Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.
Franklin Universal TrustFT -0.26%30 Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 15.30% as of Feb. 2026, which is 115% above its 10-year median of 7.11. GuruFocus rates FT with a GF Scoreâ„¢ of 30/100. The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,629 Asset Management companies, Franklin Universal Trust ranks better than 73.05% on this metric.
Return-on-Tangible-Asset is calculated as Net Income divided by its average total tangible assets. Total tangible assets equals to Total Assets minus Intangible Assets. Franklin Universal Trust's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Feb. 2026 was $42.97 Mil. Franklin Universal Trust's average total tangible assets for the quarter that ended in Feb. 2026 was $280.96 Mil. Therefore, Franklin Universal Trust's annualized Return-on-Tangible-Asset for the quarter that ended in Feb. 2026 was 15.30%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Franklin Universal Trust's Return-on-Tangible-Asset or its related term are showing as below:
FT'
s Return-on-Tangible-Asset Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -2.63 Med: 7.11 Max: 13.18
Current: 11.8
During the past 9 years, Franklin Universal Trust's highest Return-on-Tangible-Asset was 13.18%. The lowest was -2.63%. And the median was 7.11%.
FT's Return-on-Tangible-Asset is ranked better than 73.05% of 1629
companies
in the Asset Management industry
Industry Median: 4.62
vs FT: 11.80
Franklin Universal Trust (NYSE:FT) Return-on-Tangible-Asset Explanation
Return-on-Tangible-Asset measures the rate of return on the average total tangible assets (total assets minus intangible assets). Tangible means physical in nature. Intangible Assets are assets that are not physical in nature, and typically "derive their value from legal or intellectual rights." Return-on-Tangible-Asset measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from its tangible assets. It shows how well a company uses what it has to generate earnings. Return-on-Tangible-Assets can vary drastically across industries. Therefore, Return-on-Tangible-Asset should not be used to compare companies in different industries.
Be Aware
Like ROE and ROA, Return-on-Tangible-Asset is calculated with only 12 months data. Fluctuations in the companyÂ’s earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective. Return-on-Tangible-Asset can be affected by events such as stock buyback or issuance, and by a companyÂ’s tax rate and its interest payment. Return-on-Tangible-Asset may not reflect the true earning power of the assets. A more accurate measurement is ROC % (ROC).
Many analysts argue the higher return the better. Buffett states that really high Return-on-Tangible-Asset may indicate vulnerability in the durability of the competitive advantage.
Franklin Universal Trust Return-on-Tangible-Asset Related Terms
Franklin Universal Trust Return-on-Tangible-Asset Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Franklin Universal Trust's Return-on-Tangible-Asset can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Franklin Universal Trust Return-on-Tangible-Asset Chart
FT vs ETX, SCM, IDE: Return-on-Tangible-Asset Comparison
For the Asset Management subindustry, Franklin Universal Trust's Return-on-Tangible-Asset, along with its competitors' market caps and Return-on-Tangible-Asset data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Franklin Universal Trust Return-on-Tangible-Asset vs Asset Management Industry
For the Asset Management industry and Financial Services sector, Franklin Universal Trust's Return-on-Tangible-Asset distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Franklin Universal Trust's Return-on-Tangible-Asset falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
In the calculation of annual Return-on-Tangible-Asset, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total tangible assets over the fiscal year are used. In calculating the quarterly data,
the Net Income data used here is two times the semi-annual (Feb. 2026) net income data.
What does a Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 15.30% mean?
Franklin Universal Trust (FT) has a Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 15.30% as of Feb. 2026. Return on tangible assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period tangible assets. View historical data on Franklin Universal Trust and its competitors. This is 115% above median its historical median of 7.11. According to the industry distribution chart, Franklin Universal Trust ranks #439 out of 1629 companies in the Asset Management industry, placing it in the top 26.9%.
Is Franklin Universal Trust's Return-on-Tangible-Asset too high?
Franklin Universal Trust's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 15.30% is 115% above median its 10-year median of 7.11. The Asset Management industry median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 4.62. Franklin Universal Trust's value of 15.30% is 231.2% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Franklin Universal Trust ranks #439 out of 1629 companies in the Asset Management industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Franklin Universal Trust has a GF Scoreâ„¢ of 30/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Franklin Universal Trust's Return-on-Tangible-Asset compare to ETX and SCM?
According to the Asset Management industry distribution chart, Franklin Universal Trust ranks #439 out of 1629 companies for Return-on-Tangible-Asset. This puts Franklin Universal Trust in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 4.62. Franklin Universal Trust's value of 15.30% is 231.2% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 7.11 vs. the industry median of 4.62, Franklin Universal Trust has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Return-on-Tangible-Asset for an Asset Management company?
The median Return-on-Tangible-Asset among Asset Management companies is 4.62, based on 1,629 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Return-on-Tangible-Asset significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Return-on-Tangible-Asset should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Franklin Universal Trust's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 15.30% is 231.2% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Return-on-Tangible-Asset mean?
A high Return-on-Tangible-Asset can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on tangible assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period tangible assets. View historical data on Franklin Universal Trust and its competitors. For the Asset Management industry, the median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 4.62 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Franklin Universal Trust's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 15.30%, which is 115% above median its own 10-year median of 7.11. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Franklin Universal Trust stock overvalued right now?
Franklin Universal Trust (FT) has a current Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 15.30%. The current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 15.30%, which is 115% above median its 10-year median of 7.11 and 231.2% above the Asset Management industry median of 4.62. Franklin Universal Trust's overall GF Score™ is 30/100 with 7 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Return-on-Tangible-Asset calculated?
Return-on-Tangible-Asset is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Franklin Universal Trust (FT), the current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 15.30% as of Feb. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Franklin Universal Trust is a closed-end management investment company focused on providing high current income while preserving capital. Its secondary objective is to achieve income growth through dividend increases and capital appreciation. The fund invests in two asset classes: high-yield bonds and utility stocks. It applies fundamental research to build a diversified high-yield bond portfolio and targets utility companies with attractive dividend yields and a history of increasing dividends.
30GF Score
Get the complete analysis for FT
Return-on-Tangible-Asset is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
FT has been successfully added to your 
