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Tax-Free High Yield Fund (Class Y)  (PTFYX)

Pursuing a high level of tax-free income for shareholders since 1993

Tax-Free High Yield Fund received an  Overall Morningstar Rating™  of  
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Tax-Free High Yield Fund (PTFYX)

Highlights

Objective

The fund seeks high current income exempt from federal income tax.

Strategy and process

  • Tax-advantaged income: The fund pursues above-average income free from federal income tax by investing in higher-yielding, lower-rated municipal bonds.
  • Focus on performance: The portfolio managers select bonds that offer attractive return potential relative to risk and position the portfolio based on Putnam's fundamental research and risk management.
  • Leading research: Members of Putnam's fixed-income organization have a range of skills to analyze the credit risk of below-investment grade bonds and help build a well-diversified portfolio of tax-exempt bonds.

Fund price

Net asset value
(yesterday’s close)		 $13.22
0.23% | $0.03
52-week high $13.22 (02/21/20)
52-week low $12.40 (02/21/19)
(Optional)

Yield

Distribution rate before sales charge
as of 02/21/20		 3.55%
Distribution rate after sales charge
as of 02/21/20		 3.55%
30-day SEC yield as of 01/31/20 2.25%

Consistency of positive performance over five years

Performance represents 5-year returns in rolling quarter-end periods since inception.

Performance shown does not reflect the effects of any sales charges. Note that returns of 0.00% are counted as positive periods. For complete fund performance, please click on the performance tab.

11.23%

Best 5-year annualized return

(for period ending 12/31/13)

-2.32%

Worst 5-year annualized return

(for period ending 12/31/08)

5.39%

Average 5-year annualized return

Fund facts as of 12/31/19

Total net assets
$909.63M
Turnover (fiscal year end)
47%
Dividend frequency (view rate)
Monthly
Number of holdings
481
Fiscal year-end
July
CUSIP / Fund code
746872878 / 1840
Inception date
01/02/08
Category
Tax-free Income
Open to new investors
Ticker
PTFYX

Management team

Paul M. Drury, CFA

Portfolio Manager

Garrett L. Hamilton, CFA

Portfolio Manager

Manager commentary | Q3 2019

The fundamentals of high yield

Portfolio Managers Paul Drury and Garrett Hamilton describe individual security analysis when investing in the high-yield market.

Literature

Munis feel knock-on effects of tax reform
The municipal bond market will likely see a reduction in supply in 2018 because of certain provisions in the new tax reform law.

Performance

  • Total return (%) as of 12/31/19

  • Annual performance as of 12/31/19

Annualized Total return (%) as of 12/31/19

Annualized performance 1 yr. 3 yrs. 5 yrs. 10 yrs.
Before sales charge 9.72% 6.49% 5.02% 6.22%
After sales charge N/A N/A N/A N/A
Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond Index 7.54%4.72%3.53%4.34%

Current performance may be lower or higher than the quoted past performance, which cannot guarantee future results. Share price, principal value, and return will vary, and you may have a gain or loss when you sell your shares. Performance assumes reinvestment of distributions and does not account for taxes. Returns before sales charge do not reflect the current maximum sales charges as indicated below. Had the sales charge been reflected, returns would be lower. Returns at public offering price (after sales charge) for class A and class M shares reflect the current maximum initial sales charges of 5.75% and 3.50% for equity funds and 4.00% and 3.25% for income funds (2.25% for class A of Putnam Floating Rate Income Fund, Short-Term Municipal Income, Short Duration Bond Fund, and Fixed Income Absolute Return Fund), respectively. Class B share returns reflect the applicable contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC), which is 5% in the first year, declining to 1% in the sixth year, and is eliminated thereafter (except for Putnam Floating Rate Income Fund, Putnam Short Duration Bond Fund, Putnam Fixed Income Absolute Return Fund, and Putnam Short-Term Municipal Income Fund, which is 1% in the first year, declining to 0.5% in the second year, and is eliminated thereafter). Class C shares reflect a 1% CDSC the first year that is eliminated thereafter. Performance for class B, C, M, N, R, and Y shares prior to their inception is derived from the historical performance of class A shares, adjusted for the applicable sales charge (or CDSC) and, except for class Y shares, the higher operating expenses for such shares (with the exception of Putnam Tax-Free High Yield Fund and Putnam AMT-Free Municipal Fund, which are based on the historical performance of class B shares). Performance for class A, C, and Y shares of Putnam Mortgage Opportunities Fund before their inception is derived from the historical performance of class I shares, which have been adjusted for the applicable sales charge (or CDSC) and the higher operating expenses for such shares. Returns at public offering price (after sales charge) for class N shares reflect the current maximum initial sales charge of 1.50%. Class R5/R6 shares, available to qualified employee-benefit plans only, are sold without an initial sales charge and have no CDSC. Class Y shares are generally only available for corporate and institutional clients and have no initial sales charge. Performance for class R5/R6 shares before their inception are derived from the historical performance of class Y shares, which have not been adjusted for the lower expenses; had they, returns would have been higher. Class A shares of Putnam money market funds have no initial sales charge. For a portion of the period, some funds had expenses limitations or had been sold on a limited basis with limited assets and expenses, without which returns would be lower.

Performance snapshot

  Before sales charge After sales charge
1 mt. as of 01/31/20 1.93% -
YTD as of 02/21/20 2.91% -

Yield

Distribution rate before sales charge
as of 02/21/20		 3.55%
Distribution rate after sales charge
as of 02/21/20		 3.55%
30-day SEC yield as of 01/31/20 2.25%

Risk-adjusted performance as of 12/31/19

Sharpe ratio (3 yrs.) 1.98
Information ratio (3 yrs.) 1.75

Volatility as of 12/31/19

Standard deviation (3 yrs.) 2.47%
Beta 0.93
R-squared 0.84

Lipper rankings as of 12/31/19

Time period Rank/Funds in category Percentile ranking
1 yr. 60/189 32%
3 yrs. 54/153 36%
5 yrs. 52/132 40%
10 yrs. 23/88 26%
Lipper category: High Yield Municipal Debt Funds

Morningstar Ratings™ as of 12/31/19

Time period Funds in category Morningstar Rating™
Overall 155
3 yrs. 155
5 yrs. 135
10 yrs. 89
Morningstar category: High Yield Muni

Distributions

Accrual days 33
Accrual start date 01/01/20
Accrual end date 02/02/20
Payable date 01/31/20
Non-taxable income $0.038516693
Extra taxable income --
  
Record/Ex dividend date 12/27/19
Payable date 12/31/19
Income --
Extra income $0.0098
Short-term cap. gain $0.0584
Long-term cap. gain $0.0803

Lipper rankings are based on total return without sales charge relative to all share classes of funds with similar objectives as determined by Lipper. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

The Morningstar RatingTM for funds, or "star rating", is calculated for managed products (including mutual funds, variable annuity and variable life subaccounts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, and separate accounts) with at least a three-year history. Exchange-traded funds and open-ended mutual funds are considered a single population for comparative purposes. It is calculated based on a Morningstar Risk-Adjusted Return measure that accounts for variation in a managed product's monthly excess performance, placing more emphasis on downward variations and rewarding consistent performance. The top 10% of products in each product category receive 5 stars, the next 22.5% receive 4 stars, the next 35% receive 3 stars, the next 22.5% receive 2 stars, and the bottom 10% receive 1 star. The Overall Morningstar Rating for a managed product is derived from a weighted average of the performance figures associated with its three-, five-, and 10-year (if applicable) Morningstar Rating metrics. The weights are: 100% three-year rating for 36-59 months of total returns, 60% five-year rating/40% three-year rating for 60-119 months of total returns, and 50% 10-year rating/30% five-year rating/20% three-year rating for 120 or more months of total returns. While the 10-year overall star rating formula seems to give the most weight to the 10-year period, the most recent three-year period actually has the greatest impact because it is included in all three rating periods.

The up-market capture ratio is used to evaluate how well an investment manager performed relative to an index during periods when that index has risen. The ratio is calculated by dividing the manager’s returns by the returns of the index during the up-market, and multiplying that factor by 100. The down-market capture ratio is used to evaluate how well an investment manager performed relative to an index during periods when that index has dropped. The ratio is calculated by dividing the manager’s returns by the returns of the index during the down-market and multiplying that factor by 100.

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** FundVisualizer comparison based on Putnam fund versus the largest fund in its Morningstar category.

Holdings

Nthrn Tob Asset Bkd-A 05.0000 06/01/2046 1.44%
Buckeye Tob Asset-A-2 06.5000 06/01/2047 1.18%
Lyon Co Unif Sd 253- 04.0000 09/01/2048 1.10%
Ca Fltg-A2-Rmkt-12/01 00.7500 05/01/2033 1.10%
Ky Pub Energy-C-1 04.0000 12/01/2049 1.04%
Ms Business Fin-Ref 02.5000 04/01/2022 1.04%
Alaska St Indl Dev-A 04.0000 10/01/2049 1.00%
Centrl Plains Energy 05.0000 03/01/2050 0.96%
Chicago Il 06.0000 01/01/2038 0.95%
Jefferson Co-Cabs-F 00.0000 10/01/2046 0.93%
Top 10 holdings, percent of portfolio 10.74%

Portfolio composition as of 12/31/19

Municipal bonds and notes 96.97%
Cash and net other assets 3.03%

Fixed income statistics as of 12/31/19

Average stated maturity 20.61 yrs.
Average effective maturity 5.86 yrs.
Option adjusted duration 7.70 yrs.
Duration to worst 5.21 yrs.
Average yield to maturity 4.28%
Average coupon 4.90%
AMT exposure 8.14%

Quality rating as of 12/31/19

AAA 2.10%
AA 6.40%
A 21.31%
BBB 30.12%
BB 13.24%
B 3.89%
CCC and Below 1.31%
Not Rated 18.60%
Cash and net other assets 3.03%

Fund characteristics will vary over time.

Due to rounding, percentages may not equal 100%.

Consider these risks before investing: Capital gains, if any, are taxed at the federal and, in most cases, state levels. For some investors, investment income may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. Income from federally tax-exempt funds may be subject to state and local taxes. Bond investments are subject to interest-rate risk (the risk of bond prices falling if interest rates rise) and credit risk (the risk of an issuer defaulting on interest or principal payments). Interest-rate risk is generally greater for longer-term bonds, and credit risk is generally greater for below-investment-grade bonds. Unlike bonds, funds that invest in bonds have fees and expenses. The fund may invest significantly in particular segments of the tax-exempt debt market, making it more vulnerable to fluctuations in the values of the securities it holds than a more broadly invested fund. Interest the fund receives might be taxable. 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, geography, industry or sector. These and other factors may lead to increased volatility and reduced liquidity in the fund's portfolio holdings. You can lose money by investing in the fund.

Credit qualities are shown as a percentage of net assets. A bond rated BBB or higher (SP-3 or higher, for short-term debt) is considered investment grade. This chart reflects the highest security rating provided by one or more of Standard & Poor's, Moody's, and Fitch. Ratings may vary over time. Cash and net other assets, if any, represent the market value weights of cash, derivatives, and short-term securities in the portfolio. The fund itself has not been rated by an independent rating agency.

Top industry sectors as of 12/31/19

Health care 21.51%
Education 13.92%
State Debt 11.86%
Transportation 8.46%
Utilities 8.34%
Tobacco 8.33%
Land 7.30%
Local Debt 5.78%
Other 3.51%
 
Other		 10.99%
Financials 3.22%
Cash and net other assets 3.03%
Special Tax 2.49%
Industrials 1.31%
Housing 0.55%
Prerefunded 0.39%

Sectors will vary over time.

Expenses

Expense ratio

 Class A Class B Class C Class R6 Class Y
Total expense ratio 0.84% 1.46% 1.61% 0.59% 0.61%
What you pay 0.84% 1.46% 1.61% 0.59% 0.61%

Sales charge

 Breakpoint Class A Class B Class C Class R6 Class Y
$0-$49,999 4.00% / 3.50% 0.00% / 4.00% 0.00% / 1.00% -- --
$50,000-$99,999 4.00% / 3.50% 0.00% / 4.00% 0.00% / 1.00% -- --
$100,000-$249,999 3.25% / 2.75% -- 0.00% / 1.00% -- --
$250,000-$499,999 2.50% / 2.00% -- 0.00% / 1.00% -- --
$500,000-$999,999 0.00% / 1.00% -- -- -- --
$1M-$4M 0.00% / 1.00% -- -- -- --
$4M-$50M 0.00% / 0.50% -- -- -- --
$50M+ 0.00% / 0.25% -- -- -- --

CDSC

  Class A (sales for $500,000+) Class B Class C Class R6 Class Y
0 to 9 mts. 1.00% 5.00% 1.00% -- --
9 to 12 mts. 1.00% 5.00% 1.00% -- --
2 yrs. 0.00% 4.00% 0.00% -- --
3 yrs. 0.00% 3.00% 0.00% -- --
4 yrs. 0.00% 3.00% 0.00% -- --
5 yrs. 0.00% 2.00% 0.00% -- --
6 yrs. 0.00% 1.00% 0.00% -- --
7+ yrs. 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% -- --

Trail commissions

  Class A Class B Class C Class R6 Class Y
  0.20%1 0.20%3 1.00% 0.00% 0.00%
  0.25%2 0.25%4 NA NA NA
  NA NA NA NA NA
  1. Through 03/20/05
  2. After 03/20/05
  3. Through 03/31/90
  4. After 03/31/90

For sales and trail commission information on purchases over $500,000 and participant-directed qualified retirement plans, see a Putnam fund prospectus and the statement of additional information.

The Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond Index is an unmanaged index of long-term fixed-rate investment-grade tax-exempt bonds. You cannot invest directly in an index.

Consider these risks before investing: Capital gains, if any, are taxed at the federal and, in most cases, state levels. For some investors, investment income may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. Income from federally tax-exempt funds may be subject to state and local taxes. Bond investments are subject to interest-rate risk (the risk of bond prices falling if interest rates rise) and credit risk (the risk of an issuer defaulting on interest or principal payments). Interest-rate risk is generally greater for longer-term bonds, and credit risk is generally greater for below-investment-grade bonds. Unlike bonds, funds that invest in bonds have fees and expenses. The fund may invest significantly in particular segments of the tax-exempt debt market, making it more vulnerable to fluctuations in the values of the securities it holds than a more broadly invested fund. Interest the fund receives might be taxable. 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, geography, industry or sector. These and other factors may lead to increased volatility and reduced liquidity in the fund's portfolio holdings. You can lose money by investing in the fund.

Credit qualities are shown as a percentage of net assets. A bond rated BBB or higher (SP-3 or higher, for short-term debt) is considered investment grade. This chart reflects the highest security rating provided by one or more of Standard & Poor's, Moody's, and Fitch. Ratings may vary over time. Cash and net other assets, if any, represent the market value weights of cash, derivatives, and short-term securities in the portfolio. The fund itself has not been rated by an independent rating agency.