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY
REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> OTHER
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-1995
<PERIOD-END> FEB-29-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST > 4,329,097 <INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 4,774,236
<RECEIVABLES> 1,259,696
<ASSETS-OTHER> 44,040
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 6,077,972
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 1,154,976
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 24,473
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 1,179,449
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 4,386,011
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 20,209
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 2,005
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 128,368
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 382,139
<NET-ASSETS> 216,759
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 44,646
<INTEREST-INCOME> 550
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 11,201
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 33,995
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 190,549
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 74,534
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 299,078
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (66,270)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (178,420)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 20,209
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 2,425,868
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 34,280
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 116,239
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 9,767
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 14,695
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 114,162
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.86
<PER-SHARE-NII> .01
PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.14)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 10.73
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .06
AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
??
</TABLE>
