Equity

Active strategies seeking long-term outperformance

We offer a range of attractive equity portfolios for DC plans, including multiple 4- and 5-star funds.

Equity strategies with a record of solid performance

Name of fund Category Overall Morningstar RatingTM
as of 10/31/23
Retirement share class expense ratio
Core Equity Fund Blend (out of 1,298 in category) 0.64
Global Health Care Fund Global Sector (out of 158 in category) 0.71
International Value Fund Value (out of 339 in category) 0.92
Large Cap Value Fund Value (out of 1,138 in category) 0.55
Research Fund Blend (out of 1,298 in category) 0.68
Focused International Equity Fund Blend (out of 699 in category) 0.74
Global Technology Fund Global Sector (out of 227 in category) 0.72
International Capital Opportunities Fund Blend (out of 88 in category) 1.09
International Equity Fund Blend (out of 699 in category) 0.83
Large Cap Growth Fund Growth (out of 1,126 in category) 0.58
Small Cap Growth Fund Growth (out of 560 in category) 0.85
Sustainable Leaders Fund Growth (out of 1,126 in category) 0.58

Putnam Large Cap Growth Fund (PGOEX)

Durable growth themes and companies that benefit from them

A thematic approach is a distinctive feature of the fund. The team analyzes global trends, as well as problems and potential solutions, to identify which themes could drive sustained growth for businesses over a multi-year time horizon.

More to explore:
See the fund's consistent outperformance versus peers
Investing for consistency through durable growth themes (PDF)
Get details on performance, holdings, and sector weightings
Fund details
Read the quarterly Q&A with the portfolio managers
Quarterly commentary

Putnam Large Cap Value Fund (PEQSX)

(also available as a CIT)

A multidimensional approach to value investing.

A focus on dividend growth and defining value outside the index. The fund invests in three dimensions of value:

VALUE STOCKS

Attractively priced stocks of companies that are poised for improvement

DIVIDEND GROWERS

Stocks of companies that are willing and able to increase their dividends

CASH-FLOW GENERATORS

Stocks of companies with strong cash flows, earnings quality, and capital allocation strategies

More to explore:
See how the fund has consistently ranked in the top quartile
Investing for consistency in all markets (PDF)
Learn about the fund's differentiated process
A multidimensional approach to value investing brochure (PDF)
Get details on performance, holdings, and sector weightings
Fund details or CIT details
Read the quarterly Q&A with the portfolio managers
Quarterly commentary

Putnam Small Cap Growth Fund (PLKGX)

(also available as a CIT)

Seeking to capitalize on growing small companies

Small companies can add an attractive source of long-term investment growth for participants of a retirement plan. These companies tend to be flexible and innovative, and can often grow their earnings at faster rates than larger companies.

The portfolio is diversified across two primary types of small company stocks: high-quality growth and aggressive growth. This portfolio offers growth with a more moderate level of volatility that may be compelling for retirement investors.

HIGH-QUALITY GROWTH COMPANIES

60% to 80% of the portfolio

The largest portion of the portfolio consists of stable, well-established growth companies we believe to be mispriced by the market.

The small-cap asset class can be volatile, especially when targeting the fastest-growing companies. To help moderate the fund's volatility over time, we invest a majority of assets in stable, well-established companies that are often less volatile than the asset class as a whole. We believe these companies can grow at high rates, and that the market is not pricing in their full profitability potential.

AGGRESSIVE GROWTH COMPANIES

20% to 40% of the portfolio

A smaller portion of the portfolio is invested in emerging growth and cyclical growth companies. We define emerging growth companies as those that offer disruptive products, services, or technology that will enable them to grow rapidly. They are typically early in their life cycles, and their quality metrics, such as return on capital or margins, may look weak today. However, if they grow at the rates we are projecting, they could mature into high-quality growth leaders. We put less emphasis on cyclical growth companies, but we will own them if we believe they are competitively positioned and offer durable growth prospects.

More to explore:
Get details on performance, holdings, and sector weightings
Fund details or fact sheet
Read the quarterly Q&A with the portfolio managers
Quarterly commentary

Timely articles and key literature

ESG materiality | Analyzing the growing role of ESG factors in executive compensation

ESG materiality | Analyzing the growing role of ESG factors in executive compensation

A rising number of S&P 500 companies are now tying ESG metrics to executive pay. Explore insights on how this impacts corporate goals and investment opportunities.

Read post

Balance and ballast: A strategy for uncertain markets

Balance and ballast: A strategy for uncertain markets

With heightened uncertainty in the financial markets, we believe it is an attractive time to invest in balanced funds, thanks to uncorrelated asset class returns and the ballast provided by the fixed-income portion of their portfolios.

Equity InsightsEquity Insights | November 1, 2023