TORONTO, May 14, 2018 /CNW/ - Franklin Templeton Investments Canada will mark today's listings of three actively managed fixed income ETFs, Franklin Liberty Global Aggregate Bond ETF (CAD-Hedged) (FLGA), Franklin Liberty Senior Loan ETF (CAD-Hedged) (FLSL) and Franklin Liberty U.S. Investment Grade Corporate ETF (CAD-Hedged) (FLUI), by ringing the opening bell on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX).

"The fixed income market is becoming increasingly more complex in this low interest rate environment," said Duane Green, president and CEO, Franklin Templeton Investments Canada. "To help investors and advisors navigate the credit markets, we have introduced three fixed income ETFs that employ an active approach to security selection, with currency hedging to manage risk—all at a low cost."

These three actively managed fixed income ETFs will harness the specialized expertise of Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Group, which has a team of over 150 dedicated professionals globally. With more than 40 years of experience managing fixed income portfolios, the group manages over US$164 billion in fixed income assets under management.*

• Franklin Liberty Global Aggregate Bond ETF (CAD-Hedged) (FLGA) seeks to maximize, consistent with prudent investment management, total investment return, consisting of a combination of interest income and capital appreciation by investing primarily in investment grade fixed or floating-rate debt securities issued by governments, government related entities (including supranational organizations supported by several national governments) and corporations worldwide. FLGA is co-managed by John Beck, director of Fixed Income-London, SVP and portfolio manager, and Warren Keyser, SVP and portfolio manager. The management fee is 35 bps.
• Franklin Liberty Senior Loan ETF (CAD-Hedged) (FLSL) seeks to provide a high level of current income while seeking preservation of capital by investing primarily in senior secured income-producing floating rate corporate loans made to, and corporate debt securities issued by, U.S. and non-U.S. entities. FLSL is co-managed by Mark Boyadjian, director of Floating Rate Debt Group, SVP and portfolio manager, Madeline Lam, VP and portfolio manager, and Justin Ma, VP and portfolio manager. The management fee is 45 bps.
• Franklin Liberty U.S. Investment Grade Corporate ETF (CAD-Hedged) (FLUI) seeks to provide a high level of current income while seeking preservation of capital by investing primarily in U.S. dollar denominated investment grade corporate debt securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. entities. FLUI is co-managed by Shawn Lyons, VP and portfolio manager, and Marc Kremer, VP and portfolio manager. The management fee is 35 bps.

FLGA, FLSL and FLUI will join Franklin Liberty Canadian Investment Grade Corporate ETF (FLCI), which is managed by Franklin Bissett Investment Management, to create a suite of four fixed income ETFs that invest in Canada, the U.S. and globally.

"This suite of ETFs will provide investors with the essential building blocks for the fixed income component of a portfolio," said Patrick O'Connor, head of Global ETFs, Franklin Templeton Investments. "We are continuing to focus on bringing investors and advisors ETFs that can help them reach their desired outcomes."

Franklin LibertyShares actively managed and smart beta ETFs leverage the investment expertise, management insights and deep resources of Franklin Templeton Investments, a recognized global leader in asset management.

About Franklin Templeton Investments                             

Franklin Templeton Investments Corp. (known as Franklin Templeton Investments Canada) is a subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. BEN. Franklin Resources, Inc. is a global investment management organization operating as Franklin Templeton Investments, which 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 US$732 billion (C$990 billion) in assets under management as of April 30, 2018. For more information, please visit franklintempleton.ca.

Connect with Franklin Templeton Investments Canada on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn, and read the Beyond Bulls & Bears blog featuring perspectives from Franklin Templeton investment professionals around the world.    

Commissions, management fees and expenses may all be associated with investments in ETFs. Investors should carefully consider an ETF's investment objectives and strategies, risks, fees and expenses before investing. The prospectus and ETF facts contain this and other information. Please read the prospectus and ETF facts carefully before investing. ETFs trade like stocks, fluctuate in market value and may trade at prices above or below the ETF's net asset value. Brokerage commissions and ETF expenses will reduce returns. Performance of an ETF may vary significantly from the performance of an index, as a result of transaction costs, expenses and other factors. ETFs are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. 

* AUM is as of March 31, 2018

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SOURCE Franklin Templeton Investments Corp.

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