Franklin Resources Inc Stock Price, News & Analysis

Fiduciary Trust International, a subsidiary of Franklin Templeton (BEN), has appointed Jason Thomas as wealth director in Atlanta, strengthening its Southeast market presence. Thomas, who previously served on the firm's Atlanta advisory board, brings over 20 years of experience in advising ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and institutional clients.

Prior to joining Fiduciary Trust International, Thomas held senior positions at Bank of America Private Bank, Northern Trust , and Wells Fargo Private Bank. He co-founded myFloc, an expense management platform focused on preventing elder fraud, and Seven Software, which was acquired in 2024. Thomas holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Alabama School of Law and serves on several boards, including the Eisenhower Foundation.

Franklin Templeton has launched two new ETFs: the Franklin U.S. Dividend Multiplier ETF (XUDV) and the Franklin International Dividend Multiplier ETF (XIDV). These innovative funds aim to provide enhanced dividend income and were developed in partnership with New Frontier and VettaFi.

The ETFs track the VettaFi New Frontier US Dividend Select Index and International Dividend Select Index respectively. XUDV comes with an expense ratio of 0.09%, while XIDV's expense ratio is 0.19%. Both funds utilize New Frontier's proprietary optimization techniques to create efficient portfolios focused on reliable, long-term wealth building through enhanced dividend yield and risk-managed capital appreciation.

Franklin Templeton Institute has released its Global Investment Management Survey, revealing optimistic predictions for 2025. The survey, gathering insights from over 200 senior investment professionals, forecasts:

- US real GDP growth of 2.5%, surpassing IMF and Bloomberg consensus expectations - US Core PCE inflation stabilizing around 2.75% - US unemployment rate ending at approximately 4.25% - S&P 500 projected to reach 6400-6800 by year-end - US earnings growth of 7.5%

The survey highlights opportunities in small-cap stocks, with favorable outlooks for India and Japan. In fixed income, US investment-grade spreads are expected to end at 95 bps, while high-yield spreads should reach 300 bps. Alternative investments show promise in secondary markets, private credit, and select real estate sectors including multi-family housing, industrial warehouse, and life sciences.

Franklin Templeton and Lexington Partners have launched the Franklin Lexington Private Markets Fund (FLEX), their first open-end fund focused on secondary private equity investments. The fund debuts with $904.5 million in assets under management through partnerships with two U.S.-based wealth management firms.

FLEX provides access to a diversified portfolio of private equity investments through secondary transactions and co-investments alongside leading sponsors. The fund is structured as a closed-end tender offer fund under the Investment Company Act of 1940, offering features like lower minimum investments, 1099 tax reporting, monthly subscriptions, and quarterly liquidity.

2024 marked the fourth consecutive year of secondary industry volume exceeding $100 billion. Franklin Templeton's alternatives assets represent 15% ($250 billion) of its total $1.68 trillion AUM as of September 30, 2024. Lexington Partners currently manages $72.4 billion in institutional drawdown funds.

Franklin Resources (NYSE: BEN) reported preliminary assets under management (AUM) of $1.58 trillion at December 31, 2024, down from $1.65 trillion in November 2024. The decrease was attributed to negative markets and long-term net outflows of $18.9 billion, which included $38.0 billion of outflows from Western Asset Management, partially offset by reinvested distributions of $17.8 billion.

Excluding Western Asset Management, the company saw long-term net inflows of $19.1 billion. For the quarter ended December 31, 2024, total long-term net outflows were $50.0 billion, with Western Asset Management accounting for $67.9 billion in outflows. The AUM breakdown shows Equity at $620.0 billion, Fixed Income at $469.5 billion, Alternative at $248.8 billion, and Multi-Asset at $174.0 billion.

Franklin Resources [NYSE:BEN] has scheduled its first quarter 2025 operating results announcement for Friday, January 31, 2025, at approximately 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. A written commentary will be simultaneously available on the company's investor website.

A live teleconference will follow at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, led by President and CEO Jenny Johnson, EVP, CFO and COO Matthew Nicholls, and EVP Adam Spector. Investors can access the call through the company website or by dialing dedicated North American and international numbers.

A replay will be available from 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on January 31 through February 7, 2025. Analysts and investors are advised to review recent SEC filings and contact Investor Relations for any clarifications before the teleconference.

Franklin Templeton has launched a new U.S. brand campaign highlighting its capabilities and innovative solutions for financial professionals. The campaign, running through September 2025, features TV ads on major financial networks, out-of-home advertising in New York metro area offices, and digital channels.

Under the slogan 'Your trusted partner for what's ahead™', the campaign emphasizes the firm's 76-year history while showcasing innovations in:

• Alternative investments
• Canvas® custom indexing platform
• Exchange-traded funds (ETFs)
• Separately managed accounts (SMAs)

The campaign aims to position Franklin Templeton as a comprehensive solutions provider for clients looking to consolidate their asset management relationships. Advertising will appear on CNBC, Bloomberg, and Fox Business, along with premium financial news sites and social media platforms.

Western Asset Inflation-Linked Opportunities & Income Fund (WIW) has announced its distribution details for December 31, 2024. The Fund will distribute $0.0605 per share, sourced entirely from net investment income. For the fiscal year 2024, the cumulative distribution is $0.7260 per share, also fully derived from net investment income.

The Fund's performance metrics show an average annual total return of 1.61% over the five-year period, with an annualized distribution rate of 7.43%. The cumulative total return for the fiscal period through November 30, 2024, stands at 5.93%. The Fund maintains a managed distribution policy aimed at delivering long-term total return potential through regular monthly distributions at a fixed rate per share.

Franklin Templeton and three of its specialist investment managers have been recognized in the 2024 Best Places to Work in Money Management awards by Pensions & Investments. The company was listed in the Super Employers category (1,000+ employees), while Brandywine Global, Clarion Partners, and ClearBridge Investments were recognized in the Large Employers category (100-499 employees).

The recognition process involved a two-part survey: an evaluation of workplace policies and practices (20% of total evaluation) and an employee survey measuring workplace experience (80%). The company's culture is built on three core principles: Client-centric focus, Collaboration, and Continuous improvement.

This marks the 13th annual survey by Pensions & Investments, which aims to identify top employers in the money management industry. Franklin Templeton participated in the program without paying an entry fee.