SAN MATEO, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 02/06/13 -- Franklin Universal Trust (NYSE: FT), a closed-end investment company managed by Franklin Advisers, Inc., today reported its portfolio composition, certain portfolio characteristics and NYSE closing price as of December 31, 2012.

Franklin Advisers, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE: BEN), a global investment management organization operating as Franklin Templeton Investments. Franklin Templeton Investments provides global and domestic investment management solutions managed by its Franklin, Templeton, Mutual Series, Fiduciary Trust, Darby and Bissett investment teams. The San Mateo, CA-based company has 65 years of investment experience and over $781 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2012. For more information, please call 1-800/DIAL BEN® or visit franklintempleton.com.

FRANKLIN UNIVERSAL TRUST ASSET ALLOCATION at December 31, 2012
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                                   MARKET                      PERCENTAGE
SECURITY                           VALUE                       OF FUND (1)
                                   -------------               ------------

High Yield & Investment Grade
 Corporate Bonds & Preferred
 Securities                        $ 159,095,555                       68.8%

Utilities - Common & Preferred
 Stocks                            $  66,328,223                       28.7%

Other Investments                  $   1,606,136                        0.7%

Cash & Other Net Assets            $   4,343,352                        1.9%
                                   -------------               ------------

Total Investments (1,2)            $ 231,373,266                      100.0%
                                   ============= ============= ============

                                   MARKET                      PERCENTAGE
10 LARGEST HOLDINGS BY ISSUER      VALUE                       OF FUND (1)
                                   -------------               ------------

Duke Energy Corp.                  $   5,902,776                        2.6%
Dominion Resources Inc.            $   5,180,000                        2.2%
Southern Co.                       $   4,644,885                        2.0%
Pinnacle West Capital Corp.        $   3,568,600                        1.5%
Sempra Energy                      $   3,547,000                        1.5%
Nextera Energy Inc.                $   3,459,500                        1.5%
Edison International               $   3,389,250                        1.5%
Centerpoint Energy Inc.            $   3,268,650                        1.4%
Alliant Energy Corp.               $   3,201,039                        1.4%
American Electric Power Co. Inc.   $   3,201,000                        1.4%
                                   -------------               ------------
Total (2)                          $  39,362,700                       17.0%
                                   ============= ============= ============
% OF GROSS ASSETS IN DEFAULT:      MARKET                      PERCENTAGE
ISSUER(3)                          VALUE                       OF FUND (1)
                                   -------------               ------------
Fontainebleau Las Vegas            $       1,008                        0.0%
                                   -------------               ------------
Total (2)                          $       1,008                        0.0%

Note: The value of these defaulted securities is reflected in
 the Fund's net asset value. Percentages are rounded.

                                   ============= ============= ============

Number of positions                                        246
NAV per share                                    $        7.54 (4)
Market price per share                           $        7.06 (4)
Number of shares outstanding                        25,131,894
Total net assets                                 $ 189,373,266

(1)Percentage of total investments of the Fund. Total investments of the
Fund include long-term and short-term investments and other net assets,
excluding long-term debt issued by the Fund.
(2) Total figures may not represent exact sum of items as a result of
rounding.
(3)Includes issuers that have defaulted or have missed scheduled bond
payments.
(4)These figures are rounded to two decimal places.

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. 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. Stock prices fluctuate, sometimes rapidly and dramatically, due to factors affecting individual companies, particular industries or sectors, or general market conditions. In addition to other factors, securities issued by utility companies have historically been sensitive to interest rate changes. When interest rates fall, utility securities prices, and thus a utilities fund's share price, tend to rise; when interest rates rise, their prices generally fall. The Fund is actively managed but there is no guarantee that the manager's investment decisions will produce the desired results. This press release contains statistical data regarding the Fund's portfolio. The Fund's complete portfolio holdings are publicly available on a quarterly basis on Form N-Q, as well as in the Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These documents may be found at sec.gov. 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.