CUSIP NO. 465741106 13G UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13G Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. ) Itron, Inc. (Name of Issuer) Common (See Note 1) (Title of Class of Securities) 465741106 (CUSIP Number) *The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page. The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes). 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Franklin Resources, Inc. 2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) (b) X 3. SEC USE ONLY 4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH: 5. SOLE VOTING POWER (See Item 4) 6. SHARED VOTING POWER (See Item 4) 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER (See Item 4) 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER (See Item 4) 9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,682,923 (See Note 1) 10. CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES [ ] 11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 11.2% 12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON HC (See Item 4) 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Charles B. Johnson 2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) (b) X 3. SEC USE ONLY 4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION USA NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH: 5. SOLE VOTING POWER (See Item 4) 6. SHARED VOTING POWER (See Item 4) 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER (See Item 4) 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER (See Item 4) 9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,682,923 (See Note 1) 10. CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES [ ] 11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 11.2% 12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON HC (See Item 4) 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. 2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) (b) X 3. SEC USE ONLY 4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION USA NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH: 5. SOLE VOTING POWER (See Item 4) 6. SHARED VOTING POWER (See Item 4) 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER (See Item 4) 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER (See Item 4) 9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,682,923 (See Note 1) 10. CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES [ ] 11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 11.2% 12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON HC (See Item 4) 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Franklin Advisers, Inc. 2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) (b) X 3. SEC USE ONLY 4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION California NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH: 5. SOLE VOTING POWER 1,680,033 (See Item 4) 6. SHARED VOTING POWER 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 1,680,033 (See Item 4) 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,680,033 10. CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES [ ] 11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 11.1% 12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON IA Item 1. (a) Name of Issuer: Itron, Inc. (b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices: 2818 North Sullivan Road Spokane, WA 99216-1897 Item 2. (a) Name of Person Filing: (i): Franklin Resources, Inc. (ii): Charles B. Johnson (iii): Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. (iv): Franklin Advisers, Inc. (b) Address of Principal Business Office: (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv): 777 Mariners Island Boulevard San Mateo, CA 94404 (c) Place of Organization or Citizenship: (i): Delaware (ii) and (iii): USA (iv): California (d) Title of Class of Securities: Common(See Note 1) (e) CUSIP Number: 465741106 Item 3. The persons filing this Schedule 13G are: (i) Franklin Resources, Inc. (g) Parent Holding Company (ii) Charles B. Johnson (g) Principal Shareholder of Parent Holding Company (iii)Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. (g) Principal Shareholder of Parent Holding Company (iv) Franklin Advisers, Inc. (e) Investment Adviser Item 4. Ownership The securities reported on herein are beneficially owned by one or more open or closed-end investment companies or other managed accounts which are advised by direct and indirect investment advisory subsidiaries (the "Adviser Subsidiaries") of Franklin Resources, Inc. ("FRI"). Such advisory contracts grant to such Adviser Subsidiaries all investment and/or voting power over the securities owned by such advisory clients. Therefore, such Adviser Subsidiaries may be deemed to be, for purposes of Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the beneficial owner of the securities covered by this statement. Charles B. Johnson and Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. (the "Principal Shareholders") each own in excess of 10% of the outstanding Common Stock of FRI and are the principal shareholders of FRI. FRI and the Principal Shareholders may be deemed to be, for purposes of Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act, the beneficial owner of securities held by persons and entities advised by FRI subsidiaries. FRI, the Principal Shareholders and each of the Adviser Subsidiaries disclaim any economic interest or beneficial ownership in any of the securities covered by this statement. FRI, the Principal Shareholders, and each of the Adviser Subsidiaries are of the view that they are not acting as a "group" for purposes of Section 13(d) under the 1934 Act and that they are not otherwise required to attribute to each other the "beneficial ownership" of securities held by any of them or by any persons or entities advised by FRI subsidiaries. (a) Amount Beneficially Owned: 1,682,923 (See Note 1) (b) Percent of Class: 11.2% (c) Number of Shares as to which such person has: (i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote Franklin Resources, Inc.: 0 Charles B. Johnson: 0 Rupert H. Johnson, Jr.: 0 Franklin Advisers, Inc.: 1,680,033 Franklin Management, Inc.: 0 (ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote (iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of Franklin Resources, Inc.: 0 Charles B. Johnson: 0 Rupert H. Johnson, Jr.: 0 Franklin Advisers, Inc.: 1,680,033 Franklin Management, Inc.: 2,890 (iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following [ ]. Not Applicable Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person The clients of the Adviser Subsidiaries, including investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and other managed accounts, have the right to receive dividends from as well as the proceeds from the sale of such securities reported on in this statement. Franklin Small Cap Growth Fund, a series of Franklin Strategic Series, a company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, has an interest in more than 5% of the class of securities reported on herein. Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company Franklin Advisers, Inc. 3(e) Franklin Management, Inc. 3(e) Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group Not Applicable Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group Not Applicable Item 10. Certification By signing below, we certify that, to the best of our knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not have the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of such securities and were not acquired in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such purposes or effect. This report shall not be construed as an admission by the persons filing the report that they are the beneficial owner of any securities covered by this report. After reasonable inquiry and to the best of our knowledge and belief, we certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. December 10, 1997 Franklin Resources, Inc. Charles B. Johnson Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. Franklin Advisers, Inc. S\LESLIE M. KRATTER By: Leslie M. Kratter Vice President, Franklin Resources, Inc. Attorney in Fact for Charles B. Johnson pursuant to Power of Attorney attached to this Schedule 13G Attorney in Fact for Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. pursuant to Power of Attorney attached to this Schedule 13G Secretary, Franklin Advisers, Inc. Note 1: Includes 495,733 common shares that would result upon the conversion of 11,750,000 Convertible Bond Units (as computed under Rule 13(d)-3(1)(i)). JOINT FILING AGREEMENT In accordance with Rule 13d-1 (f)(1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the undersigned hereby agrees to the joint filing with each other of the attached statement on Schedule 13G and to all amendments to such statement and that such statement and all amendments to such statement is made on behalf of each of them. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned hereby execute this agreement on December 10, 1997. Franklin Resources, Inc. Charles B. Johnson Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. Franklin Advisers, Inc. S\LESLIE M. KRATTER By: Leslie M. Kratter Vice President, Franklin Resources, Inc. Attorney in Fact for Charles B. Johnson pursuant to Power of Attorney attached to this Schedule 13G Attorney in Fact for Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. pursuant to Power of Attorney attached to this Schedule 13G Secretary, Franklin Advisers, Inc. POWER OF ATTORNEY CHARLES B. JOHNSON hereby appoints LESLIE M. KRATTER his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent to execute and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission any Schedule 13G, any amendments thereto or any related documentation which may be required to be filed in his individual capacity as a result of his position as an officer, director or shareholder of Franklin Resources, Inc. and, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing which he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. S\CHARLES B. JOHNSON POWER OF ATTORNEY RUPERT H. JOHNSON, JR. hereby appoints LESLIE M. KRATTER his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent to execute and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission any Schedule 13G, any amendments thereto or any related documentation which may be required to be filed in his individual capacity as a result of his position as an officer, director or shareholder of Franklin Resources, Inc. and, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing which he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. S\RUPERT H. JOHNSON, JR.