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Franklin Templeton Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 April 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net income and diluted EPS rose: Net income attributable to Franklin Resources was $268.2 million, or $0.49 diluted EPS, up from $255.5 million or $0.46 last quarter and $151.4 million or $0.26 a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EPS reached $0.71: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.71, against $0.70 last quarter and $0.47 a year earlier. Adjusted net income was $384.5 million. Source
  • Ending AUM slipped $1.9 billion: Ending AUM was $1,682.1 billion. Net market change, distributions and other reduced AUM by $30.2 billion, against $28.3 billion of total net flows. Source
  • Long-term net flows $16.9 billion: Long-term net inflows were $16.9 billion, against $28.0 billion last quarter. Long-term inflows, excluding reinvested distributions, rose 28% from the prior quarter. Source
  • ETFs and Canvas reached record AUM: ETFs and Canvas both reached record AUM, with net inflows of $4.5 billion and $5.3 billion. Canvas AUM rose 27% quarter on quarter. Source
  • Alternatives fundraising reached $14.3 billion: Alternatives fundraising was $14.3 billion, including $13.2 billion in private market assets across alternative credit, secondary private equity, real estate and venture strategies. Source
  • Multi-year strategy in action: Management said the quarter shows its multi-year strategy at work, while markets remain uncertain. Source

“Franklin Templeton delivered another strong quarter, with $17 billion in long-term net inflows across public and private markets, reflecting the strength of our diversified global platform,”

Jenny Johnson, CEO of Franklin Resources, Inc.

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Asia-Pacific sales-region AUM now includes India. Prior periods were revised, with December 2025 Asia-Pacific AUM restated to $181.6 billion from $167.4 billion. Source

Results and earnings

  • Net income and diluted EPS rose: Net income attributable to Franklin Resources was $268.2 million, or $0.49 diluted EPS, up from $255.5 million or $0.46 last quarter and $151.4 million or $0.26 a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EPS reached $0.71: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.71, against $0.70 last quarter and $0.47 a year earlier. Adjusted net income was $384.5 million. Source
  • Operating income rose 15% quarter on quarter: Operating income was $323.3 million, up 15% from $281.0 million last quarter. Operating margin was 14.1%, against 12.1% last quarter. Operating revenues were $2,294.9 million, down 1%. Source

Assets and flows

  • Ending AUM slipped $1.9 billion: Ending AUM was $1,682.1 billion. Net market change, distributions and other reduced AUM by $30.2 billion, against $28.3 billion of total net flows. Source
  • Long-term net flows $16.9 billion: Long-term net inflows were $16.9 billion, against $28.0 billion last quarter. Long-term inflows, excluding reinvested distributions, rose 28% from the prior quarter. Source
  • Cash management net inflows of $11.4 billion: Cash management net inflows were $11.4 billion, compared with $1.2 billion of net outflows last quarter. Source

“Investment performance remains competitive, supporting both client retention and organic growth, while we continue to manage expenses with discipline and invest in areas of opportunity.”

Jenny Johnson, CEO of Franklin Resources, Inc.

Products and alternatives

  • ETFs and Canvas reached record AUM: ETFs and Canvas both reached record AUM, with net inflows of $4.5 billion and $5.3 billion. Canvas AUM rose 27% quarter on quarter. Source
  • Multi-asset net inflows of $9.5 billion: Multi-asset net inflows were $9.5 billion, the 19th consecutive quarter of positive flows in that asset class. Source
  • Alternatives fundraising reached $14.3 billion: Alternatives fundraising was $14.3 billion, including $13.2 billion in private market assets across alternative credit, secondary private equity, real estate and venture strategies. Source

Regions and sales reporting

  • Net flows positive in every region: Management said gross sales improved across all asset classes, with positive long-term net flows in every region. Source
  • Europe, Middle East and Africa AUM up 8%: AUM in Europe, Middle East and Africa was $217.4 billion, up 8% from the prior quarter. Source
  • Americas ex-US reduced by reclassification: Cayman-domiciled money market fund assets moved into United States AUM, a change that reduced Americas excluding U.S. AUM by 11%. Source

Costs and margins

  • Total operating expenses fell 4%: Total operating expenses were $1,971.6 million, down 4% from $2,046.1 million last quarter. Compensation and benefits fell 6% to $964.7 million. Source
  • Special termination benefits increased: Special termination benefits tied to workforce optimization were $30.2 million, up from $16.0 million. The company excludes them from adjusted operating income. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin 27.1%: Adjusted operating margin was 27.1%, up from 25.0% last quarter and 23.4% a year earlier. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Cash and investments of $5.1 billion: Cash and investments were $5.1 billion, or $6.2 billion including direct investments in consolidated investment products, at March 31, 2026. Source
  • Equity of $13.1 billion: Total stockholders’ equity was $13.1 billion, with 519.6 million common shares outstanding at quarter end. Source
  • Share repurchases of $57.1 million: The company bought back 2.3 million shares for $57.1 million in the quarter, against 1.8 million shares for $41.9 million in the prior quarter. Source
  • Dividend declared at $0.33: Dividends declared were $0.33 per share, unchanged from the prior quarter and up from $0.32 a year earlier. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Multi-year strategy in action: Management said the quarter shows its multi-year strategy at work, while markets remain uncertain. Source
  • Focus on investment outcomes: Management named three focus areas: investment outcomes, deeper client relationships, and evolving capabilities for long-term growth. Source
  • Local client engagement cited: Management linked positive flows in every region to local client engagement and global reputation. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Ending AUM Source$1,682.1 billion
ETF net inflows Source$4.5 billion
Canvas net inflows Source$5.3 billion
Multi-asset net inflows Source$9.5 billion
Alternatives fundraising Source$14.3 billion

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Western had $4.1 billion of long-term net outflows in the quarter, included within the total of $16.9 billion long-term net inflows. Source
  • External: Management said markets remain uncertain while describing its strategy as clear. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said it is pleased to be ahead of plan on its multi-year strategy. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.