SUMMARY PROSPECTUS | |||||||
TEMPLETON GLOBAL SMALLER COMPANIES FUND | |||||||
January 1, 2024 | |||||||
Class A | Class C | Class R6 | Advisor Class |
TEMGX | TESGX | FBOGX | TGSAX |
Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund’s prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund’s prospectus, statement of additional information, reports to shareholders and other information about the Fund online at www.franklintempleton.com/prospectus. You can also get this information at no cost by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236 or by sending an e-mail request to prospectus@franklintempleton.com. The Fund’s prospectus and statement of additional information, both dated January 1, 2024, as may be supplemented, are all incorporated by reference into this Summary Prospectus.
TEMPLETON
GLOBAL SMALLER COMPANIES FUND
SUMMARY PROSPECTUS
Fund Summary
Investment Goal
Long-term capital growth.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees (including on Class R6 and Advisor Class shares), such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in Franklin Templeton funds and certain other funds distributed through Franklin Distributors, LLC, the Fund’s distributor. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and under “Your Account” on page 33 in the Fund’s Prospectus and under “Buying and Selling Shares” on page 59 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information. In addition, more information about sales charge discounts and waivers for purchases of shares through specific financial intermediaries is set forth in Appendix A – “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers” to the Fund’s prospectus.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
| Class A |
| Class C |
| Class R6 |
| Advisor
| |
Maximum Sales Charge
(Load) | 5.50% |
| None |
| None |
| None | |
Maximum
Deferred Sales Charge | None | 1 | 1.00% |
| None |
| None | |
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1. | There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $1 Million or more (see "Investment of $1 Million or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase. |
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TEMPLETON
GLOBAL SMALLER COMPANIES FUND
SUMMARY PROSPECTUS
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
| Class A |
| Class C |
| Class R6 |
| Advisor
|
Management fees | 0.88% |
| 0.88% |
| 0.88% |
| 0.88% |
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees | 0.25% |
| 1.00% |
| None |
| None |
Other expenses1 | 0.19% |
| 0.20% |
| 0.08% |
| 0.19% |
Total annual Fund operating expenses | 1.32% |
| 2.08% |
| 0.96% |
| 1.07% |
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2 | None |
| None |
| -0.01% |
| None |
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement | 1.32% |
| 2.08% |
| 0.95% |
| 1.07% |
1. Other expenses have been restated to reflect fees and expenses for the current fiscal year. Consequently, the total annual Fund operating expenses differ from the ratio of expenses to average net assets shown in the Financial Highlights.
2. The investment manager has agreed to reduce its fees to reflect reduced services resulting from the Fund’s investments in Franklin Templeton affiliated funds. In addition, the transfer agency fees on Class R6 shares of the Fund have been capped so that transfer agency fees for that class do not exceed 0.03%. These arrangements are expected to continue until December 31, 2024. During the terms, the fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreements may not be terminated or amended without approval of the board of trustees except to add series or classes, to reflect the extension of termination dates or to lower the waiver and expense limitation (which would result in lower fees for shareholders).
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund's operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by management for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
|
|
| 1 Year |
| 3 Years |
| 5 Years |
| 10 Years |
Class A |
| $677 |
| $946 |
| $1,235 |
| $2,055 | |
Class C |
| $311 |
| $652 |
| $1,119 |
| $2,216 | |
Class R6 |
| $97 |
| $305 |
| $530 |
| $1,176 | |
Advisor Class |
| $109 |
| $340 |
| $589 |
| $1,304 | |
If you do not sell your shares: |
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Class C |
| $211 |
| $652 |
| $1,119 |
| $2,216 | |
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Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating
franklintempleton.com | Summary Prospectus | 3 |
TEMPLETON
GLOBAL SMALLER COMPANIES FUND
SUMMARY PROSPECTUS
expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 12.85% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in securities of smaller companies located anywhere in the world. The Fund defines smaller companies as those with market capitalizations not exceeding the lesser of (1) the highest float-adjusted market capitalization in the Fund’s benchmark, or (2) $10 billion, at the time of purchase. As of November 30, 2023, (the date of the last reconstitution of the benchmark), the largest company in the MSCI All Country World Small Cap Index had a float-adjusted market capitalization of $13.26 billion.
The securities in which the Fund invests are primarily or predominantly common stocks. The Fund may invest a significant amount of its assets in the securities of companies located in emerging markets. The Fund will invest its assets in issuers located in at least three different countries (including the United States) and will invest at least 40% of its net assets in foreign securities.
When choosing equity investments for the Fund, the investment manager applies a “bottom-up,” value-oriented, long-term approach, focusing on the market price of a company’s securities relative to the investment manager’s evaluation of the company’s long-term earnings, asset value and cash flow potential. The investment manager also considers a company’s price/earnings ratio, profit margins and liquidation value.
The investment manager may consider selling a security when it believes the security has become overvalued due to either its price appreciation or changes in the company's fundamentals, when the investment manager believes that the market capitalization of a security has become too large, or when the investment manager believes another security is a more attractive investment opportunity.
The Fund may also use a variety of equity-related derivatives, which may include equity futures and equity index futures, for various purposes including enhancing Fund returns, increasing liquidity and gaining exposure to particular markets in more efficient or less expensive ways.
Principal Risks
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government.
4 | Summary Prospectus | franklintempleton.com |
TEMPLETON
GLOBAL SMALLER COMPANIES FUND
SUMMARY PROSPECTUS
Market: The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all investments. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.
The global outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19 and its subsequent variants, has resulted in market closures and dislocations, extreme volatility, liquidity constraints and increased trading costs. The long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers is not known. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced or may experience particularly large losses. Periods of extreme volatility in the financial markets; reduced liquidity of many instruments; and disruptions to supply chains, consumer demand and employee availability, may continue for some time.
Stock prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of debt securities. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the various stocks held by the Fund.
Small Capitalization Companies: Securities issued by small capitalization companies may be more volatile in price than those of larger companies and may involve substantial risks. Such risks may include greater sensitivity to economic conditions, less certain growth prospects, lack of depth of management and funds for growth and development, and limited or less developed product lines and markets. In addition, small capitalization companies may be particularly affected by interest rate increases, as they may find it more difficult to borrow money to continue or expand operations, or may have difficulty in repaying any loans.
Liquidity: The trading market for a particular security or type of security or other investments in which the Fund invests may become less liquid or even illiquid. Reduced liquidity will have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability to sell such securities or other investments when necessary to meet the Fund’s liquidity needs, which may arise or increase in response to a specific economic event or because the investment manager wishes to purchase particular investments or believes that a higher level of liquidity would be advantageous. Reduced liquidity will also generally lower the value of such securities or other investments. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be relatively volatile.
Foreign Securities (non-U.S.): Investing in foreign securities typically involves more risks than investing in U.S. securities, and includes risks associated with: (i) internal and external political and economic developments – e.g., the political, economic and social policies and structures of some foreign countries may be less stable and more volatile than those in the U.S. or some foreign countries may be
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TEMPLETON
GLOBAL SMALLER COMPANIES FUND
SUMMARY PROSPECTUS
subject to trading restrictions or economic sanctions; diplomatic and political developments could affect the economies, industries, and securities and currency markets of the countries in which the Fund is invested, which can include rapid and adverse political changes; social instability; regional conflicts; sanctions imposed by the United States, other nations or other governmental entities, including supranational entities; terrorism; and war; (ii) trading practices – e.g., government supervision and regulation of foreign securities and currency markets, trading systems and brokers may be less than in the U.S.; (iii) availability of information – e.g., foreign issuers may not be subject to the same disclosure, accounting and financial reporting standards and practices as U.S. issuers; (iv) limited markets – e.g., the securities of certain foreign issuers may be less liquid (harder to sell) and more volatile; and (v) currency exchange rate fluctuations and policies – e.g., fluctuations may negatively affect investments denominated in foreign currencies and any income received or expenses paid by the Fund in that foreign currency. The risks of foreign investments may be greater in developing or emerging market countries.
Regional Focus: Because the Fund may invest at least a significant portion of its assets in companies in a specific region, including Europe, the Fund is subject to greater risks of adverse developments in that region and/or the surrounding regions than a fund that is more broadly diversified geographically. Political, social or economic disruptions in the region, even in countries in which the Fund is not invested, may adversely affect the value of investments held by the Fund. Current uncertainty concerning the economic consequences of Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 which has increased market volatility.
Emerging Market Countries: The Fund’s investments in emerging market countries are subject to all of the risks of foreign investing generally, and have additional heightened risks due to a lack of established legal, political, business and social frameworks to support securities markets, including: delays in settling portfolio securities transactions; currency and capital controls; greater sensitivity to interest rate changes; pervasiveness of corruption and crime; currency exchange rate volatility; and inflation, deflation or currency devaluation.
Value Style Investing: A value stock may not increase in price as anticipated by the investment manager if other investors fail to recognize the company's value and bid up the price, the markets favor faster-growing companies, or the factors that the investment manager believes will increase the price of the security do not occur or do not have the anticipated effect.
Derivative Instruments: The performance of derivative instruments depends largely on the performance of an underlying currency, security, interest rate or index, and such derivatives often have risks similar to the underlying instrument, in
6 | Summary Prospectus | franklintempleton.com |
TEMPLETON
GLOBAL SMALLER COMPANIES FUND
SUMMARY PROSPECTUS
addition to other risks. Derivatives involve costs and can create economic leverage in the Fund’s portfolio which may result in significant volatility and cause the Fund to participate in losses (as well as gains) in an amount that significantly exceeds the Fund’s initial investment. Other risks include illiquidity, mispricing or improper valuation of the derivative, and imperfect correlation between the value of the derivative and the underlying instrument so that the Fund may not realize the intended benefits. Their successful use will usually depend on the investment manager’s ability to accurately forecast movements in the market relating to the underlying instrument. Should a market or markets, or prices of particular classes of investments move in an unexpected manner, especially in unusual or extreme market conditions, the Fund may not realize the anticipated benefits of the transaction, and it may realize losses, which could be significant. If the investment manager is not successful in using such derivative instruments, the Fund’s performance may be worse than if the investment manager did not use such derivatives at all. When a derivative is used for hedging, the change in value of the derivative may also not correlate specifically with the currency, security, interest rate, index or other risk being hedged. Derivatives also may present the risk that the other party to the transaction will fail to perform. There is also the risk, especially under extreme market conditions, that a derivative, which usually would operate as a hedge, provides no hedging benefits at all.
Management: The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.
Cybersecurity: Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, cause the Fund, the investment manager, and/or their service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.
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TEMPLETON
GLOBAL SMALLER COMPANIES FUND
SUMMARY PROSPECTUS
Because technology is frequently changing, new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises, the Fund, the investment manager, and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time.
Performance
The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for Class A shares. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or since inception, as applicable, compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. You can obtain updated performance information at franklintempleton.com or by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.
Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.
Class A Annual Total Returns
Best Quarter: | 2020, Q2 | 23.96% |
Worst Quarter: | 2020, Q1 | -30.36% |
As of September 30, 2023, the Fund’s year-to-date return was 2.46%. |
8 | Summary Prospectus | franklintempleton.com |
TEMPLETON
GLOBAL SMALLER COMPANIES FUND
SUMMARY PROSPECTUS
Average Annual Total Returns
(figures reflect sales charges)
For periods ended December 31, 2022
|
| 1 Year |
| 5 Years |
| 10 Years |
| Since Inception |
| |
Templeton Global Smaller Companies Fund - Class A |
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| Return before taxes |
| -28.12% |
| -0.88% |
| 4.66% |
| — |
|
| Return after taxes on distributions |
| -28.60% |
| -2.03% |
| 3.93% |
| — |
|
| Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares |
| -16.23% |
| -0.53% |
| 3.81% |
| — |
|
Templeton Global Smaller Companies Fund - Class C |
| -25.29% |
| -0.53% |
| 4.46% |
| — |
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Templeton Global Smaller Companies Fund - Class R6 |
| -23.75% |
| 0.59% |
| — |
| 4.99% | 1 | |
Templeton Global Smaller Companies Fund - Advisor Class |
| -23.82% |
| 0.47% |
| 5.52% |
| — |
| |
MSCI All Country World Small Cap Index-NR (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes but are net of dividend tax withholding) |
| -18.67% |
| 3.23% |
| 7.70% |
| — |
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1. | Since inception May 1, 2013. |
The figures in the average annual total returns table above reflect the Class A shares maximum front-end sales charge of 5.50%. Prior to September 10, 2018, Class A shares were subject to a maximum front-end sales charge of 5.75%. If the prior maximum front-end sales charge of 5.75% was reflected, performance for Class A shares in the average annual total returns table would be lower.
The after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
Investment Manager
Templeton Investment Counsel, LLC (Investment Counsel)
Sub-Advisor
Franklin Templeton Investments Corp. (FTIC)
franklintempleton.com | Summary Prospectus | 9 |
TEMPLETON
GLOBAL SMALLER COMPANIES FUND
SUMMARY PROSPECTUS
Portfolio Managers
Harlan B. Hodes
Executive Vice President/Portfolio Manager-Research Analyst of Investment Counsel and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2007.
David A. Tuttle, CFA
Vice President/Portfolio Manager-Research Analyst of FTIC and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2015.
Kyle Denning, CFA
Vice President/Portfolio Manager-Research Analyst of Investment Counsel and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2022.
Katie Ylijoki, CFA
Vice President/Portfolio Manager-Research Analyst of Investment Counsel and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2022.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any business day online through our website at franklintempleton.com, by mail (Franklin Templeton Investor Services, P.O. Box 33030, St. Petersburg, FL 33733-8030) or by telephone at (800) 632-2301. For Class A and C, the minimum initial purchase for most accounts is $1,000 (or $25 under an automatic investment plan). Class R6 and Advisor Class are only available to certain qualified investors and the minimum initial investment will vary depending on the type of qualified investor, as described under "Your Account — Choosing a Share Class — Qualified Investors — Class R6" and "— Advisor Class" in the Fund's prospectus. There is no minimum investment for subsequent purchases.
Taxes
The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or some combination of both, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, in which case your distributions would generally be taxed when withdrawn from the tax-advantaged account.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments
10 | Summary Prospectus | franklintempleton.com |
TEMPLETON
GLOBAL SMALLER COMPANIES FUND
SUMMARY PROSPECTUS
may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
franklintempleton.com | Summary Prospectus | 11 |
Franklin Distributors, LLC One Franklin Parkway San Mateo, CA 94403-1906 franklintempleton.com Templeton Global Smaller Companies Fund | |
Investment Company Act file #811-03143 © 2024 Franklin Templeton. All rights reserved.
| 103 PSUM 01/24 |