Franklin Templeton Investments Corp. is changing the name of Franklin US Aggressive Growth Fund to Franklin Flex Cap Growth Fund. The renamed fund features an expanded range of investment strategies that include investing in initial public offerings,
private securities and illiquid securities. The Franklin Flex Cap Growth Fund can search for growth opportunities in any industry sector, in companies of any size, including smaller and mid-sized companies.

“These changes give the fund the flexibility to take advantage of the broader range of growth investment opportunities being presented in today’s markets,” said Don Reed, President and CEO of Franklin Templeton Investments Corp. “Given this new expanded investment focus, Conrad Herrmann, Senior Vice- President, Franklin Advisers, will take over as lead manager of the Franklin Flex Cap Growth Fund.”

Based at Franklin Templeton Investments’ world wide headquarters in San Mateo, California, Conrad Herrmann is portfolio manager and head of equity portfolio management for Franklin Advisers. Herrmann has been with Franklin Templeton Investments since 1989 and is responsible for managing the U.S. based version of the Franklin Flex Cap Growth Fund with US$1.3 billion in assets.

“While the inclusion of IPOs and illiquid securities will cause a shift in the fund’s overall risk profile – removing low rated security risk and increasing liquidity risk – the fund’s approach to investing will remain the same, employing a rigorous bottom-up, stock-by-stock approach to find the fast growing, innovative companies with exceptional growth potential,” says Reed.