WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

 

<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
Putnam Classic Equity Fund


   <NUMBER> 5
   <NAME> CLASS B

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   SEMI
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          NOV-30-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               MAY-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                    2,123,408,678
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                   2,367,853,155
<RECEIVABLES>                                6,655,535
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                     732
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                           2,374,509,422
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                       769,054
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                    8,975,519
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                          9,744,573
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                 2,374,707,169
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                       91,124,245
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                      101,787,776
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                      (7,771,000)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                 (246,615,797)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                   244,444,477
<NET-ASSETS>                             2,364,764,849
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                           23,705,921
<INTEREST-INCOME>                              478,130
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                              16,359,709
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      7,824,342
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                 (250,889,895)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                  133,078,611
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                    (109,986,942)
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                  (4,985,569)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                 (131,475,725)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                      7,719,243
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>               (28,584,162)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                         10,201,388
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                   (535,533,825)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                  269,816,800
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                      (604,811)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                        6,414,359
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                             16,622,337
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                     1,175,875,798
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            13.82
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .02
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          (.46)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.05)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                       (1.29)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              12.04
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                    .85
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING]                               0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE]                                 0