Franklin Resources, Inc. vs Caterpillar Inc — how do they compare? Franklin Resources, Inc. trades at $33.37 (market cap $17.03B), while Caterpillar Inc trades at $843.25 (market cap $385.01B). The key difference: Caterpillar Inc is far larger — about 22.6× Franklin Resources, Inc.'s market cap, and Franklin Resources, Inc. pays the higher dividend (3.94%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| BEN | CAT | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $17.03B | $385.01B |
Sector | Financials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $35.77 | $1.06K |
52-Week Low | $21.18 | $407.79 |
Enterprise Value | $29.98B | $423.45B |
Dividend Yield | 3.94% | 0.78% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Franklin Resources (BEN) trades at $33.77, down 0.68% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $36.50. The company reported record AUM of $1.80 trillion as of July 31, 2026 (Business Wire, 2026-08-05), and has beaten EPS estimates for the last three quarters, with Q3 2026 results showing strong net inflows and margin expansion. Revenue for 2025 was $8.77 billion, with net income of $524.90 million.
The outlook is positive, driven by earnings beats, AUM growth, and diversification into private markets, but risks include inconsistent cash flow trends and competitive pressures. Analyst sentiment is mixed, with 59% hold ratings, indicating cautious optimism amid execution risks.
Caterpillar (CAT) trades at $843.37, up 0.14% on the day, with strong year-to-date performance driven by robust earnings beats and AI data center demand. The stock shows a bearish technical signal but maintains solid fundamentals, including a net income margin of 14.51% and ROE of 56.99%. Recent news highlights growth from power and energy segments, with a dividend increase expected in June 2026.
Outlook remains positive due to earnings momentum and infrastructure tailwinds, though elevated valuation ratios like a P/E of 36.07 pose risks. Analyst consensus is bullish with a $1,010 price target, but investors should monitor economic cycles and competitive pressures that could impact future performance.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Franklin Resources provides investment services for individual and institutional investors. At the end of August 2022, Franklin had $1.388 trillion in managed assets, composed primarily of equity (32%), fixed-income (38%), multi-asset/balanced (10%) funds, alternatives (16%), and money market funds (4%). Distribution tends to be weighted more toward retail investors (49% of AUM) investors, as opposed to institutional (49%) and high-net-worth (2%) clients. Franklin is also one of the more global firms of the U.S.-based asset managers with more than 35% of its AUM invested in global/international strategies and 25% of managed assets sourced from clients domiciled outside the United States.
Read more on BEN →Caterpillar Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets construction, mining, and forestry machinery. The Company also manufactures engines and other related parts for its equipment, and offers financing and insurance. Caterpillar distributes its products through a worldwide organization of dealers.
Read more on CAT →