497 1 a_put1411nf7procx.htm PUTNAM FUNDS TRUST

Fund summaries

Putnam Low Volatility Equity Fund

Goal

Putnam Low Volatility Equity Fund seeks a total return comparable to that of the U.S. equity markets, but with lower volatility, over a market cycle (generally at least three years or more).

Fees and expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Putnam funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in How do I buy fund shares? beginning on page 19 of the fund’s prospectus and in How to buy shares beginning on page II-1 of the fund’s statement of additional information (SAI).

Shareholder fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

Share class	Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	Maximum deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, whichever is lower)
Class A	5.75%	1.00%*
Class B	NONE	5.00%**
Class C	NONE	1.00%***
Class M	3.50%	0.65%*
Class Y	NONE	NONE

Annual fund operating expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Share class	Management fees	Distribution and service (12b-1) fees	Other expenses⁼	Acquired fund fees and expenses	Total annual fund operating expenses	Expense reimbursement^#	Total annual fund operating expenses after expense reimbursement
Class A	0.62%	0.25%	0.63%	0.01%	1.51%	(0.30)%	1.21%
Class B	0.62%	1.00%	0.63%	0.01%	2.26%	(0.30)%	1.96%
Class C	0.62%	1.00%	0.63%	0.01%	2.26%	(0.30)%	1.96%
Class M	0.62%	0.75%	0.63%	0.01%	2.01%	(0.30)%	1.71%
Class Y	0.62%	N/A	0.63%	0.01%	1.26%	(0.30)%	0.96%

* Applies only to certain redemptions of shares bought with no initial sales charge.

** This charge is phased out over six years.

*** This charge is eliminated after one year.

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= Restated to reflect current fees.

# Reflects Putnam Investment Management, LLC’s contractual obligation to limit certain fund expenses through November 30, 2015. This obligation may be modified or discontinued only with the approval of the Board of Trustees.

Example

The following hypothetical example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then, except as indicated, redeem all your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return on your investment each year and that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Only the first year of each period in the example takes into account the expense reimbursement described above. Your actual costs may be higher or lower.

Share class	1 year	3 years	5 years	10 years
Class A	$691	$997	$1,325	$2,249
Class B	$699	$978	$1,383	$2,383
Class B (no redemption)	$199	$678	$1,183	$2,383
Class C	$299	$678	$1,183	$2,572
Class C (no redemption)	$199	$678	$1,183	$2,572
Class M	$518	$930	$1,368	$2,583
Class Y	$98	$370	$663	$1,496

Portfolio turnover

The fund pays transaction-related costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when the fund’s shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or the above example, affect fund performance. The fund’s turnover rate in the most recent fiscal year was 91%.

Investments, risks, and performance

Investments

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index. A stock with a beta higher than 1.0 is generally expected to be more volatile than the index, and a stock with a beta of less than 1.0 should be less volatile than the index and may be expected to rise and fall in price more slowly than the market or sector. We generally emphasize investments within each sector in low beta stocks (measured relative to the S&P 500 Index) because we believe that, over a full market cycle (generally at least three years or more), a portfolio of low beta stocks may be able to earn investment returns comparable to market returns, but with less volatility than the market, thus earning an attractive risk-adjusted return relative to the market.

We intend to write (sell) call options, generally on equity indices but also on individual portfolio securities. We sell call options to earn premium income. Selling call options may also reduce the volatility of the fund’s portfolio.

We intend to buy put options, generally on equity indices but also on individual portfolio securities. We buy put options to reduce the volatility of the fund’s portfolio by protecting the fund from the impact of significant market declines.

In addition to call options and put options, we may use derivatives, such as futures, options, warrants and swap contracts, for hedging purposes and to adjust the return and volatility characteristics of the fund’s investments. We may also make other investments, including in derivatives, intended to protect the fund from market volatility, or to take advantage of the potential for returns from instruments that perform well during periods of market volatility.

We may consider, among other factors, a company’s valuation, financial strength, growth potential, competitive position in its industry, projected future earnings, cash flows and dividends, as well as general market conditions, when deciding whether to buy or sell investments. As noted above, we will also consider the fund’s overall exposure to each sector.

Risks

It is important to understand that you can lose money by investing in the fund.

The value of stocks in the fund’s portfolio may fall or fail to rise over extended periods of time for a variety of reasons, including both general financial market conditions and factors related to a specific company, industry or sector. There may be times when stocks in the fund’s portfolio exhibit higher volatility than we expect, are not correlated with market movements as we expect, or underperform the markets. By selling covered call options, the fund limits its opportunity to profit from an increase in the price of the underlying portfolio securities, but continues to bear the risk of a decline in the value of these securities. The fund also risks losing all or part of the cash paid for purchasing put options. Our use of derivatives may increase the

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fund’s risk of loss by increasing investment exposure or, in the case of many over-the-counter instruments, because of the potential inability to terminate or sell derivatives positions and the potential failure of the other party to the instrument to meet its obligations.

The fund may not achieve its goal, and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. An investment in the fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Performance

Performance information will be available after the fund completes a full calendar year of operation.

Your fund’s management

Investment advisor

Putnam Investment Management, LLC

Portfolio managers

Adrian Chan, Portfolio Manager, portfolio manager of the fund since 2013

Robert Schoen, Co-Head of Global Asset Allocation, portfolio manager of the fund since 2013

For important information about the purchase and sale of fund shares, tax information, and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to Important Additional Information About All Funds beginning on page 9.

Putnam Strategic Volatility Equity Fund

Goal

Putnam Strategic Volatility Equity Fund seeks a total return in excess of that of the U.S. equity markets, but with comparable volatility, over a market cycle (generally at least three years or more).

Fees and expenses

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Shareholder fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

Share class	Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	Maximum deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, whichever is lower)
Class A	5.75%	1.00%*
Class B	NONE	5.00%**
Class C	NONE	1.00%***
Class M	3.50%	0.65%*
Class Y	NONE	NONE

Annual fund operating expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Share class	Management fees†	Distribution and service (12b-1) fees	Other expenses⁼	Acquired fund fees and expenses	Total annual fund operating expenses	Expense reimbursement^#	Total annual fund operating expenses after expense reimbursement
Class A	0.68%	0.25%	2.34%	0.01%	3.28%	(2.01)%	1.27%
Class B	0.68%	1.00%	2.34%	0.01%	4.03%	(2.01)%	2.02%
Class C	0.68%	1.00%	2.34%	0.01%	4.03%	(2.01)%	2.02%
Class M	0.68%	0.75%	2.34%	0.01%	3.78%	(2.01)%	1.77%
Class Y	0.68%	N/A	2.34%	0.01%	3.03%	(2.01)%	1.02%

* Applies only to certain redemptions of shares bought with no initial sales charge.

** This charge is phased out over six years.

*** This charge is eliminated after one year.

† Management fees are subject to a performance adjustment.

= Restated to reflect current fees.

Example

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Share class	1 year	3 years	5 years	10 years
Class A	$697	$1,349	$2,024	$3,816
Class B	$705	$1,343	$2,098	$3,946
Class B (no redemption)	$205	$1,043	$1,898	$3,946
Class C	$305	$1,043	$1,898	$4,107
Class C (no redemption)	$205	$1,043	$1,898	$4,107
Class M	$524	$1,286	$2,067	$4,104
Class Y	$104	$747	$1,415	$3,204

Portfolio turnover

Investments, risks, and performance

Investments

The fund invests mainly in common stocks of large U.S. companies across all sectors. The fund expects to allocate its investments across sectors so that the fund’s portfolio approximately reflects sector weightings across the broader equity markets. Within each sector, the fund generally focuses its investments on those stocks that we believe are likely to have lower sensitivity to broader market or sector movements. We refer to these stocks as “low beta” stocks. Beta is a measurement of a stock’s anticipated sensitivity to price movements in a particular market, as measured by a market or sector index. A stock with a beta higher than 1.0 is generally expected to be more volatile than the index, and a stock with a beta of less than 1.0 should be less volatile than the index and may be expected to rise and fall in price more slowly than the market or sector. We generally emphasize investments within each sector in low beta stocks (measured relative to the S&P 500 Index) because we believe that, over a full market cycle (generally at least three years or more), a portfolio of low beta stocks combined with the options, total return swaps, and other derivative strategies described below, may be able to earn investment returns in excess of market returns, but with volatility comparable to the market, thus earning an attractive risk-adjusted return relative to the market.

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We intend to invest in total return swaps on market indices, the fund’s individual portfolio securities, or baskets of securities, and in other derivatives to increase the fund’s exposure to low beta stocks, which will create investment leverage.

Risks

It is important to understand that you can lose money by investing in the fund.

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Performance

Performance information will be available after the fund completes a full calendar year of operation.

Your fund’s management

Investment advisor

Putnam Investment Management, LLC

Portfolio managers

Adrian Chan, Portfolio Manager, portfolio manager of the fund since 2013

Robert Schoen, Co-Head of Global Asset Allocation, portfolio manager of the fund since 2013

Important Additional Information About All Funds

Purchase and sale of fund shares

You can open an account, purchase and/or sell fund shares, or exchange them for shares of another Putnam fund by contacting your financial advisor or by calling Putnam Investor Services at 1-800-225-1581.

When opening an account, you must complete and mail a Putnam account application, along with a check made payable to the fund, to: Putnam Investor Services, P.O. Box 8383, Boston, MA 02266-8383. The minimum initial investment of $500 is currently waived, although Putnam reserves the right to reject initial investments under $500 at its discretion. There is no minimum for subsequent investments.

You can sell your shares back to the fund or exchange them for shares of another Putnam fund any day the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open. Shares may be sold or exchanged by mail, by phone, or online at putnam.com. Some restrictions may apply.

Tax information

The fund’s distributions will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains unless you hold the shares through a tax-advantaged arrangement, in which case you will generally be taxed only upon withdrawal of monies from the arrangement.

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Financial intermediary compensation

If you purchase the fund through a broker/dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank or financial advisor), the fund and its related companies may pay that intermediary for the sale of fund shares and related services. Please bear in mind that these payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker/dealer or other intermediary to recommend the fund over another investment. Ask your advisor or visit your advisor’s website for more information.

What are each fund’s main investment strategies and related risks?

This section contains greater detail on each fund’s main investment strategies and the related risks you would face as a fund shareholder. It is important to keep in mind that risk and reward generally go hand in hand; the higher the potential reward, the greater the risk. As mentioned in the fund summaries, we pursue each fund’s goal by investing mainly in common stocks of large U.S. companies across all sectors.

Each fund generally expects to allocate its investments across sectors so that the fund’s portfolio approximately reflects sector weightings across the broader equity markets. Within each sector, each fund generally focuses its investments on stocks that we believe have a lower sensitivity to broader market or sector movements than is average for the sector. Under normal circumstances, we invest at least 80% of each fund’s net assets in equity investments. This policy may be changed only after 60 days’ notice to shareholders.

Low beta strategy. Each fund invests mainly in common stocks of large U.S. companies across all sectors, generally focusing its investments within each sector on those stocks that we believe are likely to have lower sensitivity to broader market or sector movements. We expect these stocks to exhibit lower volatility. Volatility refers to the tendency of investments and markets to fluctuate in price over time. The greater an investment’s or market’s volatility, the more sharply its price may fluctuate.

Beta is a measurement of a stock’s anticipated sensitivity to price movements in a particular market, as measured by a market or sector index. A stock with a beta higher than 1.0 is generally expected to be more volatile than the index, and a stock with a beta of less than 1.0 should be less volatile than the index and may be expected to rise and fall in price more slowly than the market or sector. We generally emphasize investments within each sector in low beta stocks (measured relative to the S&P 500 Index) because we believe that, over a market cycle (generally at least three years or more), a portfolio of low

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beta stocks may be able to earn investment returns comparable to market returns, but with less volatility than the market, thus earning an attractive risk-adjusted return relative to the market.

One measure of risk-adjusted return is the Sharpe ratio. The Sharpe ratio is calculated by taking a fund’s rate of return, subtracting the so-called “risk-free rate” (typically the rate of return that may be earned on an investment in U.S. Treasury bonds), and dividing the result by the standard deviation of the fund’s returns. The Sharpe ratio can help indicate whether a fund’s investment returns are the result of excessive risk. Higher Sharpe ratios signify better risk-adjusted performance (that is, relatively lower risk associated with a particular level of investment return, or, conversely, better investment return associated with a particular level of risk).

Different sectors often exhibit different average betas over time. For example, the utilities sector currently has a lower beta than the technology sector relative to the broader equity markets. The funds do not intend to concentrate their investments in sectors characterized by low beta companies, however. Instead, as noted above, the funds’ portfolios are expected to approximately reflect sector weightings across the broader equity markets.

Our low beta strategy generally depends upon our ability to estimate correctly the beta of a fund’s investments relative to the broader markets or sectors. We use third-party risk models in our process. These models typically determine the historical volatility and correlation of a stock to a market index. We adjust the results of these models based on our research and analysis to develop an estimate of what a stock’s beta will be on a forward-looking basis. We cannot assure you that our assessments of beta will be correct. For example, volatility may be higher than we expected or securities may be less correlated with markets than we expected. If our assessments of volatility and beta are incorrect, a fund may not achieve the risk-adjusted returns that we seek and could significantly underperform the markets in general, particular markets, or other funds that make similar investments. Even if our assessments are successful, a fund may fail to meet its objective or may lose money if the particular investments that we make do not perform as we expect.

Options strategy. In addition to the funds’ low beta strategy, the funds employ an options strategy of writing (selling) call options and buying put options on individual portfolio securities and on equity indices.

A call option is a contract that gives the buyer of the option the right to purchase an underlying security or index at a specified price (the “strike price”) before a specified future date (the “expiration date”). A put option is a contract that gives the buyer of the option the right to sell an underlying

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security or index at the strike price before the expiration date. The price of an option (or “premium”) is determined from trading activity in the broad options market, and generally reflects the relationship between the current market price for the underlying security or index and the strike price, as well as the time remaining until the expiration date. The funds generally write call options with a strike price above the current market price of the underlying asset (or “out-of-the-money”) in order to generate premium income. The funds generally buy out-of-the-money put options in order to reduce portfolio volatility by protecting against the risk of a significant decline in the value of portfolio securities.

There is no guarantee that the funds’ options strategy will produce premium income or reduce portfolio volatility to the extent desired. A transaction in options may be unsuccessful because of market behavior or unexpected events. For example, unusual market conditions or the lack of a ready market for any particular option at a specific time may impair a fund’s ability to enter into new positions or close out existing positions, which may reduce the effectiveness of the funds’ options strategy. We expect that the funds’ options transactions will generally involve call or put options on a market index (although the fund may also write a call option or buy a put option on an individual portfolio security). Because the funds’ portfolios will not replicate any market index, the funds’ options transactions in market indices will not exactly offset any risk associated with their portfolio investments. When a fund writes a call option on a portfolio security, the fund forgoes, during the option’s life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the underlying security above the sum of the premium and the strike price of the call, but retains the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline. A fund also risks losing all or part of the cash paid for purchasing call and put options if the fund does not exercise the options before they expire. The writer of an option has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation and must deliver the underlying security (or cash in the case of an option on a security index) at the exercise price upon receipt of an exercise notice. Portfolio assets covering written options cannot be sold while the option is outstanding, unless replaced with similar assets.

Leverage. (Strategic Volatility Equity Fund only.) In pursuing the fund’s strategy of managing volatility by investing in low beta stocks, we will generally seek to enhance the fund’s total returns by using investment leverage through derivatives, typically total return swaps, to increase the fund’s exposure to investments. In a total return swap, a fund agrees to pay a counterparty an amount equal to the total return on an underlying security, basket of securities or index during a specified period of time in exchange for the counterparty’s periodic payments based upon a fixed or specified rate.

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Under normal market conditions, we expect that, on average, investment leverage associated with the fund’s low beta strategy will result in a net notional investment exposure of up to 200% of the net assets of the fund, although the amounts of leverage may be significantly higher or lower at any given time. This expected average level of investment leverage means that, for every $100 invested in the fund, the fund will obtain an exposure of up to $200 of underlying investments after long and short positions are netted against each other. We may make an investment directly, or we may obtain exposure to an investment through the use of one or more derivatives. We treat a derivative investment as having the same net notional investment exposure as the equivalent direct investment. There are costs associated with investment leverage, and these costs may vary over time. When determining the appropriate amount of investment leverage for the fund, we will take into account these costs, as well as our goal that the fund will experience comparable volatility to that of the U.S. equity markets over a market cycle. If our judgments about the performance of investments prove incorrect while the fund’s exposure to underperforming investments is increased through the use of investment leverage, a relatively small market or stock price movement may result in significant losses to the fund.

Common stocks. Common stock represents an ownership interest in a company. The value of a company’s stock may fall as a result of factors directly relating to that company, such as decisions made by its management or lower demand for the company’s products or services. A stock’s value may also fall because of factors affecting not just the company, but also other companies in the same industry or in a number of different industries, such as increases in production costs. From time to time, a fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in companies in one or more related industries or sectors, which would make the fund more vulnerable to adverse developments affecting those industries or sectors. The value of a company’s stock may also be affected by changes in financial markets that are relatively unrelated to the company or its industry, such as changes in interest rates or currency exchange rates. In addition, a company’s stock generally pays dividends only after the company invests in its own business and makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. For this reason, the value of a company’s stock will usually react more strongly than its bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Stocks of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than those of larger companies.

Derivatives. We may engage in a variety of transactions involving derivatives, such as futures, options, warrants and swap contracts. As described above, investments in derivatives are an important component of the funds’

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investment strategies. Derivatives are financial instruments whose value depends upon, or is derived from, the value of something else, such as one or more underlying investments, pools of investments, indexes or currencies. We may use total return swaps, which could result in losses if the underlying security, basket of securities or index does not perform as expected. We may make use of “short” derivatives positions, the values of which typically move in the opposite direction from the price of the underlying investment, pool of investments, index or currency. We may use derivatives both for hedging and non-hedging purposes, including as a substitute for a direct investment in the securities of one or more issuers. However, we may also choose not to use derivatives based on our evaluation of market conditions or the availability of suitable derivatives. Investments in derivatives may be applied toward meeting a requirement to invest in a particular kind of investment if the derivatives have economic characteristics similar to that investment. Each fund’s investment in derivatives may be limited by its intention to qualify as a regulated investment company.

Derivatives involve special risks and may result in losses. The successful use of derivatives depends on our ability to manage these sophisticated instruments. Some derivatives are “leveraged,” which means they provide a fund with investment exposure greater than the value of the fund’s investment in the derivatives. As a result, these derivatives may magnify or otherwise increase investment losses to the fund. The risk of loss from certain short derivatives positions is theoretically unlimited. The value of derivatives may move in unexpected ways due to the use of leverage or other factors, especially in unusual market conditions, and may result in increased volatility.

Other risks arise from the potential inability to terminate or sell derivatives positions. A liquid secondary market may not always exist for a fund’s derivatives positions. In fact, many over-the-counter instruments (investments not traded on an exchange) will not be liquid. Over-the-counter instruments also involve the risk that the other party to the derivatives transaction will not meet its obligations. For further information about the risks of derivatives, see Miscellaneous Investments, Investment Practices and Risks in the SAI.

Other investments. In addition to the main investment strategies described above, a fund may make other types of investments, such as investments in preferred stocks, convertible securities and debt instruments. A fund may also loan portfolio securities to earn income. These practices may be subject to other risks, as described under Miscellaneous Investments, Investment Practices and Risks in the SAI.

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Temporary defensive strategies. In response to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions, we may take temporary defensive positions, such as investing some or all of a fund’s assets in cash and cash equivalents, that differ from the fund’s usual investment strategies. However, we may choose not to use these temporary defensive strategies for a variety of reasons, even in very volatile market conditions. These strategies may cause a fund to miss out on investment opportunities, and may prevent a fund from achieving its goal. Additionally, while temporary defensive strategies are mainly designed to limit losses, such strategies may not work as intended.

Changes in policies. The Trustees may change a fund’s goal, investment strategies and other policies set forth in this prospectus without shareholder approval, except as otherwise provided.

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Portfolio turnover rate. A fund’s portfolio turnover rate measures how frequently the fund buys and sells investments. A portfolio turnover rate of 100%, for example, would mean that the fund sold and replaced securities valued at 100% of the fund’s assets within a one-year period. From time to time a fund may engage in frequent trading. Funds with high turnover may be more likely to realize capital gains that must be distributed to shareholders as taxable income. High turnover may also cause a fund to pay more brokerage commissions and other transaction costs, which may detract from performance. A fund’s portfolio turnover rate and the amount of brokerage commissions it pays will vary over time based on market conditions.

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Portfolio holdings. The SAI includes a description of each fund’s policies with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio holdings. For more specific information on a fund’s portfolio, you may visit the Putnam Investments website, putnam.com/individual, where each fund’s top 10 holdings and related portfolio information may be viewed monthly beginning approximately 15 days after the end of each month, and full portfolio holdings may be viewed beginning on the last business day of the month after the end of each calendar quarter. This information will remain available on the website until a fund files a Form N-CSR or N-Q with the SEC for the period that includes the date of the information, after which such information can be found on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Who oversees and manages the funds?

The funds’ Trustees

As a shareholder of a mutual fund, you have certain rights and protections, including representation by a Board of Trustees. The Putnam Funds’ Board of Trustees oversees the general conduct of the funds’ business and represents the interests of the Putnam fund shareholders. At least 75% of the members of

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the Putnam Funds’ Board of Trustees are independent, which means they are not officers of the funds or affiliated with Putnam Investment Management, LLC (Putnam Management).

The Trustees periodically review each fund’s investment performance and the quality of other services such as administration, custody, and investor services. At least annually, the Trustees review the fees paid to Putnam Management and its affiliates for providing or overseeing these services, as well as the overall level of each fund’s operating expenses. In carrying out their responsibilities, the Trustees are assisted by an administrative staff, auditors and legal counsel that are selected by the Trustees and are independent of Putnam Management and its affiliates.

Contacting the funds’ Trustees
Address correspondence to:
The Putnam Funds Trustees
One Post Office Square
Boston, MA 02109

The funds’ investment manager

The Trustees have retained Putnam Management, which has managed mutual funds since 1937, to be each fund’s investment manager, responsible for making investment decisions for each fund and managing each fund’s other affairs and business.

The basis for the Trustees’ approval of each fund’s management contract and the sub-management contract described below is discussed in each fund’s annual report to shareholders dated July 31, 2014.

Each fund pays a monthly base management fee to Putnam Management. The base fee is calculated by applying a rate to each fund’s average net assets for the month. The rate is based on the monthly average of the aggregate net assets of all open-end funds sponsored by Putnam Management (excluding fund assets that are invested in other Putnam funds), and generally declines as the aggregate net assets increase.

In the case of Strategic Volatility Equity Fund, the monthly base fee described above is increased or reduced by a performance adjustment. The amount of the performance adjustment is calculated monthly based on a performance adjustment rate that is equal to 0.03 multiplied by the difference between the fund’s annualized performance (measured by the fund’s class A shares) and the annualized performance of the S&P 500 Index, each measured over the performance period. The performance period is the thirty-six month period then ended or, if shorter, the period from the date the fund commenced

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operations (3/18/2013) to the end of the month for which the fee adjustment is being computed. The performance adjustment rate is multiplied by the fund’s average net assets over the performance period, divided by twelve, and added to, or subtracted from, the base fee for that month. The maximum annualized performance adjustment rate is 0.15%.

Putnam Low Volatility Equity Fund paid Putnam Management a management fee (after any applicable waivers) of 0.10% of average net assets for the fund’s last fiscal year.

Due to the expense limitations in effect during the fiscal year, Putnam Strategic Volatility Equity Fund did not pay a management fee to Putnam Management.

Putnam Management’s address is One Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02109.

Putnam Management has retained its affiliate Putnam Investments Limited (PIL) to make investment decisions for such fund assets as may be designated from time to time for its management by Putnam Management. Putnam Management (and not the funds) will pay a quarterly sub-management fee to PIL for its services at the annual rate of 0.35% of the average net asset value of any fund assets managed by PIL. PIL, which provides a full range of international investment advisory services to institutional clients, is located at Cassini House, 57–59 St James’s Street, London, England, SW1A 1LD.

Pursuant to this arrangement, Putnam investment professionals who are based in foreign jurisdictions may serve as portfolio managers of the funds or provide other investment services, consistent with local regulations.

Portfolio managers. The officers of Putnam Management identified below are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of each fund’s portfolio.

Portfolio managers	Joined funds	Employer	Positions over past five years
Adrian Chan	2013	Putnam Management 2003 – Present	Portfolio Manager Previously, Analyst
Robert Schoen	2013	Putnam Management 1997 – Present	Co-Head of Global Asset Allocation Previously, Portfolio Manager

The SAI provides information about these individuals’ compensation, other accounts managed by these individuals and these individuals’ ownership of securities in the funds.

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How do the funds price their shares?

The price of each fund’s shares is based on its net asset value (NAV). The NAV per share of each class equals the total value of its assets, less its liabilities, divided by the number of its outstanding shares. Shares are only valued as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE each day the exchange is open.

Each fund values its investments for which market quotations are readily available at market value. It values short-term investments that will mature within 60 days at amortized cost, which approximates market value. It values all other investments and assets at their fair value, which may differ from recent market prices. For example, a fund may value a stock traded on a U.S. exchange at its fair value when the exchange closes early or trading in the stock is suspended. It may also value a stock at fair value if recent transactions in the stock have been very limited or if, in the case of a security traded on a market that closes before the NYSE closes, material information about the issuer becomes available after the close of the relevant market.

Each fund translates prices for its investments quoted in foreign currencies into U.S. dollars at current exchange rates, which are generally determined as of 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time each day the NYSE is open. As a result, changes in the value of those currencies in relation to the U.S. dollar may affect a fund’s NAV. Because foreign markets may be open at different times than the NYSE, the value of a fund’s shares may change on days when shareholders are not able to buy or sell them. Many securities markets and exchanges outside the U.S. close before the close of the NYSE and, therefore, the closing prices for securities in such markets or on such exchanges may not fully reflect events that occur after such close but before the close of the NYSE. As a result, each fund has adopted fair value pricing procedures, which, among other things, require a fund to fair value foreign equity securities if there has been a movement in the U.S. market that exceeds a specified threshold that may change from time to time. As noted above, the value determined for an investment using a fund’s fair value pricing procedures may differ from recent market prices for the investment.

Each fund’s most recent NAV is available on Putnam Investments’ website at putnam.com/individual or by contacting Putnam Investor Services at 1-800-225-1581.

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How do I buy fund shares?

Opening an account

You can open a fund account and purchase class A, B, C, and M shares by contacting your financial representative or Putnam Investor Services at 1-800-225-1581 and obtaining a Putnam account application. The completed application, along with a check made payable to the fund, must then be returned to Putnam Investor Services at the following address:

Putnam Investor Services
P.O. Box 8383
Boston, MA 02266-8383

You can open a fund account with as little as $500. The minimum investment is waived if you make regular investments weekly, semi-monthly or monthly through automatic deductions from your bank checking or savings account. Although Putnam is currently waiving the minimum, it reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.

Each fund sells its shares at the offering price, which is the NAV plus any applicable sales charge (class A and class M shares only). Your financial representative or Putnam Investor Services generally must receive your completed buy order before the close of regular trading on the NYSE for your shares to be bought at that day’s offering price.

If you participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan that offers any of the funds, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.

Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the funds are unable to collect the required information, Putnam Investor Services may not be able to open your account. Investors must provide their full name, residential or business address, Social Security or tax identification number, and date of birth. Entities, such as trusts, estates, corporations and partnerships, must also provide other identifying information. Putnam Investor Services may share identifying information with third parties for the purpose of verification. If Putnam Investor Services cannot verify identifying information after opening your account, the funds reserve the right to close your account.

Also, each fund may periodically close to new purchases of shares or refuse any order to buy shares if the fund determines that doing so would be in the best interests of the fund and its shareholders.

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Purchasing additional shares

Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount in the following ways:

Through a financial representative. Your representative will be responsible for furnishing all necessary documents to Putnam Investor Services and may charge you for his or her services.

Through Putnam’s Systematic Investing Program. You can make regular investments weekly, semi-monthly or monthly through automatic deductions from your bank checking or savings account.

Via the Internet or phone. If you have an existing Putnam fund account and you have completed and returned an Electronic Investment Authorization Form, you can buy additional shares online at putnam.com or by calling Putnam Investor Services at 1-800-225-1581.

By mail. You may also request a book of investment stubs for your account. Complete an investment stub and write a check for the amount you wish to invest, payable to the appropriate fund. Return the check and investment stub to Putnam Investor Services.

By wire transfer. You may buy fund shares by bank wire transfer of same-day funds. Please call Putnam Investor Services at 1-800-225-1581 for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire. The funds will normally accept wired funds for investment on the day received if they are received by the funds’ designated bank before the close of regular trading on the NYSE. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. Although the funds’ designated bank does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service. You cannot buy shares for employer-sponsored retirement plans by wire transfer.

Which class of shares is best for me?

This prospectus offers you four classes of fund shares: A, B, C and M. Certain investors described below may also choose class Y shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, as illustrated in the Fund summaries — Fees and expenses section, allowing you and your financial representative to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of a fund, you must choose a share class. Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your financial representative, including:

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How long you expect to hold your investment. Class B shares charge a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) on redemptions that is phased out over the first six years; class C shares charge a CDSC on redemptions in the first year.

How much you intend to invest. While investments of less than $100,000 can be made in any share class, classes A and M offer sales charge discounts starting at $50,000.

Total expenses associated with each share class. As shown in the section entitled Fund summaries — Fees and expenses, each share class offers a different combination of up-front and ongoing expenses. Generally, the lower the up-front sales charge, the greater the ongoing expenses.

Here is a summary of the differences among the classes of shares

Class A shares

Initial sales charge of up to 5.75%

Lower sales charges available for investments of $50,000 or more

No deferred sales charge (except that a deferred sales charge of 1.00% may be imposed on certain redemptions of shares bought without an initial sales charge)

Lower annual expenses, and higher dividends, than class B, C or M shares because of lower 12b-1 fees.

Class B shares

No initial sales charge; your entire investment goes to work immediately

Deferred sales charge of up to 5.00% if shares are sold within six years of purchase

Higher annual expenses, and lower dividends, than class A or M shares because of higher 12b-1 fees

Convert automatically to class A shares after eight years, thereby reducing future 12b-1 fees

Orders for class B shares of one or more Putnam funds will be refused when the total value of the purchase, plus existing account balances that are eligible to be linked under a right of accumulation for purchases of class A shares (as described below), is $100,000 or more. Investors considering cumulative purchases of $100,000 or more should consider whether class A shares would be more advantageous and consult their financial representative.

Class C shares

No initial sales charge; your entire investment goes to work immediately

Deferred sales charge of 1.00% if shares are sold within one year of purchase

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Higher annual expenses, and lower dividends, than class A or M shares because of higher 12b-1 fees

No conversion to class A shares, so no reduction in future 12b-1 fees

Orders for class C shares of one or more Putnam funds, other than class C shares sold to employer-sponsored retirement plans, will be refused when the total value of the purchase, plus existing account balances that are eligible to be linked under a right of accumulation for purchases of class A shares (as described below), is $1,000,000 or more. Investors considering cumulative purchases of $1,000,000 or more should consider whether class A shares would be more advantageous and consult their financial representative.

Class M shares

Initial sales charge of up to 3.50%

Lower sales charges available for investments of $50,000 or more

No deferred sales charge (except that a deferred sales charge of 0.65% may be imposed on certain redemptions of shares bought without an initial sales charge)

Lower annual expenses, and higher dividends, than class B or C shares because of lower 12b-1 fees

Higher annual expenses, and lower dividends, than class A shares because of higher 12b-1 fees

No conversion to class A shares, so no reduction in future 12b-1 fees

Orders for class M shares of one or more Putnam funds, other than class M shares sold to employer-sponsored retirement plans, will be refused when the total value of the purchase, plus existing account balances that are eligible to be linked under a right of accumulation for purchases of class A shares (as described below), is $1,000,000 or more. Investors considering cumulative purchases of $1,000,000 or more should consider whether class A shares would be more advantageous and consult their financial representative.

Class Y shares (available only to investors listed below)

The following investors may purchase class Y shares if approved by Putnam:

employer-sponsored retirement plans that are clients of third-party administrators (including affiliates of Putnam) that have entered into agreements with Putnam and offer institutional share class pricing (no sales charge or 12b-1 fee);

bank trust departments and trust companies that have entered into agreements with Putnam and offer institutional share class pricing to their clients;

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corporate IRAs administered by Putnam, if another retirement plan of the sponsor is eligible to purchase class Y shares;

college savings plans that qualify for tax-exempt treatment under Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code;

other Putnam funds and Putnam investment products;

investors purchasing shares through an asset-based fee program that regularly offers institutional share classes and that is sponsored by a registered broker-dealer or other financial institution;

clients of a financial representative who are charged a fee for consulting or similar services;

corporations, endowments and foundations that have entered into an arrangement with Putnam;

fee-paying clients of a registered investment advisor (RIA) who initially invests for clients an aggregate of at least $100,000 in Putnam funds;

investment companies (whether registered or private), both affiliated and unaffiliated with Putnam; and

current and retired Putnam employees and their immediate family members (including an employee’s spouse, domestic partner, fiancé(e), or other family members who are living in the same household), current and retired directors of Putnam Investments, LLC, and current and retired Trustees of the fund. Upon the departure of any member of this group of individuals from Putnam or the fund’s Board of Trustees, the member’s class Y shares convert automatically to class A shares, unless the member’s departure is a retirement, as determined by Putnam in its discretion for employees and directors and by the Board of Trustees in its discretion for Trustees.

Trust companies or bank trust departments that purchased class Y shares for trust accounts may transfer them to the beneficiaries of the trust accounts, who may continue to hold them or exchange them for class Y shares of other Putnam funds. Defined contribution plans (including corporate IRAs) that purchased class Y shares under prior eligibility criteria may continue to purchase class Y shares.

No initial sales charge; your entire investment goes to work immediately

No deferred sales charge

Lower annual expenses, and higher dividends, than class A, B, C or M shares because of no 12b-1 fees.

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Initial sales charges for class A and M shares

	Class A sales charge as a percentage of*:		Class M sales charge as a percentage of*:
Amount of purchase at offering price ($)	Net amount invested	Offering price**	Net amount invested	Offering price**
Under 50,000	6.10%	5.75%	3.63%	3.50%
50,000 but under 100,000	4.71	4.50	2.56	2.50
100,000 but under 250,000	3.63	3.50	1.52	1.50
250,000 but under 500,000	2.56	2.50	1.01	1.00
500,000 but under 1,000,000	2.04	2.00	1.01	1.00
1,000,000 and above	NONE	NONE	N/A***	N/A***

* Because of rounding in the calculation of offering price and the number of shares purchased, actual sales charges you pay may be more or less than these percentages.

** Offering price includes sales charge.

*** The funds will not accept purchase orders for class M shares (other than by employer-sponsored retirement plans) where the total of the current purchase, plus existing account balances that are eligible to be linked under a right of accumulation (as described below) is $1 million or more.

Reducing your class A or class M sales charge

Each fund offers two principal ways for you to qualify for discounts on initial sales charges on class A and class M shares, often referred to as “breakpoint discounts”:

Right of accumulation. You can add the amount of your current purchases of class A or class M shares of a fund and other Putnam funds to the value of your existing accounts in the fund and other Putnam funds. Individuals can also include purchases by, and accounts owned by, their spouse and minor children, including accounts established through different financial representatives. For your current purchases, you will pay the initial sales charge applicable to the total value of the linked accounts and purchases, which may be lower than the sales charge otherwise applicable to each of your current purchases. Shares of Putnam money market funds, other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Putnam funds, are not included for purposes of the right of accumulation.

To calculate the total value of your existing accounts and any linked accounts, a fund will use the higher of (a) the current maximum public offering price of those shares or (b) if you purchased the shares after December 31, 2007, the initial value of the total purchases, or, if you held the shares on December 31, 2007, the market value at maximum public offering price on that date, in either case, less the market value on the applicable redemption date of any of those shares that you have redeemed.

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Statement of intention. A statement of intention is a document in which you agree to make purchases of class A or class M shares in a specified amount within a period of 13 months. For each purchase you make under the statement of intention, you will pay the initial sales charge applicable to the total amount you have agreed to purchase. While a statement of intention is not a binding obligation on you, if you do not purchase the full amount of shares within 13 months, the fund will redeem shares from your account in an amount equal to the difference between the higher initial sales charge you would have paid in the absence of the statement of intention and the initial sales charge you actually paid.

Account types that may be linked with each other to obtain breakpoint discounts using the methods described above include:

Individual accounts

Joint accounts

Accounts established as part of a retirement plan and IRA accounts (some restrictions may apply)

Shares of Putnam funds owned through accounts in the name of your dealer or other financial intermediary (with documentation identifying beneficial ownership of shares)

Accounts held as part of a Section 529 college savings plan managed by Putnam Management (some restrictions may apply)

In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you should inform your financial representative at the time you purchase shares of the existence of other accounts or purchases that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. A fund or your financial representative may ask you for records or other information about other shares held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different financial representative. Restrictions may apply to certain accounts and transactions. Further details about breakpoint discounts can be found on Putnam Investments’ website at putnam.com/individual by selecting Mutual Funds, then Pricing and performance, and then About fund costs, and in the SAI.

Additional reductions and waivers of sales charges. In addition to the breakpoint discount methods described above, sales charges may be reduced or waived under certain circumstances and for certain categories of investors. For instance, an employer-sponsored retirement plan is eligible to purchase class A shares without sales charges if its plan administrator or dealer of record has entered into an agreement with Putnam Retail Management. Information about reductions and waivers of sales charges,

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including deferred sales charges, is included in the SAI. You may consult your financial representative or Putnam Retail Management for assistance.

How do I sell or exchange fund shares?

You can sell your shares back to the appropriate fund or exchange them for shares of another Putnam fund any day the NYSE is open, either through your financial representative or directly to the fund. If you redeem your shares shortly after purchasing them, your redemption payment for the shares may be delayed until the fund collects the purchase price of the shares, which may be up to 10 calendar days after the purchase date.

Regarding exchanges, not all Putnam funds offer all classes of shares or may be open to new investors. If you exchange shares otherwise subject to a deferred sales charge, the transaction will not be subject to the deferred sales charge. When you redeem the shares acquired through the exchange, however, the redemption may be subject to the deferred sales charge, depending upon when and from which fund you originally purchased the shares. The deferred sales charge will be computed using the schedule of any fund into or from which you have exchanged your shares that would result in your paying the highest deferred sales charge applicable to your class of shares. For purposes of computing the deferred sales charge, the length of time you have owned your shares will be measured from the date of original purchase, unless you originally purchased the shares from another Putnam fund that does not directly charge a deferred sales charge, in which case the length of time you have owned your shares will be measured from the date you exchange those shares for shares of another Putnam fund that does charge a deferred sales charge, and will not be affected by any subsequent exchanges among funds.

Selling or exchanging shares through your financial representative. Your representative must receive your request in proper form before the close of regular trading on the NYSE for you to receive that day’s NAV, less any applicable deferred sales charge. Your representative will be responsible for furnishing all necessary documents to Putnam Investor Services on a timely basis and may charge you for his or her services.

Selling or exchanging shares directly with the funds. Putnam Investor Services must receive your request in proper form before the close of regular trading on the NYSE in order to receive that day’s NAV, less any applicable deferred sales charge.

By mail. Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to Putnam Investor Services.

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By telephone. You may use Putnam’s telephone redemption privilege to redeem shares valued at less than $100,000 unless you have notified Putnam Investor Services of an address change within the preceding 15 days, in which case other requirements may apply. Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Putnam Investor Services will be authorized to accept redemption instructions received by telephone. A telephone exchange privilege is currently available for amounts up to $500,000. The telephone redemption and exchange privileges may be modified or terminated without notice.

Via the Internet. You may also exchange shares via the Internet at putnam.com/individual.

Shares held through your employer’s retirement plan. For information on how to sell or exchange shares of a fund that were purchased through your employer’s retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.

Additional requirements. In certain situations, for example, if you sell shares with a value of $100,000 or more, the signatures of all registered owners or their legal representatives must be guaranteed by a bank, broker-dealer or certain other financial institutions. In addition, Putnam Investor Services usually requires additional documents for the sale of shares by a corporation, partnership, agent or fiduciary, or surviving joint owner. For more information concerning Putnam’s signature guarantee and documentation requirements, contact Putnam Investor Services.

Each fund also reserves the right to revise or terminate the exchange privilege, limit the amount or number of exchanges or reject any exchange. The fund into which you would like to exchange may also reject your exchange. These actions may apply to all shareholders or only to those shareholders whose exchanges Putnam Management determines are likely to have a negative effect on the fund or other Putnam funds. Consult Putnam Investor Services before requesting an exchange. Ask your financial representative or Putnam Investor Services for prospectuses of other Putnam funds. Some Putnam funds are not available in all states.

Deferred sales charges for class B, class C and certain class A and class M shares

If you sell (redeem) class B shares within six years of purchase, you will generally pay a deferred sales charge according to the following schedule:

Year after purchase	1	2	3	4	5	6	7+
Charge	5%	4%	3%	3%	2%	1%	0%

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A deferred sales charge of 1.00% will apply to class C shares if redeemed within one year of purchase. Class A shares that are part of a purchase of $1 million or more (other than by an employer-sponsored retirement plan) will be subject to a 1.00% deferred sales charge if redeemed within nine months of purchase. A deferred sales charge of 0.65% may apply to class M shares purchased without a sales charge for certain rollover IRA accounts if redeemed within one year of purchase.

Deferred sales charges will be based on the lower of the shares’ cost and current NAV. Shares not subject to any charge will be redeemed first, followed by shares held longest. You may sell shares acquired by reinvestment of distributions without a charge at any time.

Payment information. A fund generally sends you payment for your shares the business day after your request is received. Under unusual circumstances, the fund may suspend redemptions, or postpone payment for more than seven days, as permitted by federal securities law. You will not receive interest on uncashed redemption checks. Redemption proceeds may be paid in securities or other property rather than in cash.

Redemption by a fund. If you own fewer shares than the minimum set by the Trustees (presently 20 shares), a fund may redeem your shares without your permission and send you the proceeds after providing you with at least 60 days’ notice to attain the minimum. To the extent permitted by applicable law, each fund may also redeem shares if you own more than a maximum amount set by the Trustees. There is presently no maximum, but the Trustees could set a maximum that would apply to both present and future shareholders.

Policy on excessive short-term trading

Risks of excessive short-term trading. Excessive short-term trading activity may reduce a fund’s performance and harm all fund shareholders by interfering with portfolio management, increasing a fund’s expenses and diluting the fund’s NAV. Depending on the size and frequency of short-term trades in a fund’s shares, the fund may experience increased cash volatility, which could require the fund to maintain undesirably large cash positions or buy or sell portfolio securities it would not have bought or sold otherwise. The need to execute additional portfolio transactions due to these cash flows may also increase a fund’s brokerage and administrative costs and, for investors in taxable accounts, may increase taxable distributions received from the fund.

When each fund invests in foreign securities, its performance may be adversely impacted and the interests of longer-term shareholders may be diluted as a result of time-zone arbitrage, a short-term trading practice that seeks to exploit changes in the value of the fund’s investments that result

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from events occurring after the close of the foreign markets on which the investments trade, but prior to the later close of trading on the NYSE, the time as of which the fund determines its NAV. If an arbitrageur is successful, he or she may dilute the interests of other shareholders by trading shares at prices that do not fully reflect their fair value.

When each fund invests in securities that may trade infrequently or may be more difficult to value, such as securities of smaller companies, it may be susceptible to trading by short-term traders who seek to exploit perceived price inefficiencies in the fund’s investments. In addition, the market for securities of smaller companies may at times show “market momentum,” in which positive or negative performance may continue from one day to the next for reasons unrelated to the fundamentals of the issuer. Short-term traders may seek to capture this momentum by trading frequently in the fund’s shares, which will reduce the fund’s performance and may dilute the interests of other shareholders. Because securities of smaller companies may be less liquid than securities of larger companies, each fund may also be unable to buy or sell these securities at desirable prices when the need arises (for example, in response to volatile cash flows caused by short-term trading). Similar risks may apply if a fund holds other types of less liquid securities, including below-investment-grade bonds.

Fund policies. In order to protect the interests of long-term shareholders of each fund, Putnam Management and the funds’ Trustees have adopted policies and procedures intended to discourage excessive short-term trading. Each fund seeks to discourage excessive short-term trading by using fair value pricing procedures to value investments under some circumstances. In addition, Putnam Management monitors activity in those shareholder accounts about which it possesses the necessary information in order to detect excessive short-term trading patterns and takes steps to deter excessive short-term traders.

Account monitoring. Putnam Management’s Compliance Department currently uses multiple reporting tools to detect short-term trading activity occurring in accounts for investors held directly with the Putnam funds as well as within accounts held through certain financial intermediaries. Putnam Management measures excessive short-term trading in each fund by the number of “round trip” transactions above a specified dollar amount within a specified period of time. A “round trip” transaction is defined as a purchase or exchange into a fund followed, or preceded by, a redemption or exchange out of the same fund. Generally, if an investor has been identified as having completed two “round trip” transactions with values above a specified amount within a rolling 90-day period, Putnam Management will issue the

Prospectus 29

investor and/or his or her financial intermediary, if any, a written warning. Putnam Management’s practices for measuring excessive short-term trading activity and issuing warnings may change from time to time. Certain types of transactions are exempt from monitoring, such as those in connection with systematic investment or withdrawal plans and reinvestment of dividend and capital gain distributions.

Account restrictions. In addition to these monitoring practices, Putnam Management and the funds reserve the right to reject or restrict purchases or exchanges for any reason. Continued excessive short-term trading activity by an investor or intermediary following a warning may lead to the termination of the exchange privilege for that investor or intermediary. Putnam Management or a fund may determine that an investor’s trading activity is excessive or otherwise potentially harmful based on various factors, including an investor’s or financial intermediary’s trading history in the fund, other Putnam funds or other investment products, and may aggregate activity in multiple accounts in the fund or other Putnam funds under common ownership or control for purposes of determining whether the activity is excessive. If a fund identifies an investor or intermediary as a potential excessive trader, it may, among other things, require future trades to be submitted by mail rather than by phone or over the Internet, impose limitations on the amount, number, or frequency of future purchases or exchanges, or temporarily or permanently bar the investor or intermediary from investing in the fund or other Putnam funds. A fund may take these steps in its discretion even if the investor’s activity does not fall within the fund’s current monitoring parameters.

Limitations on the funds’ policies. There is no guarantee that a fund will be able to detect excessive short-term trading in all accounts. For example, Putnam Management currently does not have access to sufficient information to identify each investor’s trading history, and in certain circumstances there are operational or technological constraints on its ability to enforce a fund’s policies. In addition, even when Putnam Management has sufficient information, its detection methods may not capture all excessive short-term trading.

In particular, many purchase, redemption and exchange orders are received from financial intermediaries that hold omnibus accounts with a fund. Omnibus accounts, in which shares are held in the name of an intermediary on behalf of multiple beneficial owners, are a common form of holding shares among retirement plans and financial intermediaries such as brokers, advisers and third-party administrators. The funds are generally not able to identify trading by a particular beneficial owner within an omnibus account, which makes it difficult or impossible to determine if a particular shareholder is engaging in excessive short-term trading. Putnam Management monitors

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aggregate cash flows in omnibus accounts on an ongoing basis. If high cash flows or other information indicate that excessive short-term trading may be taking place, Putnam Management will contact the financial intermediary, plan sponsor or recordkeeper that maintains accounts for the beneficial owner and attempt to identify and remedy any excessive trading. However, a fund’s ability to monitor and deter excessive short-term traders in omnibus accounts ultimately depends on the capabilities and cooperation of these third-party financial firms. A financial intermediary or plan sponsor may impose different or additional limits on short-term trading.

Distribution plans and payments to dealers

Putnam funds are distributed primarily through dealers (including any broker, dealer, bank, bank trust department, registered investment advisor, financial planner, retirement plan administrator, and any other institution having a selling, services, or any similar agreement with Putnam Retail Management or one of its affiliates). In order to pay for the marketing of fund shares and services provided to shareholders, each fund has adopted distribution and service (12b-1) plans, which increase the annual operating expenses you pay each year in certain share classes, as shown in the tables of annual fund operating expenses in the section Fund summaries — Fees and expenses. Putnam Retail Management and its affiliates also make additional payments to dealers that do not increase your fund expenses, as described below.

Distribution and service (12b-1) plans. Each fund’s 12b-1 plans provide for payments at annual rates (based on average net assets) of up to 0.35% on class A shares and 1.00% on class B, class C and class M shares. The Trustees currently limit payments on class A and class M shares to 0.25% and 0.75% of average net assets, respectively. Because these fees are paid out of a fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, they will increase the cost of your investment. The higher fees for class B, class C, and class M shares may cost you more over time than paying the initial sales charge for class A shares. Because class C and class M shares, unlike class B shares, do not convert to class A shares, class C and class M shares may cost you more over time than class B shares. Class Y shares, for shareholders who are eligible to purchase them, will be less expensive than other classes of shares because they do not bear sales charges or 12b-1 fees.

Payments to dealers. If you purchase your shares through a dealer, your dealer generally receives payments from Putnam Retail Management representing some or all of the sales charges and distribution and service (12b-1) fees, if any, shown in the tables under Fund summaries — Fees and expenses at the front of this prospectus.

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Putnam Retail Management and its affiliates also pay additional compensation to selected dealers in recognition of their marketing support and/or program servicing (each of which is described in more detail below). These payments may create an incentive for a dealer firm or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the funds or other Putnam funds to its customers. These additional payments are made by Putnam Retail Management and its affiliates and do not increase the amount paid by you or a fund as shown under Fund summaries — Fees and expenses.

The additional payments to dealers by Putnam Retail Management and its affiliates are generally based on one or more of the following factors: average net assets of a fund attributable to that dealer, sales or net sales of a fund attributable to that dealer, or reimbursement of ticket charges (fees that a dealer firm charges its representatives for effecting transactions in fund shares), or on the basis of a negotiated lump sum payment for services provided.

Marketing support payments are generally available to most dealers engaging in significant sales of Putnam fund shares. These payments are individually negotiated with each dealer firm, taking into account the marketing support services provided by the dealer, including business planning assistance, educating dealer personnel about the Putnam funds and shareholder financial planning needs, placement on the dealer’s preferred or recommended fund company list, and access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the dealer, as well as the size of the dealer’s relationship with Putnam Retail Management. Although the total amount of marketing support payments made to dealers in any year may vary, on average, the aggregate payments are not expected, on an annual basis, to exceed 0.085% of the average net assets of Putnam’s retail mutual funds attributable to the dealers.

Program servicing payments, which are paid in some instances to dealers in connection with investments in a fund through retirement plans, dealer platforms, and other investment programs, are not expected, with certain limited exceptions, to exceed 0.20% of the total assets in the program on an annual basis. These payments are made for program services provided by the dealer, including participant or shareholder recordkeeping, reporting, or transaction processing, as well as services rendered in connection with dealer platform development and maintenance and services rendered in connection with retirement plans, such as fund/investment selection and monitoring, employee enrollment and education, plan balance rollover or separation, or other similar services.

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You can find a list of all dealers to which Putnam made marketing support and/or program servicing payments in 2013 in the SAI, which is on file with the SEC and is also available on Putnam’s website at putnam.com. You can also find other details in the SAI about the payments made by Putnam Retail Management and its affiliates and the services provided by your dealer. Your dealer may charge you fees or commissions in addition to those disclosed in this prospectus. You can also ask your dealer about any payments it receives from Putnam Retail Management and its affiliates and any services your dealer provides, as well as about fees and/or commissions it charges.

Other payments. Putnam Retail Management and its affiliates may make other payments (including payments in connection with educational seminars or conferences) or allow other promotional incentives to dealers to the extent permitted by SEC and NASD (as adopted by FINRA) rules and by other applicable laws and regulations. The fund’s transfer agent may also make payments to certain dealers in recognition of subaccounting or other services they provide to shareholders or plan participants who invest in the fund or other Putnam funds through their retirement plan. See the discussion in the SAI under Management — Investor Servicing Agent for more details.

Fund distributions and taxes

Each fund normally distributes any net investment income and any net realized capital gains annually. You may choose to reinvest distributions from net investment income, capital gains or both in additional shares of your fund or other Putnam funds, or you may receive them in cash in the form of a check or an electronic deposit to your bank account. If you do not select an option when you open your account, all distributions will be reinvested. If you choose to receive distributions in cash, but correspondence from a fund or Putnam Investor Services is returned as “undeliverable,” the distribution option on your account may be converted to reinvest future distributions in the fund. You will not receive interest on uncashed distribution checks.

For shares purchased through your employer’s retirement plan, the terms of the plan will govern how the plan may receive distributions from a fund.

For federal income tax purposes, distributions of net investment income are generally taxable to you as ordinary income. Taxes on distributions of capital gains are determined by how long a fund owned (or is deemed to have owned) the investments that generated them, rather than by how long you have owned (or are deemed to have owned) your shares. Distributions that a fund properly reports to you as gains from investments that a fund owned for more than one year are generally taxable to you as long-term capital gains includible in net capital gain and taxed to individuals at reduced rates.

Prospectus 33

Distributions of gains from investments that a fund owned for one year or less are generally taxable to you as ordinary income. Distributions that the fund properly reports to you as “qualified dividend income” are taxable at the reduced rates applicable to your net capital gain provided that both you and the fund meet certain holding period and other requirements. Distributions are taxable in the manner described in this paragraph whether you receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional shares of the relevant fund or other Putnam funds.

Distributions by a fund to retirement plans that qualify for tax-exempt treatment under federal income tax laws will not be taxable. Special tax rules apply to investments through such plans. You should consult your tax advisor to determine the suitability of a fund as an investment through such a plan and the tax treatment of distributions (including distributions of amounts attributable to an investment in a fund) from such a plan.

Unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged retirement account (such as an IRA), you should consider avoiding a purchase of fund shares shortly before a fund makes a distribution because doing so may cost you money in taxes. Distributions are taxable to you even if they are paid from income or gains earned by a fund before your investment (and thus were included in the price you paid). Contact your financial representative or Putnam to find out the distribution schedule for your fund.

A fund’s investments in foreign securities, if any, may be subject to foreign withholding taxes. In that case, a fund’s return on those investments would be decreased. Shareholders generally will not be entitled to claim a credit or deduction with respect to these foreign taxes. In addition, a fund’s investments in foreign securities or foreign currencies may increase or accelerate the fund’s recognition of ordinary income and may affect the timing or amount of a fund’s distributions.

A fund’s investments in derivative financial instruments, including investments by which the fund seeks exposure to assets other than securities, are subject to numerous special and complex tax rules. Moreover, a fund’s intention to qualify as a “regulated investment company” and receive favorable treatment under the federal income tax rules may limit its ability to invest in such instruments. The applicable tax rules could affect whether gains and losses recognized by a fund are treated as ordinary or capital, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the fund, defer or possibly prevent the recognition or use of certain losses by the fund and cause adjustments in the holding periods of the fund’s securities, thereby affecting whether capital gains and losses are treated as short-term or long-term. The rules could, in turn, affect the amount, timing and character of the income distributed to

34 Prospectus

shareholders by a fund and, therefore may increase the amount of taxes payable by shareholders. In particular, a fund’s options transactions could cause a substantial portion of its income to consist of net short-term capital gains, which, when distributed, are treated and taxable to shareholders as ordinary income; other derivative positions could result in a fund’s realization and distribution of ordinary income rather than capital gain. In addition, because the application of these rules may be uncertain under current law, an adverse determination or future Internal Revenue Service guidance with respect to these rules (which determination may be retroactive) may affect whether the fund has made sufficient distributions and otherwise satisfied the relevant requirements to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid a fund-level tax.

Any gain resulting from the sale or exchange of your shares generally also will be subject to tax.

The above is a general summary of the tax implications of investing in a fund. Please refer to the SAI for further details. You should consult your tax advisor for more information on your own tax situation, including possible foreign, state and local taxes.

Financial highlights

The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each fund’s recent financial performance. Certain information reflects financial results for a single fund share. The total returns represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the fund, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. This information has been derived from each fund’s financial statements, which have been audited by KPMG LLP. The auditor’s report and each fund’s financial statements are included in each fund’s annual report to shareholders, which is available upon request.

Prospectus 35

Financial highlights (For a common share outstanding throughout the period)

Putnam Low Volatility Equity Fund

INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:					LESS DISTRIBUTIONS:				RATIOS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
Period ended	Net asset value, beginning of period	Net investment income (loss)^a	Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments	Total from investment operations	From net investment income	Total distributions	Net asset value, end of period	Total return at net asset value (%)^b	Net assets, end of period (in thousands)	Ratio of expenses to average net assets(%)^c,d	Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets (%)^d	Portfolio turnover (%)
Class A
July 31, 2014	$10.31	.10	.92	1.02	(.16)	(.16)	$11.17	9.91	$2,388	1.20	.89	91
July 31, 2013†	10.00	.02	.29	.31	—	—	10.31	.3.10*	3,776	.45*	.23*	17*
Class B
July 31, 2014	$10.28	.01	.92	.93	(.13)	(.13)	$11.08	9.11	$264	1.95	.08	91
July 31, 2013†	10.00	(.01)^e	.29	.28	—	—	10.28	2.80*	77	.73*	(.14)*^e**	17*
Class C
July 31, 2014	$10.28	(.02)	.95	.93	(.14)	(.14)	$11.07	9.12	$299	1.95	(.13)	91
July 31, 2013†	10.00	—^f	.28	.28	—	—	10.28	2.80*	65	.73*	.01*	17*
Class M
July 31, 2014	$10.29	.04	.92	.96	(.13)	(.13)	$11.12	9.34	$157	1.70	.33	91
July 31, 2013†	10.00	—^f	.29	.29	—	—	10.29	2.90*	20	.63*	.02*	17*
Class Y
July 31, 2014	$10.32	.12	.92	1.04	(.17)	(.17)	$11.19	10.16	$24,539	.95	1.15	91
July 31, 2013†	10.00	.04	.28	.32	—	—	10.32	3.20*	25,991	.35*	.37*	17*

* Not annualized.

† For the period March 18, 2013 (commencement of operations) to July 31, 2013.

^a Per share net investment income (loss) has been determined on the basis of the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period.

^b Total return assumes dividend reinvestment and does not reflect the effect of sales charges.

^c Includes amounts paid through expense offset and/or brokerage/service arrangements, if any. Also excludes acquired fund fees and expenses, if any.

^d Reflects an involuntary contractual expense limitation in effect during the period. As a result of such limitation, the expenses of each class reflect a reduction of the following amount:

	Percentage of average net assets
July 31, 2014	0.53%
July 31, 2013	0.58

^e The net investment income ratio and per share amount shown for the period ended may not correspond with the expected class specific differences for the period due to the timing of subscriptions into the class.

^f Amount represents less than $0.01 per share.

36 Prospectus

Prospectus 37

Financial highlights (For a common share outstanding throughout the period)
Putnam Strategic Volatility Equity Fund

INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:					LESS DISTRIBUTIONS:				RATIOS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
Period ended	Net asset value, beginning of period	Net investment income (loss)^a	Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments	Total from investment operations	From net investment income	Total distributions	Net asset value, end of period	Total return at net asset value (%)^b	Net assets, end of period (in thousands)	Ratio of expenses to average net assets(%)^c,d	Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets (%)^d	Portfolio turnover (%)
Class A
July 31, 2014	$10.35	.08	1.19	1.27	(.62)	(.62)	$11.00	12.53	$4,269	1.26	.75	68
July 31, 2013†	10.00	.02	.33	.35	—	—	10.35	3.50*	3,090	.49*	.18*	21*
Class B
July 31, 2014	$10.32	—^e	1.19	1.19	(.58)	(.58)	$10.93	11.74	$48	2.01	(.03)	68
July 31, 2013†	10.00	(.01)	.33	.32	—	—	10.32	3.20*	21	.76*	(.09)*	21*
Class C
July 31, 2014	$10.32	—^e	1.18	1.18	(.61)	(.61)	$10.89	11.74	$162	2.01	—^f	68
July 31, 2013†	10.00	(.01)	.33	.32	—	—	10.32	3.20*	16	.76*	(.08)*	21*
Class M
July 31, 2014	$10.33	.02	1.20	1.22	(.58)	(.58)	$10.97	12.05	$68	1.76	.20	68
July 31, 2013†	10.00	—^e	.33	.33	—	—	10.33	3.30*	10	.67*	—*^f	21*
Class Y
July 31, 2014	$10.36	.11	1.18	1.29	(.63)	(.63)	$11.02	12.81	$2,010	1.01	.99	68
July 31, 2013†	10.00	.03	.33	.36	—	—	10.36	3.60*	878	.39*	.30*	21*

* Not annualized.

† For the period March 18, 2013 (commencement of operations) to July 31, 2013.

^a Per share net investment income (loss) has been determined on the basis of the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period.

^b Total return assumes dividend reinvestment and does not reflect the effect of sales charges.

^c Includes amounts paid through expense offset and/or brokerage service arrangements, if any. Also excludes acquired fund fees and expenses, if any.

^d Reflects an involuntary contractual expense limitation in effect during the period. As a result of such limitation, the expenses of each class reflect a reduction of the following amounts:

	Percentage of average net assets
July 31, 2014	3.40%
July 31, 2013	2.69

^e Amount represents less than $0.01 per share.

^f Amount represents less than .01%.

38 Prospectus

Prospectus 39

Appendix A — Supplemental Performance Information of Similar Accounts

PUTNAM LOW VOLATILITY EQUITY FUND AND PUTNAM STRATEGIC LOW VOLATILITY EQUITY FUND ARE RECENTLY ORGANIZED AND HAVE LESS THAN ONE FULL CALENDAR YEAR OF PERFORMANCE HISTORY. THE PERFORMANCE INFORMATION PRESENTED BELOW IS FOR ACCOUNTS SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO THE FUNDS. IT IS NOT THAT OF EITHER FUND AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A SUBSTITUTE FOR EITHER FUND’S OWN PERFORMANCE. PAST RETURNS ARE NOT INDICATIVE OF FUTURE PERFORMANCE.

Putnam Management, the funds’ investment adviser, and its affiliates act as investment advisers to other accounts (Other Accounts – Low Volatility) that have investment objectives, policies and strategies that are substantially similar to those of Putnam Low Volatility Equity Fund. Putnam Management and its affiliates also act as investment advisers to other accounts (Other Accounts – Strategic Volatility) that have investment objectives, policies and strategies that are substantially similar to those of Putnam Strategic Volatility Equity Fund. This supplemental performance information is provided to illustrate the past performance of Putnam Management and its affiliates in managing these other accounts that are substantially similar to the funds; it does not represent the performance of either fund. Each fund’s portfolio managers played a role in the management of all of these Other Accounts during the entire period for which performance is shown.

We have stated below the average annual total return information for the periods ended 9/30/14 as well as the average total returns by quarter and total by year for the years ended 2011, 2012, and 2013 for the Other Accounts – Low Volatility and the Other Accounts – Strategic Volatility. Each of these Other Accounts represents all substantially similar accounts, including carve-out assets of broader mandate portfolios, managed by Putnam Management and its affiliates. Some of the Other Accounts are not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (1940 Act) and, therefore, are not subject to certain investment restrictions, diversification requirements, and other regulatory requirements imposed by the 1940 Act and the Internal Revenue Code. If these Other Accounts had been registered under the 1940 Act, their returns might have been lower. As of 9/30/14, there were three accounts with approximately $523 million in assets under management included in Other Accounts – Low Volatility and four accounts with approximately $193 million in assets under management included in Other Accounts – Strategic Volatility. An Other Account’s returns are typically

40 Prospectus

included in the appropriate composite following one full calendar month of operation. The average annual total returns of the Other Accounts – Low Volatility and Other Accounts – Strategic Volatility are composites that represent time-weighted rate of return calculations. The Other Accounts’ returns have been adjusted to reflect the level of expenses that is expected to be borne by shareholders of class A shares of the appropriate fund. Returns are calculated in U.S. dollars and are inclusive of currency fluctuations. The results of the Composite for all periods shown include the reinvestment of dividends and other earnings and are net of foreign withholding taxes. Composite returns are calculated monthly by asset weighting account returns using beginning of month market values and are geometrically linked to determine quarterly and annual returns.

We have included information about the average annual total return for the S&P 500 Index, which is used as a benchmark for assessing the performance of each fund. The index results assume the reinvestment of dividends or interest paid on the securities constituting the index. Unlike the Other Accounts (and the funds), the index does not incur fees or expenses.

We have also included information about the Sharpe ratio for the Other Accounts – Low Volatility, Other Accounts – Strategic Volatility and the S&P 500 Index. The Sharpe ratio is a measure of risk-adjusted return calculated by taking a fund’s rate of return, subtracting the so-called “risk-free rate” (typically the rate of return that may be earned on an investment in U.S. Treasury bonds), and dividing the result by the standard deviation of the fund’s returns. The Sharpe ratio can help to indicate whether a fund’s returns are the result of excessive risk. Higher Sharpe ratios signify better risk-adjusted performance. A negative Sharpe ratio indicates that a risk-free asset would perform better.

Average Annual Total Returns (for periods ended 9/30/14)

	Past 1 year		Past 3 years
	Return	Sharpe Ratio	Return	Sharpe Ratio
Other Accounts – Low Volatility	13.09	2.08	12.67	1.79
Other Accounts – Strategic Volatility	16.25	2.04	16.89	1.82
S&P 500 Index (benchmark)	19.73	2.32	22.99	2.20

Prospectus 41

Average Total Returns (Quarterly and by Year)

	Other Accounts — Low Volatility	Other Accounts — Strategic Volatility	S&P 500 Index (benchmark)
Q3 2014	0.48	0.42	1.13
Q2 2014	3.17	4.11	5.23
Q1 2014	1.28	1.45	1.81
Total year ended 2013	17.73	23.34	32.39
Q4 2013	7.71	9.61	10.51
Q3 2013	2.29	2.66	5.24
Q2 2013	–1.53	–1.90	2.91
Q1 2013	8.52	11.74	10.61
Total year ended 2012	8.31	11.62	16.00
Q4 2012	–2.81	–3.48	–0.38
Q3 2012	3.68	4.95	6.35
Q2 2012	–0.49	–0.53	–2.75
Q1 2012	8.00	10.78	12.59
Total year ended 2011	9.00	12.28	2.11
Q4 2011	6.84	9.39	11.82
Q3 2011	–5.68	–7.80	–13.87
Q2 2011	1.71	2.31	0.10
Q1 2011	6.36	8.82	5.92

Make the most of your Putnam privileges

The following services are available to you as a Putnam mutual fund shareholder.

Systematic investment plan

Invest as much as you wish. The amount you choose will be automatically transferred weekly, semi-monthly or monthly from your checking or savings account.

Systematic withdrawal

Make regular withdrawals monthly, quarterly, semiannually, or annually from your Putnam mutual fund account.

Systematic exchange

Transfer assets automatically from one Putnam account to another on a regular, prearranged basis.

Exchange privilege

Exchange money between Putnam funds. The exchange privilege allows you to adjust your investments as your objectives change. A signature guarantee is required for exchanges of more than $500,000 and shares of all Putnam funds may not be available to all investors.

Investors may not maintain, within the same fund, simultaneous plans for systematic investment or exchange (into the fund) and systematic withdrawal or exchange (out of the fund). These privileges are subject to change or termination.

Many of these services can be accessed online at putnam.com.

For more information about any of these services and privileges, call your financial representative or a Putnam customer service representative toll-free at 1-800-225-1581.

42 Prospectus

Prospectus 43

For more information about Putnam Low Volatility Equity Fund and Putnam Strategic Volatility Equity Fund

The funds’ SAI and annual and semiannual reports to shareholders include additional information about the funds. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this prospectus, which means it is part of this prospectus for legal purposes. Each fund’s annual report discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected each fund’s performance during its last fiscal year. You may get free copies of these materials, request other information about any Putnam fund, or make shareholder inquiries, by contacting your financial representative, by visiting Putnam’s website at putnam.com/individual, or by calling Putnam toll-free at 1-800-225-1581.

You may review and copy information about a fund, including its SAI, at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. You may call the Commission at 1-202-551-8090 for information about the operation of the Public Reference Room. You may also access reports and other information about each fund on the EDGAR Database on the Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may get copies of this information, with payment of a duplication fee, by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the Commission’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520. You may need to refer to the fund’s file number.

Putnam Investments
One Post Office Square
Boston, MA 02109
1-800-225-1581

Address correspondence to:

Putnam Investor Services
P.O. Box 8383
Boston, MA 02266-8383

putnam.com

File No. 811-07513 SP122 291124 11/14