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N-1A
FRANKLIN CUSTODIAN FUNDS
0.0282
0.1367
0.1422
0.0411
-0.0782
0.1628
0.0841
-0.0577
0.1569
0.0346
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 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. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and under “Your Account” on page 150 in the Fund's Prospectus and under “Buying and Selling Shares” on page 85 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.
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.
100000
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
0.0375
0
0
0
0
0.0100
0
0
0
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
0.0037
0.0037
0.0037
0.0037
0.0037
0.0037
0.0025
0.0015
0.0065
0.0050
0
0
0.0009
0.0009
0.0009
0.0009
0.0009
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:
445
596
760
1235
435
565
707
1120
213
355
616
1363
98
308
535
1189
41
131
229
517
47
150
262
591
If you do not sell your shares:
113
355
616
1363
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 69.13% of the average value of its portfolio.
0.6913
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. Bonds 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. 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 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 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.
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.
The current 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, reduced
consumer demand, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Depositary Receipts Depositary receipts are subject to many of the risks of the underlying security. The Fund could be exposed to the credit risk
of the custodian or financial institution, and in cases where the issuer’s home country does not have developed financial
markets, 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, including forwarding dividends and interest and corporate actions.
The Fund would be expected to pay a share of the additional fees, which it would not pay if investing directly in the foreign
securities. The Fund may experience delays in receiving its dividend and interest payments or exercising rights as a shareholder.
Mortgage Securities and Asset-Backed Securities Mortgage-backed 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-backed 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-backed 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.
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 lend to one another in the international interbank market for short-term loans. It is currently anticipated that LIBOR
will be discontinued by the end of 2021 and will cease to be published after that time (although there are initiatives to
delay the discontinuation beyond 2021 for certain LIBOR rates). The impact of the discontinuation of LIBOR and the transition
to an alternative rate on the Fund's portfolio remains uncertain. 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 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 the underlying instrument, in addition
to other risks. Derivatives 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. Derivatives also may present the risk that the
other party to the transaction will fail to perform.
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 align with
a portion of the Fund's portfolio.
Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.
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.
franklintempleton.com
(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.
Class A Annual Total Returns
Best Quarter:
2020-12-31
0.1162
Worst Quarter:
2020-03-31
-0.1602
Average Annual Total Returns(figures reflect sales charges)
For the periods ended December 31, 2020
Return Before Taxes
-0.0042
0.0647
0.0577
Return After Taxes on Distributions
-0.0239
0.0442
0.0376
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
-0.0013
0.0419
0.0373
-0.0025
0.0663
0.0587
0.0199
0.0688
0.0569
0.0326
0.0709
0.0584
0.0378
0.0769
0.0372
0.0763
0.0640
0.1840
0.1521
0.1388
0.0464
0.0886
0.0883
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 maximum front-end sales charge
of 3.75%. Prior to March 1, 2019, Class A and A1 shares were subject to a maximum front-end sales charge of 4.25%. If the
maximum front-end sales charge of 4.25% was reflected, performance for Class A and Class A1 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-deferred 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.