Short Interest in Franklin Universal Trust (NYSE:FT) Decreases By 42.5%

Posted by Brenda Bartman on Aug 31st, 2026

Franklin Universal Trust (NYSE:FT – Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decrease in short interest in August. As of August 14th, there was short interest totaling 15,143 shares, a decrease of 42.5% from the July 30th total of 26,320 shares. Approximately 0.1% of the company’s stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 44,134 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.3 days.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Franklin Universal Trust

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its stake in Franklin Universal Trust by 61.6% in the third quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 5,174 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $42,000 after acquiring an additional 1,972 shares in the last quarter. Independent Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Franklin Universal Trust in the 1st quarter valued at about $99,000. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Franklin Universal Trust in the 1st quarter valued at about $117,000. Ameriprise Financial Inc. purchased a new position in Franklin Universal Trust during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $133,000. Finally, Thoroughbred Financial Services LLC acquired a new position in Franklin Universal Trust during the fourth quarter worth approximately $176,000.

Franklin Universal Trust Stock Down 0.5%

FT stock traded down $0.04 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $7.69. 67,888 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 45,699. Franklin Universal Trust has a 1-year low of $7.66 and a 1-year high of $8.35. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $7.96 and its 200 day simple moving average is $8.06.

Franklin Universal Trust Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Wednesday, September 23rd will be given a $0.0425 dividend. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, September 23rd.

About Franklin Universal Trust

(Get Free Report)

Franklin Universal Trust (NYSE: FT) is a closed-end management investment company organized under Maryland law and managed by Franklin Templeton. The trust seeks to provide a high level of current income with a secondary objective of capital appreciation. It issues common shares that trade on the New York Stock Exchange, offering investors access to a diversified portfolio of income-oriented credit instruments.

The fund’s core strategy focuses on senior secured floating-rate bank loans, which typically adjust their interest rates in line with market benchmarks.