<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>                                            6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL
INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS OF THE FUND AND IS QUALIFIED IN
ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                                                              0000811860
<NAME>                                                 Saturna Investment Trust
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER>                                                                  4
   <NAME>                                          Sextant Short Term Bond Fund
<MULTIPLIER>                                                                 1
<CURRENCY>                                                           US Dollars
       
<S>                                                                                   <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                                                        Year
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                                               Nov-30-1996
<PERIOD-START>                                                                  Dec-01-1995
<PERIOD-END>                                                                    Nov-30-1996
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                                                         1
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                                                             1939387
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                                                            1943822
<RECEIVABLES>                                                                       38334
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                                                      37528
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                                                    0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                                    2019684
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                                                                0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                                                                 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                                                            2886
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                                                                  2886
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                                                         0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                                                          2033467
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                                                              403341
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                                                              174606
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                                                              22
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                                                                  0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                                                           (21126)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                                                                0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                                                             4435
<NET-ASSETS>                                                                      2016798
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                                                       0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                                                                  180119
<OTHER-INCOME>                                                                     29,172
<EXPENSES-NET>                                                                      17955
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                                                            133032
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                                                           (21126)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                                                             698
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                                                              112604
<EQUALIZATION>                                                                          0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                                                         (133010)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                                                                0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                                                   0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                                                            740752
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                                                       (538054)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                                                 26037
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                                                             228735
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                                                                 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                                                               0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                                                                 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                                                              0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                                                               15583
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                                      0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                                                     28965
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                                                              2111151
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                                                                5.03
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                                                      0.25
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                                                             (0.03)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                                                (0.25)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                                                               0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                                                    0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                                                                     5
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                                                      0.85
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                                                                  0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                                                    0
        

</TABLE>