FKUTX vs PRUZX Fund Comparison

A comparison between FKUTX and PRUZX based on their expense ratio, growth, holdings and how well they match their benchmark performance.

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Minafi's Take on FKUTX vs PRUZX

Here's an in depth look at the differences between Franklin Utilities Fund Class A1 ($FKUTX) and PGIM Jennison Utility Fund- Class Z ($PRUZX).

To start off, here's a look at the basics of each fund. Keep an eye on the FI Score. That's a custom score from 0 to 100 that we generate based on how good this fund is for the casual investor. Most investors only need a handful of total funds in their portfolio. The higher the score, the more likely this is one of those few. Score alone isn't enough! Keep reading on to see how different (or perhaps similar) these two funds are.

57% FI Score
  • fkutx
  • Mutual Fund
  • Sector Equity
  • Utilities

Franklin Utilities Fund Class A1

Expenses: 0.73% (Better than 1% of similar funds)

This is an OK choice for a Utilities Sector Equity fund. See why »

61% FI Score
  • pruzx
  • Mutual Fund
  • Sector Equity
  • Utilities

PGIM Jennison Utility Fund- Class Z

Expenses: 0.56% (Better than 1% of similar funds)

This is an OK choice for a Utilities Sector Equity fund. See why »

Both $FKUTX and $PRUZX are categorized as Mutual Funds. Mutual funds are often offered by 401(k) platforms and are essentially the same as ETFs. Mutual funds are generally offered by an investment platform – Fidelity has Fidelity mutual funds, Vanguard has Vanguard mutual funds. Mutual funds are ideal for retirement investing since you can invest any amount. That allows you to invest every last cent and benefit from the market.

The biggest disadvantage of mutual funds is that you're usually limited to the funds on your investment platform. If you're investing on Fidelity, you'll want to pick Fidelity mutual funds (or any ETF). Same with Vanguard. Some platforms offer mutual funds from other platforms, but they may charge a purchse or redemption fee. I'd recommend using the same platform as your funds – or stick to ETFs.

To learn more about the difference between these two, you can read about the difference between ETFs and Mutual Funds.

When evaluating a fund, the first things I look at are:

  • What it invests in
  • How much it charges in fees
  • How large the fund is

Let's look into these criteria one by one and see if either of these funds stands out.

Fund Holdings Comparison

Both of these funds are Sector Equity Utilities funds – which means they're likely both investing in about the same investments behind the scenes.

Minafi's FI Score algorithm takes into account the category and market. The more niche a fund is, the lower the score. This doesn't mean it's a worse fund, but it does mean you should stop and make sure this a fund you need to diversify your portfolio.

FKUTX PRUZX
Market Score 9.2 /10 8.1 /10
Category Score 0.0 /10 0.0 /10
Total 9.2 8.1

A score of 10 means this is a solid market and category that almost every investor will want to have investments in. The lower the score, the more specific the investment. These scores are based on when most investors would add these funds to their portfolio. A score of 10 means that this fund (or one like it) belongs in a three-fund portfolio. The lower the score, the farther down in your portfolio a fund would go.

Winner: $FKUTX

Fee Comparison

Fees are one of the biggest killers of portfolio growth. The difference between a 2% fee and a 0.04% fee over 30 years can result in your portfolio having half the total value!

If you're just getting started investing and learning how fees impact your portfolio, I'd encourage you to read through my free investment course (specifically '2.2 - All About Fees') where I go over all the different types of fees you can be charged and how to lower them.

For these two funds, FKUTX has an expense ratio of 0.73% while PRUZX has an expense ratio of 0.56%. In this case, both of these funds have a similar fee.

Winner: $PRUZX (barely)

Fund Size Comparison

Both FKUTX and PRUZX have a similar number of assets under management. FKUTX has 6.06 Billion in assets under management, while PRUZX has 3.17 Billion.

Minafi categorizes both of these funds as large funds. Fund size is a good indication of how many other investors trust this fund. A large fund by itself doesn't mean it's a good fund, but it is one thing to consider when figuring out how to choose the right fund.

Winner: tie

Which Should You Choose? FKUTX or PRUZX?

Since both of these funds are Sector Equity Utilities funds, you'll most likely only need to invest in one of these funds – not both. Running both of these funds through Minafi's FI Score algorithm, gives FKUTX a score of 57 and PRUZX a score of 61.

Since both of these have a similar FI Score, the difference between these two if minimal. A higher FI Score doesn't mean future growth will be higher, but it does mean that it better fits criteria for a good fund. Neither of these funds has an FI Score above 90 – which is a red flag. I'd look into more funds to find one with a higher FI Score.

Winner: Neither, I'd research more funds if you're looking to invest for retirement.

$FKUTX

Franklin Utilities Fund Class A1

57

Read More
Ratings
Rating Type Rating
Expense Ratio Score 6 /10
Expense Rating 3 /10
Market Score 9 /10
Category Score 0 /10
Overview
Overview Details
Fund Type Mutual Fund
Inception Date Sep-30-1948
Exchange NMFQS
Expense Ratio 0.730%
Net Assets 6.06 Billion
Yield 2.57%
Holdings
Description Info
Market Sector Equity
Category Utilities
Sectors
  • Basic Materials 0.00%
  • Communication Services 0.54%
  • Consumer Cyclical 0.00%
  • Consumer Defensive 0.00%
  • Energy 3.01%
  • Financial Services 0.00%
  • Healthcare 0.00%
  • Industrials 0.00%
  • Real Estate 0.00%
  • Technology 0.00%
  • Utilities 96.45%
Regions
  • Australasia 0.42%
  • Europe Developed 1.33%
  • North America 96.52%
  • United Kingdom 1.73%

$PRUZX

PGIM Jennison Utility Fund- Class Z

61

Read More
Ratings
Rating Type Rating
Expense Ratio Score 8 /10
Expense Rating 4 /10
Market Score 8 /10
Category Score 0 /10
Overview
Overview Details
Fund Type Mutual Fund
Inception Date Aug-10-1981
Exchange NMFQS
Expense Ratio 0.560%
Net Assets 3.17 Billion
Yield 2.14%
Holdings
Description Info
Market Sector Equity
Category Utilities
Sectors
  • Basic Materials 0.00%
  • Communication Services 4.08%
  • Consumer Cyclical 0.00%
  • Consumer Defensive 0.00%
  • Energy 5.75%
  • Financial Services 0.00%
  • Healthcare 0.00%
  • Industrials 0.00%
  • Real Estate 6.38%
  • Technology 0.00%
  • Utilities 83.79%
Regions
  • Europe Developed 16.27%
  • North America 82.46%
  • United Kingdom 1.28%

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