Machina Capital S.A.S. Invests $840,000 in Franklin Resources, Inc. $BEN

Machina Capital S.A.S. acquired a new stake in Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN) during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor acquired 36,325 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock, valued at approximately $840,000.

Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its holdings in Franklin Resources by 26.2% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 148,049 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock valued at $2,850,000 after buying an additional 30,763 shares during the period. Jones Financial Companies Lllp lifted its stake in shares of Franklin Resources by 169.3% in the 1st quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 7,909 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock valued at $152,000 after purchasing an additional 4,972 shares during the period. Woodline Partners LP boosted its position in shares of Franklin Resources by 41.1% during the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 26,189 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock valued at $504,000 after purchasing an additional 7,634 shares in the last quarter. Truist Financial Corp boosted its position in shares of Franklin Resources by 14.9% during the 2nd quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 15,651 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock valued at $373,000 after purchasing an additional 2,026 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. increased its holdings in Franklin Resources by 5.7% in the second quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 86,202 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock worth $2,056,000 after purchasing an additional 4,626 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 47.56% of the company’s stock.

Franklin Resources Trading Up 3.0%

BEN opened at $27.81 on Thursday. Franklin Resources, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $16.25 and a fifty-two week high of $27.94. The firm has a market capitalization of $14.48 billion, a PE ratio of 25.75, a P/E/G ratio of 0.86 and a beta of 1.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.01, a current ratio of 1.86 and a quick ratio of 1.40. The company’s 50-day moving average is $24.58 and its 200 day moving average is $24.08.

Franklin Resources (NYSE:BEN) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 30th. The closed-end fund reported $0.70 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.55 by $0.15. The firm had revenue of $1.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.23 billion. Franklin Resources had a return on equity of 9.58% and a net margin of 6.97%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.59 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Franklin Resources, Inc. will post 2.16 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Franklin Resources Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 10th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 31st will be issued a dividend of $0.33 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 31st. This represents a $1.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.7%. Franklin Resources’s dividend payout ratio is 122.22%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts recently issued reports on BEN shares. TD Cowen reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Franklin Resources in a research note on Monday. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Franklin Resources from $22.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Evercore ISI boosted their target price on Franklin Resources from $26.00 to $28.00 and gave the company an “underperform” rating in a research report on Monday. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Franklin Resources from $21.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on Franklin Resources from $26.00 to $25.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $25.89.

Key Franklin Resources News

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

• Positive Sentiment: AUM and flows improved in January, with assets under management rising ~1.4% driven by market appreciation and net inflows — this helps revenue prospects and fee income stability. Franklin Resources AUM rises 1.4% in January on markets, inflows
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts are increasingly bullish on Franklin’s revenue outlook, raising expectations for growth that support valuation multiple expansion. Need To Know: Analysts Are Much More Bullish On Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN) Revenues
• Positive Sentiment: Evercore ISI and other bullish writeups point to upside potential for the stock; several outlets profile BEN as a momentum/value pick on the basis of earnings beat, improving AUM and attractive yield. Franklin Resources (NYSE:BEN) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Evercore ISI Analyst Says
• Positive Sentiment: Franklin reported a quarterly earnings beat for Q1 2026 (EPS above Street estimates) — earnings strength plus rising AUM underpin investor confidence. Franklin Resources (BEN) reports first-quarter 2026 earnings surpassing Wall Street expectations
• Positive Sentiment: Board declared a $0.33 quarterly dividend (4.7% yield annualized), making the stock more attractive to income-focused investors and supporting demand.
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple strategy pieces (Zacks/MSN) highlight BEN as a strong momentum and value candidate — these narratives can attract retail and quant flows. Why Franklin Resources (BEN) is a Top Momentum Stock for the Long-Term
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector/ETF commentary notes stability in Russell 1000 exposures and may moderate volatility but is not a direct catalyst for BEN-specific moves. Franklin Resources (NYSE:BEN) Financial Services View Russell 1000 Etf Stability
• Negative Sentiment: Barclays reiterated a sell rating on BEN — a public downgrade/sell call from a big broker can pressure institutional flows and weigh on sentiment. Barclays Sticks to Its Sell Rating for Franklin Resources (BEN)
• Negative Sentiment: Morgan Stanley also issued a sell rating — another high-profile negative view that could limit upside until fundamentals clearly accelerate. Franklin Resources (BEN) Gets a Sell from Morgan Stanley

About Franklin Resources

Franklin Resources, Inc, doing business as Franklin Templeton, is a global investment management organization that offers a wide range of asset management solutions to institutional and individual investors. The firm’s core focus is on delivering active portfolio management across equities, fixed income, multi-asset strategies and alternative investments. Franklin Templeton’s product lineup includes mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), closed-end funds, separately managed accounts and sub-advisory services designed to meet varying risk-return objectives and income needs.

Founded in 1947 by Rupert H.