Dynamic Risk Asset Allocation Fund Semi-Annual Report
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Fund Semiannual report 11 | 30 | 20 Asset allocation funds invest in a mix of many different types of investments to help weather changing market environments. FUND SYMBOL CLASS A PDREX Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Fund Semiannual report 11 | 30 | 20 Message from the Trustees 1 About the fund 2 Interview with your fund’s portfolio manager 5 Your fund’s performance 10 Your fund’s expenses 12 Consider these risks before investing 14 Terms and definitions 15 Other information for shareholders 17 Trustee approval of management contract 18 Financial statements 23 Message from the Trustees January 11, 2021 Dear Fellow Shareholder: The world is welcoming 2021 with high hopes for the global economy and public health. Although COVID-19 infections have reached new levels, distribution of vaccines is underway, boosting optimism about a return to normal in the not-too-distant future. In the United States, President-elect Biden will take office with new proposals to rebuild the economy. The stock and bond markets start the year in good shape, indicating that investors are willing to look beyond current challenges and see the potential for renewed economic growth. Putnam continues to employ active strategies that seek superior investment performance for you and your fellow shareholders. Putnam’s portfolio managers and analysts take a research-intensive approach that includes risk management strategies designed to serve you through changing conditions. As always, thank you for investing with Putnam. Respectfully yours, Robert L. Reynolds Kenneth R. Leibler President and Chief Executive Officer Chair, Board of Trustees Putnam Investments About the fund A traditional balanced fund A strategy for allocating risks emphasizes equity risk In a traditionally balanced rather than assets portfolio — 60% stocks and 40% bonds — stocks Fixed income Stocks 90% Traditional balanced funds can be unbalanced in terms of risk. Instead of balancing dominate overall portfolio 40% Stocks 60% stocks and bonds, Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Fund makes allocations across risk, which can lead to an four different risk sources — equity, credit, inflation, and interest rates. We believe this unbalanced risk profile. flexible approach can produce better risk-adjusted returns for investors over time. Fixed income 10% Asset weight Contribution to risk The fund’s management team has experience in global allocation strategies over several market cycles. A risk allocation fund de-emphasizes equity risk Equity Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Fund diversifies its exposures Robert J. Schoen James A. Fetch Interest rates Chief Investment Officer, Co-Head of Global Asset Allocation across a wider range of risk Global Asset Allocation Industry since 1994 sources, adjusting these Industry since 1990 At Putnam since 1994 At Putnam since 1997 allocations based on the Inflation portfolio managers’ expectations for risk-adjusted returns. Credit Contribution to risk Jason R. Vaillancourt, CFA Brett S. Goldstein, CFA Co-Head of Global Asset Allocation Portfolio Manager Illustrations are hypothetical and are not intended to represent the current allocation of any Putnam fund. A Industry since 1993 Industry since 2010 traditional balanced fund is represented by a 60%/40% split between equities and fixed income, as defined by At Putnam since 1999 At Putnam since 2010 Lipper. Risk contribution is from Putnam research, which uses the historical standard deviation for the respective asset classes multiplied by the appropriate asset weight. Leverage may be achieved either through short-term borrowing or through the use of derivatives. Asset weights may exceed 100% in funds that employ leverage due to borrowed capital and/or derivatives exposure. Risk, as measured by standard deviation, gauges how widely a set of Diversification does not assure a profit or protect against loss. It is possible to lose money in a diversified portfolio. values varies from the mean. It is a historical measure of the variability of return earned by an investment portfolio The fund is not intended to outperform stocks and bonds during strong market rallies. over a three-year period. Asset weight for Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Fund represents a baseline allocation selected by the fund’s portfolio managers and is subject to change. It is inclusive of leverage and represents a starting point for future active allocation. 2 Dynamic Risk Allocation Fund Dynamic Risk Allocation Fund 3 Performance history as of 11/30/20 Annualized total return (%) comparison The fund — class A shares Fund’s benchmark Fund’s Lipper before sales charge Putnam Dynamic Risk peer group average† Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Blended Index* Alternative Global Macro Funds Allocation Fund (PDREX) 14.64 9.99 8.88 8.29 7.15 6.15 5.72 5.38 4.30 3.72 3.85 3.86 3.40 0.83 0.90 LIFE OF FUND 5 YEARS 3 YEARS 1 YEAR 6 MONTHS‡ (since 9/19/11) Current performance may be lower or higher than the quoted past performance, which cannot guarantee future results. Share price, principal value, and return will fluctuate, and you may have a gain or a loss when you sell your shares. Performance of class A shares assumes reinvestment of distributions and does not account for taxes. Fund returns in the bar chart do not reflect a sales charge of 5.75%; had they, returns would have been lower. See below and pages 10–12 for additional performance information. For a portion of the periods, the fund had expense limitations, without which returns would have been lower. To obtain the most recent month-end performance, visit putnam.com. * The Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Blended Index is an unmanaged index administered by Putnam Management, 50% of which is the MSCI World Index (ND), 40% of which is the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Index, and 10% of which is the S&P GSCI. See index descriptions on pages 15–16. † Source: Lipper, a Refinitiv company. ‡ Returns for the six-month period are not annualized, but cumulative. Recent broad market index and fund performance International stocks (MSCI EAFE Index (ND)) 20.16% U.S. stocks (S&P 500 Index) 19.98% Fund’s benchmark (Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Blended Index) 14.64% Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Fund (class A shares before sales charge) 8.29% U.S. bonds (Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index) 1.79% Cash (ICE BofA U.S. 3-Month Treasury Bill Index) 0.07% This comparison shows your fund’s performance in the context of broad market indexes for the six months ended 11/30/20. See above and pages 10–12 for additional fund performance information. Index descriptions can be found on pages 15–16. 4 Dynamic Risk Allocation Fund Interview with your fund’s portfolio manager Performance history as of 11/30/20 Interview with your fund’s portfolio manager Annualized total return (%) comparison The fund — class A shares Fund’s benchmark Fund’s Lipper Jason Vaillancourt discusses the investing before sales charge Putnam Dynamic Risk peer group average† Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Blended Index* Alternative Global Macro Funds Allocation Fund (PDREX) environment and fund results for the six months 14.64 ended November 30, 2020, and offers his 9.99 outlook for the fund. 8.88 8.29 7.15 6.15 5.72 5.38 4.30 3.72 3.85 3.86 3.40 0.83 0.90 LIFE OF FUND 5 YEARS 3 YEARS 1 YEAR 6 MONTHS‡ (since 9/19/11) Current performance may be lower or higher than the quoted past performance, which cannot guarantee future results. Share price, principal value, and return will fluctuate, and you may have a gain or a loss when you sell your shares. Performance of class A shares assumes reinvestment of distributions and does not account for taxes. Fund returns in the How were market conditions during the bar chart do not reflect a sales charge of 5.75%; had they, returns would have been lower. See below and pages 10–12 reporting period? for additional performance information. For a portion of the periods, the fund had expense limitations, without which returns would have been lower. To obtain the most recent month-end performance, visit putnam.com. Despite some weakness during the six-month * The Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Blended Index is an unmanaged index administered by Putnam Management, period, global financial markets advanced 50% of which is the MSCI World Index (ND), 40% of which is the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Index, and overall. Equity and fixed-income assets were 10% of which is the S&P GSCI. See index descriptions on pages 15–16. rebounding dramatically when the period Jason R. Vaillancourt, CFA † Source: Lipper, a Refinitiv company. Portfolio Manager began in June 2020, after the steep market ‡ Returns for the six-month period are not annualized, but cumulative. declines in the first quarter of the year. The Jason is Co-Head of Global Asset S&P 500 Index, a broad measure of stocks, rose Allocation. He has an M.B.A. from the 19.98% during the period. International stocks, Recent broad market index and fund performance University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a B.S. from Northeastern as measured by the MSCI EAFE Index, gained International stocks University. Jason joined Putnam in 20.16%. The rate-sensitive Bloomberg Barclays (MSCI EAFE Index (ND)) 20.16% 1999 and has been in the investment U.S. Aggregate Bond Index rose 1.79% during industry since 1993. the period U.S. stocks Brett S. Goldstein, CFA, James A. Fetch, (S&P 500 Index) 19.98% and Robert J. Schoen are also Portfolio The U.S. Federal Reserve also held interest Fund’s benchmark Managers of the fund. rates steady during the period and vowed to (Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Blended Index) 14.64% act appropriately to support the economy.