# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0000038721
**File Stem:** 0001741773-23-000119
**Filing Date:** 2023-2
**Character Count:** 23942
**Document Hash:** a4124d1f0a9ec9c7c14919a655bb70dd
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001741773-23-000119.hdr.sgml**: 20230201

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001741773-23-000119

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 497K

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 5

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20230201

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20230201

**EFFECTIVENESS DATE**: 20230201

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** Franklin Custodian Funds
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0000038721
- **IRS NUMBER:** 132573775
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** DE
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 0930

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 497K
- **SEC ACT:** 1933 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 002-11346
- **FILM NUMBER:** 23574762

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** ONE FRANKLIN PARKWAY
- **CITY:** SAN MATEO
- **STATE:** CA
- **ZIP:** 94403-1906
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 650-312-2000

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** ONE FRANKLIN PARKWAY
- **CITY:** SAN MATEO
- **STATE:** CA
- **ZIP:** 94403-1906

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** FRANKLIN CUSTODIAN FUNDS
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 20080128

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** FRANKLIN CUSTODIAN FUNDS INC
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 19920703

## Series and Classes Contracts Data

### FRANKLIN UTILITIES FUND (Series ID: S000006758)

| Class ID   | Class Name    | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000018340 | Class A1      | FKUTX           |
| C000018342 | Class C       | FRUSX           |
| C000018343 | Advisor Class | FRUAX           |
| C000018344 | Class R       | FRURX           |
| C000128789 | Class R6      | FUFRX           |
| C000199721 | Class A       | FKUQX           |

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| |
|:---|
| **SUMMARY PROSPECTUS** |
| **FRANKLIN UTILITIES**<br>**FUND** |
| **Franklin Custodian Funds** |
| February 1, 2023 |
| ![](img_e8992455e0904f1.jpg) |

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class A** | **Class A1** | **Class C** | **Class R** | **Class R6** | **Advisor Class** |
| FKUQX | FKUTX | FRUSX | FRURX | FUFRX | FRUAX |

---

Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund's prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund's prospectus, statement of additional information, reports to shareholders and other information about the Fund online at www.franklintempleton.com/prospectus. You can also get this information at no cost by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236 or by sending an e-mail request to prospectus@franklintempleton.com. The Fund's prospectus and statement of additional information, both dated February 1, 2023, as may be supplemented, are all incorporated by reference into this Summary Prospectus.

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FRANKLIN UTILITIES FUND<br>SUMMARY PROSPECTUS

Investment Goal

Capital appreciation and current income.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in Franklin Templeton funds and certain other funds distributed through Franklin Distributors, LLC, the Fund's distributor. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and under "Your Account" on page 166 in the Fund's Prospectus and under "Buying and Selling Shares" on page 88 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information. In addition, more information about sales charge discounts and waivers for purchases of shares through specific financial intermediaries is set forth in Appendix A – "Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers" to the Fund's prospectus.

Please note that the tables and examples below do not reflect any transaction fees that may be charged by financial intermediaries, or commissions that a shareholder may be required to pay directly to its financial intermediary when buying or selling Class R6 or Advisor Class shares.

#### Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)

---

| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  |  | **Class A** | **Class A1** | **Class C** | **Class R** | **Class R6** | **Advisor <br>Class** |
| Maximum Sales Charge (Load) <br>Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price) | Maximum Sales Charge (Load) <br>Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price) | 3.75% | 3.75% |  |  |  |  |
| Maximum Deferred Sales Charge <br>(Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds) | Maximum Deferred Sales Charge <br>(Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds) | None<br><sup>1</sup>  | None<br><sup>1</sup>  | 1.00% |  |  |  |
| <sup>1.</sup> | There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $500,000 or more (see "Investment of $500,000 or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase. | There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $500,000 or more (see "Investment of $500,000 or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase. | There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $500,000 or more (see "Investment of $500,000 or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase. | There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $500,000 or more (see "Investment of $500,000 or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase. | There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $500,000 or more (see "Investment of $500,000 or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase. | There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $500,000 or more (see "Investment of $500,000 or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase. | There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $500,000 or more (see "Investment of $500,000 or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase. |

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<br>  <br> 2 Summary Prospectus franklintempleton.com

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FRANKLIN UTILITIES FUND<br>SUMMARY PROSPECTUS

#### Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Class A** | **Class A1** | **Class C** | **Class R** | **Class R6** | **Advisor <br>Class** |
| Management fees | 0.46% | 0.46% | 0.46% | 0.46% | 0.46% | 0.46% |
| Distribution and service (12b-1) fees | 0.25% | 0.15% | 0.65% | 0.50% |  |  |
| Other expenses | 0.11% | 0.11% | 0.11% | 0.11% | 0.08% | 0.11% |
| Total annual Fund operating expenses | 0.82% | 0.72% | 1.22% | 1.07% | 0.54% | 0.57% |
| Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement<sup>1</sup> |  |  |  |  | -0.04% |  |
| **Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement<sup>1</sup>** | **0.82%** | **0.72%** | **1.22%** | **1.07%** | **0.50%** | **0.57%** |

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<sup>1.</sup> The transfer agent has contractually agreed to cap transfer agency fees for Class R6 shares of the Fund so that the transfer agency fees for that class do not exceed 0.03% until January 31, 2024. During the term, this fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement may not be terminated or amended without approval of the board of trustees except to add series and classes, to reflect the extension of termination dates or to lower the cap on Fund's fees and expenses (which would result in lower fees for shareholders).

#### Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund's operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by management for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| **Class A** | $456 | $627 | $813 | $1350 |
| **Class A1** | $446 | $597 | $761 | $1236 |
| **Class C** | $224 | $387 | $670 | $1366 |
| **Class R** | $109 | $340 | $589 | $1304 |
| **Class R6** | $51 | $169 | $298 | $674 |
| **Advisor Class** | $58 | $183 | $318 | $713 |
| If you do not sell your shares: |  |  |  |  |
| **Class C** | $124 | $387 | $670 | $1366 |

---

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate

<br>  <br> franklintempleton.com Summary Prospectus 3

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FRANKLIN UTILITIES FUND<br>SUMMARY PROSPECTUS

higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 5.66% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in the securities of public utilities companies. These are companies that provide electricity, natural gas, water, and communications services to the public and companies that provide services to public utilities companies. The Fund concentrates (invests more than 25% of its total assets) in companies operating in the utilities industry. The Fund invests primarily in equity securities, which consist mainly of common stocks.

The Fund searches for the best return opportunities available in the global utilities arena with a specific focus on the U.S. electricity and gas sector. Generally, the Fund seeks to invest in companies producing a high percentage of earnings from their regulated operations.

Principal Risks

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government.

**Utilities Industry** Utility company equity securities, to the extent they are purchased for their dividend yield, historically have been sensitive to interest rate movements: when interest rates have risen, the stock prices of these companies have tended to fall. In some states, utility companies and their rates are regulated; other states have moved to deregulate such companies thereby causing non-regulated companies' returns to generally be more volatile and more sensitive to changes in revenue and earnings. Certain utilities companies face risks associated with the operation of nuclear facilities for electric generation, including, among other considerations, litigation, the problems associated with the use of radioactive materials and the effects of natural or man-made disasters. In general, all utility companies may face additional regulation and litigation regarding their power plant operations; increased costs from new or greater regulation of these operations; the need to purchase expensive emissions control equipment or new operations due to regulations; and the availability and cost of fuel, all of which may lower their earnings. The distribution side of the utilities industry also faces increased operational costs related to the natural aging of equipment and the related costs

<br>  <br> 4 Summary Prospectus franklintempleton.com

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FRANKLIN UTILITIES FUND<br>SUMMARY PROSPECTUS

required to provide maintenance, upgrades or replacements to such equipment to insure safe and reliable utility operations.

**Market** The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all investments. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.

The global outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, has resulted in market closures and dislocations, extreme volatility, liquidity constraints and increased trading costs. Efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in global travel restrictions and disruptions of healthcare systems, business operations and supply chains, layoffs, volatility in consumer demand for certain products, defaults and credit ratings downgrades, and other significant economic impacts. The effects of COVID-19 have impacted global economic activity across many industries and may heighten other pre-existing political, social and economic risks, locally or globally. The full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is unpredictable and may adversely affect the Fund's performance.

Stock prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of debt securities. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the various stocks held by the Fund.

**Concentration** To the extent the Fund concentrates in a specific industry, a group of industries, sector or type of investment, the Fund will carry much greater risks of adverse developments and price movements in such industries, sectors or investments than a fund that invests in a wider variety of industries, sectors or investments. There is also the risk that the Fund will perform poorly during a slump in demand for securities of companies in such industries or sectors.

**Management** The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.

**Cybersecurity** Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, cause the Fund, the investment manager and/or their service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has limited

<br>  <br> franklintempleton.com Summary Prospectus 5

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FRANKLIN UTILITIES FUND<br>SUMMARY PROSPECTUS

ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.

Because technology is frequently changing, new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises, the Fund, the investment manager and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time.

Performance

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for Class A shares. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or since inception, as applicable, compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. You can obtain updated performance information at franklintempleton.com or by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.

The secondary index in the table below shows how the Fund's performance compares to a group of securities that reflects the broader equity markets universe.

Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.

<br>  <br> 6 Summary Prospectus franklintempleton.com

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FRANKLIN UTILITIES FUND<br>SUMMARY PROSPECTUS

#### Class A Annual Total Returns
![PerformanceBarChartData(2013:13.7, 2014:25.18, 2015:-7.39, 2016:17.77, 2017:10.56, 2018:2.67, 2019:26.62, 2020:-2, 2021:17.86, 2022:1.58)](img_8b026421a2e44f1.jpg)

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| Best Quarter:  | 2016, Q1 | 14.75% |
| Worst Quarter:  | 2020, Q1 | -14.80% |

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#### Average Annual Total Returns
(figures reflect sales charges)

For periods ended December 31, 2022

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  |  | **1 Year** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** | **Since Inception** |
| **Franklin Utilities Fund - Class A** | **Franklin Utilities Fund - Class A** |  |  |  |  |
|  | Return before taxes | -2.23% | 7.98% | 9.68% |  |
|  | Return after taxes on distributions | -3.06% | 6.50% | 8.35% |  |
|  | Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares | -0.74% | 6.03% | 7.62% |  |
| **Franklin Utilities Fund - Class A1** | **Franklin Utilities Fund - Class A1** | -2.15% | 8.07% | 9.73% |  |
| **Franklin Utilities Fund - Class C** | **Franklin Utilities Fund - Class C** | 0.15% | 8.37% | 9.60% |  |
| **Franklin Utilities Fund - Class R** | **Franklin Utilities Fund - Class R** | 1.33% | 8.53% | 9.77% |  |
| **Franklin Utilities Fund - Class R6** | **Franklin Utilities Fund - Class R6** | 1.88% | 9.14% |  | 9.01%<br><sup>1</sup> |
| **Franklin Utilities Fund - Advisor Class**  | **Franklin Utilities Fund - Advisor Class**  | 1.81% | 9.07% | 10.33% |  |
| S&P 500 Utilities Index (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | S&P 500 Utilities Index (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 1.57% | 9.58% | 11.09% |  |
| S&P 500 Index (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | S&P 500 Index (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | -18.11% | 9.43% | 12.56% |  |
| <sup>1.</sup> | Since inception May 1, 2013. | Since inception May 1, 2013. | Since inception May 1, 2013. | Since inception May 1, 2013. |  |

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No one index is representative of the Fund's portfolio.

<br>  <br> franklintempleton.com Summary Prospectus 7

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FRANKLIN UTILITIES FUND<br>SUMMARY PROSPECTUS

Historical performance for Class A shares in the bar chart and table above prior to their inception is based on the performance of Class A1 shares and has been adjusted to reflect differences in Rule 12b-1 fees between classes.

The figures in the average annual total returns table above reflect the Class A and Class A1 shares maximum front-end sales charge of 3.75%. Prior to March 1, 2019, Class A and Class A1 shares were subject to a maximum front-end sales charge of 4.25%. If the prior maximum front-end sales charge of 4.25% was reflected, performance for Class A and Class A1 shares in the average annual total returns table would be lower.

The after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.

Investment Manager

Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)

Portfolio Managers

#### John Kohli, CFA
Senior Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 1998.

#### Blair Schmicker, CFA
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2009.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any business day online through our website at franklintempleton.com, by mail (Franklin Templeton Investor Services, P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151), or by telephone at (800) 632-2301. For Class A, C and R, the minimum initial purchase for most accounts is $1,000 (or $25 under an automatic investment plan). Class R6 and Advisor Class are only available to certain qualified investors and the minimum initial investment will vary depending on the type of qualified investor, as described under "Your Account — Choosing a Share Class — Qualified Investors — Class R6" and "— Advisor Class" in the Fund's prospectus. There is no minimum investment for subsequent purchases.

<br>  <br> 8 Summary Prospectus franklintempleton.com

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FRANKLIN UTILITIES FUND<br>SUMMARY PROSPECTUS

Taxes

The Fund's distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or some combination of both, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, in which case your distributions would generally be taxed when withdrawn from the tax-advantaged account.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

<br>  <br> franklintempleton.com Summary Prospectus 9

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FRANKLIN UTILITIES FUND<br>SUMMARY PROSPECTUS

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<br>  <br> 10 Summary Prospectus franklintempleton.com

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<br>  <br> franklintempleton.com Summary Prospectus 11

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|:---|:---|
| ![](img_a68a0a2910984f1.jpg) |  |
|  | Franklin Distributors, LLC<br>One Franklin Parkway<br>San Mateo, CA 94403-1906<br>franklintempleton.com<br>**Franklin Utilities Fund** |

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|:---|:---|
| Investment Company Act file #811-00537<br>© 2023 Franklin Templeton. All rights reserved.<br>![](img_a7d0b445f3604f1.jpg) 10% Total Recycled Fiber 00070360 | 1107 PSUM 02/23 |

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