Franklin Universal Trust (“FT” or the “Fund”) Announces Distribution

Key Terms

net investment income financial

Net investment income is the money an investor or fund actually keeps from its investments after subtracting the costs of running those investments (like management fees, interest, and losses). Think of it as your paycheck from owning assets: gross returns minus the bills needed to earn them. Investors watch it because it shows how profitable the investment activities are, influences dividend payouts and cash available for growth, and helps compare true performance across funds or companies.

ex-dividend date financial

The ex-dividend date is the date when a stock starts trading without the value of its next dividend payment included. If you buy the stock on or after this date, you won't receive that upcoming dividend; only those who owned the stock before this date are entitled to it. It matters to investors because it determines who is eligible to receive the dividend and can influence the stock’s price around that time.

return of capital financial

Return of capital is when an investor receives money from their investment that is not considered profit or earnings but rather a portion of the original amount they invested. It’s similar to getting back part of your initial savings rather than gains from it. This matters because it can affect how much money an investor still has in the investment and may have tax implications.

form 1099-div regulatory

Form 1099-DIV is a U.S. tax document brokers, mutual funds and other financial institutions send to investors showing dividends and other distributions paid during the year. Investors use it like an annual receipt to report taxable income — including regular dividends, dividends that may qualify for lower tax rates, and capital gains distributions — so it directly affects tax liability and helps reconcile brokerage records with a tax return.

assets under management financial

Assets under management (AUM) is the total value of all the investments that a financial company or fund is responsible for overseeing on behalf of its clients. It’s like a big bucket that shows how much money the firm is managing for people or organizations. A higher AUM often indicates a larger, more trusted company, and it can influence how much money they earn and the services they can offer.

SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Franklin Universal Trust [NYSE: FT] today announced a monthly distribution from net investment income of $0.0425 per share, payable on December 31, 2025, to shareholders of record on December 15, 2025 (Ex-Dividend Date: December 15, 2025).

The Fund’s primary investment objective is to provide high, current income consistent with preservation of capital. Its secondary objective is growth of income through dividend increases and capital appreciation. Distributions may vary based on the Fund’s net investment income. Past distributions are not indicative of future trends.

Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Fund’s investment performance from the amount of the current distribution or from the terms of the Fund’s distribution policy. The amounts and sources of distributions reported herein are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund’s investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send a Form 1099-DIV to shareholders for the calendar year that will describe how to report the Fund’s distributions for federal income tax purposes.

For further information on Franklin Universal Trust, please visit our web site at: www.franklintempleton.com

Franklin Resources, Inc. is a global investment management organization with subsidiaries operating as Franklin Templeton and serving clients in over 150 countries. Franklin Templeton’s mission is to help clients achieve better outcomes through investment management expertise, wealth management and technology solutions. Through its specialist investment managers, the company offers specialization on a global scale, bringing extensive capabilities in fixed income, equity, alternatives and multi-asset solutions. With more than 1,500 investment professionals, and offices in major financial markets around the world, the California-based company has over 75 years of investment experience and $1.69 trillion in assets under management as of October 31, 2025. For more information, please visit franklintempleton.com.

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For more information, please contact Franklin Templeton at 1-800-342-5236.

Source: Franklin Templeton