Franklin Templeton Launches ClearBridge Sustainable Infrastructure Exchange-Traded Fund

Franklin Templeton offers 59 ETFs to U.S. investors totaling approximately $10 billion in assets under management

Franklin Templeton today announced the launch of the ClearBridge Sustainable Infrastructure Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF), expanding the firm’s U.S.-based ETF offerings. Using the ticker symbol INFR, the fund is now listed on NASDAQ. ClearBridge Investments is a specialist investment manager of Franklin Templeton.

“Investors are looking at 2023 with a base case of slowing growth and possible recession, yet infrastructure assets are positioned to benefit from many macroeconomic drivers over the next year and beyond,” said Nick Langley, Portfolio Manager for the ClearBridge Sustainable Infrastructure ETF. “Because of the many tailwinds for the asset class – the heightened focus on energy security in Europe, a supportive policy environment in the U.S. and the global push toward decarbonization of the global economy – it is a fantastic time for investors to diversify their portfolios with exposure to infrastructure.”

The new ETF will seek to invest in income-generating infrastructure assets with strong environmental, social and governance attributes and stable cash flows. The fund may invest in the physical assets necessary for communities and economies to function and grow, including transportation, electricity, energy infrastructure, water, sewage, communications and renewables.

“The added benefits of investing in listed infrastructure are that it acts as a hedge against inflation and provides portfolio diversification, given its low correlations to equity and debt markets,” noted Langley.

Franklin Templeton’s U.S. ETF platform provides solutions for a range of market conditions and investment objectives through active, smart beta and passively managed ETFs. With the addition of INFR to its U.S. lineup, the firm now offers 59 ETFs with combined assets under management (AUM) of approximately $10 billion.

“We continue to expand our product offerings across asset classes and strategies to meet the growing and evolving needs of our clients,” said Patrick O’Connor, Head of Global ETFs for Franklin Templeton. “We are excited to offer this strategy from ClearBridge’s experienced infrastructure team within the attractive ETF wrapper.”

About Franklin Templeton

Franklin Resources, Inc. [NYSE:BEN] is a global investment management organization with subsidiaries operating as Franklin Templeton and serving clients in over 155 countries. Franklin Templeton’s mission is to help clients achieve better outcomes through investment management expertise, wealth management and technology solutions. Through its specialist investment managers, the company offers specialization on a global scale, bringing extensive capabilities in fixed income, equity, alternatives and multi-asset solutions. With offices in more than 30 countries and approximately 1,300 investment professionals, the California-based company has over 75 years of investment experience and approximately $1.4 trillion in assets under management as of November 30, 2022. For more information, please visit franklintempleton.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

About ClearBridge Investments

With $145.6 billion in assets under management (AUM) as of September 30, 2022, ClearBridge Investments is a leading global equity manager committed to delivering long-term results through authentic active management, offering investment solutions that emphasize differentiated, bottom-up stock selection to move clients forward. The firm integrates ESG considerations into its fundamental, bottom up research and stock selection process across all strategies. Owned by Franklin Templeton, ClearBridge operates with investment independence from headquarters in New York and offices in Baltimore, London, San Francisco, Sydney and Wilmington.

ClearBridge focuses on three primary client objectives in its areas of proven expertise: high active share, income solutions and low volatility. Its strategies are available in separately managed accounts, mutual funds, collective investment funds as well as custom solutions, commingled vehicles and offshore funds. See more here.

Copyright © 2022. Franklin Templeton. All rights reserved.

Before investing, carefully consider a fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. You can find this and other information in each prospectus, or summary prospectus, if available, at www.franklintempleton.com. Please read it carefully.

The fund is newly organized, with a limited history of operations. Equity securities are subject to price fluctuation and possible loss of principal. Companies in the infrastructure industry may be subject to a variety of factors that could adversely affect their business or operations, including high interest costs in connection with capital construction programs, high degrees of leverage, costs associated with governmental, environmental and other regulations, the effects of economic slowdowns, increased competition from other providers of services, uncertainties concerning costs, the level of government spending on infrastructure projects, and other factors. International investments are subject to special risks including currency fluctuations, social, economic and political uncertainties, which could increase volatility. Because this fund expects to hold a concentrated portfolio of securities, and invests in certain regions or industries, it has increased vulnerability to market volatility. The managers’ environmental social and governance (ESG) strategies may limit the types and number of investments available and, as a result, may forego favorable market opportunities or underperform strategies that are not subject to such criteria. ESG factors or criteria are subjective and qualitative, and the analysis by the manager may not always accurately assess ESG practices of a security or issuer, or reflect the opinions of other investors or advisors. There is no guarantee that the strategy's ESG directives will be successful or will result in better performance and may not work as intended. The fund may invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs), which are closely linked to the performance of the real estate markets. REITs are subject to illiquidity, credit and interest rate risks, as well as risks associated with small- and mid-cap investments. Investments in master limited partnerships (MLPs) include the risks of declines in energy and commodity prices, decreases in energy demand, adverse weather conditions, natural or other disasters, changes in government regulation, and changes in tax laws, and other risks of the MLP and energy sector. These risk considerations are discussed in the prospectus.

ETFs trade like stocks, fluctuate in market value and may trade at prices above or below the ETFs 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

NOT FDIC INSURED | NO BANK GUARANTEE | MAY LOSE VALUE.

Franklin Distributors, LLC. Member FINRA/SIPC. ClearBridge Investments, LLC, and Franklin Distributors, LLC, are Franklin Templeton affiliated companies.

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“We are excited to offer this strategy from ClearBridge’s experienced infrastructure team within the attractive ETF wrapper," said Patrick O’Connor, Head of Global ETFs for Franklin Templeton.