Dividend-paying stocks may start to gain more attention from investors as the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates, but not all strategies are created equal. The Franklin Templeton Equity Income Fund (FISEX) focuses on finding income while investing in high-quality companies. The fund is rated four stars by Morningstar and is ranked in the top quintile when it comes to total returns so far this year and last, according to Morningstar . "We want companies that are leaders," said Matt Quinlan, lead portfolio manager of the Franklin Equity Income strategy. That means "companies that are continuously investing, innovating, expanding … really just making their businesses more defensible and durable over time," he added. The value fund has a 30-day SEC yield of 1.27% and a net expense ratio of 0.

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