Franklin Templeton Expands Active Fixed Income ETF Lineup with Launch of Franklin Liberty U.S. Core Bond ETF

SAN MATEO, Calif., Sept. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Franklin Templeton today announced the expansion of its active fixed income ETF lineup with the addition of Franklin Liberty U.S. Core Bond ETF (FLCB), which seeks to provide investors with diversified core fixed income exposure. FLCB is an active ETF that seeks total return through bottom-up fundamental bond selection and top-down sector allocation and is listed on the NYSE Arca.

“We believe active management is critical for achieving long-term returns and managing investment risk, particularly in multi-sector investment grade fixed income,” said Patrick O’Connor, global head of ETFs for Franklin Templeton. “We are thrilled to launch FLCB, which can serve as a core, building block allocation in an investor’s portfolio.”

Franklin Templeton’s fixed income and quantitative research teams review issuers and assess risks from multiple perspectives, which results in a truly holistic viewpoint on each potential investment. FLCB will be managed by David Yuen, SVP, head of quantitative and multi-sector strategies, Amy Cooper, VP, portfolio manager, Patrick Klein, SVP, portfolio manager, multi-sector strategies, and Tina Chou, VP, portfolio manager, with Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Group.

“The investment team has chosen to manage this fund with a low tracking error to the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index but has the flexibility to derive alpha through active sector allocation and security selection, providing a truly active core fixed income ETF,” added O’Connor.

Franklin LibertyShares active fixed income ETF strategies:

Franklin LibertyShares, the firm’s global ETF platform, enables investors to pursue their desired outcomes through a range of active, smart beta and passive ETFs. LibertyShares has more than $4 billion in assets under management globally as of August 31, 2019 and is supported by the strength and resources of one of the world’s largest asset managers. For more information, please visit franklintempleton.com/etfs.
Visit Franklin LibertyShares’ Capital Markets Corner for insights on ETF investing and follow Franklin LibertyShares on Twitter: @libertyshares.

Important Information about the Fund

All investments involve risks, including possible loss of principal. Interest rate movements, unscheduled mortgage prepayments and other risk factors will affect the fund’s share price and yield. Bond prices, and thus a fund’s share price, generally move in the opposite direction of interest rates. Therefore, as the prices of bonds in the fund adjust to a rise in interest rates, the fund’s share price may decline. Changes in the financial strength of a bond issuer or in a bond’s credit rating may affect its value. These and other risks are discussed in the fund’s prospectus.

ETFs trade like stocks, fluctuate in market value and may trade at prices above or below the ETF’s net asset value. Brokerage commissions and ETF expenses will reduce returns.

ETF shares may be bought or sold throughout the day at their market price, not their Net Asset Value (NAV), on the exchange on which they are listed. Shares of ETFs are tradable on secondary markets and may trade either at a premium or a discount to their NAV on the secondary market.

Investors should carefully consider a fund’s investment goals, risks, charges and expenses before investing. To obtain a summary prospectus and/or prospectus, which contains this and other information, talk to your financial advisor, call us at (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236 or visit franklintempleton.com. Please carefully read a prospectus before you invest or send money.

About Franklin Templeton

The funds’ principal underwriter is Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. [NYSE:BEN] is a global investment management organization operating as Franklin Templeton. Franklin Templeton’s goal is to deliver better outcomes by providing global and domestic investment management to retail, institutional and sovereign wealth clients in over 170 countries. Through specialized teams, the company has expertise across all asset classes—including equity, fixed income, alternative and custom solutions. The company’s more than 600 investment professionals are supported by its integrated, worldwide team of risk management professionals and global trading desk network. With offices in more than 30 countries, the California-based company has more than 70 years of investment experience and over $690 billion in assets under management as of August 31, 2019. For more information, please visit franklintempleton.com.

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