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Franklin Templeton Inc.: Q4 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 6 November 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net income and EPS rose: Net income attributable to Franklin Templeton was $380.1 million, or $0.72 per diluted share, against $171.5 million, or $0.31, in the prior quarter and $117.6 million, or $0.21, a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EPS reached $0.94: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.94 for the quarter, against $0.72 in the prior quarter and $0.67 a year earlier. Fiscal 2026 adjusted diluted EPS was $3.07, against $2.22. Source
  • Long-term net inflows reached $20.8 billion: Long-term net inflows were $20.8 billion in the quarter, against $18.4 billion in the prior quarter, and $84.1 billion for fiscal 2026. Long-term net inflows include $3.3 billion of reinvested distributions in the quarter. Source
  • Ending AUM rose $3.5 billion: Ending AUM was $1,795.1 billion, up $3.5 billion in the quarter, with net inflows offset by market change, distributions and other, and by cash management outflows. Source
  • Total operating expenses fell 8%: Total operating expenses were $2,079.1 million, down 8% from $2,258.3 million a year earlier and down 3% from $2,142.6 million in the prior quarter. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin reached 31.8%: Adjusted operating margin was 31.8% for the quarter, against 28.0% in the prior quarter and 26.0% a year earlier. Fiscal 2026 adjusted operating margin was 28.0%. Source

“Franklin Templeton delivered strong fourth quarter and fiscal year 2026 results, reflecting the momentum across our business and continued execution of our strategy,”

Jenny Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of Franklin Templeton, Inc.

What changed from last quarter

  • New: The company changed its corporate name from Franklin Resources, Inc. to Franklin Templeton, Inc., effective August 17, 2026. The ticker BEN is unchanged.

Results and earnings

  • Net income and EPS rose: Net income attributable to Franklin Templeton was $380.1 million, or $0.72 per diluted share, against $171.5 million, or $0.31, in the prior quarter and $117.6 million, or $0.21, a year earlier. Source
  • Operating income rose from prior quarter: Operating income was $355.8 million, up 65% from $215.8 million in the prior quarter and up from $85.4 million a year earlier. Operating revenues were $2,434.9 million, up 3% sequentially. Source
  • Fiscal net income rose 105%: For fiscal 2026 net income attributable to the company was $1,075.3 million, or $1.97 per diluted share, against $524.9 million, or $0.91, in fiscal 2025. Source
  • Adjusted EPS reached $0.94: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.94 for the quarter, against $0.72 in the prior quarter and $0.67 a year earlier. Fiscal 2026 adjusted diluted EPS was $3.07, against $2.22. Source

Assets under management and flows

  • Long-term net inflows reached $20.8 billion: Long-term net inflows were $20.8 billion in the quarter, against $18.4 billion in the prior quarter, and $84.1 billion for fiscal 2026. Long-term net inflows include $3.3 billion of reinvested distributions in the quarter. Source
  • Ending AUM rose $3.5 billion: Ending AUM was $1,795.1 billion, up $3.5 billion in the quarter, with net inflows offset by market change, distributions and other, and by cash management outflows. Source
  • Equity, multi-asset and alternatives grew: Equity, multi-asset and alternatives each had net inflows in fiscal 2026 and reached record AUM, across all regions and in both retail and institutional channels. Source
  • Institutional pipeline stood at $22.0 billion: The won-but-unfunded institutional pipeline was $22.0 billion at quarter end, down from $28.6 billion in the prior quarter. Source

“We remain disciplined in managing expenses while continuing to invest in the future, including strategic acquisitions to enhance our capabilities and increasing our adjusted operating margin ahead of plan.”

Jenny Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of Franklin Templeton, Inc.

Regions and investment vehicles

  • International AUM near $525 billion: Management put international AUM at approximately $525 billion, with $29.0 billion of fiscal 2026 long-term net inflows. The sales-region table shows total international AUM of $522.8 billion. Source
  • Alternatives AUM and fundraising: Alternative AUM was $304.6 billion, with $48.7 billion of fundraising in fiscal 2026, including $43.2 billion in private markets. Source
  • ETF, SMA and Canvas AUM grew: ETF AUM rose 73% to $84.6 billion, retail SMA AUM rose 19% to $196.3 billion, and Canvas AUM doubled to $32.6 billion over the fiscal year. Source
  • United States AUM roughly flat: United States AUM was $1,272.3 billion, up 0% on the prior quarter and $1,171.5 billion a year earlier. Cayman-domiciled money market fund assets are now counted in the United States. Source

Costs and expenses

  • Total operating expenses fell 8%: Total operating expenses were $2,079.1 million, down 8% from $2,258.3 million a year earlier and down 3% from $2,142.6 million in the prior quarter. Source
  • No impairment charge this quarter: No intangible asset impairment was recorded in the quarter, against $202.2 million a year earlier. Amortization of intangible assets fell 39% to $42.0 million. Source
  • Compensation flat year over year: Compensation and benefits were $1,009.5 million, flat against $1,005.7 million a year earlier and up 5% on $958.5 million in the prior quarter. Source
  • General and administrative costs fell: General, administrative and other expense was $226.2 million, down from $312.8 million in the prior quarter and up from $222.8 million a year earlier. Source

Margins and adjusted revenue

  • Adjusted operating margin reached 31.8%: Adjusted operating margin was 31.8% for the quarter, against 28.0% in the prior quarter and 26.0% a year earlier. Fiscal 2026 adjusted operating margin was 28.0%. Source
  • Operating margin rose to 14.6%: Operating margin was 14.6%, up from 9.2% in the prior quarter and 3.6% a year earlier. Fiscal 2026 operating margin was 12.5%. Source
  • Adjusted operating revenues increased: Adjusted operating revenues were $1,884.5 million, up from $1,816.6 million in the prior quarter and $1,815.0 million a year earlier. Fiscal 2026 total was $7,200.8 million. Source
  • Investment management fees grew: Investment management fees were $1,945.5 million, up 4% on the prior quarter and up 4% on the year-earlier quarter. Source

Fund flows by asset class

  • Alternatives and multi-asset led inflows: Alternative long-term net inflows were $9.5 billion and multi-asset $7.9 billion in the quarter. Equity was $4.0 billion and fixed income recorded $0.6 billion of net outflows. Source
  • Fixed income AUM declined 3%: Fixed income AUM was $427.6 billion, down from $441.4 billion in the prior quarter, while equity AUM was $763.8 billion, up 1%. Source
  • Gross inflows and outflows reported: Long-term inflows were $114.7 billion and long-term outflows were $93.9 billion in the quarter. Fiscal 2026 long-term outflows were $389.4 billion. Source
  • Western Asset outflows for fiscal year: Fiscal 2026 included $11.7 billion of long-term net outflows at Western Asset Management. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Cash and investments reached $7.4 billion: Cash, cash equivalents and investments were $6.0 billion, or $7.4 billion including direct investments in consolidated investment products and other items, at September 30, 2026. Source
  • Share repurchases slowed to $86.1 million: The company repurchased 2.5 million shares for $86.1 million in the quarter, against 10.4 million shares for $348.1 million in the prior quarter. Shares outstanding were 512.5 million. Source
  • Dividend declared at $0.33: Dividends declared were $0.33 per share in the quarter, up from $0.32 a year earlier, and $1.32 for fiscal 2026. Source
  • Fiscal shareholder returns of $1.2 billion: The company returned $1.2 billion to shareholders in fiscal 2026 through dividends and share repurchases. Source

Strategy, name and acquisitions

  • Progress against five-year plan: Management said the broad-based momentum highlights progress against its five-year strategic plan, and the ability to bring its investment capabilities to clients globally. Source
  • Fiscal acquisitions added $6.2 billion: Acquisitions added $6.2 billion to AUM in fiscal 2026, and management cited strategic acquisitions as a way to enhance its capabilities. Source
  • Corporate name now Franklin Templeton: The company changed its corporate name from Franklin Resources, Inc. to Franklin Templeton, Inc., effective August 17, 2026, with the ticker BEN unchanged.

Coming up, as management said on 6 November 2026

  • Fiscal 2027 focus areas named: Management cited demand for private markets, customized solutions and innovative investment vehicles as areas for fiscal year 2027. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Ending AUM Source$1,795.1 billion
Long-term net inflows, fourth quarter Source$20.8 billion
Won-but-unfunded institutional pipeline Source$22.0 billion
ETF AUM Source$84.6 billion
Alternative AUM Source$304.6 billion

Risks management discussed

  • External: Net market change, distributions and other reduced AUM in the quarter, along with cash management net outflows. Source
  • Regulatory: A charge for significant regulatory settlements appeared in the prior quarter and is excluded from adjusted results. Source
  • Operational: Special termination benefits were $81.1 million in the quarter, tied to workforce optimization from past acquisitions, and are excluded from adjusted results. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said it is increasing adjusted operating margin ahead of plan. Source
  • Not stated: Management referred to progress against its five-year strategic plan, without stating a status. 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.