SAN MATEO, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 03/18/13 -- Franklin Universal Trust (NYSE: FT), a closed-end investment company managed by Franklin Advisers, Inc., announced today a dividend of $0.038 per share, payable April 15, 2013, to shareholders of record on March 28, 2013 (Ex-Dividend Date: March 26, 2013).
You may request a copy of the Fund's current Report to Shareholders by contacting Franklin Templeton's Fund Information Department at 1-800/DIAL BEN® (1-800-342-5236) or by visiting franklintempleton.com. All investments involve risks, including possible loss of principal. Bond prices generally move in the opposite direction of interest rates. As the prices of bonds in a fund adjust to a rise in interest rates, the fund's share price may decline. Investments in lower-rated bonds include higher risk of default and loss of principal. Stock prices fluctuate, sometimes rapidly and dramatically, due to factors affecting individual companies, particular industries or sectors, or general market conditions. In addition to other factors, securities issued by utility companies have historically been sensitive to interest rate changes. When interest rates fall, utility securities prices, and thus a utilities fund's share price, tend to rise; when interest rates rise, their prices generally fall. The Fund is actively managed but there is no guarantee that the manager's investment decisions will produce the desired results. For portfolio management discussions, including information regarding the Fund's investment strategies, please view the most recent Annual or Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders which can be found at franklintempleton.com or sec.gov.
Franklin Advisers, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE: BEN), a global investment management organization operating as Franklin Templeton Investments. Franklin Templeton Investments provides global and domestic investment management solutions managed by its Franklin, Templeton, Mutual Series, Bissett, Fiduciary Trust, Darby, Balanced Equity Management and K2 investment teams. The San Mateo, CA-based company has more than 65 years of investment experience and over $813 billion in assets under management as of February 28, 2013. For more information, please call 1-800/DIAL BEN® or visit franklintempleton.com.
CONTACT:
Franklin Templeton Investments
Shareholders/Financial Advisors: (800) 342-5236
