Putnam Multi-Asset Absolute Return Fund
Before you invest, you may wish to review the fund’s prospectus, which contains more information about the fund and its risks. You may obtain the prospectus and other information about the fund, including the statement of additional information (SAI) and most recent reports to shareholders, at no cost by visiting putnam.com/funddocuments, calling 1-800-225-1581, or e-mailing Putnam at funddocuments@putnam.com.
The fund’s prospectus and SAI, both dated 2/29/20, are incorporated by reference into this summary prospectus.
Goal
Putnam Multi-Asset Absolute Return Fund seeks positive total return.
Fees and expenses
The following tables describe 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 21 of the fund’s prospectus, in the Appendix to 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 P | NONE | NONE |
| Class R | NONE | NONE |
| Class R6 | NONE | NONE |
| Class Y | NONE | NONE |
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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 | 0.44% | 0.25% | 0.23% | 0.04% | 0.96% | (0.03)% | 0.93% |
| Class B | 0.44% | 1.00% | 0.23% | 0.04% | 1.71% | (0.03)% | 1.68% |
| Class C | 0.44% | 1.00% | 0.23% | 0.04% | 1.71% | (0.03)% | 1.68% |
| Class P | 0.44% | N/A | 0.09% | 0.04% | 0.57% | (0.03)% | 0.54% |
| Class R | 0.44% | 0.50% | 0.23% | 0.04% | 1.21% | (0.03)% | 1.18% |
| Class R6 | 0.44% | N/A | 0.13% | 0.04% | 0.61% | (0.03)% | 0.58% |
| Class Y | 0.44% | N/A | 0.23% | 0.04% | 0.71% | (0.03)% | 0.68% |
| * | 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. The fund’s base management fee is subject to adjustment, up or down, based on the fund’s performance relative to performance of the ICE BofA U.S. Treasury Bill Index plus 500 basis points. For the most recent fiscal year, the fund’s base management fee prior to any performance adjustment was 0.722%. |
| # | Reflects Putnam Investment Management, LLC’s contractual obligation to limit certain fund expenses through 2/28/21. This obligation may be modified or discontinued only with 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 | $664 | $860 | $1,073 | $1,683 |
| Class B | $671 | $836 | $1,125 | $1,818 |
| Class B (no redemption) | $171 | $536 | $925 | $1,818 |
| Class C | $271 | $536 | $925 | $2,017 |
| Class C (no redemption) | $171 | $536 | $925 | $2,017 |
| Class P | $55 | $180 | $315 | $711 |
| Class R | $120 | $381 | $662 | $1,463 |
| Class R6 | $59 | $192 | $337 | $759 |
| Class Y | $69 | $224 | $392 | $880 |
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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 638%.
Investments, risks, and performance
Investments
The fund seeks a positive total return. In pursuing a positive total return, the fund’s strategies are generally intended to produce lower volatility over a reasonable period of time than has been historically associated with traditional asset classes that have earned similar levels of return over long historical periods. The Fund aims to accomplish this objective by combining “directional” strategies and “non-directional” strategies. The directional strategies seek efficient, diversified exposure to investment markets. They also seek to balance risk and provide positive total return by investing, without limit, in many different asset classes, including U.S., international, and emerging markets equity securities (growth or value stocks or both) and fixed-income securities; mortgage- and asset-backed securities; below-investment-grade securities (sometimes referred to as “junk bonds”); inflation-protected securities; commodities; and real estate investment trusts (REITs). The non-directional strategies aim to provide positive returns that have minimal correlation with traditional asset classes, such as equities or equity-like investments. The non-directional strategies are generally implemented using paired long and short positions in an effort to capitalize on long-term market inefficiencies and short-term opportunities. The non-directional strategies may involve the use of active trading strategies, currency transactions and options transactions.
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 when deciding whether to buy or sell equity investments, and, among other factors, credit, interest rate and prepayment risks when deciding whether to buy or sell fixed-income investments. We may also take into account general market conditions when making investment decisions. We typically use derivatives, such as futures, options, certain foreign currency transactions, warrants and swap contracts, to a significant extent for hedging purposes and to increase the fund’s exposure to the asset classes and strategies mentioned above, which may create investment leverage.
Risks
It is important to understand that you can lose money by investing in the fund.
Our allocation of assets among asset classes may hurt performance. If the quantitative models or data that are used in managing the fund prove to be incorrect or incomplete, investment decisions made in reliance on the models or data may not produce the desired results and the fund may realize losses. The value of investments in the fund’s portfolio may fall or fail to rise over extended periods of time for a variety of reasons, including general economic, political or financial market conditions, investor sentiment and market perceptions, government actions, geopolitical events or changes, and factors related to a specific issuer, asset class, geography, industry or sector. These and other factors may lead to increased volatility and reduced liquidity in the fund’s portfolio holdings. Growth stocks may be more susceptible to earnings disappointments, and value stocks may fail to rebound.
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Bond investments are subject to interest rate risk, which means the value of the fund’s bond investments is likely to fall if interest rates rise. Bond investments also are subject to credit risk, which is the risk that the issuer of the bond may default on payment of interest or principal. Interest rate risk is generally greater for longer-term bonds, and credit risk is generally greater for below-investment-grade bonds, which may be considered speculative. Mortgage-backed investments, unlike traditional debt investments, are also subject to prepayment risk, which means that they may increase in value less than other bonds when interest rates decline and decline in value more than other bonds when interest rates rise. We may have to invest the proceeds from prepaid investments, including mortgage- and asset-backed investments, in other investments with less attractive terms and yields.
The value of international investments traded in foreign currencies may be adversely impacted by fluctuations in exchange rates. International investments, particularly investments in emerging markets, may carry risks associated with potentially less stable economies or governments (such as the risk of seizure by a foreign government, the imposition of currency or other restrictions, or high levels of inflation), and may be or become illiquid Our non-directional strategies may lose money or not earn a return sufficient to cover associated trading and other costs. Our use of leverage obtained through derivatives increases the risk of investing in the fund by increasing investment exposure. Derivatives also involve the risk, in the case of many over-the-counter instruments, 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.
There is no guarantee that the investment techniques, analyses, or judgments that we apply in making investment decisions for the fund will produce the intended outcome or that the investments we select for the fund will perform as well as other securities that were not selected for the fund.
The fund may not achieve its goal, and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. The fund’s efforts to produce lower volatility returns may not be successful. An investment in the fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Performance
The performance information below gives some indication of the risks associated with an investment in the fund by showing the fund’s performance year to year and over time. The bar chart does not reflect the impact of sales charges. If it did, performance would be lower. Please remember that past performance is not necessarily an indication of future results. Monthly performance figures for the fund are available at putnam.com.
Annual total returns for class A shares before sales charges
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Average annual total returns after sales charges (for periods ended 12/31/19)
| Share class | 1 year | 5 years | 10 years |
| Class A before taxes | -0.64% | 0.00% | 2.32% |
| Class A after taxes on distributions | -0.64% | -1.05% | 1.35% |
| Class A after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares | -0.38% | -0.41% | 1.47% |
| Class B before taxes | -0.40% | 0.08% | 2.33% |
| Class C before taxes | 3.62% | 0.43% | 2.16% |
| Class P before taxes* | 5.87% | 1.54% | 3.24% |
| Class R before taxes | 5.22% | 0.95% | 2.67% |
| Class R6 before taxes* | 5.76% | 1.53% | 3.26% |
| Class Y before taxes | 5.68% | 1.44% | 3.19% |
| ICE BofA U.S. Treasury Bill Index (no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 2.35% | 1.10% | 0.61% |
| ICE BofA U.S. Treasury Bill Index plus 500 basis points (no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 7.35% | 6.10% | 5.61% |
| Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 8.72% | 3.05% | 3.75% |
| S&P 500 Index (no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 31.49% | 11.70% | 13.56% |
| * | Performance for class R6 shares prior to their inception (7/2/12) and for class P shares prior to their inception (8/31/16) is derived from the historical performance of class Y shares and has not been adjusted for the lower investor servicing fees applicable to class R6 and class P shares; had it, returns would have been higher. |
ICE BofA Indexes: ICE Data Indices, LLC (“ICE BofA”), used with permission. ICE BofA permits use of the ICE BofA indices and related data on an “as is” basis; makes no warranties regarding same; does not guarantee the suitability, quality, accuracy, timeliness, and/or completeness of the ICE BofA indices or any data included in, related to, or derived therefrom; assumes no liability in connection with the use of the foregoing; and does not sponsor, endorse, or recommend Putnam Investments, or any of its products or services.
After-tax returns reflect the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are shown for class A shares only and will vary for other classes. These after-tax returns do not apply if you hold your fund shares through a 401(k) plan, an IRA, or another tax-advantaged arrangement.
Class B share performance reflects conversion to class A shares after eight years.
The Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index and the S&P 500 Index are broad measures of market performance. Securities in the fund do not match those in the indexes and the performance of the fund will differ.
ICE BofA U.S. Treasury Bill Index tracks the performance of U.S. dollar denominated U.S. Treasury bills, which represent obligations of the U.S. Government having a maturity of one year or less, and is intended as an approximate measure of the rate of inflation. ICE BofA U.S. Treasury Bill Index + 5.00% is the benchmark and hurdle rate for the performance adjustment component of the fund’s management fee.
Your fund’s management
Investment advisor
Putnam Investment Management, LLC
Portfolio managers
Robert Schoen
Chief Investment Officer, Global Asset
Allocation, portfolio manager of the fund
since
2008
James Fetch
Co-Head of Global Asset Allocation,
portfolio manager of the fund since 2008
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Brett Goldstein
Portfolio Manager, portfolio manager of
the fund since 2019
Jason Vaillancourt
Co-Head of Global Asset Allocation,
portfolio manager of the fund since 2008
Sub-advisors
Putnam Investments Limited*
The Putnam Advisory Company, LLC*
| * | Though the investment advisor has retained the services of both Putnam Investments Limited (PIL) and The Putnam Advisory Company, LLC (PAC), PIL and PAC do not currently manage any assets of the fund. |
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. Purchases of class B shares are closed to new and existing investors except by exchange from class B shares of another Putnam fund or through dividend and/or capital gains reinvestment.
When opening an account, you must complete and mail a Putnam account application, along with a check made payable to the fund, to: Putnam Investments, P.O. Box 219697, Kansas City, MO 64121-9697. 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.
Class P shares are only available to other Putnam Funds and other accounts managed by Putnam Management or its affiliates.
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.
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.
Information about the Summary Prospectus, Prospectus, and SAI
The summary prospectus, prospectus, and SAI for a fund provide information concerning the fund. The summary prospectus, prospectus, and SAI are updated at least annually and any information provided in a summary prospectus, prospectus, or SAI can be changed without a shareholder vote unless specifically stated otherwise. The summary prospectus, prospectus, and the SAI are not contracts between the fund and its shareholders and do not give rise to any contractual rights or obligations or any shareholder rights other than any rights conferred explicitly by federal or state securities laws that may not be waived.
Additional information, including current performance, is available at putnam.com/funddocuments, by calling 1-800-225-1581, or by e-mailing Putnam at funddocuments@putnam.com.
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