John Hancock Mutual Funds Launches John Hancock Strategic Growth Fund (JSGAX)

BOSTON, Jan. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- John Hancock Mutual Funds today announced that the new John Hancock Strategic Growth Fund (JSGAX) is now available to investors through their financial advisers.

"We are pleased to add the John Hancock Strategic Growth Fund to our product lineup," said Keith F. Hartstein, President & CEO, John Hancock Funds.  "Managed by a premier asset management team with a strong long-term record, this new fund fills an important style box for investors in the John Hancock family of funds."

Sub-adviser to the fund, providing portfolio management services, is the U.S. Large Cap Growth team at John Hancock Asset Management, a division of Manulife Asset Management, led by W. Shannon Reid, CFA. Mr. Reid's team -- which includes Jay Zelko, CFA, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager; David M. Chow, CFA, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager; and Curtis Ifill, CFA, Director, Senior Investment Analyst -- joined the firm in July of 2011. Previously they were with Wells Capital Management. The team's investment process employs fundamentally-oriented, bottom-up stock selection with a very clear focus on risk management that has enabled them to deliver strong and consistent performance to institutional and retail clients.

The John Hancock Strategic Growth Fund's investment objective is to seek long-term capital appreciation. Under normal market conditions, the fund invests at least 80 percent of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of large-capitalization companies and up to 20 percent of its total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers through American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and similar investments.

The new Fund focuses on companies whose earnings growth rate and sustainability are underestimated by market consensus. The sub-advisory team's investment process utilizes a combination of quantitative and qualitative bottom-up fundamental analysis to identify those companies with under-appreciated prospects for robust and sustainable growth in earnings and revenues. The team employs a five step mosaic research approach which encompasses industry group analysis, company history and financial analysis, earnings growth sustainability analysis, fundamental catalyst assessment and consensus estimate comparisons. Each company within the fund's portfolio goes through a rigorous reward-to-risk analysis based on the team's independent earnings estimate and a clearly articulated investment thesis.

John Hancock Investment Management Services, LLC (IMS) is investment adviser to the John Hancock Strategic Growth Fund.

About John Hancock Funds
The Boston-based mutual fund business unit of John Hancock Financial, John Hancock Funds manages more than $62.3 billion in open-end funds, closed-end funds, private accounts, retirement plans and related party assets for individual and institutional investors as at September 30, 2011.

About Manulife Asset Management and John Hancock Asset Management
Manulife Asset Management™ is the global asset management arm of Manulife Financial. Manulife Asset Management provides comprehensive asset management solutions for institutional investors and investment funds in key markets around the world. Manulife Asset Management also provides investment management services to affiliates' retail clients through product offerings of Manulife and John Hancock. This investment expertise extends across a full 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. John Hancock Asset Management, Hancock Natural Resource Group and Declaration Management and Research are units of Manulife Asset Management. 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. 

As at September 30, 2011 assets under management were Cdn$206.8 billion (US$199.0 billion). Additional information about Manulife Asset Management can be found at www.manulifeam.com.

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial Corporation
John Hancock Financial is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading Canada-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 21 countries and territories worldwide. In 2012, John Hancock celebrates 150 years of serving clients across the United States, while Manulife celebrates its 125th anniversary. 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. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were C$492 billion (US$473 billion) as at September 30, 2011. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at 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 johnhancock.com.

SOURCE John Hancock Mutual Funds