JOHN HANCOCK CLOSED-END FUNDS ANNOUNCE ANNUAL SHAREHOLDER MEETING AND RECORD DATES

BOSTON, MA, Sept. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - The nine John Hancock closed-end funds listed below announced today that each fund's Annual Meeting of Shareholders ("Annual Meeting") will be held on February 18, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, at the offices of the funds, 200 Berkeley Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116:

• John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund (NYSE: BTO)
• John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund (NYSE: HEQ)
• John Hancock Income Securities Trust (NYSE: JHS)
• John Hancock Investors Trust (NYSE: JHI)
• John Hancock Preferred Income Fund (NYSE: HPI)
• John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II (NYSE: HPF)
• John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III (NYSE: HPS)
• John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (NYSE: PDT)
• John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (NYSE: HTD)

Shareholders of record of each fund as of the close of business on November 25, 2024 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting and at any adjournment thereof. The notice for the Annual Meeting will be mailed to shareholders on or about December 27, 2024. At the Annual Meeting, shareholders of the funds will be asked to elect Trustees of the funds.

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined by the United States securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Fund's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

An investor should consider a Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing.

About John Hancock Investment Management

A company of Manulife Investment Management, we serve investors through a unique multimanager approach, complementing our extensive in-house capabilities with an unrivaled network of specialized asset managers, backed by some of the most rigorous investment oversight in the industry. The result is a diverse lineup of time-tested investments from a premier asset manager with a heritage of financial stewardship.

About Manulife Investment Management

Manulife Investment Management is the global brand for the global wealth and asset management segment of Manulife Financial Corporation. We draw on more than a century of financial stewardship and the full resources of our parent company to serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Headquartered in Toronto, our leading capabilities in public and private markets are strengthened by an investment footprint that spans 18 geographies. We complement these capabilities by providing access to a network of unaffiliated asset managers from around the world. We're committed to investing responsibly across our businesses. We develop innovative global frameworks for sustainable investing, collaboratively engage with companies in our securities portfolios, and maintain a high standard of stewardship where we own and operate assets, and we believe in supporting financial well-being through our workplace retirement plans. Today, plan sponsors around the world rely on our retirement plan administration and investment expertise to help their employees plan for, save for, and live a better retirement. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com.

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SOURCE John Hancock Investment Management