# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0000822671
**File Stem:** 0001193125-26-022527
**Filing Date:** 2026-1
**Character Count:** 3132
**Document Hash:** 0234d41e38b61be8260f0d362e0a5e7c
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001193125-26-022527.hdr.sgml**: 20260126

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001193125-26-022527

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 497

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 13

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20260126

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20260126

**EFFECTIVENESS DATE**: 20260126

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** PUTNAM VARIABLE TRUST
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0000822671

**ORGANIZATION NAME:**
- **EIN:** 046649095
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** MA
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 497
- **SEC ACT:** 1933 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 033-17486
- **FILM NUMBER:** 26560439

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 100 FEDERAL STREET
- **CITY:** BOSTON
- **STATE:** MA
- **ZIP:** 02110
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 6172921000

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 100 FEDERAL STREET
- **CITY:** BOSTON
- **STATE:** MA
- **ZIP:** 02110

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** PUTNAM CAPITAL MANAGER TRUST /MA/
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 19920703

## Series and Classes Contracts Data

### Putnam VT Research Fund (Series ID: S000003887)

---

|  |  |
|:---|:---|
| Class Name      | Class ID   |
| Class IA Shares | C000010869 |
| Class IB Shares | C000010870 |

---

## Series and Classes Contracts Data

### Putnam VT Research Fund (Series ID: S000003887)

| Class ID   | Class Name      | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000010869 | Class IA Shares |  |
| C000010870 | Class IB Shares |  |

?xml version='1.0' encoding='ASCII'? Putnam VT Research Fund

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38983-P1 1/26

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| ![LOGO](g13393g50b30.jpg) | ![LOGO](g13393g28b15.jpg) |

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#### PUTNAM VARIABLE TRUST

#### SUPPLEMENT DATED JANUARY 26, 2026

#### TO THE SUMMARY PROSPECTUS, PROSPECTUS

#### AND STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ("SAI")

#### EACH DATED MAY 1, 2025

#### OF PUTNAM VT RESEARCH FUND (THE "FUND")
**The Fund's Board of Trustees has approved a change to the Fund's name and the addition of a new 80% investment policy. Therefore, the Fund's Summary Prospectus, Prospectus and SAI are amended as follows:** 

**a.** Effective May 1, 2026, all references to "Putnam VT Research Fund" in the Fund's Summary Prospectus, Prospectus and SAI are replaced with "Putnam VT U.S. Research Fund".

**b.** Effective May 1, 2026, the following is added to the beginning of the section titled "Investments, risks and performance – Investments" in the Fund's Summary Prospectus and Prospectus.

Under normal circumstances, the fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of borrowings for investment purposes, if any) in equity securities of companies located in the United States. This policy may be changed only after 60 days' notice to shareholders. Equity securities include common stocks, preferred stocks, and convertible securities. We consider a company to be located in the United States if the company's securities trade in the United States, the company is headquartered or organized in the United States or the company derives a majority of its revenues or profits in the United States.

#### Please retain this supplement for future reference.