John Hancock Emerging Markets Fund (JEVAX) Now Available in Retail Share Classes

BOSTON, April 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- John Hancock Mutual Funds has added retail share classes to the John Hancock Emerging Markets Fund (JEVAX), which previously was available as an underlying portfolio to investors in John Hancock's Lifestyle and Lifecycle Funds. As a result, the Fund, which has a four year track record and approximately $2.1 billion in assets, is now available for sale to investors through their financial advisers.

"We are very pleased to now offer investors access to the John Hancock Emerging Markets Fund, having included it in our popular Lifestyle and Lifecycle Funds for the past four years where it posted a strong record," said Keith F. Hartstein, President & CEO of John Hancock Funds. "Dimensional Fund Advisors is one of the most highly-respected managers in this asset class. Indeed, DFA's solid performance was recently recognized by Lipper, which honored the Fund with a trophy for three-year results in the Emerging Markets category at the Lipper Fund Awards event in March."

Since its inception (May 1, 2007), John Hancock Emerging Markets NAV has returned 9.03 percent versus the Lipper Emerging Markets Funds category average of 4.41 percent.  Over this time period, it outperformed 96 percent of the category. Over the most recent three years ending March 31, 2011, John Hancock Emerging Markets NAV has returned 8.49 percent versus the Lipper Emerging Markets Funds category average of 2.21 percent.  Over this time period, it out-performed 93 percent of the Lipper Emerging Markets category.  The annual total returns for the fund over the one-, three- and since inception-performance, with a five percent sales charge, are 12.98 percent, 6.84 percent and 7.76 percent, respectively.  

The Dimensional Fund Advisors team managing the John Hancock Emerging Markets Fund includes:  Karen E. Umland, Senior Portfolio Manager and Vice President and a member of the fund management team since 2007; Stephen A. Clark, Senior Portfolio Manager and Vice President; Joseph H. Chi, CFA, Portfolio Manager and Vice President; and Jed S. Fogdall, Portfolio Manager and Vice President, all of whom have been members of the portfolio management team for the Fund since 2010.

The John Hancock Emerging Markets Fund seeks long-term capital growth through investment primarily in emerging market equity securities. The fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in companies associated with emerging markets, including frontier markets (emerging market countries at an earlier stage of development), authorized for investment by the Investment Committee of the sub-adviser ("Approved Markets") from time to time, with an increased exposure to securities of small cap issuers and securities that it considers to be value securities. Under normal circumstances, the fund will invest at least 80 percent of its net assets in companies associated with emerging markets.

The risks of investing in foreign securities are greater for investments in emerging markets. Emerging market countries may experience higher inflation, interest rates and unemployment as well as greater social, economic, regulatory and political uncertainties than more developed countries. Value stocks may not increase in price as anticipated or may decline further in value. The prices of medium and small company stocks can change more frequently and dramatically than those of large company stocks. If the fund invests in illiquid securities, it may be difficult to sell them at a price approximating their value. Currency transactions are impacted by fluctuations in exchange rates, which may adversely affect the U.S. dollar value of a fund's investments. The use of hedging and derivatives transactions could produce disproportionate gains or losses and may increase volatility and costs. For additional information on these and other risk considerations, please see the Fund's prospectus.

About Dimensional Fund Advisors

Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) managed $207 billion in assets as of December 31, 2010. DFA is an independent firm with a sole focus on money management. The firm's unique investment philosophy, rooted in academic research, leads to portfolios with an emphasis on small-cap stocks and value stocks.

About John Hancock Funds

The Boston-based mutual fund business unit of John Hancock Financial, John Hancock Funds manages more than $65.9 billion in open-end funds, closed-end funds, private accounts, retirement plans and related party assets for individual and institutional investors as at December 31, 2010.  

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$475 billion (US$478 billion) as at December 31, 2010.  

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 Mutual Funds