PUTNAM INVESTMENT FUNDS
11-K, 1998-06-30
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  PUTNAM INVESTMENTS, INC. PROFIT SHARING           
 RETIREMENT PLAN
 
 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEARS ENDED
 DECEMBER 31, 1997 AND 1996 AND
 SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULES AS OF AND FOR THE
 YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997
 AND INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
 

PUTNAM INVESTMENTS, INC.
PROFIT SHARING RETIREMENT PLAN

TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                               PAGE
                                                                   
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT                                     1

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997 AND
1996:

 Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits                 2

 Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits      3

 Notes to Financial Statements                                 4-11

SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULES AS OF AND FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
1997:

 Item 27a - Schedule of Assets Held for Investment Purposes    12-13

 Item 27d - Schedule of Reportable Transactions                  14


Schedules required under the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, other than the schedules listed above, are omitted
because of the absence of the conditions under which the schedules
are required.










INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
 
 
To the Trustees of
 Putnam Investments, Inc.
 Profit Sharing Retirement Plan:

We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets
available for benefits of Putnam Investments, Inc. Profit
Sharing Retirement Plan (the "Plan") as of December 31, 1997
and 1996, and the related statements of changes in net assets
available for benefits for the years then ended.  These
financial statements are the responsibility of the Plan's
Trustees.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these
financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted
auditing standards.  Those standards require that we plan and
perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether
the financial statements are free of material misstatement.  An
audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.  An
audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used
and significant estimates made by management, as well as
evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.  We
believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our
opinion.

In our opinion, such financial statements present fairly, in
all material respects, the Plan's net assets available for
benefits as of December 31, 1997 and 1996, and the changes in
its net assets available for benefits for the years then ended
in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

Our audits were conducted for the purpose of forming an opinion
on the basic financial statements taken as a whole.  The
supplemental schedules listed in the Table of Contents are
presented for the purpose of additional analysis and are not a
required part of the basic financial statements, but are
supplementary information required by the Department of Labor's
Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.  These
schedules are the responsibility of the Plan's Trustees.  Such
schedules have been subjected to the auditing procedures
applied in our audit of the basic financial statements and, in
our opinion, are fairly stated in all material respects when
considered in relation to the basic financial statements taken
as a whole.





March 27, 1998









PUTNAM INVESTMENTS, INC.
PROFIT SHARING RETIREMENT PLAN

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


1. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN
   
   The following description of Putnam Investments, Inc. Profit
   Sharing Retirement Plan (the "Plan") is provided for general
   information purposes only.  Participants should refer to the
   plan document for a more complete description of the Plan's
   provisions.
   
   GENERAL - The Plan, as amended and restated January 1, 1989, is
   a defined contribution plan sponsored by Putnam Investments,
   Inc. and its subsidiaries (the "Company") for the benefit of its
   employees and is intended to qualify as a profit-sharing plan
   under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (the "Code")
   and to constitute a qualified cash or deferred arrangement under
   Section 401(k) of the Code.  The Plan is subject to the
   provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
   1974 ("ERISA").
   
   INVESTMENT PROGRAMS - The Plan allows each participant to elect
   to have employer contributions and reallocated forfeitures
   invested in one or more of the following authorized investment
   vehicles:
   
   (1)  Any one or a combination of the open-end management investment
     companies, excluding tax-exempt income funds, for which a
     subsidiary of Putnam Investments, Inc. acts as an investment
     adviser.
     
   (2)  Prior to January 1997, any one or a combination of contracts
     with insurance companies which guarantee principal and interest at
     a fixed rate.  Subsequent to January 1997, the only GIC product
     offered is the PFTC Stable Value Fund.
     
   (3)  Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. common stock (Marsh &
     McLennan Companies, Inc. is the parent Company of Putnam
     Investments, Inc.).
     
   (4)  Other investment options approved by the Board of Directors of
     Putnam Investments, Inc., the Trustees of the Plan, and the Chief
     Executive Officer of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.  There were
     no investments in this option at December 31, 1997 or 1996.
     
   Employer contributions and forfeitures must generally be
   allocated with apportionments to be no less than 1% per
   investment.
   
   Participants may also elect to have their voluntary
   contributions invested in any one or more of the authorized
   investments noted above in (1), (2), (3) and (4), with
   apportionments to be at least 1% to any one investment.
   
   With proper notification, participants may elect to change their
   investment in either their participation or voluntary accounts
   up to once a day.  Prior to April 1, 1997, the limit was twice
   during a fiscal quarter, not to exceed six investment changes
   per year.
   


   1. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN (CONTINUED)
   
   CONTRIBUTIONS - The Plan covers substantially all of the
   employees of the Company who have adopted the Plan.  Employer
   contributions are determined at the discretion of each company's
   Board of Directors.  Contributions may not exceed the amount
   permitted as a deduction under the applicable provisions of the
   Code.  Employer contributions, by company, for 1997 and 1996
   were as follows:
   
    
    
   Voluntary employee contributions are accepted within certain
   limits as defined in the Plan.  Participants making
   contributions are not allowed to withdraw any appreciation on
   such contributions before termination of employment, but may
   withdraw their contributions, subject to certain restrictions.
   Employee contributions, by company, for 1997 and 1996 were as
   follows:
   
    
    
   FORFEITURES - Forfeitures of invested employer contributions are
   reallocated among the remaining eligible participants one year
   after the fiscal year in which the forfeitures occur.
   Reallocation of forfeitures amounted to $1,097,096 in 1997 and
   $163,450 in 1996.
   
   PARTICIPANT ACCOUNTS AND VESTING - The Plan provides that the
   market value of investments in participant accounts shall be
   determined each business day.  Unrealized appreciation or
   depreciation, equal to the difference between actual cost and
   the quoted market price of the investments at the applicable
   valuation date, is recognized in determining the value of each
   fund.  The change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation,
   investment income received and realized gains or losses on
   investments sold or distributed are allocated to participants'
   accounts based on each participant's proportionate interest in
   the investment.
   
   Employer contributions and forfeitures are allocated annually
   based on a uniform percentage of eligible earnings per
   participant.  This percentage was 15% in 1997 and 1996.
   


   1. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN (CONTINUED)
   
   PARTICIPANT ACCOUNTS AND VESTING (CONTINUED) - An employee is
   eligible to become a participant  under the profit-sharing
   portion of the Plan upon the completion of twelve months of
   continuous service.  An employee is eligible to become a
   participant in the salary deferral portion of the Plan upon
   commencement of employment.  A participant must be employed on
   the last day of the Plan's fiscal year (December 31) to be
   eligible for their portion of the employer's contribution for
   that year.  The vesting of participants, other than voluntary
   and rollover contributions, is as follows:
   
    
    
   Participants are automatically fully vested in their voluntary
   and rollover contributions.
   
   Distributions are based on the vested portion of the
   participant's account valuation as of the liquidation date
   coinciding with or following the next valuation date after the
   individual ceases to be a participant.  Such distributions are
   made within a reasonable period after the individual ceases to
   be a participant, but not later than sixty days after the close
   of the fiscal year.  The Plan generally allows terminated
   participants to maintain their accounts in the Plan, but such
   accounts do not share in contributions and forfeiture
   reallocations.  The value of these accounts will continue to be
   determined each business day.
   
   SALARY SAVINGS CONTRIBUTIONS - It is the intention of the
   Trustees of the Plan (the "Trustees") that the salary deferral
   portion of the Plan be qualified under Section 401(k) of the
   Code.  The terms of the salary savings agreement provide that
   the participants' earnings contribution to the Plan will be
   deducted from their payroll, and that the employer shall
   contribute this amount to the Plan on behalf of the
   participants.  Investments into the various investment vehicles
   are at the discretion of the participant.  The market value of
   assets relating to the salary savings program at December 31,
   1997 and 1996 was $46,308,861 and $33,210,484, respectively.
   
   LOANS - Upon the approval of the Loan Committee, appointed by
   the Plan Administrator, participants of the Plan may borrow from
   their accounts, to alleviate financial need as defined by the
   Plan, an amount which, when added to all other loans to the
   participant, would not exceed the lesser of (1) a maximum
   borrowing limit of $50,000 or (2) 50% of the vested balance of
   the participant's account.  All loans shall be secured by the
   participant's account and will be repaid through payroll
   deductions according to a fixed repayment schedule which
   includes interest at a rate consistent with area lending
   institutions' personal loan rates from January 1, 1997 through
   March 31, 1997.  Effective April 1, 1997, the interest rate
   charged is equal to the prime rate at the time the loan
   originated.  Loans outstanding at December 31, 1997 and 1996
   were $5,818,327 and $2,700,345, respectively.
   
2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
   
   METHOD OF ACCOUNTING - The accompanying financial statements of
   the Plan have been prepared on the accrual basis of accounting.
   Investment transactions are recorded on the trade-date basis.
   Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date.  Interest
   income is recorded as earned.
   


   2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
   
   INVESTMENT VALUATION - Investments in equity securities and
   mutual funds are stated at fair value as determined by quoted
   market prices based on the last reported sales prices, or the
   reported net asset value per share on the last business day of
   the plan year.  Investments in insurance contracts are stated at
   contract value (cost plus accrued interest), which approximates
   fair value.  Participant loans are recorded at cost which
   approximates market value.
   
   ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES - Expenses of the Plan have been paid by
   the Company, but such payment is at their discretion.
   
   BENEFITS - Benefits to participants are recorded when paid.
   
   ESTIMATES - The preparation of financial statements in
   conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
   requires the Plan's management to make estimates and assumptions
   that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and
   disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of
   the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues
   and expenses during the reporting period.  Actual results could
   differ from those estimates.
   
3. INVESTMENTS
   
   Investments that represent 5% or more of total plan assets at
   December 31 are as follows:
   
    
    
   The Plan's Funds are invested in the following investment
   vehicles that represent 5% or more of total plan assets:
   
     PUTNAM VOYAGER FUND - Funds are invested primarily in equity
     securities of companies which, in the opinion of the Fund's
     investment manager, have potential for capital appreciation
     significantly greater than that of the market averages.
     
     PUTNAM NEW OPPORTUNITIES FUND - Funds are invested in equity
     securities of companies which, in the opinion of the Fund's
     investment manager, possess above-average, long-term growth
     potential.
     
     THE PUTNAM FUND FOR GROWTH AND INCOME - Funds are invested
     primarily in equity securities that offer potential for both
     capital growth and current income.
     
     PUTNAM MONEY MARKET FUND - Funds are invested in various types
     of high quality money market instruments.
     


   3. INVESTMENTS (CONTINUED)
   
     THE GEORGE PUTNAM FUND OF BOSTON - Funds are invested in a
     diversified list of securities including equity securities,
     fixed-income securities, and negotiable instruments that offer
     potential for both capital growth and current income.
     
     PUTNAM FIDUCIARY TRUST CO. STABLE VALUE FUND - Collective
     investment trust which invests primarily in high quality
     annuity (or similar) contracts issued by insurance companies
     and certificates of deposit (or similar contracts) issued by
     banks.  In addition, to provide liquidity, a portion of  the
     Fund's assets are invested in high quality money market
     investments.  The Fund is a component of the Guaranteed
     Investment Products category.
     
     PUTNAM OTC EMERGING GROWTH FUND - Funds are invested primarily
     in equity securities of small- to medium-sized "emerging
     growth" companies traded in the over-the-counter ("OTC")
     market, which in the opinion of the Fund's investment manager
     have potential for capital appreciation significantly greater
     than that of the market averages.
     
   During 1997 and 1996, the Plan's investments (including gains
   and losses on investments bought and sold, as well as held
   during the year) appreciated in value by $20,561,744 and
   $10,817,549, respectively, as follows:
   
    
    
4. PLAN TERMINATION
   
   Although it has not expressed any intent to do so, the Company
   has the right under the Plan to discontinue its contributions at
   any time and to terminate the Plan subject to the provisions of
   ERISA.  In the event of plan termination, participants will
   become 100% vested in their accounts.
   
5. SUBSEQUENT DISTRIBUTIONS
   
   At December 31, 1997 and 1996, terminated employees had
   requested distributions of the vested portion of their accounts
   totaling $637,652 and $1,757,531, respectively.  The sources of
   these distributions by investment type are as follows:
   
    
    


   6. TAX STATUS OF THE PLAN
   
   The Plan obtained its latest determination letter on March 29,
   1996 in which the Internal Revenue Service stated that the Plan,
   as then designed, was in compliance with the applicable
   requirements of the Code.  The Plan Administrator believes that
   the Plan is currently designed and being operated in compliance
   with the applicable requirements of the Code.  Accordingly, no
   provision for income taxes has been included in the Plan's
   financial statements.
   
7. FUND INFORMATION
   
   Investment income, contributions, and benefits paid to participants for the
   years ended December 31, 1997 and 1996 are as follows:
   
    
7. FUND INFORMATION (CONTINUED)
   
   
   
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