TORONTO, Feb. 27, 2026 /CNW/ - Franklin Templeton Canada announced risk rating changes for certain series of Franklin Quotential Diversified Income Portfolio and Franklin Unconstrained Global Equity Fund1 that will take effect today and will be reflected in the funds' updated fund facts documents.The changes in risk ratings are the result of a continuous disclosure review by Staff of the Ontario Securities Commission focused on risk ratings and are not the result of any alterations to the investment objecti ...

It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores. What ...

Distribution Information - Unitholders of record as of February 27, 2026, will receive a per-unit cash distribution payable on March 9, 2026 [1] - Unitholders of record as of March 20, 2026, will receive a per-unit cash distribution payable on March 30, 2026 [1] Company Information - Franklin Templeton operates in Canada under the business name Franklin Templeton Canada, which is used by Franklin Templeton Investments Corp [1]

The updates are:Fee Reduction – Franklin Innovation FundThe actively managed five–star Franklin Innovation Fund combines a strong rating with a cost structure that is among the most competitive in its peer group.1 Effective March 1, 2026, the management fees and administration fees for Franklin Innovation Fund will be reduced for each  series, which are detailed in the table below.Proposed Investment Objective Changes – Franklin Quotential Balanced Growth Portfolio, Franklin Quotential Balanced Income Portf ...

Core Viewpoint - Franklin Templeton and Binance have launched a new institutional off-exchange collateral program that allows institutions to use tokenized money market fund shares as collateral for trading on Binance, enhancing security and capital efficiency in digital markets [2][3]. Group 1: Program Details - The program enables institutional traders to utilize regulated, yield-bearing money market fund assets in digital markets without needing to deposit those assets on an exchange [3][5]. - Tokenized money market fund shares issued through Franklin Templeton's Benji Technology Platform can now be used as off-exchange collateral, with the actual assets held securely in regulated custody [3][4]. - Ceffu, Binance's institutional custody partner, supports the custody and settlement infrastructure for this program [4][11]. Group 2: Institutional Benefits - The initiative addresses a significant challenge for institutional traders by allowing them to earn yield while maintaining control over their assets, thus reducing counterparty risk [3][5]. - The program is designed to meet the increasing demand for stable, yield-bearing collateral that can operate 24/7, enhancing the trading experience for institutional investors [7]. Group 3: Strategic Collaboration - The collaboration between Franklin Templeton and Binance aims to bridge traditional finance and digital assets, showcasing how blockchain technology can improve market efficiency [4][6]. - This program is part of a broader effort to expand both companies' networks of off-exchange program partners, following their strategic collaboration announcement in September 2025 [5].

Core Viewpoint - Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN) is experiencing mixed analyst ratings, with Evercore maintaining a Sell rating and a price target of $28, while TD Cowen holds a Buy rating with a price target of $36 [1]. Group 1: Analyst Ratings - Evercore ISI analyst Glenn Schorr reiterated a Sell rating on Franklin Resources on February 5, 2026, with a price target of $28 [1]. - TD Cowen analyst William Katz maintained a Buy rating on the same day, setting a price target of $36 [1]. - Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an Underweight rating on February 3, 2026, but raised the price target from $21 to $22 [3]. Group 2: Assets Under Management - As of January 31, 2026, Franklin Resources reported preliminary month-end assets under management (AUM) of $1.71 trillion, reflecting a $0.03 million increase from December 31, 2025 [2]. - The increase in AUM was attributed to favorable market conditions and $1.5 billion in long-term net inflows, offset by a $1.5 billion outflow from Western Asset Management [2]. Group 3: Company Overview - Franklin Resources, Inc. is a global investment management firm founded in 1947, headquartered in California, offering a range of products including mutual funds and institutional accounts [3].

Core Viewpoint - Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN) is recognized as one of the 13 cheapest Dividend Aristocrats to invest in, indicating its potential value in the dividend-paying stock segment [1]. Group 1: Analyst Recommendations - On February 2, TD Cowen's Bill Katz raised the price target for Franklin Resources from $30 to $36 while maintaining a Hold rating, reflecting increased optimism about the stock's outlook following the review of the company's Q4 results [2]. Group 2: New Initiatives - On February 11, Franklin Resources announced a partnership with Binance to launch an institutional off-exchange collateral program aimed at enhancing security and capital efficiency in digital markets [3]. - The program allows eligible institutional clients to use tokenized money market fund shares as collateral for trading on Binance, addressing concerns related to custody and counterparty risks traditionally associated with moving assets onto exchanges [4]. Group 3: Benefits of the New Program - The structure of the program enables institutions to earn yield on regulated, income-generating money market fund assets while engaging in digital trading, thereby reducing counterparty exposure and avoiding trade-offs related to custody, liquidity, and regulatory safeguards [5]. Group 4: Company Overview - Franklin Resources operates globally under the Franklin Templeton name, managing over $1.7 trillion in assets across various investment strategies, serving clients in more than 150 countries as of January 31, 2026 [6].

Core Insights - Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN) and Binance have launched a new off-exchange institutional collateral program to enhance the safety and capital efficiency of digital asset trading, stemming from their strategic partnership announced in September 2025 [1][9] Group 1: Program Details - The program allows eligible institutional clients to use tokenized money market fund shares from Franklin's Benji Technology Platform as collateral for trading on Binance [2] - The custody and settlement infrastructure for this collaboration is supported by Ceffu, Binance's institutional crypto-native custody partner [2] Group 2: Rationale and Benefits - This initiative addresses a significant challenge for institutional crypto traders, as traditional collateral usage required asset transfers to exchanges, increasing custody and counterparty risks [3] - The value of tokenized money market fund shares is reflected in Binance's trading system while the actual assets are securely held off-exchange, allowing institutions to earn yield on their holdings while backing digital asset trades [4] Group 3: Statements from Executives - Roger Bayston, head of Digital Assets at Franklin Templeton, emphasized that the program allows clients to utilize their assets in a regulated environment while earning yield [5] - Catherine Chen, head of VIP & Institutional at Binance, noted that using traditional financial instruments on-chain creates new opportunities for investors and enhances market efficiency [5] Group 4: Strategic Implications - The collaboration strengthens Franklin and its Benji platform by integrating tokenized money market funds into the digital market, bridging traditional finance and digital assets [6] - For Binance, the initiative supports safer trading and attracts traditional financial institutions, meeting the demand for stable, yield-generating collateral with 24/7 settlement [7] Group 5: Market Performance - Shares of Franklin Resources (BEN) have increased by 23.6% over the past three months, contrasting with a 1.4% decline in the industry [8]

Market and Performance Overview - Emerging markets advanced 4.7% in Q4 2025, finishing as one of the best-performing global equity asset classes, with the MSCI Emerging Markets Index rising 33.6% for the year, outperforming the MSCI EAFE Index (+31.2%) and the U.S. S&P 500 Index (+17.9%) [2] - Performance in Q4 was led by Korea and Taiwan, with Korean equities soaring 27.3% driven by a 50% gain in the IT sector, while Taiwanese stocks climbed 10.4% due to AI-related momentum [3] Sector Performance - The IT sector gained 16.4%, bolstered by AI-related stocks, while the materials sector advanced 11.6% as gold prices rose over 10% and copper prices hit record highs [6] - Energy, financials, and industrials sectors outperformed the index, while consumer discretionary, communication services, health care, and real estate underperformed [6] Company Highlights - SK Hynix saw its shares soar over 80% in Q4 and nearly tripled for the year due to increased demand for DRAM and NAND memory, particularly for AI workloads [7] - Samsung Electronics also experienced strong performance, benefiting from memory shortages that enhanced pricing power [7] - Taiwan Semiconductor, a leading manufacturer of high-end chips for Nvidia, significantly outperformed the benchmark [7] Regional Contributions - Significant contributors included China's Sieyuan Electric and Korea's HD Hyundai Electric, supporting AI data center buildouts [10] - Capitec Bank in South Africa delivered strong financial results, while Titan, an Indian jewelry retailer, showed encouraging performance despite India's overall underperformance [10] Detractors - Alibaba and Tencent surrendered gains due to a broader rotation out of China, while Contemporary Amperex Technology also faced declines [11] - MercadoLibre remained weak amid competition concerns in Brazil, and Apollo Hospitals detracted due to its large portfolio weight in a lagging Indian market [12] Portfolio Positioning - The strategy added four new positions, including Raia Drogasil and Nu Holdings in Brazil, while exiting positions in B3 S.A. and Proya Cosmetics [13][14][17] - Upgraded exposure in Indonesia by replacing PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia with PT Bank Central Asia, which has a strong deposit franchise [15] Outlook - The emerging market recovery is viewed as being in its early stages, with appealing valuations and supportive macroeconomic drivers [18] - Anticipated increased foreign investments into EM equities, driven by lower valuations and stronger economic growth [19] - The Chinese economy shows signs of increased stability, with improved trade relations and a more optimistic outlook [20] - Emerging markets offer opportunities in world-class companies with technological innovation, particularly in sectors like industrial automation, e-commerce, and fintech [21] - India remains a focus due to its large population and status as the fastest-growing major global economy, despite challenges faced in 2025 [22] Portfolio Highlights - The ClearBridge Emerging Market Strategy outperformed its benchmark in Q4, with gains across five of the nine sectors invested [23] - Stock selection in IT and industrials sectors contributed positively, while communication services and an underweight in materials detracted from performance [24] - Leading contributors included SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics, and Capitec Bank, while Tencent, Alibaba, and MercadoLibre were primary detractors [25]

Group 1 - Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN) is recognized among the Dividend Champions, Contenders, and Challengers List, highlighting its status as a high-yielding stock [1] - Morgan Stanley raised its price target for Franklin Resources to $22 from $21 while maintaining an Underweight rating, citing a 14% reduction in Q4 adjusted EPS estimates due to increased operating costs [2] - The firm has a more optimistic long-term outlook, increasing its 2026 adjusted EPS forecast by 6.3% and its 2027 estimate by 0.7%, driven by expectations of stronger fee income and improved non-operating investment returns [2] Group 2 - As of January 31, 2026, Franklin reported preliminary assets under management (AUM) of $1.71 trillion, an increase from $1.68 trillion at the end of December, attributed to favorable market conditions and approximately $1.5 billion in long-term net inflows [3] - Western Asset Management's preliminary AUM was $216 billion at the end of January, slightly down from $217 billion the previous month, with market gains offset by long-term outflows [4] - Franklin Resources operates globally under the Franklin Templeton name, providing investment strategies across various asset classes to clients in over 150 countries [4]