John Hancock Mutual Funds Launches Three New Equity Funds Employing Fundamental Strategy

BOSTON, June 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- John Hancock Mutual Funds said today that three new fundamental equity funds are now available for sale to investors through their financial advisors. The new funds are:  John Hancock Fundamental Large Cap Core Fund (JFLAX), John Hancock Fundamental Large Cap Value Fund (JFVAX), and John Hancock Fundamental All Cap Core Fund (JFCAX).

"John Hancock Funds is pleased to add these new funds to our lineup. Managed by a premier asset management team with a strong long-term record, these new funds fill important style boxes for our investors," said Keith F. Hartstein, President & CEO of John Hancock Funds.

The three new funds are managed by the U.S. Core Value Equity team at John Hancock Asset Management a division of Manulife Asset Management (US) LLC, led by Walter T. McCormick, CFA, and Emory W. (Sandy) Sanders, Jr., CFA. The team employs a disciplined, fundamental, bottom-up research approach, focusing on financially stable companies with sustainable competitive advantages that are selling at significant discounts to intrinsic value. Specifically the team looks for companies that possess sustainable secular growth, competitive advantages with high barriers to entry, experienced management teams, cash flow potential, and high returns on capital. The team seeks to invest in these types of companies for the long term, which has translated into a buy and hold approach, with low portfolio turnover.

Mr. McCormick and Mr. Sanders joined Manulife Asset Management in December of 2010 from Wells Capital Management in Boston, where they managed large cap value and large cap core strategies.  Mr. McCormick most recently was a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager with the Berkeley Street Equity team at Wells Capital Management. He joined Wells Capital when it acquired Evergreen Investments, where he had served in a similar role since 2002. He began his investment industry career in 1970. Mr. McCormick earned a bachelor's degree from Providence College, an MBA from Rutgers University, and is a holder of the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.  

Mr. Sanders most recently was a Director, Portfolio Manager and Senior Equity Analyst with the Large Cap equity research team at Wells Capital Management. He joined Wells Capital from Evergreen Investments, where he had served in a similar role since beginning his investment management career in 1997.  He is a graduate of the University of Vermont, and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.  

About John Hancock Funds

The Boston-based mutual fund business unit of John Hancock Financial, John Hancock Funds manages more than $70.1 billion in open-end funds, closed-end funds, private accounts, retirement plans and related party assets for individual and institutional investors as at March 31, 2011.  

About Manulife Asset Management

Manulife Asset Management™ is the global asset management arm of Manulife Financial. Manulife Asset Management and its affiliates provide comprehensive asset management solutions for institutional investors and investment funds in key markets around the world. This investment expertise extends across a broad range of asset classes including equity, fixed income and alternative investments such as real estate, timber, farmland, as well as asset allocation strategies.

Manulife Asset Management has offices with full investment capabilities in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines. In addition, it has a joint venture asset management business in China, Manulife TEDA. It also has operations in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and Uruguay. As at March 31, 2011, 2010, assets under management for institutional clients were Cdn$211 billion (US$217 billion). Additional information about Manulife Asset Management can be found at ManulifeAM.com.

John Hancock Asset Management is a division of Manulife Asset Management that provides investment management services related to John Hancock products sold in the United States. 

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial Corporation

John Hancock Financial is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 22 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and in most of Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, Manulife Financial Corporation offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. For more than 120 years, clients have looked to Manulife for strong, reliable, trustworthy and forward-thinking solutions for their most significant financial decisions. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$478 billion (US$492 billion) as at March 31, 2011.  

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial may be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers a broad range of financial products and services, including life insurance, fixed and variable annuities, fixed products, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at www.johnhancock.com.

SOURCE John Hancock Funds