fut17f2-13115.htm - Generated by SEC Publisher for SEC Filing

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-17F-2

 

CERTIFICATE OF ACCOUNTING OF SECURITIES AND SIMILAR

INVESTMENTS IN THE CUSTODY OF

MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

 

PURSUANT TO RULE N-17F-2 [17 CFR 270.17F-2]

 

 

 

 

1. Investment Company Act File Number:

Date Examination completed:

811 -05569

May 29, 2015

 

 

2. State Identification Number:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AL

AK

AZ

AR

CA

CO

 

CT

DE

DC

FL

GA

HI

 

ID

IL

IN

IA

KS

KY

 

LA

ME

MD

MA

MI

MN

 

MS

MO

MT

NE

NV

NH

 

NJ

NM

NY

NC

ND

OH

 

OK

OR

PA

RI

SC

SD

 

TN

TX

UT

VT

VA

WA

 

WV

WI

WY

PUERTO RICO

 

 

 

 

3. Exact name of investment company as specified in registration statement:

 

Franklin Universal Trust

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Address of principal executive office: (number, street, city, state, zip code)

One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403

                 

 


 

[PWC LOGO]

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Trustees of

 

Franklin Limited Duration Income Trust

Templeton Global Investment Trust

Franklin Real Estate Securities Trust

Franklin Strategic Series

Franklin High Income Trust

Franklin Money Fund

Franklin Templeton Money Fund Trust

Institutional Fiduciary Trust

Franklin Global Trust

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund

Franklin Universal Trust

Templeton China World Fund

Templeton Emerging Markets Fund

Templeton Emerging Markets Income Fund

Templeton Global Income Fund

Templeton Income Trust

Franklin Custodian Funds

Franklin Strategic Mortgage Portfolio

Franklin Investors Securities Trust

Franklin Templeton Global Trust

Franklin Templeton International Trust

Franklin Value Investors Trust

Templeton Developing Markets Trust

Franklin Fund Allocator Series

Franklin Templeton Variable Insurance Products Trust

Templeton Institutional Funds

Franklin ETF Trust

 

and the Board of Directors of

 

Templeton Russia and East European Fund, Inc.

Templeton Dragon Fund, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, PricewaterhouseCoopers Center, 300 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017 T: (646) 471 3000, F: (813) 286 6000, www.pwc.com/us


 

 

We have examined management's assertion, included in the accompanying Management Statement Regarding Compliance with Certain Provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, that the funds (see Attachment I), (hereafter referred to as the “Funds”) complied with the requirements of subsections (b) and (c) of Rule 17f-2 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“the Act”) as of January 31, 2015.  Management is responsible for the Funds' compliance with those requirements.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion on management's assertion about the Funds' compliance based on our examination.

 

Our examination was conducted in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and, accordingly, included examining, on a test basis, evidence about the Funds' compliance with those requirements and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances.  Included among our procedures were the following tests performed as of January 31, 2015 and with respect to agreement of security purchases and sales, for the periods indicated in Attachment I:

 

 

We believe that our examination provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.  Our examination does not provide a legal determination on the Funds' compliance with specified requirements.

 

In our opinion, management's assertion that the Funds were in compliance with the requirements of subsections (b) and (c) of Rule 17f-2 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 as of January 31, 2015 with respect to securities reflected in the investment accounts of the Funds is fairly stated, in all material respects.

 

This report is intended solely for the information and use of, management, the Board of Trustees and Board of Directors and the Securities and Exchange Commission and is not intended to be and should not be used by anyone other than these specified parties.

 

/s/PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS, LLP

 

May 29, 2015

 

 

 


 

 

Management Statement Regarding Compliance With Certain

Provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940

 

We, as members of management of the Franklin Templeton Funds indicated in Attachment I (the “Funds”), are responsible for complying with the requirements of subsections (b) and (c) of Rule 17f-2, “Custody of Investments by Registered Management Investment Companies,” of the Investment Company Act of 1940.  We are also responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal controls over compliance with those requirements.  We have performed an evaluation of the Funds’ compliance with the requirements of subsection (b) of Rule 17f-2, as interpreted in Franklin Investors Securities Trust SEC No-Action Letter (publicly available September 24, 1992), and subsection (c) of Rule 17f-2 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as of January 31, 2015, and for the periods indicated in Attachment I.

 

Based on this evaluation, we assert that the Funds were in compliance with the requirements of subsection (b) of Rule 17f-2, as interpreted in Franklin Investors Securities Trust SEC No-Action Letter (publicly available September 24, 1992), and subsection (c) of Rule 17f-2 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as of January 31, 2015, and for the periods indicated in Attachment I, with respect to securities reflected in the investment accounts of the Funds.

 

By:

 

/s/GASTON GARDEY

Gaston Gardey

Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer

Franklin Funds Board

Date May 29, 2015

 

/s/MARK H. OTANI

Mark H. Otani

Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer

Templeton Funds Board

Date May 29, 2015

 

/s/ROBERT G. KUBILIS

Robert G. Kubilis

Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer

Franklin New Jersey Funds Board

Date May 29, 2015

 

/s/LAURA F. FERGERSON

Laura F. Fergerson

Chief Executive Officer - Finance and Administration

Date May 29, 2015

 

 


 

Attachment I

Fund

Period

 

 

Franklin Limited Duration Income Trust

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Templeton Global Investment Trust:

 

 

Templeton BRIC Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Templeton Emerging Markets Balanced Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Templeton Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Templeton Frontier Markets Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Templeton Global Balanced Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Templeton Russia and East European Fund, Inc.

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Franklin Real Estate Securities Trust:

 

 

Franklin Real Estate Securities Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Franklin Strategic Series:

 

 

Franklin Biotechnology Discovery Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Flex Cap Growth Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Focused Core Equity Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Global Government Bond Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Growth Opportunities Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Natural Resources Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Small Cap Growth Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Small-Mid Cap Growth Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Strategic Income Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Franklin High Income Trust:

 

 

Franklin High Income Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Franklin Money Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Franklin Templeton Money Fund Trust:

 

 

Franklin Templeton Money Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Institutional Fiduciary Trust:

 

 

Money Market Portfolio

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Franklin Global Trust:

 

 

Franklin Emerging Market Debt Opportunities Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin International Growth Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Large Cap Equity Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Franklin Universal Trust

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Templeton China World Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Templeton Emerging Markets Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Templeton Emerging Markets Income Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Templeton Global Income Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Templeton Income Trust:

 

 

Templeton Constrained Bond Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Templeton Emerging Markets Bond Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Templeton Global Bond Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Templeton Global Total Return Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Templeton International Bond Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Franklin Custodian Funds:

 

 

Franklin DynaTech Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Growth Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Income Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Utilities Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Franklin Strategic Mortgage Portfolio

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Franklin Investors Securities Trust:

 

 

Franklin Adjustable U.S. Government Securities Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Balanced Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Convertible Securities Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Equity Income Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Floating Rate Daily Access Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Low Duration Total Return Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Total Return Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Franklin Templeton Global Trust:

 

 

Templeton Hard Currency Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Franklin Templeton International Trust:

 

 

Franklin Global Allocation Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin India Growth Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin World Perspectives Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Franklin Value Investors Trust:

 

 

Franklin All Cap Value Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Balance Sheet Investment Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Large Cap Value Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin MicroCap Value Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin MidCap Value Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Small Cap Value Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Templeton Developing Markets Trust

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Franklin Fund Allocator Series:

 

 

Franklin Conservative Allocation Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Corefolio Allocation Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Founding Funds Allocation Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Growth Allocation Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin LifeSmart 2015 Retirement Target Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin LifeSmart 2020 Retirement Target Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin LifeSmart 2025 Retirement Target Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin LifeSmart 2030 Retirement Target Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin LifeSmart 2035 Retirement Target Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin LifeSmart 2040 Retirement Target Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin LifeSmart 2045 Retirement Target Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin LifeSmart 2050 Retirement Target Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Moderate Allocation Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Multi-Asset Real Return Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Franklin Templeton Variable Insurance Products Trust:

 

 

Franklin Flex Cap Growth VIP Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Founding Funds Allocation VIP Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Large Cap Value VIP Fund

July 1, 2014 – November 7, 2014

 

Franklin Managed Volatility Global Allocation VIP Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Rising Dividends VIP Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Small Cap Value VIP Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Small-Mid Cap Growth VIP Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Franklin Strategic Income VIP Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Templeton Developing Markets VIP Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Templeton Foreign VIP Fund

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Templeton Dragon Fund, Inc.

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

 

Templeton Institutional Funds:

 

 

Emerging Markets Series

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

Foreign Equity Series

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015

 

 

Franklin ETF Trust:

 

 

Franklin Short Duration U.S. Government ETF

July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015