SAN MATEO, Calif., Feb. 16, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Franklin Limited Duration Income Trust (NYSE MKT:FTF), a closed-end investment company managed by Franklin Advisers, Inc., announced today a dividend of $0.1091 per common share, payable March 15, 2017, to shareholders of record on February 28, 2017 (Ex-Dividend Date: February 24, 2017).
The Fund adopted a managed distribution plan and will make monthly distributions to common shareholders at an annual minimum fixed rate of 10%, based on the average monthly net asset value (NAV) of the Fund’s common shares. The Fund will calculate the average NAV from the previous month based on the number of business days in that month on which the NAV is calculated. The distribution will be calculated as 10% of the previous month’s average NAV, divided by 12. Management will generally distribute amounts necessary to satisfy the Fund’s plan and the requirements prescribed by excise tax rules and Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. The plan is intended to provide shareholders with a constant, but not guaranteed, fixed minimum rate of distribution each month and is intended to narrow the discount between the market price and the NAV of the Fund’s common shares, but there is no assurance that the plan will be successful in doing so.
Under the managed distribution plan, to the extent that sufficient investment income is not available on a monthly basis, the Fund will distribute long-term capital gains and/or return of capital in order to maintain its managed distribution level. No conclusions should be drawn about the Fund’s investment performance from the amount of the Fund’s distributions or from the terms of the Fund’s managed distribution plan.
The Board may amend the terms of the plan or terminate the plan at any time without prior notice to the Fund’s shareholders. The amendment or termination of the plan could have an adverse effect on the market price of the Fund’s common shares. The plan will be subject to the periodic review by the Board, including a yearly review of the annual minimum fixed rate to determine if an adjustment should be made.
With each distribution that does not consist solely of net investment income, the Fund will issue a notice to shareholders and an accompanying press release that will provide detailed information regarding the amount and composition of the distribution and other related information. The amounts and sources of distributions reported in the notice to shareholders are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund’s investment experience during its full fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send shareholders a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell them how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.
The Fund may at times distribute more than its net investment income and net realized capital gains; therefore, a portion of the distribution may result in a return of capital. A return of capital occurs when some or all of the money that shareholders invested in the Fund is paid back to them. A return of capital does not necessarily reflect the Fund’s investment performance and should not be confused with ‘yield’ or ‘income’. Any such returns of capital will decrease the Fund’s total assets and, therefore, could have the effect of increasing the Fund’s expense ratio. In addition, in order to make the level of distributions called for under its plan, the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities at a less than opportune time.
You may request a copy of the Fund's current Report to Shareholders by contacting Franklin Templeton’s Fund Information Department at 1-800/DIAL BEN® (1-800-342-5236) or by visiting franklintempleton.com. All investments involve risks, including possible loss of principal. Interest rate movements and mortgage prepayments will affect the Fund's share price and yield. Bond prices generally move in the opposite direction of interest rates. As the prices of bonds in a fund adjust to a rise in interest rates, the fund’s share price may decline. Investments in lower-rated bonds include higher risk of default and loss of principal. The Fund is actively managed but there is no guarantee that the manager's investment decisions will produce the desired results. For portfolio management discussions, including information regarding the Fund’s investment strategies, please view the most recent Annual or Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders which can be found at franklintempleton.com or sec.gov.
Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE: BEN ) is a global investment management organization operating as Franklin Templeton Investments. Franklin Templeton Investments provides 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 650 investment professionals are supported by its integrated, worldwide team of risk management professionals and global trading desk network. With offices in over 30 countries, the California–based company has 70 years of investment experience and over $728 billion in assets under management as of January 31, 2017. For more information, please visit franklintempleton.com.
FROM: Franklin Templeton Investments Shareholders/Financial Advisors: (800) 342-5236
