Putnam VT Mortgage Securities Fund

Important Information

Footnotes

1. Net Asset Value - the amount per share you would receive if you sold shares that day. NAV Change indicates a change in the Net Asset Value from the previous business day.

   Return to footnote reference

2. Gross Expense Ratio reflects the total annual operating expenses for the share class shown, prior to the deduction of any waiver or reimbursement. Actual expenses may be higher and may impact portfolio returns. Net Expense Ratio reflects total expenses after any fee waivers, implemented expense caps or reimbursements. If a fund has contractual fee waivers, expense caps and/or reimbursements, the expiration date can be found by clicking on the information button next to the net expense ratio. Additional amounts may be voluntarily waived and/or reimbursed and may be modified or discontinued at any time without notice. Expense ratios are as of the most recent prospectus or annual report.

   Return to footnote reference

3. Net Expense Ratio represents the expense ratio applicable to investors. 

   Return to footnote reference

4. The Morningstar Rating™ for funds, or “star rating”, is calculated for managed products with at least a three-year history, and subject to change monthly. 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 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 return, 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 return. 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. Ratings do not take into account the effects of sales charges and loads. Morningstar Rating is for the specified share class(es) only; other classes may have different performance characteristics. 

   Return to footnote reference

5. Credit Quality is a measure of a bond issuer's ability to repay interest and principal in a timely manner. The credit ratings shown are based on each portfolio security's rating as provided by S&P Global Ratings, Moody's Investors Service and/or Fitch Ratings, Inc. and typically range from AAA (highest) to D (lowest), or an equivalent and/or similar rating. For this purpose, if two or more of the agencies have assigned differing ratings to a security, the highest rating is used. Securities that are unrated by all three agencies are reflected as such. The credit quality of the investments in the portfolio does not apply to the stability or safety of the portfolio. The methodology used for the calculation of credit quality ratings displayed may differ from the methodology for monitoring investment limits, if applicable. Please note, the portfolio itself has not been rated by an independent rating agency.

   Return to footnote reference