Franklin Resources, Inc. vs Vanguard Intermediate Term Corporate Bond ETF — how do they compare? Franklin Resources, Inc. trades at $33.37 (market cap $17.03B), while Vanguard Intermediate Term Corporate Bond ETF trades at $81.23. The key difference: Franklin Resources, Inc. pays a 3.94% dividend while Vanguard Intermediate Term Corporate Bond ETF pays none, and Franklin Resources, Inc. is trading nearer its 52-week high, Vanguard Intermediate Term Corporate Bond ETF nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| BEN | VCIT | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $17.03B | — |
Sector | Financials | Fixed Income |
52-Week High | $35.77 | $84.82 |
52-Week Low | $21.18 | $81.07 |
Enterprise Value | $29.98B | — |
Dividend Yield | 3.94% | — |
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.
VCIT, the Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF, trades at $81.42, up 0.17% over 24 hours. The technical outlook is neutral with bearish moving averages, while recent news highlights its low 0.03% expense ratio and competitive yield. Dividend distributions are scheduled through mid-2026, providing steady income.
The ETF offers a balance of yield and moderate risk through investment-grade corporate bonds. Key risks include interest rate sensitivity and economic volatility. Analyst sentiment is mixed, emphasizing cost efficiency but cautioning on duration exposure in a shifting rate environment.
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 →VCIT tracks the Bloomberg U.S. 5-10 Year Corporate Bond Index, providing exposure to investment-grade debt from industrial, utility, and financial companies. It acts as a middle-ground bond fund, offering higher yields than short-term bonds with less price volatility than long-term corporate debt.
Read more on VCIT →