Franklin Resources (NYSE:BEN) Sets New 12-Month High – Still a Buy?

Shares of Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN) reached a new 52-week high on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $27.94 and last traded at $27.81, with a volume of 8426427 shares. The stock had previously closed at $27.00.

Key Stories Impacting Franklin Resources

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

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

Franklin Resources Stock Up 3.0%

The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $24.58 and its 200-day moving average price is $24.08. The company has a quick ratio of 1.40, a current ratio of 1.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.01. The company has a market capitalization of $14.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.75, a P/E/G ratio of 0.86 and a beta of 1.46.

Franklin Resources (NYSE:BEN) last released its earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The closed-end fund reported $0.70 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.55 by $0.15. Franklin Resources had a net margin of 6.97% and a return on equity of 9.58%. The business had revenue of $1.75 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.23 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.59 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Franklin Resources, Inc. will post 2.16 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Franklin Resources Dividend Announcement

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

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of BEN. Capital A Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Franklin Resources by 3,869.2% during the 2nd quarter. Capital A Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,032 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 1,006 shares in the last quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Franklin Resources in the third quarter valued at $25,000. Danske Bank A S acquired a new position in Franklin Resources during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Total Investment Management Inc. bought a new stake in Franklin Resources during the second quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Rakuten Securities Inc. lifted its stake in Franklin Resources by 277.0% in the fourth quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. now owns 1,150 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 845 shares during the last quarter. 47.56% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Franklin Resources Company Profile

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.