<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 02/29/2000
000 C000000 0000833040
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 6.1
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 FRANKLIN UNIVERSAL TRUST
001 B000000 811-5569
001 C000000 6503122000
002 A000000 777 MARINERS ISLAND BOULEVARD
002 B000000 SAN MATEO
002 C000000 CA
002 D010000 94404
002 D020000 1585
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
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007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
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<PAGE> PAGE 2
007 C012900 29
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007 C017500 75
007 C017600 76
007 C017700 77
007 C017800 78
007 C017900 79
<PAGE> PAGE 3
007 C018000 80
008 A000001 FRANKLIN ADVISERS INC
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-26292
008 D010001 SAN MATEO
008 D020001 CA
008 D030001 94404
008 D040001 1585
010 A000001 FRANKLIN TEMPLETON SERVICES INC
010 C010001 SAN MATEO
010 C020001 CA
010 C030001 94404
010 C040001 1585
011 A000001 PAINEWEBBER INCORPORATED
011 B000001 8-00000000
011 C010001 NEW YORK
011 C020001 NY
011 C030001 10019
012 A000001 PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
012 B000001 85-1119600
012 C010001 WILMINGTON
012 C020001 DE
012 C030001 19809
013 A000001 PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP
013 B010001 SAN FRANCISCO
013 B020001 CA
013 B030001 94105
013 B040001 2119
015 A000001 THE BANK OF NEW YORK
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 NEW YORK
015 C020001 NY
015 C030001 10286
015 E010001 X
015 A000002 BANCO RIO DE LA PLATA
015 B000002 S
015 C010002 BUENOS AIRES
015 D010002 ARGENTINA
015 E040002 X
015 A000003 NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK
015 B000003 S
015 C010003 MELBOURNE
015 D010003 AUSTRALIA
015 E040003 X
015 A000004 BANK AUSTRIA A.G.
015 B000004 S
015 C010004 VIENNA
015 D010004 AUSTRIA
015 E040004 X
015 A000005 BANQUE BRUXELLES LAMBERT
015 B000005 S
<PAGE> PAGE 4
015 C010005 BRUSSELS
015 D010005 BELGIUM
015 E040005 X
015 A000006 BANKBOSTON
015 B000006 S
015 C010006 SAO PAULO
015 D010006 BRAZIL
015 E040006 X
015 A000007 ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
015 B000007 S
015 C010007 TORONTO
015 D010007 CANADA
015 E040007 X
015 A000008 STANDARD CHARTERED BANK
015 B000008 S
015 C010008 SHANGHAI
015 D010008 CHINA
015 E040008 X
015 A000009 STANDARD CHARTERED BANK
015 B000009 S
015 C010009 SHENZHEN
015 D010009 CHINA
015 E040009 X
015 A000010 DEN DANSKE BANK
015 B000010 S
015 C010010 COPENHAGEN
015 D010010 DENMARK
015 E040010 X
015 A000011 MERITA BANK PLC
015 B000011 S
015 C010011 HELSINKI
015 D010011 FINLAND
015 E040011 X
015 A000012 BANQUE PARIBAS
015 B000012 S
015 C010012 PARIS
015 D010012 FRANCE
015 E040012 X
015 A000013 DRESDNER BANK AG
015 B000013 S
015 C010013 FRANKFURT
015 D010013 GERMANY
015 E040013 X
015 A000014 HONGKONG & SHANGHAI BANKING CORP., LTD.
015 B000014 S
015 C010014 HONG KONG
015 D010014 CHINA
015 E040014 X
015 A000015 HONGKONG & SHANGHAI BANKING CORP., LTD.
015 B000015 S
015 C010015 JAKARTA
<PAGE> PAGE 5
015 D010015 INDONESIA
015 E040015 X
015 A000016 ALLIED IRISH BANKS PLC
015 B000016 S
015 C010016 DUBLIN
015 D010016 IRELAND
015 E040016 X
015 A000017 BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI LTD.
015 B000017 S
015 C010017 TOKYO
015 D010017 JAPAN
015 E040017 X
015 A000018 BANQUE ET CAISSE D'EPARGNE DE L'ETAT LUXEM.
015 B000018 S
015 C010018 LUXEMBOURG
015 D010018 LUXEMBOURG
015 E040018 X
015 A000019 HSBC BANK MALAYSIA BERHAD
015 B000019 S
015 C010019 KUALA LUMPUR
015 D010019 MALAYSIA
015 E040019 X
015 A000020 BANCO NACIONAL DE MEXICO, S.A. (BANAMEX)
015 B000020 S
015 C010020 MEXICO CITY
015 D010020 MEXICO
015 E040020 X
015 A000021 MEES PIERSON N.V.
015 B000021 S
015 C010021 AMSTERDAM
015 D010021 NETHERLANDS
015 E040021 X
015 A000022 AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED
015 B000022 S
015 C010022 WELLINGTON
015 D010022 NEW ZEALAND
015 E040022 X
015 A000023 STANDARD CHARTERED BANK
015 B000023 S
015 C010023 KARACHI
015 D010023 PAKISTAN
015 E040023 X
015 A000024 HONGKONG & SHANGHAI BANKING CORP., LTD.
015 B000024 S
015 C010024 MANILA
015 D010024 PHILIPPINES
015 E040024 X
015 A000025 BANCO COMERCIAL PORTUGUES
015 B000025 S
015 C010025 LISBON
015 D010025 PORTUGAL
<PAGE> PAGE 6
015 E040025 X
015 A000026 UNITED OVERSEAS BANK LTD.
015 B000026 S
015 C010026 SINGAPORE
015 D010026 SINGAPORE
015 E040026 X
015 A000027 STANDARD BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA LTD.
015 B000027 S
015 C010027 JOHANNESBURG
015 D010027 SOUTH AFRICA
015 E040027 X
015 A000028 BANCO BILBAO VIZCAYA ARGENTARIA S.A.
015 B000028 S
015 C010028 MADRID
015 D010028 SPAIN
015 E040028 X
015 A000029 STANDARD CHARTERED BANK
015 B000029 S
015 C010029 COLOMBO
015 D010029 SRI LANKA
015 E040029 X
015 A000030 SKANDINAVISKA ENSKILDA BANKEN
015 B000030 S
015 C010030 STOCKHOLM
015 D010030 SWEDEN
015 E040030 X
015 A000031 CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON
015 B000031 S
015 C010031 ZURICH
015 D010031 SWITZERLAND
015 E040031 X
015 A000032 STANDARD CHARTERED BANK
015 B000032 S
015 C010032 BANGKOK
015 D010032 THAILAND
015 E040032 X
015 A000033 OSMANLI BANKASI A.S. (OTTOMAN BANK)
015 B000033 S
015 C010033 ISTANBUL
015 D010033 TURKEY
015 E040033 X
015 A000034 THE BANK OF NEW YORK
015 B000034 S
015 C010034 LONDON
015 D010034 UNITED KINGDOM
015 E040034 X
015 A000036 CITIBANK, N.A.
015 B000036 S
015 C010036 CARACAS
015 D010036 VENEZUELA
015 E040036 X
<PAGE> PAGE 7
015 A000037 BARCLAYS BANK OF ZAMBIA LTD.
015 B000037 S
015 C010037 LUSAKA
015 D010037 ZAMBIA
015 E040037 X
015 A000038 BARCLAYS BANK OF ZIMBABWE LTD.
015 B000038 S
015 C010038 HARARE
015 D010038 ZIMBABWE
015 E040038 X
015 A000039 DEPOSITORY & CLEARING CENTER
015 B000039 S
015 C010039 LONDON
015 D010039 UNITED KINGDOM
015 E040039 X
015 A000040 CEDEL
015 B000040 S
015 C010040 LUXEMBOURG CITY
015 D010040 EUROMARKET
015 E040040 X
015 A000041 EUROCLEAR OPERATIONS CENTRE
015 B000041 S
015 C010041 BRUSSELS
015 D010041 EUROMARKET
015 E040041 X
015 A000042 BARCLAYS BANK OF BOTSWANA LTD.
015 B000042 S
015 C010042 JOHANNESBURG
015 D010042 BOTSWANA
015 E040042 X
015 A000043 BARCLAYS BANK OF GHANA LTD.
015 B000043 S
015 C010043 ACCRA
015 D010043 GHANA
015 E040043 X
015 A000044 BANCA COMMERCIALE ITALIANA
015 B000044 S
015 C010044 MILAN
015 D010044 ITALY
015 E040044 X
015 A000045 BANQUE COMMERCIALE DU MAROC
015 B000045 S
015 C010045 CASABLANCA
015 D010045 MOROCCO
015 E040045 X
015 A000046 STANBIC BANK (NAMIBIA) LTD.
015 B000046 S
015 C010046 WINDHOEK
015 D010046 NAMIBIA
015 E040046 X
015 A000047 CITIBANK BUDAPEST RT.
<PAGE> PAGE 8
015 B000047 S
015 C010047 LAGOS
015 D010047 NIGERIA
015 E040047 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 234
019 C000000 FRNKTEMGRP
020 A000001 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
020 B000001 13-5108880
020 C000001 6
020 A000002 FAHNESTOCK & CO. INC.
020 B000002 13-5657518
020 C000002 5
020 A000003 BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC
020 B000003 56-2058405
020 C000003 5
020 A000004 DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES
020 B000004 13-2730828
020 C000004 5
020 A000005 WARBURG DILLON READ LLC
020 B000005 13-3340045
020 C000005 3
020 A000006 MCDONALD & CO. SECURITIES INC.
020 B000006 34-0642435
020 C000006 3
020 A000007 CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORP.
020 B000007 13-5659485
020 C000007 3
020 A000008 DRESDNER KLEINWORT BENSON, NORTH AMERICA LLC
020 B000008 04-2442748
020 C000008 3
020 A000009 JEFFERIES & CO. INC.
020 B000009 95-2622900
020 C000009 3
020 A000010 LEHMAN BROTHERS, INC.
020 B000010 13-2518466
020 C000010 2
021 000000 42
022 A000001 DONALDSON LUFKIN & JENRETTE SECURITIES CORP.
022 B000001 13-2741729
022 C000001 83938
022 D000001 344
022 A000002 WARBURG DILLON READ LLC
022 B000002 13-3873456
022 C000002 81747
022 D000002 0
022 A000003 PARIBAS CORPORATION
022 B000003 13-3235334
022 C000003 81577
022 D000003 0
<PAGE> PAGE 9
022 A000004 BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.
022 B000004 13-3551367
022 C000004 80714
022 D000004 0
022 A000005 PAINEWEBBER INC.
022 B000005 13-2638166
022 C000005 77926
022 D000005 0
022 A000006 DRESDNER KLEINWORT BENSON, NORTH AMERICA LLC
022 B000006 04-2442748
022 C000006 77469
022 D000006 0
022 A000007 BEAR, STEARNS & CO. INC.
022 B000007 13-3299429
022 C000007 73818
022 D000007 908
022 A000008 LEHMAN BROTHERS, INC.
022 B000008 13-2518466
022 C000008 59811
022 D000008 1048
022 A000009 CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORP.
022 B000009 13-5659485
022 C000009 59233
022 D000009 317
022 A000010 CHASE SECURITIES INC.
022 B000010 13-3112953
022 C000010 57553
022 D000010 1980
023 C000000 883395
023 D000000 24635
024 000000 N
025 D000001 0
025 D000002 0
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 Y
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 N
028 A010000 0
028 A020000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 10
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 0
028 B010000 0
028 B020000 0
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 0
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028 C020000 0
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 0
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028 D020000 0
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 0
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028 E030000 0
028 E040000 0
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028 F040000 0
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030 A000000 0
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047 000000 Y
048 000000 0.750
<PAGE> PAGE 11
048 A010000 0
048 A020000 0.000
048 B010000 0
048 B020000 0.000
048 C010000 0
048 C020000 0.000
048 D010000 0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000 0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 0
048 K020000 0.000
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 N
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 Y
054 C000000 Y
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 Y
054 H000000 Y
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 Y
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 Y
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
056 000000 N
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
060 B000000 Y
061 000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 12
062 A000000 Y
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 2.5
062 E000000 0.0
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062 L000000 0.0
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062 P000000 93.1
062 Q000000 0.0
062 R000000 38.8
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 4.0
064 A000000 N
064 B000000 N
066 A000000 N
067 000000 Y
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 Y
070 B010000 Y
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 Y
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 Y
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 Y
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 Y
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 Y
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 Y
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 Y
070 K010000 Y
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 Y
070 L020000 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 13
070 M010000 Y
070 M020000 Y
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 Y
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 Y
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 45622
071 B000000 45083
071 C000000 292720
071 D000000 15
072 A000000 6
072 B000000 12122
072 C000000 2474
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 1134
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072 J000000 2
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072 L000000 12
072 M000000 8
072 N000000 16
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072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 21
072 S000000 4
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072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 26
072 X000000 3504
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 11092
072AA000000 3146
072BB000000 5026
072CC010000 0
072CC020000 21148
072DD010000 10813
072DD020000 0
072EE000000 1541
073 A010000 0.4000
073 A020000 0.0000
<PAGE> PAGE 14
073 B000000 0.0600
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 0
074 B000000 5337
074 C000000 0
074 D000000 200306
074 E000000 17084
074 F000000 66464
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 0
074 J000000 0
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 5150
074 M000000 139
074 N000000 294480
074 O000000 3978
074 P000000 183
074 Q000000 75000
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 73
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 215246
074 U010000 26897
074 U020000 0
074 V010000 8.00
074 V020000 0.00
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 4137
074 Y000000 5125
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 227239
076 000000 6.50
077 A000000 Y
077 Q010000 Y
078 000000 N
080 C000000 0
081 B000000 0
082 B000000 0
083 B000000 0
084 B000000 0
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 15
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
088 A000000 Y
088 B000000 N
088 C000000 N
088 D000000 N
SIGNATURE KIMBERLEY MONASTERIO
TITLE TREASURER
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE
FRANKLIN UNIVERSAL TRUST FEBRUARY 29, 2000 SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT AND IS
QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-2000
<PERIOD-END> FEB-29-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 321,347,422
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 289,190,698
<RECEIVABLES> 5,149,942
<ASSETS-OTHER> 139,477
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 294,480,117
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 3,977,526
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 75,000,000
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 256,416
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 79,233,942
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 247,973,253
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 26,897,361
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 26,897,361
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 3,045,766
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (3,615,662)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (32,157,182)
<NET-ASSETS> 215,246,175
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 2,474,435
<INTEREST-INCOME> 12,121,896
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (3,504,694)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 11,091,637
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (1,880,840)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (21,147,692)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> (11,936,895)
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (10,812,739)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (1,541,219)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (24,290,853)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 2,766,868
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (193,603)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> (1,133,686)
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> (2,215,328)
<GROSS-EXPENSE> (3,504,694)
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 227,239,499
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 8.910
<PER-SHARE-NII> .410<F2>
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.860)<F2>
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.400)<F2>
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (.060)<F2>
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> .000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 8.000
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 3.080<F1>
<FN>
<F1>ANNUALIZED
<F2>BASED ON AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING.
</FN>
</TABLE>
