XML 29 R18.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.25.2

Commitments and Contingencies | 9 Months Ended
--- | ---
Jun. 30, 2025
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | Note 10 – Commitments and Contingencies Legal Proceedings India Credit Fund Closure Matters. During the nine months ended June 30, 2025, there were no significant changes from the disclosure in the Form 10‑K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024. Western Asset Management Investigations and Litigation. As previously disclosed, the Company launched an internal investigation into certain trade allocations of treasury derivatives in select Western Asset Management (“WAM”) managed accounts. WAM received notification of parallel investigations by the SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”). WAM also received notice of an investigation into these trading activities by the CFTC. On June 30, 2025, the CFTC informed WAM that it closed its investigation. The SEC and DOJ investigations remain ongoing. The Company and WAM have fully cooperated, and will continue to fully cooperate with the SEC and DOJ investigations. Ken Leech, the former co-Chief Investment Officer of WAM, received a “Wells Notice” from the staff of the SEC in August 2024 and was placed on administrative leave at that time, as previously disclosed. Mr. Leech recently retired and is no longer with the Company. On November 25, 2024, the SEC filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against Mr. Leech alleging violations of certain laws related to trade allocations. Concurrently, the DOJ filed an indictment with the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against Mr. Leech for similar allegations and for false statements made to the SEC. On July 3, 2025, Franklin, WAM and Ken Leech were named as defendants in a lawsuit filed by the Western PA Electrical Employees Insurance Trust Fund in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania seeking class certification on behalf of shareholders of two funds managed by WAM for the period January 1, 2021 through October 31, 2023. The plaintiff is pursuing claims under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 against all defendants in connection with trade allocations made by Mr. Leech in that period that are also the subject of the investigations reported above. The plaintiff is seeking, among other things, damages, interest, and costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees. Franklin Templeton 401(k) Retirement Plan Litigation. On July 22, 2025, Franklin and the Franklin Templeton 401(k) Retirement Plan Committee were named as defendants in a lawsuit filed by certain former employees in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The plaintiffs seek to represent a class of participants and beneficiaries of the Franklin Templeton 401(k) Retirement Plan (the “Plan”) who were invested in funds managed by the Company at any time on or after July 22, 2019. The plaintiffs are pursuing claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 for alleged breaches of fiduciary duties and failure to monitor the Plan fiduciaries in connection with the Plan’s inclusion of certain proprietary funds as investment options. The plaintiffs are seeking, among other things, damages, disgorgement, removal of certain investments from the Plan, removal and replacement of the Plan’s fiduciaries, attorneys’ fees and costs, and pre-judgment interest. The lawsuits reported above against the Company are in their preliminary stages. Management believes the claims made in the lawsuits are without merit and the Company intends to defend against them vigorously. The Company cannot predict the outcome of these lawsuits or estimate any reasonably possible loss or range of loss that may arise from any negative outcome. Other Litigation and Regulatory Matters. The Company is from time to time involved in other litigation relating to claims arising in the normal course of business. Management is of the opinion that the ultimate resolution of such claims will not materially affect the Company’s business, financial position, results of operations or liquidity. In management’s opinion, an adequate accrual has been made as of June 30, 2025 to provide for any probable losses that may arise from such matters for which the Company could reasonably estimate an amount. Indemnifications and Guarantees In the ordinary course of business or in connection with certain acquisition agreements, the Company enters into contracts that provide for indemnifications by the Company in certain circumstances. In addition, certain Company entities guarantee certain financial and performance-related obligations of various Franklin subsidiaries. The Company is also subject to certain legal requirements and agreements providing for indemnifications of directors, officers and personnel against liabilities and expenses they may incur under certain circumstances in connection with their service. The terms of these indemnities and guarantees vary pursuant to applicable facts and circumstances, and from agreement to agreement. Future payments for claims against the Company under these indemnities or guarantees could negatively impact the Company’s financial condition. In management’s opinion, no material loss was deemed probable or reasonably possible pursuant to such indemnification agreements and/or guarantees as of June 30, 2025. Other Commitments and Contingencies At June 30, 2025, there were no other material changes in the other commitments and contingencies as reported in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2024.

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Topic 405 -SubTopic 30 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/405-30/tableOfContent Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482648/440-10-50-4 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Topic 450 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/450/tableOfContent Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 954 -SubTopic 440 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478522/954-440-50-1 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (c) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482648/440-10-50-4 Reference 6: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Topic 440 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/440/tableOfContent + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration