UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM N-CSR
CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES
Investment Company Act file number 811-01700
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
Alison Baur, One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
(Name and address of agent for service)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:
(650)312-2000
Date of fiscal year end: 7/31
Date of reporting period: 7/31/24
Item 1. Reports to Stockholders.
a.) | The following is a copy of the report transmitted to shareholders pursuant to Rule 30e-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) (17 CFR 270.30e-1). |
b.) | Include a copy of each notice transmitted to stockholders in reliance on Rule 30e-3 under the Act (17 CFR 270.30e-3) that contains disclosures specified by paragraph (c)(3) of that rule. |
Not Applicable.
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | ||
Class A [FKRCX] | ||
Annual Shareholder Report | July 31, 2024 | ||
You can find additional information about the Fund at https://www.franklintempleton.com/regulatory-fund-documents. You can also request this information by contacting us at (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.
Class Name | Costs of a $10,000 investment | Costs paid as a percentage of a $10,000 investment* |
Class A | $101 | 0.92% |
* | Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, without which expenses would have been higher. |
Top contributors to performance: | |
↑ | Holdings in gold-focused mining companies (roughly 84% of total net assets) outperformed the benchmark, FTSE Gold Mines Index, in both absolute and relative terms. |
↑ | Several smaller, single-asset and development-stage mining companies, a key feature of our longer-term investment strategy, delivered some of the strongest gains. |
↑ | Strategic underweighting in some of the world’s largest gold miners aided relative returns as share-price gains for Barrick Gold, Newmont and select large-capitalization peers lagged the index. |
Top detractors from performance: | |
↓ | Off-benchmark positions in platinum- and palladium-focused miners were weak given the sharp decline in palladium prices; producers of copper and other base metals also underperformed, especially in the latter half of the period. |
↓ | Within the portfolio’s core gold industry allocation, company-specific issues led to selloffs in several overweighted or off-index holdings including Orla Mining, SSR Mining (sold by period-end), Victoria Gold (sold by period-end), Allied Gold (purchased during the period) and Ascot Resources. The Fund also lacked exposure to a few index constituents that more than doubled in value such as Harmony Gold Mining. |
↓ | Relative gains in the gold industry were reduced by lighter-than-index exposures to select large-cap gold miners that topped the benchmark average, including Kinross Gold (sold by period-end) and Agnico Eagle Mines. |
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | PAGE 1 | 132-ATSR-0924 |
Class A 7/31/2014 — 7/31/2024
1 Year | 5 Year | 10 Year | |
Class A | 18.56 | 8.65 | 3.23 |
Class A (with sales charge) | 12.07 | 7.43 | 2.65 |
MSCI All Country World ex-US Index-NR | 9.75 | 6.29 | 4.18 |
FTSE Gold Mines Index | 25.52 | 7.89 | 5.58 |
S&P 500 Index | 22.15 | 14.99 | 13.15 |
Total Net Assets | $1,028,007,322 |
Total Number of Portfolio Holdings* | 206 |
Total Management Fee Paid | $4,416,532 |
Portfolio Turnover Rate | 14.50% |
* | Does not include derivatives, except purchased options, if any. |
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | PAGE 2 | 132-ATSR-0924 |
* | Does not include derivatives, except purchased options, if any. |
WHERE CAN I FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND? | |
Additional information is available on https://www.franklintempleton.com/regulatory-fund-documents, including its: | |
• prospectus • proxy voting information • financial information • holdings • tax information |
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | PAGE 3 | 132-ATSR-0924 |
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | ||
Class C [FRGOX] | ||
Annual Shareholder Report | July 31, 2024 | ||
You can find additional information about the Fund at https://www.franklintempleton.com/regulatory-fund-documents. You can also request this information by contacting us at (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.
Class Name | Costs of a $10,000 investment | Costs paid as a percentage of a $10,000 investment* |
Class C | $182 | 1.67% |
* | Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, without which expenses would have been higher. |
Top contributors to performance: | |
↑ | Holdings in gold-focused mining companies (roughly 84% of total net assets) outperformed the benchmark, FTSE Gold Mines Index, in both absolute and relative terms. |
↑ | Several smaller, single-asset and development-stage mining companies, a key feature of our longer-term investment strategy, delivered some of the strongest gains. |
↑ | Strategic underweighting in some of the world’s largest gold miners aided relative returns as share-price gains for Barrick Gold, Newmont and select large-capitalization peers lagged the index. |
Top detractors from performance: | |
↓ | Off-benchmark positions in platinum- and palladium-focused miners were weak given the sharp decline in palladium prices; producers of copper and other base metals also underperformed, especially in the latter half of the period. |
↓ | Within the portfolio’s core gold industry allocation, company-specific issues led to selloffs in several overweighted or off-index holdings including Orla Mining, SSR Mining (sold by period-end), Victoria Gold (sold by period-end), Allied Gold (purchased during the period) and Ascot Resources. The Fund also lacked exposure to a few index constituents that more than doubled in value such as Harmony Gold Mining. |
↓ | Relative gains in the gold industry were reduced by lighter-than-index exposures to select large-cap gold miners that topped the benchmark average, including Kinross Gold (sold by period-end) and Agnico Eagle Mines. |
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | PAGE 1 | 232-ATSR-0924 |
1 Year | 5 Year | 10 Year | |
Class C | 17.62 | 7.83 | 2.46 |
Class C (with sales charge) | 16.62 | 7.83 | 2.46 |
MSCI All Country World ex-US Index-NR | 9.75 | 6.29 | 4.18 |
FTSE Gold Mines Index | 25.52 | 7.89 | 5.58 |
S&P 500 Index | 22.15 | 14.99 | 13.15 |
Total Net Assets | $1,028,007,322 |
Total Number of Portfolio Holdings* | 206 |
Total Management Fee Paid | $4,416,532 |
Portfolio Turnover Rate | 14.50% |
* | Does not include derivatives, except purchased options, if any. |
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | PAGE 2 | 232-ATSR-0924 |
* | Does not include derivatives, except purchased options, if any. |
WHERE CAN I FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND? | |
Additional information is available on https://www.franklintempleton.com/regulatory-fund-documents, including its: | |
• prospectus • proxy voting information • financial information • holdings • tax information |
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | PAGE 3 | 232-ATSR-0924 |
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | ||
Class R6 [FGPMX] | ||
Annual Shareholder Report | July 31, 2024 | ||
You can find additional information about the Fund at https://www.franklintempleton.com/regulatory-fund-documents. You can also request this information by contacting us at (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.
Class Name | Costs of a $10,000 investment | Costs paid as a percentage of a $10,000 investment* |
Class R6 | $60 | 0.55% |
* | Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, without which expenses would have been higher. |
Top contributors to performance: | |
↑ | Holdings in gold-focused mining companies (roughly 84% of total net assets) outperformed the benchmark, FTSE Gold Mines Index, in both absolute and relative terms. |
↑ | Several smaller, single-asset and development-stage mining companies, a key feature of our longer-term investment strategy, delivered some of the strongest gains. |
↑ | Strategic underweighting in some of the world’s largest gold miners aided relative returns as share-price gains for Barrick Gold, Newmont and select large-capitalization peers lagged the index. |
Top detractors from performance: | |
↓ | Off-benchmark positions in platinum- and palladium-focused miners were weak given the sharp decline in palladium prices; producers of copper and other base metals also underperformed, especially in the latter half of the period. |
↓ | Within the portfolio’s core gold industry allocation, company-specific issues led to selloffs in several overweighted or off-index holdings including Orla Mining, SSR Mining (sold by period-end), Victoria Gold (sold by period-end), Allied Gold (purchased during the period) and Ascot Resources. The Fund also lacked exposure to a few index constituents that more than doubled in value such as Harmony Gold Mining. |
↓ | Relative gains in the gold industry were reduced by lighter-than-index exposures to select large-cap gold miners that topped the benchmark average, including Kinross Gold (sold by period-end) and Agnico Eagle Mines. |
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | PAGE 1 | 364-ATSR-0924 |
1 Year | 5 Year | 10 Year | |
Class R6 | 19.01 | 9.05 | 3.66 |
MSCI All Country World ex-US Index-NR | 9.75 | 6.29 | 4.18 |
FTSE Gold Mines Index | 25.52 | 7.89 | 5.58 |
S&P 500 Index | 22.15 | 14.99 | 13.15 |
Total Net Assets | $1,028,007,322 |
Total Number of Portfolio Holdings* | 206 |
Total Management Fee Paid | $4,416,532 |
Portfolio Turnover Rate | 14.50% |
* | Does not include derivatives, except purchased options, if any. |
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | PAGE 2 | 364-ATSR-0924 |
* | Does not include derivatives, except purchased options, if any. |
WHERE CAN I FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND? | |
Additional information is available on https://www.franklintempleton.com/regulatory-fund-documents, including its: | |
• prospectus • proxy voting information • financial information • holdings • tax information |
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | PAGE 3 | 364-ATSR-0924 |
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | ||
Advisor Class [FGADX] | ||
Annual Shareholder Report | July 31, 2024 | ||
You can find additional information about the Fund at https://www.franklintempleton.com/regulatory-fund-documents. You can also request this information by contacting us at (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.
Class Name | Costs of a $10,000 investment | Costs paid as a percentage of a $10,000 investment* |
Advisor Class | $73 | 0.67% |
* | Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, without which expenses would have been higher. |
Top contributors to performance: | |
↑ | Holdings in gold-focused mining companies (roughly 84% of total net assets) outperformed the benchmark, FTSE Gold Mines Index, in both absolute and relative terms. |
↑ | Several smaller, single-asset and development-stage mining companies, a key feature of our longer-term investment strategy, delivered some of the strongest gains. |
↑ | Strategic underweighting in some of the world’s largest gold miners aided relative returns as share-price gains for Barrick Gold, Newmont and select large-capitalization peers lagged the index. |
Top detractors from performance: | |
↓ | Off-benchmark positions in platinum- and palladium-focused miners were weak given the sharp decline in palladium prices; producers of copper and other base metals also underperformed, especially in the latter half of the period. |
↓ | Within the portfolio’s core gold industry allocation, company-specific issues led to selloffs in several overweighted or off-index holdings including Orla Mining, SSR Mining (sold by period-end), Victoria Gold (sold by period-end), Allied Gold (purchased during the period) and Ascot Resources. The Fund also lacked exposure to a few index constituents that more than doubled in value such as Harmony Gold Mining. |
↓ | Relative gains in the gold industry were reduced by lighter-than-index exposures to select large-cap gold miners that topped the benchmark average, including Kinross Gold (sold by period-end) and Agnico Eagle Mines. |
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | PAGE 1 | 632-ATSR-0924 |
1 Year | 5 Year | 10 Year | |
Advisor Class | 18.81 | 8.91 | 3.48 |
MSCI All Country World ex-US Index-NR | 9.75 | 6.29 | 4.18 |
FTSE Gold Mines Index | 25.52 | 7.89 | 5.58 |
S&P 500 Index | 22.15 | 14.99 | 13.15 |
Total Net Assets | $1,028,007,322 |
Total Number of Portfolio Holdings* | 206 |
Total Management Fee Paid | $4,416,532 |
Portfolio Turnover Rate | 14.50% |
* | Does not include derivatives, except purchased options, if any. |
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | PAGE 2 | 632-ATSR-0924 |
* | Does not include derivatives, except purchased options, if any. |
WHERE CAN I FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND? | |
Additional information is available on https://www.franklintempleton.com/regulatory-fund-documents, including its: | |
• prospectus • proxy voting information • financial information • holdings • tax information |
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | PAGE 3 | 632-ATSR-0924 |
Item 2. Code of Ethics.
(a) The Registrant has adopted a code of ethics that applies to its principal executive officers and principal financial and accounting officer.
(c) N/A
(d) N/A
(f) Pursuant to Item 19(a)(1), the Registrant is attaching as an exhibit a copy of its code of ethics that applies to its principal executive officers and principal financial and accounting officer.
Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.
(a) (1) The Registrant has an audit committee financial expert serving on its audit committee.
(2) The audit committee financial expert is Mary C. Choksi and she is “independent” as defined under the relevant Securities and Exchange Commission Rules and Releases.
ITEM 4. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES.
(a) | Audit Fees |
The aggregate fees paid to the principal accountant for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for the audit of the registrant’s annual financial statements or for services that are normally provided by the principal accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements were $58,851 for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2024, and $55,075 for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2023.
(b) | Audit-Related Fees |
The aggregate fees paid to the principal accountant for assurance and related services rendered by the principal accountant to the registrant that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit of the registrant’s financial statements and are not reported under paragraph (a) of Item 4 were $0 for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2024, and $3,000 for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2023. The services for which these fees were paid included attestation services.
There were no fees paid to the principal accountant for assurance and related services rendered by the principal accountant to the registrant’s investment adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit of their financial statements.
(c) | Tax Fees |
There were no fees paid to the principal accountant for professional services rendered by the principal accountant to the registrant for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning.
The aggregate fees paid to the principal accountant for professional services rendered by the principal accountant to the registrant’s investment adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning were $140,000 for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2024, and $70,000 for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2023. The services for which these fees were paid included global access to tax platform International Tax View.
(d) | All Other Fees |
The aggregate fees paid to the principal accountant for products and services rendered by the principal accountant to the registrant not reported in paragraphs (a)-(c) of Item 4 were $0 for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2024, and $445 for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2023. The services for which these fees were paid included review of materials provided to the fund Board in connection with the investment management contract renewal process.
The aggregate fees paid to the principal accountant for products and services rendered by the principal accountant to the registrant’s investment adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant not reported in paragraphs (a)-(c) of Item 4
were $163,638 for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2024 and $94,715 for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2023. The services for which these fees were paid included professional fees in connection with SOC 1 Reports, professional services relating to the readiness assessment over Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Energy, professional fees relating to security counts and fees in connection with license for accounting and business knowledge platform Viewpoint.
(e) (1) The registrant’s audit committee is directly responsible for approving the services to be provided by the auditors, including:
(i) | pre-approval of all audit and audit related services; |
(ii) | pre-approval of all non-audit related services to be provided to the Fund by the auditors; |
(iii) pre-approval of all non-audit related services to be provided to the registrant by the auditors to the registrant’s investment adviser or to any entity that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the registrant’s investment adviser and that provides ongoing services to the registrant where the non-audit services relate directly to the operations or financial reporting of the registrant; and
(iv) establishment by the audit committee, if deemed necessary or appropriate, as an alternative to committee pre-approval of services to be provided by the auditors, as required by paragraphs (ii) and (iii) above, of policies and procedures to permit such services to be pre-approved by other means, such as through establishment of guidelines or by action of a designated member or members of the committee; provided the policies and procedures are detailed as to the particular service and the committee is informed of each service and such policies and procedures do not include delegation of audit committee responsibilities, as contemplated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, to management; subject, in the case of (ii) through (iv), to any waivers, exceptions or exemptions that may be available under applicable law or rules.
(e) (2) None of the services provided to the registrant described in paragraphs (b)-(d) of Item 4 were approved by the audit committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of regulation S-X.
(f) No disclosures are required by this Item 4(f).
(g) The aggregate non-audit fees paid to the principal accountant for services rendered by the principal accountant to the registrant and the registrant’s investment adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant were $303,638 for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2024, and $168,160 for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2023.
(h) The registrant’s audit committee of the board has considered whether the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to the registrant’s investment adviser (not including any sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment adviser), and any entity controlling,
controlled by, or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant that were not pre-approved pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X is compatible with maintaining the principal accountant’s independence.
(i) N/A
(j) N/A
Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants. N/A
Item 6. Schedule of Investments.
(a) Please see schedule of investments contained in the Financial Statements and Financial Highlights included under Item 7 of this Form N-CSR.
(b) N/A
Item 7. Financial Statements and Financial Highlights for Open-End Management Investment Companies.
Item 8. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants for Open-End Management Investment Companies.
The information is disclosed as part of the Financial Statements included in Item 7 of this Form N-CSR.
Item 9. Proxy Disclosures for Open-End Management Investment Companies.
The information is disclosed as part of the Financial Statements included in Item 7 of this Form N-CSR.
Item 10. Remuneration Paid to Directors, Officers, and Others of Open-End Management Investment Companies.
The information is disclosed as part of the Financial Statements included in Item 7 of this Form N-CSR.
Item 11. Statement Regarding Basis for Approval of Investment Advisory Contract.
The information is disclosed as part of the Financial Statements included in Item 7 of this Form N-CSR.
Item 12. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies. N/A
Item 13. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies. N/A
Item 14. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers. N/A
Item 15. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
There have been no changes to the procedures by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the Registrant’s Board of Trustees that would require disclosure herein.
Item 16. Controls and Procedures.
(a) Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Registrant maintains disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed in the Registrant’s filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940 is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the periods specified in the rules and forms of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such information is accumulated and communicated to the Registrant’s management, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Registrant’s management, including the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer, recognizes that any set of controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives.
Within 90 days prior to the filing date of this Shareholder Report on Form N-CSR, the Registrant had carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of the Registrant’s management, including the Registrant’s principal executive officer and the Registrant’s principal financial officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures. Based on such evaluation, the Registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective.
(b) Changes in Internal Controls. There have been no changes in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by this report that has materially affected or is reasonably likely to materially affect the internal control over financial reporting.
Item 17. Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Company N/A
Item 18. Recovery of Erroneously Awarded Compensation.
(a) N/A
(b) N/A
Item 19. Exhibits.
(a)(1) Code of Ethics
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
FRANKLIN GOLD AND PRECIOUS METALS FUND
By | /s/ CHRISTOPHER KINGS | |
Christopher Kings | ||
Chief Executive Officer - Finance and Administration |
Date | September 27, 2024 |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
By | /s/ CHRISTOPHER KINGS | |
Christopher Kings | ||
Chief Executive Officer - Finance and Administration |
Date | September 27, 2024 |
By | /s/ JEFFREY WHITE | |
Jeffrey White | ||
Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer |
Date | September 27, 2024 |