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Franklin Resources (NYSE: BEN) discloses 30.8% holding in Clarion Partners Real Estate Income Fund

Filing Impact
(High)
Filing Sentiment
(Neutral)
Form Type
SCHEDULE 13D/A

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Franklin Resources, Inc. and its affiliates report beneficial ownership of 29,816,368 Class I shares, or 30.8%, of Clarion Partners Real Estate Income Fund Inc. The position includes 8,443,314 shares in a Franklin corporate account and 21,373,054 shares held for fiduciary client accounts.

Franklin and its investment management subsidiaries acquired shares primarily for investment and to support the fund’s commercial real estate strategy. Recent activity includes multiple private purchases directly from the issuer around $11.35–$11.41 per share and an issuer tender offer repurchasing 1,581,722 shares at $11.38 per share.

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Thomas C. Merchant
One Franklin Parkway,
San Mateo, CA, 94403
800-632-2350

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)
02/26/2026

(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of This Statement)


If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§ 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).






SCHEDULE 13D




Comment for Type of Reporting Person:
1. Consists of 8,443,314 Class I Shares of Common Stock held in a Franklin Resources, Inc. corporate account and 21,373,054 held for the benefit of fiduciary accounts managed by Franklin Resources Inc.'s investment management subsidiaries, including funds managed by Franklin Advisers, Inc. and Putnam Investment Management LLC. 2. Percentage represents the current beneficial ownership percentage that Franklin Resources, Inc. and its investment management subsidiaries may be deemed to beneficially own based upon 96,864,309 Class I Shares of Common Stock outstanding as of February 27, 2026. Class I Shares of Common Stock were initially transferred to Franklin Resources, Inc. for no consideration from Legg Mason, Inc. on March 12, 2021.


SCHEDULE 13D






SCHEDULE 13D






SCHEDULE 13D






SCHEDULE 13D


Franklin Resources, Inc.
Signature:/s/THOMAS C. MANDIA
Name/Title:Thomas C. Mandia, Assistant Secretary of Franklin Resources, Inc.
Date:03/02/2026
Charles B. Johnson
Signature:/s/THOMAS C. MANDIA
Name/Title:Attorney in Fact for Charles B. Johnson pursuant to Power of Attorney attached to this Schedule 13G
Date:03/02/2026
Rupert H. Johnson, Jr.
Signature:/s/THOMAS C. MANDIA
Name/Title:Attorney in Fact for Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. pursuant to Power of Attorney attached to this Schedule13G
Date:03/02/2026
Franklin Advisers, Inc.
Signature:/s/THOMAS C. MANDIA
Name/Title:Thomas C. Mandia, Assistant Secretary of Franklin Advisers, Inc.
Date:03/02/2026
Comments accompanying signature:
LIMITED POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR SECTION 13 AND 16 REPORTING OBLIGATIONS Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby makes, constitutes and appoints each of Alison E. Baur, Thomas C. Mandia, Beth McAuley O'Malley, Thomas C. Merchant, Kimberly H. Novotny, Virginia E. Rosas and Navid J. Tofigh each acting individually, as the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority as hereinafter described on behalf of and in the name, place and stead of the undersigned to: 1. prepare, execute, acknowledge, deliver and file Forms ID, Schedules 13D and 13G, and Forms 3, 4 and 5 (including any amendments thereto and any related documentation) with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any national securities exchanges relating to Franklin Resources, Inc. (FRI) and/or any registered closed-end company to which an affiliate of FRI is an investment adviser (each, a Reporting Entity), as considered necessary or advisable under Regulation S-T and Sections 13(d) and 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as amended from time to time (the Exchange Act); and 2. seek or obtain, as the undersigned's representative and on the undersigned's behalf, information on transactions in the securities of any Reporting Entity from any person, including brokers, employee benefit plan administrators and trustees, and the undersigned hereby authorizes any such person to release any such information to the undersigned and approves and ratifies any such release of information; and 3. perform any and all other acts which in the discretion of such attorney-in-fact are necessary or desirable for and on behalf of the undersigned in connection with the foregoing. The undersigned acknowledges that: 1. this Limited Power of Attorney authorizes, but does not require, each such attorney-in-fact to act in their discretion on information provided to such attorney-in-fact without independent verification of such information; 2. any documents prepared and/or executed by any such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Limited Power of Attorney will be in such form and will contain such information and disclosure as such attorney-in-fact, in his or her discretion, deems necessary or desirable; 3. none of FRI, any Reporting Entity nor any of such attorneys-in-fact assumes (i) any liability for the undersigned's responsibility to comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act, (ii) any liability of the undersigned for any failure to comply with such requirements, or (iii) any obligation or liability of the undersigned for profit disgorgement under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act; and 4. this Limited Power of Attorney does not relieve the undersigned from responsibility for compliance with the undersigned's obligations under the Exchange Act, including without limitation, the reporting requirements under Section 16 of the Exchange Act. The undersigned hereby gives and grants each of the foregoing attorneys-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform all and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary or appropriate to be done in and about the foregoing matters as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do if present, hereby ratifying all that each such attorney- in-fact of, for and on behalf of the undersigned, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this Limited Power of Attorney, and indemnifies each of the foregoing attorneys-in-fact against any loss of any nature whatsoever arising in connection therewith. This Limited Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to each such attorney-in-fact. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Limited Power of Attorney to be executed as of this 11th day of December, 2023. /s/CHARLES B. JOHNSON Signature Charles B. Johnson Print Name LIMITED POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR SECTION 13 AND 16 REPORTING OBLIGATIONS Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby makes, constitutes and appoints each of Alison E. Baur, Thomas C. Mandia, Beth McAuley O'Malley, Thomas C. Merchant, Kimberly H. Novotny, Virginia E. Rosas and Navid J. Tofigh each acting individually, as the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority as hereinafter described on behalf of and in the name, place and stead of the undersigned to: 1. prepare, execute, acknowledge, deliver and file Forms ID, Schedules 13D and 13G, and Forms 3, 4 and 5 (including any amendments thereto and any related documentation) with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any national securities exchanges relating to Franklin Resources, Inc. (FRI) and/or any registered closed-end company to which an affiliate of FRI is an investment adviser (each, a Reporting Entity), as considered necessary or advisable under Regulation S-T and Sections 13(d) and 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as amended from time to time (the Exchange Act); and 2. seek or obtain, as the undersigned's representative and on the undersigned's behalf, information on transactions in the securities of any Reporting Entity from any person, including brokers, employee benefit plan administrators and trustees, and the undersigned hereby authorizes any such person to release any such information to the undersigned and approves and ratifies any such release of information; and 3. perform any and all other acts which in the discretion of such attorney-in-fact are necessary or desirable for and on behalf of the undersigned in connection with the foregoing. The undersigned acknowledges that: 1. this Limited Power of Attorney authorizes, but does not require, each such attorney-in-fact to act in their discretion on information provided to such attorney-in-fact without independent verification of such information; 2. any documents prepared and/or executed by any such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Limited Power of Attorney will be in such form and will contain such information and disclosure as such attorney-in-fact, in his or her discretion, deems necessary or desirable; 3. none of FRI, any Reporting Entity nor any of such attorneys-in-fact assumes (i) any liability for the undersigned's responsibility to comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act, (ii) any liability of the undersigned for any failure to comply with such requirements, or (iii) any obligation or liability of the undersigned for profit disgorgement under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act; and 4. this Limited Power of Attorney does not relieve the undersigned from responsibility for compliance with the undersigned's obligations under the Exchange Act, including without limitation, the reporting requirements under Section 16 of the Exchange Act. The undersigned hereby gives and grants each of the foregoing attorneys-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform all and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary or appropriate to be done in and about the foregoing matters as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do if present, hereby ratifying all that each such attorney- in-fact of, for and on behalf of the undersigned, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this Limited Power of Attorney, and indemnifies each of the foregoing attorneys-in-fact against any loss of any nature whatsoever arising in connection therewith. This Limited Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to each such attorney-in-fact. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Limited Power of Attorney to be executed as of this 11th day of December, 2023. /s/RUPERT H. JOHNSON, JR. Signature Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. Print Name

FAQ

What stake does Franklin Resources (BEN) report in Clarion Partners Real Estate Income Fund?

Franklin Resources and affiliates report beneficial ownership of 29,816,368 Class I shares, representing 30.8% of Clarion Partners Real Estate Income Fund Inc. This includes shares held in a Franklin corporate account and in fiduciary client accounts managed by its investment subsidiaries.

How are the Clarion fund shares held by Franklin Resources (BEN) allocated?

Franklin Resources reports 8,443,314 Class I shares held in a corporate account and 21,373,054 shares held for fiduciary accounts managed by its investment management subsidiaries. These include funds advised by Franklin Advisers, Inc. and Putnam Investment Management LLC under investment management contracts.

What recent share purchases related to Clarion Partners fund did Franklin Resources (BEN) disclose?

The filing lists numerous private, non-exchange transactions directly with the issuer, including large blocks of 2,590,672 and 2,588,398 Class I shares on February 24–26, 2026, at prices around $11.38–$11.39 per share, plus various smaller purchases in late 2025 and early 2026.

What tender offer transaction involving Clarion fund shares is noted by Franklin Resources (BEN)?

The disclosure shows the issuer repurchased 1,581,722 Class I shares on January 14, 2026, through a tender offer at $11.38 per share. On the same date, 10,356 shares were acquired through the fund’s dividend reinvestment plan at $11.36 per share.

Do Franklin Resources (BEN) insiders Charles and Rupert Johnson own Clarion fund shares directly?

The filing reports that Charles B. Johnson and Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. each beneficially own zero shares of the issuer directly, despite being principal stockholders of Franklin Resources. They and Franklin Resources disclaim pecuniary interest and beneficial ownership of the reported shares under Rule 13d-3.

How does Franklin Resources (BEN) describe control over voting and investment power in Clarion fund shares?

Franklin Resources explains that voting and investment powers are exercised independently by its various investment management subsidiaries, with internal information barriers. Certain affiliates report holdings separately, while others are aggregated, consistent with SEC guidance on disaggregated affiliates and Section 13 beneficial ownership reporting.
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