I Almost Didn't Buy This 6%+ Yielder Because of Industry Headwinds. Here's Why I'm Glad I Bought It Anyway.
Franklin Templeton has delivered a total return of more than 88% since January 2020.
Overview
I'm a long-term owner of Franklin Templeton (NYSE: BEN) stock, having bought shares on Jan. 14, 2020. At the time, I vacillated about buying the financial services stock because the company, like other legacy active asset managers, was facing headwinds from the trend of investors shifting their funds into low-cost passive index funds and no-fee brokers.
At the time, the stock paid a dividend of around 6%, but I almost didn't buy. I worried that, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the company might cut its dividend, which would turn off income-oriented investors and send the stock into a downward spiral.
Details
As it turns out, I needn't have worried. The company, instead of trimming its dividend, just raised it last year by 3.1% to $0.33 per share, the 46th consecutive year it has increased its dividend. Since 2020, the stock's price has risen by more than 37%, and if you count the dividend, the total return is more than 88%.
Source
Originally published at www.fool.com.