Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN)
Valuation Overview•Is Franklin Resources, Inc. Overvalued or Undervalued?
Priced at a premium to peer multiples and intrinsic cash flows, demanding strong execution to justify current levels.
Moderate quality score of 50/100, reflecting stable operating margins and manageable leverage.
Wall Street forecasts a balanced outlook with consensus price targets near the current price.
Verdict: Average quality business weighed down by significant profitability concerns.
Wall Street sentiment is generally neutral alongside robust expected earnings growth. This outlook is strongly supported by highly attractive capital returns, anchored by a strong, well-covered dividend yield.
BEN demonstrates adequate business quality with stable profitability. However, the balance sheet carries elevated leverage, requiring careful monitoring of debt servicing capabilities.
The company maintains stable top-line performance however, earnings have severely contracted over the same period. Operating efficiency remains adequate with margins around 9.3%.
| Financial Metric | Trend (12Q) | Latest Qtr | 1Y Growth | 3Y CAGR | 5Y CAGR | 10Y CAGR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $2.3B | +3.5% | — | — | +1.0% | |
| EBITDA | $373.9M | — | -19.2% | — | — | |
| Net Income | $346.6M | +12.9% | -25.9% | — | -12.7% | |
| EPS (Diluted) | $0.52 | +7.1% | -28.9% | -10.6% | -12.1% | |
| Free Cash Flow | -$23.1M | +14.8% | -21.2% | -1.4% | — |
| Metric | TTM | 3Y Avg | 5Y Avg | 10Y Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 73.8% | 80.4% | 81.4% | 81.5% |
| Operating Margin | 9.3% | 8.6% | 13.9% | 21.8% |
| Net Margin | 9.0% | 7.6% | 12.0% | 16.0% |
| FCF Margin | 10.4% | 10.6% | 13.6% | 16.2% |
| Quarter | EPS Est. | EPS Act. | Surprise | EPS | Rev |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q2'26Latest | $0.55 | $0.71 | +29.1% | ||
| Q1'26 | $0.55 | $0.70 | +27.3% | ||
| Q4'25 | $0.58 | $0.67 | +16.1% | ||
| Q3'25 | $0.48 | $0.49 | +1.5% | ||
| Q2'25 | $0.47 | $0.47 | -0.8% | ||
| Q1'25 | $0.56 | $0.59 | +5.4% | ||
| Q4'24 | $0.60 | $0.59 | -2.0% | ||
| Q3'24 | $0.57 | $0.60 | +5.3% |
Total return is +52.1% (1Y), outperforming the benchmark by +27.1%
| Period | Total Return | vs S&P 500 (Alpha) | Dividend Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| YTD | +40.3% | +30.9% | — |
| 1Y | +52.1% | +27.1% | +5.8% |
| 3YCAGR | +12.1% | -7.2% | +15.5% |
| 5YCAGR | +4.7% | -8.2% | +20.4% |
| 10YCAGR | +3.4% | -10.1% | — |
The S&P 500 is at 31.3x trailing P/E — Expensive relative to historical averages.
Quick answers to common questions about Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN) valuation, health, and returns.
Franklin Resources, Inc. is estimated to be overvalued under our discounted cash flow framework. relative multiples indicate the stock is Slightly expensive versus peers compared to industry peers. overvalued (implying -40.0% downside from DCF intrinsic value of $19.82)
Franklin Resources, Inc. has multiple valuation anchors: DCF Intrinsic Value: $19.82 | Peer Relative Fair Value: $28.85 | Wall Street Analyst Target: $32.00 (implying -3.2% upside). A convergence of these signals offers higher conviction.
Franklin Resources, Inc. displays fair financial health with a composite quality score of 50/100, supported by a Piotroski F-Score of 6/9, Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) of 1.6%.
Franklin Resources, Inc. pays a 4.0% dividend yield, covered by a 130% payout ratio with 2 years of growth, supplemented by a 1.4% buyback yield.
Franklin Resources, Inc.'s current growth trajectory is Accelerating. The company achieved +3.5% 1Y revenue growth and +7.1% 1Y EPS growth, compared to its 3Y revenue CAGR of N/A.
Wall Street consensus is Hold based on 27 analysts, beating EPS expectations in 75% of recent quarters with a 4-quarter streak. The consensus price target represents a -3.2% change from current levels.
Investment risks for Franklin Resources, Inc. include: -19.2% 1-year max drawdown, stretched payout ratio. Volatility risk is characterized by a beta of 1.26x.
No. These computations are purely quantitative model outputs for informational purposes. They do not account for qualitative management shifts or macro events. Always consult a licensed RIA before buying or selling shares.
Disclaimer: This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. All valuation models, scores, and target estimates are automated computations under stated assumptions and should not be relied upon as the sole basis for any investment decision.