Core Insights - Franklin Templeton identifies significant investment opportunities in private equity, private credit, real estate, and infrastructure for the year 2026 [1] Group 1: Investment Opportunities - The company emphasizes the potential of private equity as a robust investment avenue, highlighting its resilience and growth prospects [1] - Private credit is noted for its increasing relevance, particularly in a rising interest rate environment, which may enhance returns for investors [1] - Real estate is recognized for its ability to provide stable income and potential appreciation, making it an attractive option for long-term investors [1] - Infrastructure investments are seen as critical due to their essential nature and potential for steady cash flows, especially in the context of global economic recovery [1]

Core Viewpoint - Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN) is a global investment management firm with a market cap of $12.4 billion, managing over $1.6 trillion in assets and expected to announce its fiscal first-quarter earnings for 2026 soon [1] Financial Performance - Analysts anticipate BEN to report a profit of $0.57 per share on a diluted basis for the upcoming quarter, reflecting a 3.4% decrease from $0.59 per share in the same quarter last year [2] - For the full fiscal year, EPS is projected to be $2.50, which is a 12.6% increase from $2.22 in fiscal 2025, with further growth expected to $2.80 in fiscal 2027 [3] Stock Performance - BEN stock has outperformed the S&P 500 Index, gaining 18.2% over the past 52 weeks compared to the index's 16.9% increase, and also surpassed the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund's 13.9% gains during the same period [4] Growth Drivers - The company's outperformance is attributed to strong alternative assets, ETF inflows, and digital investment solutions, with $22.9 billion raised in private markets and $1.7 billion in digital-asset AUM growth [5] Recent Results - On November 7, BEN shares fell over 4% after reporting Q4 results, with an adjusted EPS of $0.67 exceeding Wall Street's expectations of $0.57, and revenue reaching $2.3 billion, surpassing forecasts of $2.1 billion [6] Analyst Ratings - The consensus opinion on BEN stock is cautious, with a "Hold" rating overall; among 12 analysts, three recommend a "Strong Buy," four a "Hold," one a "Moderate Sell," and four a "Strong Sell," with an average price target of $24.45 indicating a potential upside of 2.7% [7]

Company Overview - Franklin Resources (BEN) is headquartered in San Mateo and has experienced a price change of 17.59% this year [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.32 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 5.53%, which is significantly higher than the Financial - Investment Management industry's yield of 2.66% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.4% [3] Dividend Performance - The current annualized dividend of Franklin Resources is $1.32, reflecting a 3.1% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past 5 years, the company has increased its dividend 5 times, achieving an average annual increase of 3.38% [4] - The current payout ratio is 58%, indicating that the company pays out 58% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Franklin Resources' earnings in 2025 is $2.50 per share, with an expected increase of 12.61% from the previous year [5] - The company is viewed as a strong dividend play, particularly appealing to income investors due to its solid earnings growth prospects [6] Investment Considerations - Established firms with secure profits are typically seen as the best dividend options, while high-growth businesses rarely offer dividends [6] - Franklin Resources is considered a compelling investment opportunity, currently holding a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [6]

Dividend and Share Buyback - Franklin Resources, Inc. declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.33 per share, reflecting a 3.1% increase from the prior quarter and the same period last year, with a consistent dividend increase since 1981 [2] - The board approved an expanded share repurchase program, allowing the company to buy back an additional 20.8 million shares, bringing the total authorization to 40.0 million shares, with 19.2 million shares still available under the prior program [3] Technology Strategy and Blockchain Integration - Franklin Resources connected its blockchain infrastructure to the Canton Network, aimed at expanding the adoption of its tokenized fund offerings [4] - The Canton Network, which includes major financial firms, allows for private transaction details, enhancing interest from large institutions, and enables the trading of its Benji token, representing digital shares of its money market fund [5] - This integration is seen as a step toward greater collateral mobility, allowing assets to move and be reused as collateral across institutions almost instantly through blockchain [5] Company Overview - Franklin Resources operates as a global investment manager, offering a wide range of products including mutual funds, ETFs, and alternative strategies [6]

Core Viewpoint - Franklin Resources, also known as Franklin Templeton, is highlighted as a top dividend stock in the financial sector, appealing to investors seeking dividend opportunities [1] Company Overview - Franklin Resources is a global financial firm that provides a diverse range of products, including exchange-traded funds, mutual funds, and fixed-income and customized investment strategies [1] - The company manages assets totaling $1.66 trillion [1]

Core Insights - Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN) has announced a quarterly dividend increase to 33 cents per share, marking a 3.1% rise compared to both the previous quarter and the same quarter last year, with the dividend payable on January 9, 2026 [1] - The company has expanded its stock repurchase program to allow for the repurchase of up to 40 million shares, enhancing shareholder value by reducing outstanding shares [4][8] - BEN maintains a strong liquidity position of $5.6 billion as of September 30, 2025, with no short-term debt, supporting its ability to continue dividend payments and opportunistic share repurchases [5][8] Dividend and Shareholder Returns - The current dividend yield for BEN stands at 5.33%, significantly higher than the industry average of 2.16%, with a payout ratio of 58% [2] - Over the past five years, BEN has increased its dividend six times, providing consistent income for investors [2][8] Market Performance - Over the past year, BEN shares have gained 4.9%, contrasting with a 2% decline in the industry [10]

Core Insights - Franklin Templeton Canada announced estimated cash distributions for December 2025 for its ETFs and ETF series of mutual funds, with payments scheduled for January 8, 2026 [1][2]. Estimated Cash Distributions - Unitholders of record as of December 30, 2025, will receive various per-unit cash distributions, with amounts ranging from $0.000000 to $0.637857 depending on the fund type and frequency [3]. - Notable distributions include: - Franklin Canadian Core Equity Fund – ETF Series: $0.526623 annually [3] - Franklin International Core Equity Fund – ETF Series: $0.637857 annually [3] - Franklin U.S. Core Equity Fund – ETF Series: $0.225879 annually [3] Estimated Annual Reinvested Distributions - The estimated annual reinvested distributions will be reported as taxable distributions and will not be paid in cash but reinvested in additional units, effective January 8, 2026 [4][5]. - Significant reinvested distributions include: - Franklin U.S. Core Equity Fund – ETF Series: $1.659201 per unit [6] - Franklin International Core Equity Fund – ETF Series: $1.140836 per unit [6] - Franklin Global Growth Fund – ETF Series: $0.966817 per unit [6] Company Overview - Franklin Templeton is a global investment management organization with over 75 years of experience and $1.67 trillion in assets under management as of November 30, 2025 [9]. - The company operates in over 150 countries, providing a diverse range of investment solutions including active, smart beta, and passive ETFs across multiple asset classes and geographies [7][8].

Group 1 - Franklin Resources (BEN) was informed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) that it is prepared to resolve the investigation without filing criminal charges against its subsidiary, Western Asset [1] - The DOJ acknowledged Western Asset's commitment to full cooperation during the ongoing resolution discussions, which require additional time due to circumstances not attributable to Western Asset [1] - Franklin Resources initiated an internal investigation into past trade allocations involving treasury derivatives in select accounts managed by Western Asset Management Company [1] Group 2 - Following the news, shares of Franklin Resources increased by 1% to $23.77 in morning trading [1]

Company Overview - Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN) is an investment management firm based in San Mateo, California, with a market cap of $12.3 billion, providing a diversified range of investment products across equities, fixed income, multi-asset, alternatives, and ETFs [1] - BEN is classified as a "large-cap stock," highlighting its size, influence, and dominance in the asset management industry, with a focus on active management and global distribution [2] Financial Performance - BEN's operating revenue increased by 6% year-over-year to $2.3 billion, and its adjusted EPS rose by 13.6% to $0.67, exceeding consensus estimates by 17.5% [5] - Despite the revenue and EPS growth, the adjusted operating margin fell by 30 basis points, and both ending and average Assets Under Management (AUM) declined compared to the previous year [5] Stock Performance - Shares of BEN have decreased by 9.4% from its 52-week high of $26.08, and have declined 3% over the past three months, underperforming the S&P 500 Index's 3% rise [3] - Over the past 52 weeks, BEN has gained 7.5%, lagging behind the S&P 500's 12.7% increase, but on a year-to-date basis, shares are up 16.4%, slightly outperforming the S&P 500's 15.9% return [4] - BEN has been trading above its 200-day moving average since early May and above its 50-day moving average since early December, indicating a bullish trend [4] Competitive Position - BEN has outperformed its rival, BlackRock, Inc. (BLK), which gained 1.3% over the past 52 weeks and 5.2% year-to-date [6] - Analysts remain cautious about BEN's prospects, with a consensus rating of "Hold" from 12 analysts and a mean price target of $24.36, suggesting a 2.8% premium to its current price levels [6]

Company Overview - Franklin Resources, Inc. is a global investment management company headquartered in San Mateo, CA, primarily generating revenues from investment management services for retail mutual funds, institutional, and high-net-worth investors worldwide [11]. Zacks Rank and Style Scores - Franklin Resources has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) and a VGM Score of B, indicating a solid position in the market [12]. - The company has a Value Style Score of A, supported by attractive valuation metrics such as a forward P/E ratio of 9.24, making it appealing to value investors [12]. Earnings Estimates - In the last 60 days, four analysts have revised their earnings estimates upwards for Franklin Resources, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate increasing by $0.03 to $2.54 per share for fiscal 2026 [12]. - The company has demonstrated an average earnings surprise of +7.7%, indicating a positive trend in earnings performance [12]. Investment Consideration - With a strong Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, Franklin Resources is recommended for investors looking for potential opportunities in the market [13].