970,103 Franklin Resources, Inc. $BEN Shares Purchased by Fulcrum Asset Management LLP

Fulcrum Asset Management LLP lifted its holdings in shares of Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN) by 1,004.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 1,066,671 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock after buying an additional 970,103 shares during the period. Franklin Resources makes up 1.6% of Fulcrum Asset Management LLP’s portfolio, making the stock its 7th biggest position. Fulcrum Asset Management LLP’s holdings in Franklin Resources were worth $34,855,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of BEN. Cibc World Market Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Franklin Resources in the second quarter worth approximately $4,418,000. Deutsche Bank AG bought a new position in Franklin Resources during the second quarter valued at approximately $37,742,000. Man Group plc bought a new position in Franklin Resources during the second quarter valued at approximately $2,429,000. HF Advisory Group LLC purchased a new stake in Franklin Resources in the third quarter worth approximately $2,500,000. Finally, Kinloch Capital LLC purchased a new stake in Franklin Resources in the second quarter worth approximately $5,737,000. 47.56% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Franklin Resources Trading Up 0.3%

Franklin Resources stock opened at $33.84 on Monday. Franklin Resources, Inc. has a 1 year low of $21.10 and a 1 year high of $36.28. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $32.58 and its 200-day moving average price is $30.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22, a current ratio of 1.48 and a quick ratio of 1.48. The stock has a market cap of $17.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.09, a PEG ratio of 0.60 and a beta of 1.56.

Franklin Resources (NYSE:BEN) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, November 6th. The closed-end fund reported $0.94 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.77 by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $1.88 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.86 billion. Franklin Resources had a return on equity of 12.59% and a net margin of 11.42%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 3.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.67 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that Franklin Resources, Inc. will post 3.20 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Franklin Resources Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, October 9th. Investors of record on Wednesday, September 30th were issued a dividend of $0.33 per share. This represents a $1.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.9%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, September 30th. Franklin Resources’s dividend payout ratio is presently 66.67%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Franklin Resources from $34.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, October 12th. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on Franklin Resources from $34.00 to $35.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, September 25th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods started coverage on Franklin Resources in a report on Wednesday, September 9th. They set a “hold” rating and a $38.00 price target on the stock. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Franklin Resources in a research note on Monday, August 31st. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Franklin Resources from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, October 31st. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $35.89.

Franklin Resources News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Franklin Resources this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Adjusted earnings were $0.94 per share, above analyst expectations of roughly $0.77–$0.78 and up from $0.67 a year earlier. Revenue of $1.88 billion also topped estimates of $1.86 billion and increased 3.9% year over year. Article: Franklin Templeton Q4 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Reports attributed the results to higher revenue, year-over-year growth in assets under management, robust long-term net inflows and lower operating expenses—indicators that support earnings momentum. Article: Franklin Q4 Earnings Beat Estimates on Higher Revenues, AUM Rises Year Over Year

About Franklin Resources

Franklin Resources, Inc is a global investment management company that operates under the Franklin Templeton name. It offers investment products and services to individual investors, financial professionals, institutions and other clients, including mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and separately managed accounts.

The company invests across a range of asset classes and strategies, including equities, fixed income, multi-asset portfolios and alternative investments. Its services also include retirement solutions and wealth management.

Founded in 1947, Franklin Resources has grown through acquisitions, including its 2020 acquisition of Legg Mason.