PROSPECTUS

     
       
   

FRANKLIN CUSTODIAN FUNDS

 
   

February 1, 2023

 
       
   

Slayer_DrawImageOnBackgroundColor(0,76,151)

 
       
         
           
               
   

Class A

Class A1

Class C

Class R

Class R6

Advisor

Class

Franklin DynaTech Fund

 

FKDNX

FDYNX

FDNRX

FDTRX

FDYZX

Franklin Focused Growth Fund

 

FFQBX

FFQCX

FFQRX

FFQSX

FFQZX

Franklin Growth Fund

 

FKGRX

FRGSX

FGSRX

FIFRX

FCGAX

Franklin Income Fund

 

FKIQX

FKINX

FCISX

FISRX

FNCFX

FRIAX

Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund

 

FKFSX

FKUSX

FRUGX

FUSRX

FGORX

FUSAX

Franklin Utilities Fund

 

FKUQX

FKUTX

FRUSX

FRURX

FUFRX

FRUAX

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

FCF P 02/23



 

Contents

Fund Summaries

Information about the Fund you should know before investing

   

Franklin DynaTech Fund

2

Franklin Focused Growth Fund

10

Franklin Growth Fund

19

Franklin Income Fund

27

Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund

38

Franklin Utilities Fund

46

Fund Details

More information on investment policies, practices and risks/financial highlights

   

Franklin DynaTech Fund

54

Franklin Focused Growth Fund

70

Franklin Growth Fund

88

Franklin Income Fund

104

Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund

131

Franklin Utilities Fund

147

Distributions and Taxes

162

Your Account

Information about sales charges, qualified investors, account transactions and services

   

Choosing a Share Class

166

Buying Shares

181

Investor Services

184

Selling Shares

187

Exchanging Shares

190

Account Policies

195

Questions

208

For More Information

Where to learn more about the Fund

 

Back Cover


FRANKLIN DYNATECH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Franklin DynaTech Fund

Investment Goal

Capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in Franklin Templeton funds and certain other funds distributed through Franklin Distributors, LLC, the Fund’s distributor. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and under “Your Account” on page 166 in the Fund’s Prospectus and under “Buying and Selling Shares” on page 88 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information. In addition, more information about sales charge discounts and waivers for purchases of shares through specific financial intermediaries is set forth in Appendix A – “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers” to the Fund’s prospectus.

Please note that the tables and examples below do not reflect any transaction fees that may be charged by financial intermediaries, or commissions that a shareholder may be required to pay directly to its financial intermediary when buying or selling Class R6 or Advisor Class shares.

Shareholder Fees

(fees paid directly from your investment)

                     

 

Class A

 

Class C

 

Class R

 

Class R6

 

Advisor
Class

Maximum Sales Charge (Load)
Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price)

5.50%

 

None

 

None

 

None

 

None

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge
(Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds)

None

1 

1.00%

 

None

 

None

 

None

                     

1.

There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $1 Million or more (see "Investment of $1 Million or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase.

     

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FRANKLIN DYNATECH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

                   

 

Class A

 

Class C

 

Class R

 

Class R6

 

Advisor
Class

Management fees

0.41%

 

0.41%

 

0.41%

 

0.41%

 

0.41%

Distribution and service (12b-1) fees

0.25%

 

1.00%

 

0.50%

 

None

 

None

Other expenses

0.16%

 

0.16%

 

0.16%

 

0.05%

 

0.16%

Total annual Fund operating expenses

0.82%

 

1.57%

 

1.07%

 

0.46%

 

0.57%

Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement1

None

 

None

 

None

 

-0.01%

 

None

Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement1

0.82%

 

1.57%

 

1.07%

 

0.45%

 

0.57%

1. The transfer agent has contractually agreed to cap transfer agency fees for Class R6 shares of the Fund so that the transfer agency fees for that class do not exceed 0.03% until January 31, 2024. During the term, this fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement may not be terminated or amended without approval of the board of trustees except to add series and classes, to reflect the extension of termination dates or to lower the cap on Fund’s fees and expenses (which would result in lower fees for shareholders).

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund's operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by management for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

                   

 

 

 

1 Year

 

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

Class A

 

$629

 

$797

 

$979

 

$1,506

Class C

 

$260

 

$496

 

$856

 

$1,667

Class R

 

$109

 

$340

 

$589

 

$1,304

Class R6

 

$46

 

$146

 

$256

 

$577

Advisor Class

 

$58

 

$183

 

$318

 

$713

If you do not sell your shares:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class C

 

$160

 

$496

 

$856

 

$1,667

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent

     

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FRANKLIN DYNATECH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 40.72% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks investments primarily in equity securities of companies that the investment manager believes are leaders in innovation, take advantage of new technologies, have superior management, and benefit from new industry conditions in the dynamically changing global economy. The Fund invests predominantly in common stock.

In pursuing these objectives, the investment manager may invest in companies in any economic sector or of any market capitalization and may invest in companies both inside and outside of the United States. Although the investment manager searches for investments across a large number of sectors, it expects to have significant positions in particular sectors including, for example, technology and health care.

The investment manager uses fundamental, "bottom-up" research to seek companies meeting its criteria of growth potential, quality and valuation. In seeking sustainable growth characteristics, the investment manager looks for companies it believes can produce sustainable earnings and cash flow growth, evaluating the long-term market opportunity and competitive structure of an industry to target leaders and emerging leaders.

Principal Risks

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government.

Market The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all investments. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.

The global outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, has resulted in market closures and dislocations, extreme volatility, liquidity constraints and increased trading costs. Efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in global travel restrictions and disruptions of healthcare systems, business operations and supply chains, layoffs, volatility in consumer demand for certain products, defaults and credit ratings downgrades, and other significant economic impacts. The effects of COVID-19 have impacted global economic activity across

     

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FRANKLIN DYNATECH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

many industries and may heighten other pre-existing political, social and economic risks, locally or globally. The full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is unpredictable and may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.

Stock prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of debt securities. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the various stocks held by the Fund.

 

Management The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.

Growth Style Investing Growth stock prices reflect projections of future earnings or revenues, and can, therefore, fall dramatically if the company fails to meet those projections. Prices of these companies’ securities may be more volatile than other securities, particularly over the short term. In addition, investment styles can go in and out of favor, which could cause additional volatility in the prices of the Fund’s portfolio holdings.

Focus The technology sector has historically been volatile due to the rapid pace of product change and development within the sector. Companies in the technology sector may be affected by worldwide technological developments, the success of their products and services (which may be outdated quickly), anticipated products or services that are delayed or cancelled, and investor perception of the company and/or its products or services. The activities of health care companies may be funded or subsidized by federal and state governments and changes in funding may adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Technology and health care companies may also be affected by legislation or changes in government regulation and policies.

Small and Mid Capitalization Companies Securities issued by small and mid capitalization companies may be more volatile in price than those of larger companies and may involve additional risks. Such risks may include greater sensitivity to economic conditions, less certain growth prospects, lack of depth of management and funds for growth and development, and limited or less developed product lines and markets. In addition, small and mid capitalization companies may be particularly affected by interest rate increases, as they may find it more difficult to borrow money to continue or expand operations, or may have difficulty in repaying any loans.

Foreign Securities (non-U.S.) Investing in foreign securities typically involves more risks than investing in U.S. securities, including risks related to currency exchange rates and policies, country or government specific issues, less favorable trading practices or regulation and greater price volatility. Certain of these risks also may apply to securities of U.S. companies with significant foreign operations. The

     

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FRANKLIN DYNATECH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

risks of investing in foreign securities are typically greater in less developed or emerging market countries.

Cybersecurity Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, cause the Fund, the investment manager and/or their service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.

Because technology is frequently changing, new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises, the Fund, the investment manager and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time.

Performance

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for Class A shares. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or since inception, as applicable, compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. You can obtain updated performance information at franklintempleton.com or by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.

The secondary index in the table below shows how the Fund's performance compares to another group of securities that reflects the broader equity markets universe.

Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.

     

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FRANKLIN DYNATECH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Class A Annual Total Returns

PerformanceBarChartData(2013:39.67,2014:7.2,2015:8.46,2016:1.27,2017:39.31,2018:2.8,2019:36.38,2020:57.68,2021:12.58,2022:-40.3)

     

Best Quarter:

2020, Q2

35.05%

Worst Quarter:

2022, Q2

-24.01%

Average Annual Total Returns

(figures reflect sales charges)

For periods ended December 31, 2022

                     

 

 

1 Year

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 

Since Inception

 

Franklin DynaTech Fund - Class A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Return before taxes

 

-43.59%

 

7.02%

 

12.39%

 

 

 

Return after taxes on distributions

 

-43.59%

 

6.78%

 

11.87%

 

 

 

Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares

 

-25.80%

 

5.52%

 

10.22%

 

 

Franklin DynaTech Fund - Class C

 

-41.35%

 

7.43%

 

12.19%

 

 

Franklin DynaTech Fund - Class R

 

-40.45%

 

7.97%

 

12.75%

 

 

Franklin DynaTech Fund - Class R6

 

-40.07%

 

8.62%

 

 

12.97%

1

Franklin DynaTech Fund - Advisor Class 

 

-40.16%

 

8.51%

 

13.31%

 

 

Russell 1000 Growth Index (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

-29.14%

 

10.96%

 

14.10%

 

 

S&P 500 Index (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

-18.11%

 

9.43%

 

12.56%

 

 

                     

1.

Since inception May 1, 2013.

   

No one index is representative of the Fund's portfolio.

The figures in the average annual total returns table above reflect the Class A shares maximum front-end sales charge of 5.50%. Prior to September 10, 2018, Class A shares were subject to a maximum front-end sales charge of 5.75%. If the

     

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FRANKLIN DYNATECH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

prior maximum front-end sales charge of 5.75% was reflected, performance for Class A shares in the average annual total returns table would be lower.

The after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.

Investment Manager

Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)

Portfolio Managers

Matthew J. Moberg, CPA
Senior Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2004.

Rupert H. Johnson, Jr.
Director of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception (1968).

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any business day online through our website at franklintempleton.com, by mail (Franklin Templeton Investor Services, P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151), or by telephone at (800) 632-2301. For Class A, C and R, the minimum initial purchase for most accounts is $1,000 (or $25 under an automatic investment plan). Class R6 and Advisor Class are only available to certain qualified investors and the minimum initial investment will vary depending on the type of qualified investor, as described under "Your Account — Choosing a Share Class — Qualified Investors — Class R6" and "— Advisor Class" in the Fund's prospectus. There is no minimum investment for subsequent purchases.

Taxes

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable to you as capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, in which case your distributions would generally be taxed when withdrawn from the tax-advantaged account.

     

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FRANKLIN DYNATECH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

     

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FRANKLIN FOCUSED GROWTH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Franklin Focused Growth Fund

I. Proposed Conversion of Fund to ETF

At a meeting held on December 14-15, 2022, the Board of Trustees of the Franklin Custodian Funds approved the reorganization of the Franklin Focused Growth Fund (the “Mutual Fund”) into the Franklin Focused Growth ETF (the “ETF”), a newly-organized series of the Franklin Templeton ETF Trust, pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization.

If the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization is approved by the shareholders of the Mutual Fund, the reorganization of the Mutual Fund would consist of (1) the transfer of substantially all of the Mutual Fund’s assets, subject to its liabilities, to the ETF for shares of the ETF; and (2) the distribution of the ETF shares to the Mutual Fund’s shareholders in complete liquidation of the Mutual Fund. The new ETF will be managed in a substantially similar manner as the Mutual Fund, and the ETF’s investment objective, principal investment strategies, investment adviser and portfolio management team will be the same as that of the corresponding Mutual Fund, except that the ETF, unlike the Mutual Fund, will be a non-diversified fund (within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940) which means that it will generally invest a greater proportion of its assets in the securities of one or more issuers and will invest overall in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund.

A notice of a special meeting of shareholders and a proxy statement/prospectus seeking shareholder approval for the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization and containing information about the ETF, reasons for the proposed reorganization and potential benefits to the Mutual Fund’s shareholders, will be sent to the shareholders of the Mutual Fund in the second calendar quarter of 2023.

If the reorganization is approved by the Mutual Fund’s shareholders, each class of shares of the Mutual Fund, other than Advisor Class shares, will then be converted into Advisor Class shares (without a contingent deferred sales charge or other charge) prior to the reorganization. After such conversion, any fractional shares held by shareholders will be redeemed, and the Mutual Fund will distribute the redemption proceeds to those shareholders. The distribution of redemption proceeds to shareholders may be a taxable event and those shareholders are encouraged to consult their tax advisors to determine the effect of any such redemption.

In addition, shareholders who do not currently have a brokerage account will need to open a brokerage account prior to the closing of the reorganization to receive and hold the ETF shares distributed in the reorganization (or alternatively the shares will be held in a default trustee account on behalf of the shareholder).

     

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FRANKLIN FOCUSED GROWTH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Upon the closing of the reorganization of the Mutual Fund, each shareholder of the Mutual Fund will receive shares of the ETF having the same aggregate net asset value as the shares of the Mutual Fund they held on the date of the reorganization and become a shareholder of the ETF. It is anticipated that the reorganization will qualify as a tax-free reorganization for federal income tax purposes and that shareholders will not recognize any gain or loss in connection with the reorganization, except to the extent that they receive cash in connection with the redemption of any fractional shares prior to the reorganization. If approved by the shareholders of the Mutual Fund, it is anticipated that the reorganization of the Mutual Fund would occur in the fourth quarter of 2023.

II. Waivers of Sales Charges

Effective March 1, 2023, any front-end sales charges applicable to the purchase of Mutual Fund shares or contingent deferred sales charges applicable to the redemption of Mutual Fund shares will be waived.

Investment Goal

Capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in Franklin Templeton funds and certain other funds distributed through Franklin Distributors, LLC, the Fund’s distributor. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and under “Your Account” on page 166 in the Fund’s Prospectus and under “Buying and Selling Shares” on page 88 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information. In addition, more information about sales charge discounts and waivers for purchases of shares through specific financial intermediaries is set forth in Appendix A – “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers” to the Fund’s prospectus.

Please note that the tables and examples below do not reflect any transaction fees that may be charged by financial intermediaries, or commissions that a shareholder may be required to pay directly to its financial intermediary when buying or selling Class R6 or Advisor Class shares.

     

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FUND SUMMARIES

Shareholder Fees1

(fees paid directly from your investment)

                     

 

Class A

 

Class C

 

Class R

 

Class R6

 

Advisor
Class

Maximum Sales Charge (Load)
Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price)

5.50%

 

None

 

None

 

None

 

None

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge
(Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds)

None

2 

1.00%

 

None

 

None

 

None

                     

1.

Effective March 1, 2023, all front-end sales charges (sales charges imposed on purchases) and deferred sales charges will be waived in anticipation of the Fund's reorganization into an ETF as described above.

2.

There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $1 Million or more (see "Investment of $1 Million or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

                   

 

Class A

 

Class C

 

Class R

 

Class R6

 

Advisor
Class

Management fees

0.70%

 

0.70%

 

0.70%

 

0.70%

 

0.70%

Distribution and service (12b-1) fees

0.25%

 

1.00%

 

0.50%

 

None

 

None

Other expenses

0.42%

 

0.42%

 

0.41%

 

0.28%

 

0.42%

Total annual Fund operating expenses

1.37%

 

2.12%

 

1.61%

 

0.98%

 

1.12%

Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement1

-0.27%

 

-0.27%

 

-0.26%

 

-0.16%

 

-0.27%

Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement1,2

1.10%

 

1.85%

 

1.35%

 

0.82%

 

0.85%

1. The transfer agent has contractually agreed to cap transfer agency fees for Class R6 shares of the Fund so that the transfer agency fees for that class do not exceed 0.03% until January 31, 2024. During the term, this fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement may not be terminated or amended without approval of the board of trustees except to add series and classes, to reflect the extension of termination dates or to lower the cap on Fund’s fees and expenses (which would result in lower fees for shareholders).

2. The investment manager has contractually agreed to waive or assume certain expenses so that total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding Rule 12b-1 fees, acquired fund fees and expenses and certain nonroutine expenses) for each class of the Fund do not exceed 0.85% until January 31, 2024. During the term, this fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement may not be terminated or amended without approval of the board of trustees except to add series and classes, to reflect the extension of termination dates or to lower the cap on the Fund’s fees and expenses (which would result in lower fees for shareholders).

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund's operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by management for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

     

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FRANKLIN FOCUSED GROWTH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

                   

 

 

 

1 Year

 

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

Class A

 

$656

 

$935

 

$1,234

 

$2,084

Class C

 

$288

 

$638

 

$1,115

 

$2,241

Class R

 

$137

 

$482

 

$851

 

$1,888

Class R6

 

$84

 

$296

 

$526

 

$1,187

Advisor Class

 

$87

 

$330

 

$591

 

$1,338

If you do not sell your shares:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class C

 

$188

 

$638

 

$1,115

 

$2,241

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 39.93% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests predominantly in equity securities of companies that the investment manager believes offer compelling growth opportunities. In selecting securities, the investment manager considers many factors, including historical and potential growth in revenues and earnings, assessment of strength and quality of management, and determination of a company’s strategic positioning in its industry.

The equity securities in which the Fund invests are predominantly common stock. The Fund may invest in companies of any size, including small and medium capitalization companies. In addition to the Fund’s main investments, the Fund may invest a portion (up to 25%) of its net assets in foreign equity securities, including those located in emerging markets.

The Fund generally seeks to maintain a portfolio consisting of securities of approximately 20-50 companies. Although the Fund seeks investments across a number of sectors, from time to time, based on economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in particular sectors.

The investment manager is a research-driven, “bottom-up” fundamental investor. The investment manager’s investment approach for the Fund focuses on identifying companies that offer, in its opinion, a compelling trade-off between growth opportunity, business and financial risk and valuation. Key valuation metrics include

     

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FUND SUMMARIES

discounted-cash-flow, absolute and relative price-to-earnings, enterprise value, and sum of the parts, among others.

Principal Risks

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government.

Market The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all investments. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.

The global outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, has resulted in market closures and dislocations, extreme volatility, liquidity constraints and increased trading costs. Efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in global travel restrictions and disruptions of healthcare systems, business operations and supply chains, layoffs, volatility in consumer demand for certain products, defaults and credit ratings downgrades, and other significant economic impacts. The effects of COVID-19 have impacted global economic activity across many industries and may heighten other pre-existing political, social and economic risks, locally or globally. The full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is unpredictable and may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.

Stock prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of debt securities. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the various stocks held by the Fund.

 

Focus To the extent that the Fund focuses on particular countries, regions, industries, sectors or types of investment from time to time, the Fund may be subject to greater risks of adverse developments in such areas of focus than a fund that invests in a wider variety of countries, regions, industries, sectors or investments.

Growth Style Investing Growth stock prices reflect projections of future earnings or revenues, and can, therefore, fall dramatically if the company fails to meet those projections. Prices of these companies’ securities may be more volatile than other securities, particularly over the short term. In addition, investment styles can go in and out of favor, which could cause additional volatility in the prices of the Fund’s portfolio holdings.

Management The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment

     

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FUND SUMMARIES

techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.

Small and Mid Capitalization Companies Securities issued by small and mid capitalization companies may be more volatile in price than those of larger companies and may involve additional risks. Such risks may include greater sensitivity to economic conditions, less certain growth prospects, lack of depth of management and funds for growth and development, and limited or less developed product lines and markets. In addition, small and mid capitalization companies may be particularly affected by interest rate increases, as they may find it more difficult to borrow money to continue or expand operations, or may have difficulty in repaying any loans.

Foreign Securities (non-U.S.) Investing in foreign securities typically involves more risks than investing in U.S. securities, including risks related to currency exchange rates and policies, country or government specific issues, less favorable trading practices or regulation and greater price volatility. Certain of these risks also may apply to securities of U.S. companies with significant foreign operations. The risks of investing in foreign securities are typically greater in less developed or emerging market countries.

Cybersecurity Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, cause the Fund, the investment manager and/or their service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.

Because technology is frequently changing, new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises, the Fund, the investment manager and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time.

     

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FRANKLIN FOCUSED GROWTH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Performance

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for Advisor Class shares. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or since inception, as applicable, compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. You can obtain updated performance information at franklintempleton.com or by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.

Advisor Class Annual Total Returns

PerformanceBarChartData(2017:34.16,2018:2.08,2019:33.14,2020:56.18,2021:16.09,2022:-39.63)

     

Best Quarter:

2020, Q2

32.09%

Worst Quarter:

2022, Q2

-25.01%

     

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FUND SUMMARIES

Average Annual Total Returns

For periods ended December 31, 2022

                 

 

 

1 Year

 

5 Years

 

Since Inception

 

Franklin Focused Growth Fund - Advisor Class

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Return before taxes

 

-39.63%

 

8.27%

 

11.72%

1

 

Return after taxes on distributions

 

-39.63%

 

7.87%

 

11.40%

1

 

Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares

 

-23.46%

 

6.52%

 

9.51%

1

Franklin Focused Growth Fund - Class A

 

-43.11%

 

6.77%

 

10.49%

1

Franklin Focused Growth Fund - Class C

 

-40.84%

 

7.19%

 

10.61%

1

Franklin Focused Growth Fund - Class R

 

-39.96%

 

7.75%

 

11.18%

1

Franklin Focused Growth Fund - Class R6

 

-39.65%

 

 

-0.86%

2

Russell 1000 Growth Index (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

-29.14%

 

10.96%

 

13.21%

1

                 

1.

Since inception April 13, 2016.

2.

Since inception February 14, 2020.

Historical performance for Class A, Class C and Class R shares prior to their inception is based on the performance of Advisor Class shares. Class A, Class C and Class R shares' performance has been adjusted to reflect differences in sales charges and 12b-1 expenses between classes.

The after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown only for Advisor Class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.

Investment Manager

Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)

Portfolio Manager

Matthew J. Moberg, CPA
Senior Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since inception (2016).

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any business day online through our website at franklintempleton.com, by mail (Franklin Templeton Investor Services, P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151), or by telephone at (800) 632-2301. For Class A, C and R, the minimum initial purchase for most

     

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FRANKLIN FOCUSED GROWTH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

accounts is $1,000 (or $25 under an automatic investment plan). Class R6 and Advisor Class are only available to certain qualified investors and the minimum initial investment will vary depending on the type of qualified investor, as described under "Your Account — Choosing a Share Class — Qualified Investors — Class R6" and "— Advisor Class" in the Fund's prospectus. There is no minimum investment for subsequent purchases.

Taxes

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or some combination of both, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, in which case your distributions would generally be taxed when withdrawn from the tax-advantaged account.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

     

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Franklin Growth Fund

Investment Goal

Capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in Franklin Templeton funds and certain other funds distributed through Franklin Distributors, LLC, the Fund’s distributor. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and under “Your Account” on page 166 in the Fund’s Prospectus and under “Buying and Selling Shares” on page 88 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information. In addition, more information about sales charge discounts and waivers for purchases of shares through specific financial intermediaries is set forth in Appendix A – “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers” to the Fund’s prospectus.

Please note that the tables and examples below do not reflect any transaction fees that may be charged by financial intermediaries, or commissions that a shareholder may be required to pay directly to its financial intermediary when buying or selling Class R6 or Advisor Class shares.

Shareholder Fees

(fees paid directly from your investment)

                     

 

Class A

 

Class C

 

Class R

 

Class R6

 

Advisor
Class

Maximum Sales Charge (Load)
Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price)

5.50%

 

None

 

None

 

None

 

None

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge
(Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds)

None

1 

1.00%

 

None

 

None

 

None

                     

1.

There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $1 Million or more (see "Investment of $1 Million or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

                   

 

Class A

 

Class C

 

Class R

 

Class R6

 

Advisor
Class

Management fees

0.43%

 

0.43%

 

0.43%

 

0.43%

 

0.43%

Distribution and service (12b-1) fees

0.25%

 

1.00%

 

0.50%

 

None

 

None

Other expenses

0.12%

 

0.12%

 

0.12%

 

0.03%

 

0.12%

Total annual Fund operating expenses

0.80%

 

1.55%

 

1.05%

 

0.46%

 

0.55%

     

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FRANKLIN GROWTH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund's operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by management for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

                   

 

 

 

1 Year

 

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

Class A

 

$627

 

$791

 

$969

 

$1,485

Class C

 

$258

 

$490

 

$846

 

$1,645

Class R

 

$107

 

$334

 

$579

 

$1,282

Class R6

 

$47

 

$147

 

$257

 

$578

Advisor Class

 

$56

 

$176

 

$307

 

$689

If you do not sell your shares:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class C

 

$158

 

$490

 

$846

 

$1,645

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 4.95% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests substantially in the equity securities of companies that are leaders in their industries. In selecting securities, the investment manager considers many factors, including historical and potential growth in revenues and earnings, assessment of strength and quality of management, and determination of a company's strategic positioning in its industry.

Although the Fund normally invests substantially in the equity securities (principally common stocks) of U.S.-based large and medium market capitalization companies, it may invest in companies in new and emerging industries where growth is expected to be above average and may invest up to 25% of its assets in smaller companies.

     

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FRANKLIN GROWTH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

The Fund's investment manager is a research driven, fundamental investor, generally pursuing a "buy-and-hold" growth strategy. As a "bottom-up" investor focusing primarily on individual securities, the investment manager chooses companies that it believes are positioned for growth in revenues, earnings or assets. Such advantages as a particular marketing niche, proven technology, sound financial records, strong management, and industry leadership are all factors the investment manager believes point to strong growth potential. Although the investment manager searches for investments across a large number of sectors, from time to time, based on economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in particular sectors including technology, health care and industrials.

Principal Risks

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government.

Market The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all investments. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.

The global outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, has resulted in market closures and dislocations, extreme volatility, liquidity constraints and increased trading costs. Efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in global travel restrictions and disruptions of healthcare systems, business operations and supply chains, layoffs, volatility in consumer demand for certain products, defaults and credit ratings downgrades, and other significant economic impacts. The effects of COVID-19 have impacted global economic activity across many industries and may heighten other pre-existing political, social and economic risks, locally or globally. The full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is unpredictable and may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.

Stock prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of debt securities. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the various stocks held by the Fund.

 

Focus To the extent that the Fund focuses on particular countries, regions, industries, sectors or types of investment from time to time, the Fund may be subject to greater risks of adverse developments in such areas of focus than a fund that invests in a wider variety of countries, regions, industries, sectors or investments.

     

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FRANKLIN GROWTH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

For example, the technology sector historically has been volatile due to the rapid pace of product change and development. Companies in the technology sector may be affected by worldwide technological developments, the success of their products and services (which may be outdated quickly), anticipated products or services that are delayed or cancelled, and investor perception of the company and/or its products or services. The activities of health care companies may be funded or subsidized by federal and state governments and changes in funding may adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Companies in the industrials sector are at risk for environmental damage and product liability claims and may be adversely affected by commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates, imposition of export or import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources, technological developments and labor relations. In addition, companies in all of these sectors may be adversely affected by changes in government regulation, world events and economic conditions.

Growth Style Investing Growth stock prices reflect projections of future earnings or revenues, and can, therefore, fall dramatically if the company fails to meet those projections. Prices of these companies’ securities may be more volatile than other securities, particularly over the short term. In addition, investment styles can go in and out of favor, which could cause additional volatility in the prices of the Fund’s portfolio holdings.

Small and Mid Capitalization Companies Securities issued by smaller and midsize capitalization companies may be more volatile in price than those of larger companies and may involve substantial risks. Such risks may include greater sensitivity to economic conditions, less certain growth prospects, lack of depth of management and funds for growth and development, and limited or less developed product lines and markets. In addition, smaller and midsize capitalization companies may be particularly affected by interest rate increases, as they may find it more difficult to borrow money to continue or expand operations, or may have difficulty in repaying any loans.

Management The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.

Cybersecurity Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, cause the Fund, the investment manager and/or their service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has limited

     

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FRANKLIN GROWTH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.

Because technology is frequently changing, new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises, the Fund, the investment manager and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time.

Performance

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for Class A shares. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or since inception, as applicable, compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. You can obtain updated performance information at franklintempleton.com or by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.

The secondary index in the table below shows how the Fund`s performance compares to a group of securities that reflect the Fund's growth style bias.

Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.

     

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FRANKLIN GROWTH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Class A Annual Total Returns

PerformanceBarChartData(2013:29.39,2014:14.88,2015:1.94,2016:8.41,2017:26.82,2018:-3.39,2019:32.17,2020:30.64,2021:21.8,2022:-25.09)

     

Best Quarter:

2020, Q2

23.86%

Worst Quarter:

2022, Q2

-18.47%

Average Annual Total Returns

(figures reflect sales charges)

For periods ended December 31, 2022

                     

 

 

1 Year

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 

Since Inception

 

Franklin Growth Fund - Class A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Return before taxes

 

-29.21%

 

7.54%

 

11.60%

 

 

 

Return after taxes on distributions

 

-30.78%

 

5.86%

 

10.44%

 

 

 

Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares

 

-16.13%

 

6.00%

 

9.60%

 

 

Franklin Growth Fund - Class C

 

-26.31%

 

7.95%

 

11.40%

 

 

Franklin Growth Fund - Class R

 

-25.26%

 

8.50%

 

11.96%

 

 

Franklin Growth Fund - Class R6

 

-24.82%

 

9.14%

 

 

12.25%

1

Franklin Growth Fund - Advisor Class 

 

-24.89%

 

9.04%

 

12.51%

 

 

S&P 500 Index (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

-18.11%

 

9.43%

 

12.56%

 

 

Russell 1000 Growth Index (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

-29.14%

 

10.96%

 

14.10%

 

 

                     

1.

Since inception May 1, 2013.

   

No one index is representative of the Fund's portfolio.

The figures in the average annual total returns table above reflect the Class A shares maximum front-end sales charge of 5.50%. Prior to September 10, 2018, Class A shares were subject to a maximum front-end sales charge of 5.75%. If the

     

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FRANKLIN GROWTH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

prior maximum front-end sales charge of 5.75% was reflected, performance for Class A shares in the average annual total returns table would be lower.

The after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.

Investment Manager

Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)

Portfolio Managers

Serena Perin Vinton, CFA 
Senior Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2008.

Robert Rendler, CFA 
Portfolio Manager and Research Analyst of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2016.

Joyce Lin, CFA
Portfolio Manager and Research Analyst of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2021.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any business day online through our website at franklintempleton.com, by mail (Franklin Templeton Investor Services, P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151), or by telephone at (800) 632-2301. For Class A, C and R, the minimum initial purchase for most accounts is $1,000 (or $25 under an automatic investment plan). Class R6 and Advisor Class are only available to certain qualified investors and the minimum initial investment will vary depending on the type of qualified investor, as described under "Your Account — Choosing a Share Class — Qualified Investors — Class R6" and "— Advisor Class" in the Fund's prospectus. There is no minimum investment for subsequent purchases.

Taxes

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or some combination of both, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement

     

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FRANKLIN GROWTH FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

account, in which case your distributions would generally be taxed when withdrawn from the tax-advantaged account.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

     

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FRANKLIN INCOME FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Franklin Income Fund

Investment Goal

To maximize income while maintaining prospects for capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in Franklin Templeton funds and certain other funds distributed through Franklin Distributors, LLC, the Fund’s distributor. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and under “Your Account” on page 166 in the Fund’s Prospectus and under “Buying and Selling Shares” on page 88 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information. In addition, more information about sales charge discounts and waivers for purchases of shares through specific financial intermediaries is set forth in Appendix A – “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers” to the Fund’s prospectus.

Please note that the tables and examples below do not reflect any transaction fees that may be charged by financial intermediaries, or commissions that a shareholder may be required to pay directly to its financial intermediary when buying or selling Class R6 or Advisor Class shares.

Shareholder Fees

(fees paid directly from your investment)

                         

 

Class A

 

Class A1

 

Class C

 

Class R

 

Class R6

 

Advisor
Class

Maximum Sales Charge (Load)
Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price)

3.75%

 

3.75%

 

None

 

None

 

None

 

None

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge
(Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds)

None

1 

None

1 

1.00%

 

None

 

None

 

None

                         

1.

There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $500,000 or more (see "Investment of $500,000 or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase.

     

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FRANKLIN INCOME FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

                       

 

Class A

 

Class A1

 

Class C

 

Class R

 

Class R6

 

Advisor
Class

Management fees

0.37%

 

0.37%

 

0.37%

 

0.37%

 

0.37%

 

0.37%

Distribution and service (12b-1) fees

0.25%

 

0.15%

 

0.65%

 

0.50%

 

None

 

None

Other expenses

0.10%

 

0.10%

 

0.10%

 

0.10%

 

0.05%

 

0.10%

Acquired fund fees and expenses1

0.01%

 

0.01%

 

0.01%

 

0.01%

 

0.01%

 

0.01%

Total annual Fund operating expenses

0.73%

 

0.63%

 

1.13%

 

0.98%

 

0.43%

 

0.48%

Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2

-0.01%

 

-0.01%

 

-0.01%

 

-0.01%

 

-0.02%

 

-0.01%

Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement1,2

0.72%

 

0.62%

 

1.12%

 

0.97%

 

0.41%

 

0.47%

1. Total annual Fund operating expenses differ from the ratio of expenses to average net assets shown in the Financial Highlights, which reflect the operating expenses of the Fund and do not include acquired fund fees and expenses.

2. The transfer agent has contractually agreed to cap transfer agency fees for Class R6 shares for the Fund so that transfer agency fees for that class do not exceed 0.03% until January 31, 2024. The investment manager also has contractually agreed in advance to reduce its fee as a result of the Fund's investment in Franklin Templeton affiliated funds (acquired fund) for at least one year following the date of this prospectus. During this term, this fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement may not be terminated or amended without approval of the board of trustees except to add series and classes, to reflect the extension of termination dates or to lower the cap on Fund’s fees and expenses (which would result in lower fees for shareholders).

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund's operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by management for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

                   

 

 

 

1 Year

 

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

Class A

 

$446

 

$599

 

$765

 

$1,246

Class A1

 

$436

 

$569

 

$713

 

$1,132

Class C

 

$214

 

$358

 

$621

 

$1,261

Class R

 

$99

 

$311

 

$541

 

$1,202

Class R6

 

$42

 

$136

 

$239

 

$541

Advisor Class

 

$48

 

$153

 

$268

 

$603

If you do not sell your shares:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class C

 

$114

 

$358

 

$621

 

$1,261

     

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FRANKLIN INCOME FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 77.65% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests in a diversified portfolio of debt and equity securities. The Fund may shift its investments from one asset class to another based on the investment manager's analysis of the best opportunities for the Fund’s portfolio in a given market. The equity securities in which the Fund invests consist primarily of common stocks, including those with dividend yields the investment manager believes are attractive. Debt securities include all varieties of fixed, floating and variable rate instruments, including secured and unsecured bonds, bonds convertible into common stock, senior floating rate and term loans, mortgage-backed securities and other asset-backed securities, debentures, and shorter term instruments. Bond investments may include U.S. and foreign corporate debt, U.S. Treasuries and foreign government bonds. The Fund may invest up to 100% of its total assets in debt securities that are rated below investment grade (also known as "junk bonds"), including a portion in defaulted securities, although the Fund will not invest more than 5% of its assets in securities that are defaulted at the time of purchase. The Fund maintains the flexibility to invest in securities of companies from a variety of sectors, but from time to time, based on economic conditions, the Fund may have significant investments in particular sectors. The Fund may also invest up to 25% of its assets in foreign securities, either directly or through depositary receipts.

The Fund may, from time to time, use a variety of equity-related derivatives and complex equity securities, which may include purchasing or selling call and put options on equity securities and equity security indices, futures on equity securities and equity indexes, options on equity index futures and equity-linked notes, for various purposes including enhancing Fund returns, increasing liquidity, gaining exposure to particular instruments in more efficient or less expensive ways and/or hedging risks relating to changes in certain equity markets. In addition, the Fund may, from time to time, use interest rate-related derivatives, including interest rate swaps and interest rate and/or bond futures contracts (including U.S. Treasury futures contracts) for various purposes including enhancing Fund returns, increasing liquidity, gaining exposure to particular instruments in more efficient or less expensive ways and/or hedging risks relating to changes in interest rates. The

     

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FRANKLIN INCOME FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Fund also may, from time to time, use currency-related derivatives, such as forward foreign currency exchange contracts, currency futures contracts, currency swaps and currency options to hedge (protect) against currency risks, and credit-related derivatives, such as credit default swaps and options on credit default swaps, to hedge (protect) against credit risks. The use of such derivative transactions may allow the Fund to obtain net long or net short exposures to selected markets, interest rates, countries or durations.

The Fund's investment manager searches for undervalued or out-of-favor securities it believes offer opportunities for income today and significant growth tomorrow. In analyzing both corporate debt and equity securities, the investment manager considers a variety of factors, including:

· a security's relative value based on such factors as anticipated cash flow, interest or dividend coverage, asset coverage, and earnings prospects;

· the experience and strength of the company's management;

· the company's changing financial condition and market recognition of the change;

· the company's sensitivity to changes in interest rates and business conditions; and

· the company's debt maturity schedules and borrowing requirements.

When choosing investments for the Fund, the investment manager applies a "bottom-up," value oriented, long-term approach, focusing on the market price of a company's securities relative to the investment manager's evaluation of the company's long-term earnings, asset value and cash flow potential. The investment manager also considers a company's price/earnings ratio, profit margins and liquidation value. It generally performs independent analysis of the debt securities being considered for the Fund's portfolio, rather than relying principally on the ratings assigned by rating organizations.

Principal Risks

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government.

Market The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all investments. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.

     

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FRANKLIN INCOME FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

The global outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, has resulted in market closures and dislocations, extreme volatility, liquidity constraints and increased trading costs. Efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in global travel restrictions and disruptions of healthcare systems, business operations and supply chains, layoffs, volatility in consumer demand for certain products, defaults and credit ratings downgrades, and other significant economic impacts. The effects of COVID-19 have impacted global economic activity across many industries and may heighten other pre-existing political, social and economic risks, locally or globally. The full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is unpredictable and may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.

Stock prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of debt securities. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the various stocks held by the Fund.

 

Interest Rate When interest rates rise, debt security prices generally fall. The opposite is also generally true: debt security prices rise when interest rates fall. Interest rate changes are influenced by a number of factors, including government policy, monetary policy, inflation expectations, perceptions of risk, and supply of and demand for bonds. In general, securities with longer maturities or durations are more sensitive to interest rate changes.

Credit An issuer of debt securities may fail to make interest payments or repay principal when due, in whole or in part. Changes in an issuer's financial strength or in a security's or government's credit rating may affect a security's value.

High-Yield Debt Securities Issuers of lower-rated or “high-yield” debt securities (also known as “junk bonds”) are not as strong financially as those issuing higher credit quality debt securities. High-yield debt securities are generally considered predominantly speculative by the applicable rating agencies as their issuers are more likely to encounter financial difficulties because they may be more highly leveraged, or because of other considerations. In addition, high yield debt securities generally are more vulnerable to changes in the relevant economy, such as a recession or a sustained period of rising interest rates, that could affect their ability to make interest and principal payments when due. The prices of high-yield debt securities generally fluctuate more than those of higher credit quality. High-yield debt securities are generally more illiquid (harder to sell) and harder to value.

 

Income The Fund's distributions to shareholders may decline when prevailing interest rates fall, when the Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds or when the Fund realizes a loss upon the sale of a debt security.

Focus To the extent that the Fund focuses on particular countries, regions, industries, sectors or types of investment from time to time, the Fund may be subject to greater risks of adverse developments in such areas of focus than a fund

     

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FRANKLIN INCOME FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

that invests in a wider variety of countries, regions, industries, sectors or investments.

Equity-Linked Notes (ELNs) ELNs may not perform as expected and could cause the Fund to realize significant losses including its entire principal investment. Other risks include counterparty risk, liquidity risk and imperfect correlation between ELNs and the underlying securities.

Foreign Securities (non-U.S.) Investing in foreign securities typically involves more risks than investing in U.S. securities, including risks related to currency exchange rates and policies, country or government specific issues, less favorable trading practices or regulation and greater price volatility. Certain of these risks also may apply to securities of U.S. companies with significant foreign operations. The risks of investing in foreign securities are typically greater in less developed or emerging market countries.

Depositary Receipts Depositary receipts are subject to many of the risks of the underlying securities. For some depositary receipts, the custodian or similar financial institution that holds the issuer's shares in a trust account is located in the issuer's home country. In these cases if the issuer’s home country does not have developed financial markets, the Fund could be exposed to the credit risk of the custodian or financial institution and greater market risk. In addition, the depository institution may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services. The Fund may experience delays in receiving its dividend and interest payments or exercising rights as a shareholder. There may be an increased possibility of untimely responses to certain corporate actions of the issuer in an unsponsored depositary receipt program. Accordingly, there may be less information available regarding issuers of securities underlying unsponsored programs and there may not be a correlation between this information and the market value of the depositary receipts.

Mortgage Securities and Asset-Backed Securities Mortgage securities differ from conventional debt securities because principal is paid back periodically over the life of the security rather than at maturity. The Fund may receive unscheduled payments of principal due to voluntary prepayments, refinancings or foreclosures on the underlying mortgage loans. Because of prepayments, mortgage securities may be less effective than some other types of debt securities as a means of "locking in" long-term interest rates and may have less potential for capital appreciation during periods of falling interest rates. A reduction in the anticipated rate of principal prepayments, especially during periods of rising interest rates, may increase or extend the effective maturity of mortgage securities, making them more sensitive to interest rate changes, subject to greater price volatility, and more susceptible than some other debt securities to a decline in market value when interest rates rise.

     

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FRANKLIN INCOME FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Issuers of asset-backed securities may have limited ability to enforce the security interest in the underlying assets, and credit enhancements provided to support the securities, if any, may be inadequate to protect investors in the event of default. Like mortgage securities, asset-backed securities are subject to prepayment and extension risks.

Convertible Securities Convertible securities are subject to the risks of stocks when the underlying stock price is high relative to the conversion price (because more of the security's value resides in the conversion feature) and debt securities when the underlying stock price is low relative to the conversion price (because the conversion feature is less valuable). A convertible security is not as sensitive to interest rate changes as a similar non-convertible debt security, and generally has less potential for gain or loss than the underlying stock.

LIBOR Transition The Fund invests in financial instruments that may have floating or variable rate calculations for payment obligations or financing terms based on the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), which is the benchmark interest rate at which major global banks lent to one another in the international interbank market for short-term loans. In 2017, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority announced its intention to cease compelling banks to provide the quotations needed to sustain LIBOR after 2021. Although many LIBOR rates were phased out at the end of 2021 as originally intended, a selection of widely used USD LIBOR rates will continue to be published until June 2023 in order to assist with the transition to an alternative rate. Actions by regulators have resulted in the establishment of alternative reference rates to LIBOR in most major currencies. There can be no guarantee that financial instruments that transition to an alternative reference rate will retain the same value or liquidity as they would otherwise have had.

Management The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.

Value Style Investing  A value stock may not increase in price as anticipated by the investment manager if other investors fail to recognize the company's value and bid up the price, the markets favor faster-growing companies, or the factors that the investment manager believes will increase the price of the security do not occur or do not have the anticipated effect.

Prepayment Prepayment risk occurs when a debt security can be repaid in whole or in part prior to the security's maturity and the Fund must reinvest the proceeds it receives, during periods of declining interest rates, in securities that pay a lower rate of interest. Also, if a security has been purchased at a premium, the value of

     

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FRANKLIN INCOME FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

the premium would be lost in the event of prepayment. Prepayments generally increase when interest rates fall.

Derivative Instruments The performance of derivative instruments depends largely on the performance of an underlying instrument, such as a currency, security, interest rate or index, and such instruments often have risks similar to their underlying instrument, in addition to other risks. Derivative instruments involve costs and can create economic leverage in the Fund's portfolio which may result in significant volatility and cause the Fund to participate in losses (as well as gains) in an amount that exceeds the Fund's initial investment. Other risks include illiquidity, mispricing or improper valuation of the derivative instrument, and imperfect correlation between the value of the derivative and the underlying instrument so that the Fund may not realize the intended benefits. When a derivative is used for hedging, the change in value of the derivative may also not correlate specifically with the currency, security, interest rate, index or other risk being hedged. With over-the-counter derivatives, there is the risk that the other party to the transaction will fail to perform.

Cybersecurity Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, cause the Fund, the investment manager and/or their service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.

Because technology is frequently changing, new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises, the Fund, the investment manager and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time.

     

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FRANKLIN INCOME FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Performance

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for Class A shares. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or since inception, as applicable, compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. You can obtain updated performance information at franklintempleton.com or by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.

The secondary index in the table below shows how the Fund‘s performance compares to groups of securities that align with the Fund’s expected exposure to income producing equity and debt securities.

Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.

Class A Annual Total Returns

PerformanceBarChartData(2013:14.22,2014:4.11,2015:-7.82,2016:16.28,2017:8.41,2018:-5.77,2019:15.69,2020:3.46,2021:17.57,2022:-5.61)

     

Best Quarter:

2020, Q4

11.62%

Worst Quarter:

2020, Q1

-16.02%

     

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FRANKLIN INCOME FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Average Annual Total Returns

(figures reflect sales charges)

For periods ended December 31, 2022

                     

 

 

1 Year

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 

Since Inception

 

Franklin Income Fund - Class A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Return before taxes

 

-9.15%

 

3.80%

 

5.23%

 

 

 

Return after taxes on distributions

 

-10.85%

 

1.76%

 

3.21%

 

 

 

Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares

 

-5.21%

 

2.16%

 

3.28%

 

 

Franklin Income Fund - Class A1

 

-8.68%

 

4.01%

 

5.32%

 

 

Franklin Income Fund - Class C

 

-6.76%

 

4.25%

 

5.20%

 

 

Franklin Income Fund - Class R

 

-5.54%

 

4.40%

 

5.36%

 

 

Franklin Income Fund - Class R6

 

-4.88%

 

5.09%

 

 

5.43%

1

Franklin Income Fund - Advisor Class 

 

-4.94%

 

4.96%

 

5.88%

 

 

S&P 500 Index (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

-18.11%

 

9.43%

 

12.56%

 

 

Blended 50% MSCI USA High Dividend Yield Index + 25% Bloomberg High Yield Very Liquid Index + 25% Bloomberg US Aggregate Index (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

-8.56%

 

4.23%

 

6.88%

 

 

                     

1.

Since inception May 1, 2013.

   

No one index is representative of the Fund's portfolio.

Historical performance for Class A shares in the bar chart and table above prior to their inception is based on the performance of Class A1 shares and has been adjusted to reflect differences in Rule 12b-1 fees between classes.

The figures in the average annual total returns table above reflect the Class A and Class A1 shares maximum front-end sales charge of 3.75%. Prior to March 1, 2019, Class A and Class A1 shares were subject to a maximum front-end sales charge of 4.25%. If the prior maximum front-end sales charge of 4.25% was reflected, performance for Class A and Class A1 shares in the average annual total returns table would be lower.

The after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.

Investment Manager

Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)

     

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FRANKLIN INCOME FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Portfolio Managers

Edward D. Perks, CFA
President and Director of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2002.

Brendan Circle, CFA
Senior Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2019.

Todd Brighton, CFA
Senior Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2017.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any business day online through our website at franklintempleton.com, by mail (Franklin Templeton Investor Services, P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151), or by telephone at (800) 632-2301. For Class A, C and R, the minimum initial purchase for most accounts is $1,000 (or $25 under an automatic investment plan). Class R6 and Advisor Class are only available to certain qualified investors and the minimum initial investment will vary depending on the type of qualified investor, as described under "Your Account — Choosing a Share Class — Qualified Investors — Class R6" and "— Advisor Class" in the Fund's prospectus. There is no minimum investment for subsequent purchases.

Taxes

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, in which case your distributions would generally be taxed when withdrawn from the tax-advantaged account.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

     

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FRANKLIN U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund

Investment Goal

Income.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in Franklin Templeton funds and certain other funds distributed through Franklin Distributors, LLC, the Fund’s distributor. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and under “Your Account” on page 166 in the Fund’s Prospectus and under “Buying and Selling Shares” on page 88 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information. In addition, more information about sales charge discounts and waivers for purchases of shares through specific financial intermediaries is set forth in Appendix A – “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers” to the Fund’s prospectus.

Please note that the tables and examples below do not reflect any transaction fees that may be charged by financial intermediaries, or commissions that a shareholder may be required to pay directly to its financial intermediary when buying or selling Class R6 or Advisor Class shares.

Shareholder Fees

(fees paid directly from your investment)

                         

 

Class A

 

Class A1

 

Class C

 

Class R

 

Class R6

 

Advisor
Class

Maximum Sales Charge (Load)
Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price)

3.75%

 

3.75%

 

None

 

None

 

None

 

None

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge
(Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds)

None

1 

None

1 

1.00%

 

None

 

None

 

None

                         

1.

There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $500,000 or more (see "Investment of $500,000 or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase.

     

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FUND SUMMARIES

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

                       

 

Class A

 

Class A1

 

Class C

 

Class R

 

Class R6

 

Advisor
Class

Management fees

0.45%

 

0.45%

 

0.45%

 

0.45%

 

0.45%

 

0.45%

Distribution and service (12b-1) fees

0.25%

 

0.15%

 

0.65%

 

0.50%

 

None

 

None

Other expenses

0.17%

 

0.16%

 

0.17%

 

0.17%

 

0.05%

 

0.17%

Total annual Fund operating expenses

0.87%

 

0.76%

 

1.27%

 

1.12%

 

0.50%

 

0.62%

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund's operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by management for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

                   

 

 

 

1 Year

 

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

Class A

 

$460

 

$642

 

$838

 

$1,406

Class A1

 

$450

 

$609

 

$782

 

$1,283

Class C

 

$229

 

$402

 

$696

 

$1,422

Class R

 

$114

 

$356

 

$617

 

$1,363

Class R6

 

$51

 

$160

 

$279

 

$629

Advisor Class

 

$63

 

$198

 

$345

 

$774

If you do not sell your shares:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class C

 

$129

 

$402

 

$696

 

$1,422

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 53.63% of the average value of its portfolio.

     

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FRANKLIN U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND
FUND SUMMARIES

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. government securities. The Fund presently invests substantially all of its assets in Government National Mortgage Association obligations (Ginnie Maes). Ginnie Maes represent an ownership interest in mortgage loans pooled together for sale to investors to finance purchases of homes. The mortgage loans may have either fixed or adjustable interest rates. As the underlying mortgage loans are paid off, Ginnie Maes provide investors with monthly payments of interest and principal as well as any unscheduled prepayments on the underlying mortgage loans.

Ginnie Maes carry a guarantee as to the timely repayment of principal and interest that is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. The full faith and credit guarantee does not apply to the market prices and yields of the Ginnie Maes or to the net asset value or performance of the Fund, which will vary with changes in interest rates and other market conditions.

Principal Risks

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government.

Interest Rate When interest rates rise, debt security prices generally fall. The opposite is also generally true: debt security prices rise when interest rates fall. Interest rate changes are influenced by a number of factors, including government policy, monetary policy, inflation expectations, perceptions of risk, and supply of and demand for bonds. In general, securities with longer maturities or durations are more sensitive to interest rate changes.

Prepayment Prepayment risk occurs when a debt security can be repaid in whole or in part prior to the security's maturity and the Fund must reinvest the proceeds it receives, during periods of declining interest rates, in securities that pay a lower rate of interest. Also, if a security has been purchased at a premium, the value of the premium would be lost in the event of prepayment. Prepayments generally increase when interest rates fall.

Extension The market value of some debt securities (such as certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities) will be adversely affected when bond calls or prepayments on underlying mortgages or other assets are less or slower than anticipated. When that occurs, the effective maturity date of the Fund’s investment is extended, resulting in an increase in interest rate sensitivity to that of a longer-term instrument.

     

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FUND SUMMARIES

Ginnie Maes Ginnie Maes differ from conventional corporate debt securities because principal is paid back monthly over the life of the security rather than at maturity. The Fund may receive unscheduled payments of principal due to voluntary prepayments, refinancing or foreclosure on the underlying mortgage loans. Because of prepayments, Ginnie Maes may be less effective than some other types of securities as a means of "locking in" long-term interest rates and may have less potential for capital appreciation during periods of falling interest rates. A reduction in the anticipated rate of principal prepayments, especially during periods of rising interest rates, may increase the effective maturity of Ginnie Maes, making them more susceptible than some other debt securities to a decline in market value when interest rates rise.

Income The Fund's distributions to shareholders may decline when prevailing interest rates fall, when the Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds or when the Fund realizes a loss upon the sale of a debt security.

Credit U.S. government investments generally have the least credit risk but are not completely free of credit risk. Any downgrade of securities issued by the U.S. government may result in a downgrade of securities issued by its agencies or instrumentalities, including securities issued by Ginnie Mae. While securities issued by Ginnie Mae are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, guarantees of principal and interest do not apply to market prices, yields or the Fund’s share price.

Management The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.

Market The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all investments. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.

The global outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, has resulted in market closures and dislocations, extreme volatility, liquidity constraints and increased trading costs. Efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in global travel restrictions and disruptions of healthcare systems, business operations and supply chains, layoffs, volatility in consumer demand for certain products, defaults and credit ratings downgrades, and other significant economic impacts. The effects of COVID-19 have impacted global economic activity across many industries and may heighten other pre-existing political, social and economic

     

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risks, locally or globally. The full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is unpredictable and may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.

Cybersecurity Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, cause the Fund, the investment manager and/or their service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.

Because technology is frequently changing, new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises, the Fund, the investment manager and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time.

Performance

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for Class A shares. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or since inception, as applicable, compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. You can obtain updated performance information at franklintempleton.com or by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.

Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.

     

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Class A Annual Total Returns

PerformanceBarChartData(2013:-1.68,2014:4.3,2015:0.93,2016:0.67,2017:0.74,2018:0.29,2019:5.34,2020:3.38,2021:-2.16,2022:-10.42)

     

Best Quarter:

2020, Q1

2.69%

Worst Quarter:

2022, Q3

-5.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(figures reflect sales charges)

For periods ended December 31, 2022

                     

 

 

1 Year

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 

Since Inception

 

Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund - Class A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Return before taxes

 

-13.78%

 

-1.63%

 

-0.33%

 

 

 

Return after taxes on distributions

 

-14.69%

 

-2.68%

 

-1.57%

 

 

 

Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares

 

-8.14%

 

-1.63%

 

-0.76%

 

 

Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund - Class A1

 

-13.73%

 

-1.57%

 

-0.29%

 

 

Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund - Class C

 

-11.73%

 

-1.31%

 

-0.42%

 

 

Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund - Class R

 

-10.64%

 

-1.15%

 

-0.27%

 

 

Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund - Class R6

 

-10.20%

 

-0.54%

 

 

0.33%

1

Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund - Advisor Class 

 

-10.16%

 

-0.65%

 

0.23%

 

 

Bloomberg US Government - Intermediate Index (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

-7.73%

 

0.46%

 

0.69%

 

 

                     

1.

Since inception May 1, 2013.

   

Historical performance for Class A shares in the bar chart and table above prior to their inception is based on the performance of Class A1 shares and has been adjusted to reflect differences in Rule 12b-1 fees between classes.

     

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The figures in the average annual total returns table above reflect the Class A and Class A1 shares maximum front-end sales charge of 3.75%. Prior to March 1, 2019, Class A and Class A1 shares were subject to a maximum front-end sales charge of 4.25%. If the prior maximum front-end sales charge of 4.25% was reflected, performance for Class A and Class A1 shares in the average annual total returns table would be lower.

The after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.

Investment Manager

Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)

Portfolio Managers

Paul Varunok
Senior Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2003.

Neil Dhruv
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2019.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any business day online through our website at franklintempleton.com, by mail (Franklin Templeton Investor Services, P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151), or by telephone at (800) 632-2301. For Class A, C and R, the minimum initial purchase for most accounts is $1,000 (or $25 under an automatic investment plan). Class R6 and Advisor Class are only available to certain qualified investors and the minimum initial investment will vary depending on the type of qualified investor, as described under "Your Account — Choosing a Share Class — Qualified Investors — Class R6" and "— Advisor Class" in the Fund's prospectus. There is no minimum investment for subsequent purchases.

Taxes

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, in which case your distributions would generally be taxed when withdrawn from the tax-advantaged account.

     

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Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

     

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Franklin Utilities Fund

Investment Goal

Capital appreciation and current income.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in Franklin Templeton funds and certain other funds distributed through Franklin Distributors, LLC, the Fund’s distributor. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and under “Your Account” on page 166 in the Fund’s Prospectus and under “Buying and Selling Shares” on page 88 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information. In addition, more information about sales charge discounts and waivers for purchases of shares through specific financial intermediaries is set forth in Appendix A – “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers” to the Fund’s prospectus.

Please note that the tables and examples below do not reflect any transaction fees that may be charged by financial intermediaries, or commissions that a shareholder may be required to pay directly to its financial intermediary when buying or selling Class R6 or Advisor Class shares.

Shareholder Fees

(fees paid directly from your investment)

                         

 

Class A

 

Class A1

 

Class C

 

Class R

 

Class R6

 

Advisor
Class

Maximum Sales Charge (Load)
Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price)

3.75%

 

3.75%

 

None

 

None

 

None

 

None

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge
(Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds)

None

1 

None

1 

1.00%

 

None

 

None

 

None

                         

1.

There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $500,000 or more (see "Investment of $500,000 or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase.

     

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Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

                       

 

Class A

 

Class A1

 

Class C

 

Class R

 

Class R6

 

Advisor
Class

Management fees

0.46%

 

0.46%

 

0.46%

 

0.46%

 

0.46%

 

0.46%

Distribution and service (12b-1) fees

0.25%

 

0.15%

 

0.65%

 

0.50%

 

None

 

None

Other expenses

0.11%

 

0.11%

 

0.11%

 

0.11%

 

0.08%

 

0.11%

Total annual Fund operating expenses

0.82%

 

0.72%

 

1.22%

 

1.07%

 

0.54%

 

0.57%

Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement1

None

 

None

 

None

 

None

 

-0.04%

 

None

Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement1

0.82%

 

0.72%

 

1.22%

 

1.07%

 

0.50%

 

0.57%

1. The transfer agent has contractually agreed to cap transfer agency fees for Class R6 shares of the Fund so that the transfer agency fees for that class do not exceed 0.03% until January 31, 2024. During the term, this fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement may not be terminated or amended without approval of the board of trustees except to add series and classes, to reflect the extension of termination dates or to lower the cap on Fund’s fees and expenses (which would result in lower fees for shareholders).

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund's operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by management for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

                   

 

 

 

1 Year

 

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

Class A

 

$456

 

$627

 

$813

 

$1,350

Class A1

 

$446

 

$597

 

$761

 

$1,236

Class C

 

$224

 

$387

 

$670

 

$1,366

Class R

 

$109

 

$340

 

$589

 

$1,304

Class R6

 

$51

 

$169

 

$298

 

$674

Advisor Class

 

$58

 

$183

 

$318

 

$713

If you do not sell your shares:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class C

 

$124

 

$387

 

$670

 

$1,366

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating

     

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expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 5.66% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in the securities of public utilities companies. These are companies that provide electricity, natural gas, water, and communications services to the public and companies that provide services to public utilities companies. The Fund concentrates (invests more than 25% of its total assets) in companies operating in the utilities industry. The Fund invests primarily in equity securities, which consist mainly of common stocks.

The Fund searches for the best return opportunities available in the global utilities arena with a specific focus on the U.S. electricity and gas sector. Generally, the Fund seeks to invest in companies producing a high percentage of earnings from their regulated operations.

Principal Risks

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government.

Utilities Industry Utility company equity securities, to the extent they are purchased for their dividend yield, historically have been sensitive to interest rate movements: when interest rates have risen, the stock prices of these companies have tended to fall. In some states, utility companies and their rates are regulated; other states have moved to deregulate such companies thereby causing non-regulated companies’ returns to generally be more volatile and more sensitive to changes in revenue and earnings. Certain utilities companies face risks associated with the operation of nuclear facilities for electric generation, including, among other considerations, litigation, the problems associated with the use of radioactive materials and the effects of natural or man-made disasters. In general, all utility companies may face additional regulation and litigation regarding their power plant operations; increased costs from new or greater regulation of these operations; the need to purchase expensive emissions control equipment or new operations due to regulations; and the availability and cost of fuel, all of which may lower their earnings. The distribution side of the utilities industry also faces increased operational costs related to the natural aging of equipment and the related costs required to provide maintenance, upgrades or replacements to such equipment to insure safe and reliable utility operations.

     

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Market The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all investments. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.

The global outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, has resulted in market closures and dislocations, extreme volatility, liquidity constraints and increased trading costs. Efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in global travel restrictions and disruptions of healthcare systems, business operations and supply chains, layoffs, volatility in consumer demand for certain products, defaults and credit ratings downgrades, and other significant economic impacts. The effects of COVID-19 have impacted global economic activity across many industries and may heighten other pre-existing political, social and economic risks, locally or globally. The full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is unpredictable and may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.

Stock prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of debt securities. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the various stocks held by the Fund.

 

Concentration To the extent the Fund concentrates in a specific industry, a group of industries, sector or type of investment, the Fund will carry much greater risks of adverse developments and price movements in such industries, sectors or investments than a fund that invests in a wider variety of industries, sectors or investments. There is also the risk that the Fund will perform poorly during a slump in demand for securities of companies in such industries or sectors.

Management The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.

Cybersecurity Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, cause the Fund, the investment manager and/or their service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result

     

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in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.

Because technology is frequently changing, new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises, the Fund, the investment manager and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time.

Performance

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for Class A shares. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or since inception, as applicable, compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. You can obtain updated performance information at franklintempleton.com or by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.

The secondary index in the table below shows how the Fund's performance compares to a group of securities that reflects the broader equity markets universe.

Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.

     

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Class A Annual Total Returns

PerformanceBarChartData(2013:13.7,2014:25.18,2015:-7.39,2016:17.77,2017:10.56,2018:2.67,2019:26.62,2020:-2,2021:17.86,2022:1.58)

     

Best Quarter:

2016, Q1

14.75%

Worst Quarter:

2020, Q1

-14.80%

Average Annual Total Returns

(figures reflect sales charges)

For periods ended December 31, 2022

                     

 

 

1 Year

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 

Since Inception

 

Franklin Utilities Fund - Class A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Return before taxes

 

-2.23%

 

7.98%

 

9.68%

 

 

 

Return after taxes on distributions

 

-3.06%

 

6.50%

 

8.35%

 

 

 

Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares

 

-0.74%

 

6.03%

 

7.62%

 

 

Franklin Utilities Fund - Class A1

 

-2.15%

 

8.07%

 

9.73%

 

 

Franklin Utilities Fund - Class C

 

0.15%

 

8.37%

 

9.60%

 

 

Franklin Utilities Fund - Class R

 

1.33%