Franklin Resources, Inc. vs NRG Energy Inc — how do they compare? Franklin Resources, Inc. trades at $33.56 (market cap $16.95B), while NRG Energy Inc trades at $122.4 (market cap $24.83B). The key difference: NRG Energy Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Franklin Resources, Inc. pays the higher dividend (3.96%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| BEN | NRG | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $16.95B | $24.83B |
Sector | Financials | Utilities |
52-Week High | $35.77 | $184.03 |
52-Week Low | $21.18 | $117.04 |
Enterprise Value | $29.90B | $48.79B |
Dividend Yield | 3.96% | 1.61% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Franklin Resources (BEN) trades at $33.52, down 0.74% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $0.72, beating estimates, and achieved record AUM of $1.80 trillion as of July 31, 2026, driven by strong inflows and diversification efforts. Valuation ratios include a P/E of 22.69 and P/S of 1.85, while profitability metrics show a net income margin of 8.72%.
The outlook is positive with earnings beats and AUM growth, but risks include weaker ROE of 1.34% and net cash outflows. Analyst consensus price target is $36.50, suggesting potential upside, supported by a 'Buy' rating from 22% of analysts. Investors should monitor margin expansion and competitive pressures in the asset management sector.
NRG Energy trades at $118.91, down 0.66% today, with a bearish technical signal. Recent Q2 2026 earnings missed estimates, but revenue grew 11% year-over-year. The company is expanding with a 1.2 GW Texas data-center power project, targeting long-term EBITDA growth. Valuation metrics show a P/E of 30.76 and P/S of 0.72, with strong ROE at 26.77% but modest net income margin of 2.56%. Cash flow trends are volatile, with 2025 net cash flow at $3.83B but a projected decline in 2026.
Outlook: Growth driven by data-center demand and strategic acquisitions offers upside, but high debt and earnings misses pose risks. Analyst consensus is bullish with a $207.83 price target, though technical weakness and rising interest costs require caution. Key opportunities include hyperscaler partnerships, while risks involve leverage and execution challenges.
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 →NRG Energy is one of the largest retail energy providers in the U.S., with 7 million customers, including its 2021 acquisition of Direct Energy. It also is one of the largest U.S. independent power producers, with 16 gigawatts of nuclear, coal, gas, and oil power generation capacity primarily in Texas. Since 2018, NRG has divested its 47% stake in NRG Yield, among other renewable energy and conventional generation investments. NRG exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy as a stand-alone entity in December 2003.
Read more on NRG →