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 ROA % is 15.30% as of Feb. 2026, which is 115% above its 10-year median of 7.11. GuruFocus rates FT with a GF Score™ of 30/100. The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,629 Asset Management companies, Franklin Universal Trust ranks better than 74.71% on this metric.
ROA % is calculated as Net Income divided by its average Total Assets over a certain period of time. Franklin Universal Trust's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Feb. 2026 was $42.97 Mil.
Franklin Universal Trust's average Total Assets over the quarter that ended in Feb. 2026 was $280.96 Mil. Therefore, Franklin Universal Trust's annualized ROA % for the quarter that ended in Feb. 2026 was 15.30%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Franklin Universal Trust's ROA % or its related term are showing as below:
FT'
s ROA % 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 ROA % was 13.18%. The lowest was -2.63%. And the median was 7.11%.
FT's ROA % is ranked better than 74.71% of 1629
companies
in the Asset Management industry
Industry Median: 4.48
vs FT: 11.80
Franklin Universal Trust (NYSE:FT) ROA % Explanation
ROA % measures the rate of return on the total assets (shareholder equity plus liabilities). It measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from shareholders' equity plus its liabilities. ROA % shows how well a company uses what it has to generate earnings. ROA %s can vary drastically across industries. Therefore, ROA % should not be used to compare companies in different industries. For retailers, a ROA % of higher than 5% is expected. For example, Wal-Mart (WMT) has a ROA % of about 8% as of 2012. For banks, ROA % is close to their interest spread. A banks ROA % is typically well under 2%.
Similar to ROE, ROA % is affected by profit margins and asset turnover. This can be seen from the Du Pont Formula:
Note:
The Net Income data used here is two times the semi-annual (Feb. 2026) net income data. The Revenue data used here is two times the semi-annual (Feb. 2026) revenue data.
* 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.
Be Aware
Like ROE, ROA % is calculated with only 12 months data. Fluctuations in the company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective. ROA % can be affected by events such as stock buyback or issuance, and by goodwill, a company's tax rate and its interest payment. ROA % 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 ROA % may indicate vulnerability in the durability of the competitive advantage.
E.g. Raising $43b to take on KO is impossible, but $1.7b to take on Moody's is. Although Moody's ROA % and underlying economics is far superior to Coca Cola, the durability is far weaker because of lower entry cost.
* 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.
For the Asset Management subindustry, Franklin Universal Trust's ROA %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROA % 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 ROA % vs Asset Management Industry
For the Asset Management industry and Financial Services sector, Franklin Universal Trust's ROA % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Franklin Universal Trust's ROA % 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 ROA %, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total 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.
ROA % is displayed in the 30-year financial page.
Franklin Universal Trust (FT) has a ROA % of 15.30% as of Feb. 2026. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total 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 #412 out of 1629 companies in the Asset Management industry, placing it in the top 25.3%.
Is Franklin Universal Trust's ROA % too high?
Franklin Universal Trust's current ROA % of 15.30% is 115% above median its 10-year median of 7.11. The Asset Management industry median ROA % is 4.48. Franklin Universal Trust's value of 15.30% is 241.5% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Franklin Universal Trust ranks #412 out of 1629 companies in the Asset Management industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Franklin Universal Trust has a GF Score™ of 30/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Franklin Universal Trust's ROA % compare to ETX and SCM?
According to the Asset Management industry distribution chart, Franklin Universal Trust ranks #412 out of 1629 companies for ROA %. This puts Franklin Universal Trust in the upper half of its industry. The industry median ROA % is 4.48. Franklin Universal Trust's value of 15.30% is 241.5% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 7.11 vs. the industry median of 4.48, 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 ROA % for an Asset Management company?
The median ROA % among Asset Management companies is 4.48, based on 1,629 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROA % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROA % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Franklin Universal Trust's current ROA % of 15.30% is 241.5% 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 ROA % mean?
A high ROA % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on Franklin Universal Trust and its competitors. For the Asset Management industry, the median ROA % is 4.48 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Franklin Universal Trust's current ROA % 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 ROA % of 15.30%. The current ROA % is 15.30%, which is 115% above median its 10-year median of 7.11 and 241.5% above the Asset Management industry median of 4.48. 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 ROA % calculated?
ROA % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Franklin Universal Trust (FT), the current ROA % 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
ROA % 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 
