Franklin Templeton 10-Q 2023-03-31

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(MARK ONE)

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2023

or

For the transition period from to

Commission File Number: 001-09318

FRANKLIN RESOURCES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

(650) 312-2000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. ☒ Yes ☐ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). ☒ Yes ☐ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). ☐ Yes ☒ No

Number of shares of the registrant’s common stock outstanding at April 24, 2023: 500,863,407.

INDEX TO FORM 10-Q

PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION

FRANKLIN RESOURCES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

Unaudited

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

FRANKLIN RESOURCES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

Unaudited

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

FRANKLIN RESOURCES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

Unaudited

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Form 10-Q and the documents incorporated by reference herein may include forward-looking statements that reflect our current views with respect to future events, financial performance and market conditions. Such statements are provided under the “safe harbor” protection of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts and generally can be identified by words or phrases written in the future tense and/or preceded by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “depends,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” “would,” or other similar words or variations thereof, or the negative thereof, but these terms are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements.

Forward-looking statements involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from any future results or outcomes expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including pandemic-related risks, market and volatility risks, investment performance and reputational risks, global operational risks, competition and distribution risks, third-party risks, technology and security risks, human capital risks, cash management risks, and legal and regulatory risks. The forward-looking statements contained in this Form 10-Q or that are incorporated by reference herein are qualified in their entirety by reference to the risks and uncertainties disclosed in this Form 10-Q and/or discussed under the headings “Risk Factors” and “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022 (“fiscal year 2022”).

While forward-looking statements are our best prediction at the time that they are made, you should not rely on them and are cautioned against doing so. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding our business, the economy and other possible future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. They are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees or assurances of future performance. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them.

If a circumstance occurs after the date of this Form 10-Q that causes any of our forward-looking statements to be inaccurate, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, we undertake no obligation to announce publicly the change to our expectations, or to make any revision to our forward-looking statements, to reflect any change in assumptions, beliefs or expectations, or any change in events, conditions or circumstances upon which any forward-looking statement is based, unless required by law.

In this section, we discuss and analyze the results of operations and financial condition of Franklin Resources, Inc. (“Franklin”) and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”). The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2022 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included elsewhere in this Form 10-Q.

OVERVIEW

Franklin is a holding company with subsidiaries operating under our Franklin Templeton® and/or subsidiary brand names. We are a global investment management organization that derives operating revenues and net income from providing investment management and related services to investors in jurisdictions worldwide. We deliver our investment capabilities through a variety of investment products, which include our sponsored funds, as well as institutional and high-net-worth separate accounts, retail separately managed account programs, sub-advised products, and other investment vehicles. Related services include fund administration, sales and distribution, and shareholder servicing. We may perform services directly or through third parties. We offer our services and products under our various distinct brand names, including, but not limited to, Franklin®, Templeton®, Legg Mason®, Alcentra®, Benefit Street Partners®, Brandywine Global Investment Management®, Clarion Partners®, ClearBridge Investments®, Fiduciary Trust International™, Franklin Bissett®, Franklin Mutual Series®, K2®, Lexington Partners®, Martin Currie®, O’Shaughnessy® Asset Management, Royce® Investment Partners and Western Asset Management Company®. We offer a broad product mix of fixed income, equity, alternative, multi-asset and cash management asset classes and solutions that meet a wide variety of specific investment goals and needs for individual and institutional investors. We also provide sub-advisory services to certain investment products sponsored by other companies which may be sold to investors under the brand names of those other companies or on a co-branded basis.

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The level of our revenues depends largely on the level and relative mix of assets under management (“AUM”). As noted in the “Risk Factors” section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year 2022, the amount and mix of our AUM are subject to significant fluctuations that can negatively impact our revenues and income. The level of our revenues also depends on the fees charged for our services, which are based on contracts with our funds and customers, fund sales, and the number of shareholder transactions and accounts. These arrangements could change in the future.

During our second fiscal quarter, global equity markets provided positive returns as indications that interest rate increases by central banks may soon end, declines in inflation and receding concerns about a recession outweighed the impact of regional bank failures and concerns about a potential banking crisis. The S&P 500 Index and MSCI World Index increased 7.5% and 7.9% for the quarter and 15.6% and 18.5% for the fiscal year to date. The global bond markets remained positive as the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Index increased 3.0% during the quarter and 7.7% for the fiscal year to date, reflecting declines in inflation and expectations of easing monetary policy.

Our total AUM at March 31, 2023 was $1,422.1 billion, 10% higher than at September 30, 2022 and 4% lower than at March 31, 2022. Monthly average AUM (“average AUM”) for the three and six months ended March 31, 2023 decreased 6% and 9% from the same periods in the prior fiscal year.

On November 1, 2022, we acquired BNY Alcentra Group Holdings, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, “Alcentra”), one of the largest European credit and private debt managers, with global expertise in senior secured loans, high yield bonds, private credit, structured credit, special situations and multi-strategy credit strategies. Total purchase price included cash consideration of $594.1 million, which includes $188.3 million for certain securities held in Alcentra’s collateralized loan obligations; deferred consideration of $62.0 million due November 1, 2023; and contingent consideration to be paid upon the achievement of certain performance thresholds over the next four years of up to $350.0 million that had an acquisition-date fair value of $24.6 million.

The business and regulatory environments in which we operate globally remain complex, uncertain and subject to change. We are subject to various laws, rules and regulations globally that impose restrictions, limitations, registration, reporting and disclosure requirements on our business, and add complexity to our global c

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During the six months ended March 31, 2023, there were no material changes from the market risk disclosures in our Form 10‑K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022.

The Company’s management evaluated, with the participation of the Company’s principal executive and principal financial officers, the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) as of March 31, 2023. Based on their evaluation, the Company’s principal executive and principal financial officers concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of March 31, 2023 were designed and are functioning effectively to provide reasonable assurance that the information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports filed under the Exchange Act is (i) recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and (ii) accumulated and communicated to management, including the principal executive and principal financial officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

In October 2022, the Company deployed a new financial reporting system which was designed, in part, to enhance the overall system of internal control over financial reporting through further automation and improved business processes. This system implementation was significant in scale and complexity and resulted in modification to certain internal controls.

Other than the system implementation, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that occurred during the Company’s fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2023, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

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PART II – OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings.

For a description of our legal proceedings, please see the description set forth in the “Legal Proceedings” section in Note 10 – Commitments and Contingencies in the notes to consolidated financial statements in Item 1 of Part I of this Form 10‑Q, which is incorporated herein by reference.

The following Risk Factor disclosure supplements the discussion of our Risk Factors previously disclosed in our last Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2022. The Risk Factors disclosed in our last Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Risk Factors below could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and our business also could be impacted by other risk factors that are not presently known to us or that we currently consider to be immaterial. Further, our disclosure of a risk should not be interpreted to imply that the risk has not already developed or materialized.

Volatility and disruption of our business and financial markets and adverse changes in the global economy may significantly affect our results of operations and put pressure on our financial results.

We derive substantially all of our operating revenues and income from providing investment management and related services to investors in jurisdictions worldwide through our investment products, which include our funds, as well as institutional and high-net-worth separate accounts, retail separately managed account programs, sub-advised products, and other investment vehicles. Related services include fund administration, sales and distribution, and shareholder servicing. We may perform services directly or through third parties. The asset management industry continues to experience disruption and challenges, including increased fee pressure, regulatory changes, an increasing and changing role of technology in asset management services, the continuous introduction of new products and services, and the consolidation of financial services firms through mergers and acquisitions. Further, banking and financial markets have currently and in the past experienced and may continue, from time to time, to experience volatility and disruption worldwide. For example, the recent closures in March 2023 of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in the United States and the announced acquisition of Credit Suisse Group AG have resulted in market disruption and volatility and could lead to greater instability and a deterioration of confidence in the credit and financial markets. Declines in global economic conditions have resulted, and may continue to result, in significant decreases in our AUM, revenues and income, and future declines may further negatively impact our financial results. Such declines have had, and may in the future have, a material adverse impact on our business. We may need to modify our business, strategies or operations and we may be subject to additional constraints or costs in order to compete in a changing global economy and business environment.

Individual financial, equity, debt and commodity markets may be adversely affected by financial, economic, political, electoral, diplomatic or other instabilities that are particular to the country or region in which a market is located, including without limitation local acts of terrorism, economic crises, political protests, war, insurrection or other business, social or political crises. For example, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the threat that Russia’s military aggression may expand beyond Ukraine, has significantly impacted the global economy and financial markets, which has had, and may continue to have, an adverse effect on our investment performance and flows in certain products. Global economic conditions, exacerbated by war, terrorism, social, civil or political unrest, natural disasters, public health crises, such as epidemics or pandemics, or financial crises, changes in the equity, debt or commodity marketplaces, changes in currency exchange rates, interest rates, inflation rates, the yield curve, defaults by trading counterparties, bond defaults, revaluation and bond market liquidity risks, geopolitical risks, the imposition of economic sanctions and other factors that are difficult to predict, affect the mix, market values and levels of our AUM. Changing market conditions could also cause an impairment to the value of our goodwill and other intangible assets.

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Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.

The following table provides information with respect to the shares of our common stock that we repurchased during the three months ended March 31, 2023.

Under our stock repurchase program, which is not subject to an expiration date, we can repurchase shares of our common stock from time to time in the open market and in private transactions in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, including without limitation applicable federal securities laws. In order to pay taxes due in connection with the vesting of employee and executive officer stock and stock unit awards, we may repurchase shares under our program using a net stock issuance method. In April 2018, we announced that our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to 80.0 million additional shares of our common stock under the stock repurchase program.

The exhibits listed on the Exhibit Index to this Form 10-Q are incorporated herein by reference.

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EXHIBIT INDEX

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.