BOSTON, Jan. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nine John Hancock closed-end funds declared their monthly dividends today as follows:
Declaration Date: January 3, 2006
Ex Date: January 11, 2006
Record Date: January 13, 2006
Payable Date: January 31, 2006
Annualized Change from
Yield at Previous
Ticker Fund Name Amount Market* Month
PDF Patriot Premium Dividend Fund I $0.0460 6.85% -
PDT Patriot Premium Dividend Fund II $0.0570 6.74% -
DIV Patriot Select Dividend Trust $0.0660 6.54% -
PGD Patriot Global Dividend Fund $0.0690 6.90% -
PPF Patriot Preferred Dividend Fund $0.0720 6.43% -
HPI Preferred Income Fund $0.1550 8.74% -
HPF Preferred Income Fund II $0.1550 8.79% -
HPS Preferred Income Fund III $0.1320 7.91% ($0.016)
HTD Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund $0.0967 6.90% -
In keeping with management's approach of only paying dividends from income generated by the underlying securities within the portfolio, HPS' dividend has been reduced to reflect current market conditions. Management believes this amendment is necessary at this time to avoid a return of capital.
Rising short-term interest rates since June 2004 have increased HPS' leverage costs, reducing the income available to the Fund's common stock shareholders. Although the Fund actively employs hedging techniques, rising rates since the Fund's launch in June 2003 have continued to put added pressure on the dividend. With several higher-yielding preferred securities in the portfolio being refinanced or called, HPS has been forced to reinvest the proceeds in lower yielding securities. The yield represented by the new dividend level still remains attractive relative to other investment-grade income-oriented securities. For historical distribution information for any of our closed-end funds, please visit our website http://www.jhfunds.com/.
John Hancock Funds manages more than $34.0 billion in open-end funds, closed-end funds, private accounts, retirement plans and related party assets for individual and institutional investors as of September 30, 2005. Additional information about the company can be found on the website: http://www.jhfunds.com/.
John Hancock Funds is a wholly owned subsidiary of John Hancock Financial Services, Inc., a subsidiary of Manulife Financial Corporation. Founded in 1862, John Hancock Financial Services and its subsidiaries today offer a broad range of financial products and services, including whole, term, variable, and universal life insurance, as well as college savings products, mutual funds, fixed and variable annuities, long-term care insurance and various forms of business insurance.
Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$360 billion (US$310 billion) as of September 30, 2005.
Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '0945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at http://www.manulife.com/.
* Based on December 30, 2005 closing market price.
Website: http://www.jhfunds.com
http://www.manulife.com
