Franklin Resources, Inc. vs Microsoft — how do they compare? Franklin Resources, Inc. trades at $33.37 (market cap $17.03B), while Microsoft trades at $501.76 (market cap $3.76T). The key difference: Microsoft is far larger — about 220.8× 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 | MSFT | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $17.03B | $3.76T |
Sector | Financials | Technology |
52-Week High | $35.77 | $542.07 |
52-Week Low | $21.18 | $352.83 |
Enterprise Value | $29.98B | $3.74T |
Dividend Yield | 3.94% | 0.72% |
Volume | — | 36,654,621 |
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.
Microsoft (MSFT) trades at $503.81, up 0.76% on the day, with a bullish technical signal and strong fundamentals. The stock shows robust earnings beats in recent quarters, with Q2 2026 EPS of $4.74 exceeding the $4.24 estimate. Revenue growth is steady, reaching $281.72B in 2025, supported by a net income margin of 40.31%. Analyst consensus is overwhelmingly positive, with 80.49% buy ratings and a $553.70 price target. Recent news highlights AI leadership and Azure momentum, though concerns over capital expenditures persist.
Outlook remains favorable with AI-driven growth and cloud expansion, but risks include high valuation (P/E 28.19) and competitive pressures. Investment opportunity lies in sustained earnings momentum and dividend stability, while volatility from tech sector shifts and macroeconomic factors warrants caution.
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 →Microsoft Corporation develops, manufactures, licenses, sells, and supports software products. The Company offers operating system software, server application software, business and consumer applications software, software development tools, and Internet and intranet software. Microsoft also develops video game consoles and digital music entertainment devices.
Read more on MSFT →